Cape Dory as first boat

[Bob Herrick]

After dabbling in sailing for years, my wife and I finally got serious this summer and took Colgate's keel boat course. We are contemplating buying a first boat for next season.

Cape Dorys were the first boats considered since sight of one 20 years ago was the second reason I quit large power boats (the first was that it had become quite clear that power boats and I were incompatible).

The power boat taught me valuable lessons, however. Go slow, start small and avoid the distractions of complex electrical, propulsion and plumbing systems-i.e. concentrate on learning the basics.

To that end, the first boat to come to mind was a Typhoon weekender. Unfortunately, we glimpsed a gorgeous 22D a few years back.

Would appreciate feedback on whether either of these boats would serve us well as a training boat. We will sail Lake Michigan from Chicago and will concentrate on day sailing for now, possibly overnighting if the weather is good for two weekend days of sailing rather than driving the one-hour home.

Thanks,

Bob Herrick



bob@twne.com

[Jon Larson]

Bob,

Prior to my current CD30, I owned both a Typhoon and a CD22 (the outboard). I really loved that little Typhoon, it's a great sailing boat, but if you're really interested in spending some time on overnights, etc., then I think I'd recommend the CD22 as a much better choice for you of the two. Marilyn and I took a couple of vacations with our CD22 and it was pretty comfortable for what we did with it. I might suggest you look for an outboard version, the increase in storage space without the engine really helps with all the "stuff" one seems to need to bring along, the use of the engine area for a coleman cooler was really handy.

But, again, if you're interested in doing some cruising, then you really should consider getting into an even larger boat with some headroom, a comfortable place to sit, reasonable toilet facilities and holding tank, etc. Except that as you get larger, the boats become more stable, Carl Alberg's boats all have a lot of very similar characteristics, a lot of stuff you'd learn in a Typhoon, you'd learn in a CD27, for example. The engine stuff in these boats is pretty simple stuff, I don't see that overwhelming your desire to learn to sail any one of these boats.

Analyze your use of the boat, if it's cruising, then buy a cruiser, you'll save yourself probably some money and definately some bother in moving up to where you're likely to find yourself. If it's daysailing, then the Typhoon is a real fun boat, the 22 is very capable for the odd weekend or perhaps a longer trip with good but basic facilities. You may get hooked, however, and really wish for a place to sit comfortably on a rainy day, ergo, you then move up to a real cruiser, anyhow.

Good luck!

Jon Larson
Cape Dory 30 PERI
San Francisco Bay

After dabbling in sailing for years, my wife and I finally got serious this summer and took Colgate's keel boat course. We are contemplating buying a first boat for next season.

Cape Dorys were the first boats considered since sight of one 20 years ago was the second reason I quit large power boats (the first was that it had become quite clear that power boats and I were incompatible).

The power boat taught me valuable lessons, however. Go slow, start small and avoid the distractions of complex electrical, propulsion and plumbing systems-i.e. concentrate on learning the basics.

To that end, the first boat to come to mind was a Typhoon weekender. Unfortunately, we glimpsed a gorgeous 22D a few years back.

Would appreciate feedback on whether either of these boats would serve us well as a training boat. We will sail Lake Michigan from Chicago and will concentrate on day sailing for now, possibly overnighting if the weather is good for two weekend days of sailing rather than driving the one-hour home.

Thanks,

Bob Herrick

jon9@ix.netcom.com

[Bob B.]

I agree with Jon. He mentioned some goods and bads about the smaller boats. If you are already a sailor and just did the Colgate course to hone up your big boat skills, then you could handle a CD27. That was my first "big boat" after sailing an O'Day daysailer growing up. I did the same thing by taking a keelboat course through Oriental School of Sailing and came out very confident about the skills that had been taught. It took a while to get used to the big boat but through some trial and error and experimentation it worked well. It is good that your wife is also involved as mine was not and it just doesn't work well otherwise. Good luck with it.

Bob B
BundyR@aol.com



BundyR@aol.com

[Bill Gold]

Bob, I just bought my first boat... a CD30. All my sailing has been on other people's boats and sail club boats. I've skippered daysailers and small overnighters (Catalina 25 for example). I chartered a couple of times in the Virgin Islands. I wanted a solid traditional boat and found Seraphim after looking around for about a year. I didn't start out looking for a CD, but when I saw this one, I quit looking and went for it.

I've had her only a couple of months and have been out alone a couple of times. She is so easy to sail, with the roller furling and the staysail is self-tending. She is a heavy boat and travels farther after shifting to neutral than the lighter boats, and I'm still practicing docking and getting out of the slip. This is a boat I expect to grow into.

Good luck.

Bill Gold



billgold@hotmail.com

[slacker]

I can't help but to comment. I bought a cd25 this year after sailing rainbows, windsurfers and other small craft for most of my life. My folks have a Ericson 38 - thats a big boat. It's like driving a cadi - you can't feel the road. Nothing wrong with the poshness but you want to feel like you're sailing. I don't know where this is going, but I'm happy now. Boats is good. dogs are dogs and all is quiet when the goldfish leave.

-S