Cape Dory 30' as a Liveaboard?

[Amac]

Hello - I'm quite new to sailing, next to no experience. After spending a bit over a decade in commercial aviation, I'm also quite cautious and have a very healthy respect for the power of wind and weather. My plan is to become a liveaboard within the next two years in the pacific northwest and sail my "house" longer and further *gradually* as my experience level and knowledge base increase.

Would you consider a Cape Dory 30' as a suitable vessel for such a plan? I'm sure that just as in aviation, in sailing there are boats that a new sailor would want to steer well clear of because though they may have some characteristics that recommend them highly, they also have the potential to get one into a great deal of trouble very quickly. It's such trouble that I'd wish to avoid.

[John Nebilak]

I have owned a CD30 for about 3 1/2 years and do plan to live aboard also at some point. The CD30 is a boat that can take you anywhere you would want to go. The real question comes down to comfort and space. To live aboard I personally would want more space and to cruise you probably would want more space also, although it could be done on a CD30.

I recently purchased a CD36 and think it is probably just about the right size for a live aboard/cruiser. Small enough to handle signle handedly but big enough to provide a comfortable ride and also stow all the stuff required to cruise.

Since you say you are a relatively new sailor I think the CD30 is a great place to start. Get a feel for the spce and handling the boat, get out on teh ocean to make sure you like it, then try to visit and sail with someone who has a CD33 or CD36 to see the differences.

Best of Luck

[Neil Gordon]

We're currently following the exploits of a 25D that's been working its way around the world.

CD's as a whole are very forgiving boats. They're heavier and somewhat slower than more modern designs but they're more likely to get you there. And they were designed and built before the accountants got involved in boat building.

Whether a 30 foot boat is sufficient for living on board is a matter of lifestyle and convenience. There's more than enough room if you keep it basic. If life includes microwave ovens, wide screen tv's, washers and dryers, etc., you'll need more boat.

Go slowly in building sailing skills and you'll be fine learning on a CD 30.

[M. R. Bober]

For living aboard, may I suggest a houseboat (with a huge holding tank). Cruising isn't living aboard and living aboard isn't cruising(IMHO). It's tough to find sailboat that is both, but good luck with your plans.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Annapolis (where good fences make good neighbors), MD

[Scott MacCready]

When I bought my first boat, A cd25 (not a 25d), the girl I bought it from had been living aboard it for 2 years. She was only 4' 10" so it fit her fine. I lived aboard my CD26 last year for abourt 10 months. Being in a slip at a marina made it much more tolerable than being on the hook. I had access to shower, laundry, plus room to walk around. If anchoring out, I would think a larger boat would be nice though not needed. Depends on what you're willing to do without. I've heard of whole families living in a Lincoln.

[slaume]

Not that I need to know anything about your personal life but it does make a difference. If it is just you, I would say go for it, no problem. Two people would get in each others way a bit more. Then again if you were young and in love you could live in that Lincoln and be in bliss. I have seen 10,000lbs displacement per person as a guide line. You would be all set with that criteria. I have a CD-30 and I think it would suit me very well to live aboard. That is if I wasn't blessed with a great shore based home. Right now I am reading Dave and Jaja Martin's, Into the Light. I like their philosophy on many things. This is a family of 5 living on a 33FT boat in the northern latitudes. Their comment on boat size was that it was a mental problem not a physical one. I think that if you were comfortable living on any boat then the CD-30 would be a good choice. The one exception is that silly table! I would much rather have to convert the table to make a berth than have to move the thing every time you want to get into the head or fore peak. What was Carl thinking? It is a fine boat, Steve.

[winthrop fisher]

Hi....

well ever one is giving you some good advise, but you can live on any thing you want, you have to be happy with what you decide.

you can cruise on any boat as long as it is set up for it,
it will cost at least 25% more to set it up for cruising and living on board.

but again thats what you want in it.

i have help many people get in to live aboard boats sense the early 70's and have seen half of the people still live aboard it not for ever one.

take your time in choosing the right boat.

the last guy i was helping,
took two years and in that two years he sailed about thirteen boats and went with a dana 24 which is 27 feet long.
he retired in portland main with his wife and sailed for hilo ha last year.
i got a email from him last month saying that they love the cruising life on board and they were staying in hilo.

again take your time and enjoy trying different boats.
winthrop

[Bob G.]

