CD 26 to buy or not

[Dave S.]

I have the opportunity to purchase a very nice 1985 CD26 that does not have alot of bells and whistles. I would like to put it on a trailer and use it on Lake Superior out of Bayfield. I have not sailed in 23 years. I will be primarily sailing by myself. I would appreciate any input as to the boat itself, trailing it and any information you would be willing to share. Thank you



nor750s@aol.com

[John]

I have a 26. A perfectly fine boat, but it's much too large and heavy to trailer into and out of the water. Unless you can find moorage for the 26, you might consider a smaller boat.

[Gary L.]

I have the opportunity to purchase a very nice 1985 CD26 that does not have alot of bells and whistles. I would like to put it on a trailer and use it on Lake Superior out of Bayfield. I have not sailed in 23 years. I will be primarily sailing by myself. I would appreciate any input as to the boat itself, trailing it and any information you would be willing to share. Thank you

Dave,

"Mr. Peeps", a 1985 CD26 was my first real boat when I purchased her in the same year. I had sailed smaller boats with family and friends as crew. I know the feeling that she might seem like the Queen Mary, but believe me the CD26 is a great boat. It is strong and forgiving.

I soloed sailed Mr. Peeps for six years in Buzzards Bay area and cruised alone from Maine to New York; and in all types of weather. She survived two hurricanes (coming ashore during Hurricane Bob in 1991) with no structural damage and only cosmetic damage. I lost her to the bank due to a change in occupations, and a salary downgrade.

Whoever bought her at auction got the deal of a lifetime. If you e-mail me I can send dozens of shots of her.

I now, after eleven years have started back into sailing with a 1985 Cape Dory Cutter, which I love dearly, but you never forget your first "real" boat.

To answer your question. YES! Buy her.

Gary Lapine
Red Witch III
CD30C, #339
Somerset, MA



dory26@attbi.com

[Bill]

Hi Dave

I agree if you want the boat then buy her....

As to trailering. I ouwld not want to do it on a regular basis (as in tow her to the ramp every weekend) but I have trailered my 25D (only slightly smaller) a couple of time and it is an all day thing to rig her and get her ready. Which is not a problem as long as time is not a problem.....The 26 is trailerable, but you wouldnt want to do it every weekend!!

Just MTCW

Bill
Captain Commanding
S/V Rhapsody (the Original)
CD25D #148
Oklahoma Contingent of the NE Fleet, CDSOA, Inc.
Galley Wench S/V Evening Light
<B><FONT COLOR="#ff0000" SIZE="+1">Gunnery Officer S/V Evening Light</FONT></B>
<A HREF="http://www.applegatemarina.com">Kerr Lake, OK (Oklahoma's Outlet to the Sea)</A>

I have the opportunity to purchase a very nice 1985 CD26 that does not have alot of bells and whistles. I would like to put it on a trailer and use it on Lake Superior out of Bayfield. I have not sailed in 23 years. I will be primarily sailing by myself. I would appreciate any input as to the boat itself, trailing it and any information you would be willing to share. Thank you

cd25d@rhapsodysails.com

[Patrick]

I think you will find the Cape Dory 26 to be a wonderful sailing boat. I can not provide any judgment on trailering, as I have no experience with that. If it meets your demands and provides you with the level of comfort and size you are seeking, then by all means go for it. I doubt that you will be sorry.



patrick_meyer@vanguard.com

[Scott MacCready]

Gary,

This is unbelievable. I just got home from purchasing my new boat, a CD26 named Gumper. I wanted to tell everyone here on the board about it. The owner said when he bought it, it was named "MR PEEPS"! What a small world. The boat is in wonderful condition only needing a good cleaning on the inside (though I have more upgrades planned). It is still located in Buzzards Bay in Marion. I'm currently in Maine for a job but in November I'll be taking it to it's new home in Oriental,NC. I'd love to discuss the boat with you. Scott MacCready



capedorysailor@earthlink.net

[Scott MacCready]

Dave,

I just sold my CD25 with Trailer and purchased a CD26. The CD26 is a much larger and heavier boat than the CD25. I never used my CD25 as a trailer sailer. As mentioned, it's an all-day affair stepping the mast etc... My V-6 Dakota towed the CD25 with no problem but I don't think it could handle the added weight of the CD26



capedorysailor@earthlink.net

[Shawn]

Dave,

I just recently purchased a CD26 and am quite pleased with her. I mostly sail singlehanded and have absolutely no problems doing so. The boat can pretty much handle any type of weather that you can throw at her. Cannot help you at all in regards to trailering other than to make sure that you have a heavy duty towing vehicle. If you are in doubt about the boat in anyway, have her surveyed. That may answer lots of questions that you may have. You can always upgrade with the bells and whistles later, exactly the way you would like, just make certain that you have a sound boat first. I say, BUY THE BOAT !! Email me if you have any other questions.

Shawn



adelee3@aol.com

[Peter Kozup]

Dave,
Like so many others who have responded to your post, I, too own a CD26, and find her a beautifully sailing boat. She is very seaworthy and I have never felt overpowered while sailing her. I singlehand as often as I can on Lake Erie (Sandusky Bay), but will do so more next year (I've only had the boat one season, and did not consider myself to be a good enough sailor to singlehand at the beginning of the summer). I would recommend a CD26 to anyone, especially those who want to singlehand. There are some things that are inconvenient, in my opinion. One is the outboard, but only when docking the boat. I found the controls on the outboard meant that I was looking back and bending down when I needed to be standing and looking forward. Also, a traveller system can be installed (I plan to do so this winter) and that will make handling the mainsheet much easier. There are posts that describe ways of doing this in the archives of this website.
However, trailering this boat will be a chore for you. The boat is too heavy and the keel configuration too full to make the boat easily trailerable, unless you want to move it from your home to a dockspace where you would keep her all summer. I definitely would not recommend the boat as one that you could easily trailer from one lake to another every weekend. You will find yourself spending too much time stepping the mast and getting her into and out of the water to enjoy yourself. Also, while I'm sure you can find a good trailer that will handle the boat, it will cost you lots, and you'd be much better off docking the boat for the season, thereby having her ready for you each time you want to sail. If you want to trailer the boat from one lake to another, or from home to Lake Superior each weekend, find another lighter and more easily trailerable boat. The boat, unloaded, has a displacement of 5600 pounds, add to that all the stuff you'll put into her, plus the hefty trailer that would be required, and you're easily up to close to 7000 or 8000 pounds. That's a lot of weight to be hauling around each weekend.
I say buy the boat, find a decent dockspace, and enjoy it. She's a wonderful boat, easy to singlehand, safe and a lot of fun. Don't spoil it by trying to trailer her too often or too far.
Fair Winds,
Peter Kozup, S/V Waltzing Matilda
Cape Dory 26, Hull #42



waltzingmatilda@sailnet.net

[JimL]

I'm looking into one (actually a couple), thinking it'll be good for me to single-hand. I plan to build a trailer for it, but I've got a 1955 Ford F600 farm truck (4 speed with 2 speed axle, that's getting a 460).....I'll be able to move it occasionally, but it'll live in the water most of the year. My dream is to haul it to the intercoastal, then sail/motor all the way to New England.

Boy.....I sure hope I can pull this together.......terrible itch, it is! Thank the lord we can keep on dreaming. Ain't this a GREAT country!?

Regards, JimL



leinfam@earthlink.net