Live aboard a CD30C? Or the 31? Tacking the cutter?

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Alex B.

Live aboard a CD30C? Or the 31? Tacking the cutter?

Post by Alex B. »

I'm the happy owner of a Typhoon Weekender (hull 200 something), but am nursing a fantasy of buying and living aboard a bigger boat--I'm young, poor, single, and low maintenance, so it seems a plausible way of getting a big thumping boat within the next 20 years. I'm just beginning enquiries, so I apologize for naiive questions. I'd be interested in the thoughts of anyone who's lived aboard a 30 for an extended period. Is there any way to set up a shower below? Also, as for sailing the cutter--I'm not crazy about mizzens--it seems like tacking the jib around the staysail stay would be a problem, especially when singlehanding. Can the boat go upwind with just the staysail? Does one furl and unfurl the (yankee) jib on each tack? And why the cutter rig on the 30, but sloop rig on bigger Cape Dorys?

The 31 looks wonderful, with its enclosed shower and all, but prices really take off in that extra foot. Is it worth it? My (very) preliminary pricing suggests an early 1980s CD30 should be around 30K, but the few 31s I've seen listed approach 50K. Does that sound right? Perhaps I should forgo showering for a few years.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated
Alex Barnett
Camden, ME



alex_barnett@mcgraw-hill.com
Tom

Re: Live aboard a CD30C? Or the 31? Tacking the cutter?

Post by Tom »

Alex B. wrote: I'm the happy owner of a Typhoon Weekender (hull 200 something), but am nursing a fantasy of buying and living aboard a bigger boat--I'm young, poor, single, and low maintenance, so it seems a plausible way of getting a big thumping boat within the next 20 years. I'm just beginning enquiries, so I apologize for naiive questions. I'd be interested in the thoughts of anyone who's lived aboard a 30 for an extended period. Is there any way to set up a shower below? Also, as for sailing the cutter--I'm not crazy about mizzens--it seems like tacking the jib around the staysail stay would be a problem, especially when singlehanding. Can the boat go upwind with just the staysail? Does one furl and unfurl the (yankee) jib on each tack? And why the cutter rig on the 30, but sloop rig on bigger Cape Dorys?

The 31 looks wonderful, with its enclosed shower and all, but prices really take off in that extra foot. Is it worth it? My (very) preliminary pricing suggests an early 1980s CD30 should be around 30K, but the few 31s I've seen listed approach 50K. Does that sound right? Perhaps I should forgo showering for a few years.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated
Alex Barnett
Camden, ME
Alex: Cutters go to windward just fine under staysail alone. The CD as designed does not have a furling Yankee. The designed Yankee will tack without rolling up. If you have a furling Yankee that is larger than the designed jib you probably will have to roll it up. What are you talking about sloops? The 31, 33, 36 are cutters. The extra length is worth it if you can afford it. In nice weather you can shower in the cockpit with a solar shower quite nicely. In cold weather must people figure out an alternative like a night gym class where you can shower or the YMCA or a friend. You can always take a sponge bath at the sink and heater water on the stove.

I lived aboard a 30 foot boat for several years. Didn't like it. When it's time to sail you've got dirty laundry everywhere and dirty dishes in the sink and the refrigerator plugged in etc. -- too much hassle to put it all away for an hours sail. No room to store anything. Around salt water everything rusts that isn't stainless or bronze so my typewriter rusted out and wouldn't work and so on. It's hard to live aboard and maintain a normal life because of the lack of storage. When you're cruising it's a different matter because you've cut yourself off from land obligations and necessities. I know this won't stop you because man being a reasonable animal can always find a reason to go ahead and do whatever he wants to do regardless of whatever sage advice he receives. :-) So press on! A lot of people do it and some actually enjoy it. Maybe you'll be one!



TacCambria@thegrid.net
Chris

Did you consider a 33 or 330?

Post by Chris »

You may wish to consider the 33 or even better would be a 330 if you are seriously considering living aboard. The 330 includes a seperate shower stall so you do not need to hide all the items in the head when you shower. The cabin layout is a bit more spacious and the bunks are longer. You would forgo one of the berths, but how many bachelors need to sleep 6 people in their homes? Your pricing estimates look to be about right. I have seen 31, 33, and 330 for about the same price ($50k) depending upon the additional items you might need. If price is your main concern I would suggest you do the same thing many of us have done - FINANCE IT!!!

If you are not doing any extended cruising then optional electronic items are not essential, but I am sure a heater would be appreciated. Several folks in my marina in New York are brave enough to live aboard during the winter. They tell stories of things freezing to the cabin sole during especially cold periods. As a bachelor you could forget about entertaining in the winter if you are in a cold climate.

Alex B. wrote: I'm the happy owner of a Typhoon Weekender (hull 200 something), but am nursing a fantasy of buying and living aboard a bigger boat--I'm young, poor, single, and low maintenance, so it seems a plausible way of getting a big thumping boat within the next 20 years. I'm just beginning enquiries, so I apologize for naiive questions. I'd be interested in the thoughts of anyone who's lived aboard a 30 for an extended period. Is there any way to set up a shower below? Also, as for sailing the cutter--I'm not crazy about mizzens--it seems like tacking the jib around the staysail stay would be a problem, especially when singlehanding. Can the boat go upwind with just the staysail? Does one furl and unfurl the (yankee) jib on each tack? And why the cutter rig on the 30, but sloop rig on bigger Cape Dorys?