A 30ft. boat is a lot of boat for a person who never sailed. In your two year time frame, take some lessons, buy a much smaller boat,develope your skills. In the interim,look for that liveaboard. I think it`s a great idea.I understant that you can sail year round in the Pacific NW. Go for it

Bob G.

[Amac]

A 30ft. boat is a lot of boat for a person who never sailed. In your two year time frame, take some lessons, buy a much smaller boat,develope your skills. In the interim,look for that liveaboard. I think it`s a great idea.I understant that you can sail year round in the Pacific NW. Go for it

Bob G.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the input. You're right - I certainly don't want to bite off more than I can chew. I was thinking along these lines: Get the liveboard, get her to a marina, and start living aboard. Meanwhile, rent a smaller boat go to sailing school and get my skills up to speed. Then, gradually, start sailing the "house".

Doing this would avoid one cycle of "buy and sell" of the smaller boat and give me time in dock to get very familiar with every inch of the floating house.

Thoughts?

[slaume]

Get a sailing dingy as soon as you can. It is a great way to get out on the water. You can check out other boats and marinas. You can learn a tremendous amount about sailing in a very small (cheap) boat. You can use it later as a tender and it will be fun. Then get to know some people with bigger boats that you could crew for and who can litteraly show you the ropes on your big boat. You shouldn't have much trouble finding some experinced sailors to show you how to handle a nice CD-30. Spend a bunch of time at the library, take some Coast Guard AUX courses this winter, make some mistakes and you will be fine. Mostly have fun, Steve.

[Clay Stalker]

Bob:

Steve's advice is very sound. If you can find a good CD30 to buy, you will be able to live aboard this comfortably....of course, as others have noted, this depends on you. Sail smaller boats to get comfortable with the wind, and seek out larger boats that are looking for crew. There are many opportunities...when I was learning to sail 20 years ago I was able to get berths on a variety of boats, including a 35 foot Friendship sloop and 36 foot wooden ketch...these for deliveries to various places...you can learn a lot that way. I sail a Shannon 28, and once knew a young guy who lived on one of these in Newport, R.I. He found it kinda small for this, and bailed out after one year....others have lived on smaller for longer. Me? I spend weekends on a 28 footer and am plenty comfortable. I even do a week or more, and am still okay. If I was planning to live aboard, however, and was settled on Cape Dorys, I would choose the 36. But there are other boats that will give more pleasant live-aboard accommodations, especially Island Packets..so don't discount other boats.

[Bob G.]

Steve and Clay are giving you some sound advice.The main thing to consider(and I hate to say it). How much money do you have to spend?? Two slips,storage??
When I was looking for a boat,I went to the book store.
There was a great book that helped me."Your new sailboat,choosing it, using it."
An old salt told me that with your first boat , buy the oldest cheepest boat you can find, because you`ll be hitting and bumping into things. Think of your first car.

Sail and have fun

Bob G.

[Mitch F]

Like others have said - it all depends on how you want to use the boat. Other than people who are off cruising most of the liveaboards I know NEVER sail. They all have so much stuff on board that they have decided they can't live without that it would literally take hours to stow everything and make the boat ready for sea.

My advice would be to buy a sail boat to sail and if you really want to live aboard buy (and I wince as I say this) a big beamy powerboat because it will probably never leave the dock.

[Joe CD MS 300]

I don't doubt that a new sailer could learn to handle a CD 30 pretty quick. In my own experience I went from a sunfish to a CD 30 with two 4 hr. rentals of a 18' daysailer, a weekend cruising course on a 24' of some kind at the Annapolis Sailing School and one weekend on a 27' Watkins in between before sailing on the CD 30. With the cutter rig it was actually easier to handle than the sloop rigged Watkins.

My question is how do you know that you will enjoy living on a boat? Have you sailed with friends much? Ever chartered with anyone? There are numerous ways to get a taste of it before making the commitment to buy a boat. A lot of areas near the water have sail clubs and boat time shares (with lessons) that can give you a better idea if that is what you really want to do. As much as I love being on the water, I am glad that I haven't been living on a boat the last 2 weeks or so with all the rain we have had.

[Scott MacCready]

They were the only days I didn't enjoy living aboard....when it was raining. Closed-up in a small space like that is alright when it's your choice and if you have nothing else you need to do, but when it's imposed on you by the weather, it's not quite so romantic anymore.