The 31 looks wonderful, with its enclosed shower and all, but prices really take off in that extra foot. Is it worth it? My (very) preliminary pricing suggests an early 1980s CD30 should be around 30K, but the few 31s I've seen listed approach 50K. Does that sound right? Perhaps I should forgo showering for a few years.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated
Alex Barnett
Camden, ME
Liz

Re: Live aboard a CD30C? Or the 31? Tacking the cutter?

Post by Liz »

HI TOM!
If you just want to live aboard, why not look around for a really good deal on a thirty-something foot cheap boat? It is a shame to have a sailing machine like a Cape Dory and live full-time aboard if you are not going to sail a lot (which seems to be typical of long-term liveaboards -- too much hassle to go out) because it is very difficult to get your boat ready for sailing with all the personal effects on board a liveaboard boat. You might want to consider keeping that Ty for day sails (no, I am not kidding). We recently returned from a year sail from New York to Tampa via Key West on a CD 33 which, by the way, is a sloop. Although a separate shower stall sounds enticing, do you really want to invite all that moisture aboard? Showering down below is going to invite mildew and all that that entails. The 31 has the shower located by the engine, and we met a 31 in Florida and they said the shower dries out very quickly with the engine running, but this is not going to happen on other CDs with the shower forward. We used the solar shower; less hassle, less water consumption, et cetera. I like the suggestion about joining the local Y; kill two birds with one stone. We met many liveaboards at the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina, and many have lockers in which they store a lot of "stuff" they need, but not regularly. It keeps their boat a lot tidier. We really appreciated having a quarter berth on our cruise because you'd be amazed at how much you can stow in that eight-foot cavern. Our CD has a removable inner forestay, added as an afterthought. This works out well because we carry a 150 genoa which we use in light air (the forestay stows along the shroud) and when the wind picks up we hank on the inner forestay and she sails like a dream! This is another "way to go" to consider.

Good luck with your decision. Living aboard can be a wonderful lifestyle if you have realistic expectations. Liveaboards make wonderful neighbours, in my experience.


I'm the happy owner of a Typhoon Weekender (hull 200 something), but am nursing a fantasy of buying and living aboard a bigger boat--I'm young, poor, single, and low maintenance, so it seems a plausible way of getting a big thumping boat within the next 20 years. I'm just beginning enquiries, so I apologize for naiive questions. I'd be interested in the thoughts of anyone who's lived aboard a 30 for an extended period. Is there any way to set up a shower below? Also, as for sailing the cutter--I'm not crazy about mizzens--it seems like tacking the jib around the staysail stay would be a problem, especially when singlehanding. Can the boat go upwind with just the staysail? Does one furl and unfurl the (yankee) jib on each tack? And why the cutter rig on the 30, but sloop rig on bigger Cape Dorys?
Alex B. wrote: The 31 looks wonderful, with its enclosed shower and all, but prices really take off in that extra foot. Is it worth it? My (very) preliminary pricing suggests an early 1980s CD30 should be around 30K, but the few 31s I've seen listed approach 50K. Does that sound right? Perhaps I should forgo showering for a few years.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated
Alex Barnett
Camden, ME
Tom Young

Re: Live aboard a CD30C? Or the 31? Tacking the cutter?

Post by Tom Young »

Hi Alex, we are in Camden too. One thing you might consider. If you live aboard in this area(I'm assuming you're not cruising), do it seasonaly first. Several people take advantage of the glut of off season rentals starting in october. You have to get out usually June 15, you may pay 500./ mo in the off(friend pays 250., roomate 300.,get it?), you move aboard when a small boat works well. Keep it simple so it still sails, not a bad life.
We could never live aboard our CD28, but we have cruised for up to 8 months at a time onboard, it's easy, even with two kids, but we know it's not a home, we have one, it's a boat, its an adventure.
We will spend alot of time aboard this summer because we have rented for some of the season, but we won't liveaboard, more sailing, more adventures.
We have arrangements on shore for showers but we do have hot water and a shower on board. Although we rarely use the inside shower, we have a cockpit shower which we use alot, thats a great shower stall although you need to kneel,(this is New England).
Tom Young(We built the Camden Harbor Fish Market, but closed the business and leased the space, the market left no time for sailing)



fish@mint.net
Guy Senter

Liveaboard

Post by Guy Senter »

I used the keyword search of this page with "liveaboard" and found that some people have entries on this page referring to a magazine, liveaboardmagazine.com! I didn't check it out but it may be of help!



guynapex@att.net
Ryan Turner

Re: Live aboard a CD30C? Or the 31? Tacking the cutter?

Post by Ryan Turner »

The 31, 33, 36 are cutters.

Not all of them. My 33 is a sloop and I love it! All that deck space at the bow free and uncluttered is wonderful. Sails like a dream.



rdtec@aol.com
Alex B.

Re: Did you consider a 33 or 330?

Post by Alex B. »

Chris wrote: You may wish to consider the 33 or even better would be a 330 if you are seriously considering living aboard. The 330 includes a seperate shower stall so you do not need to hide all the items in the head when you shower. The cabin layout is a bit more spacious and the bunks are longer. You would forgo one of the berths, but how many bachelors need to sleep 6 people in their homes? Your pricing estimates look to be about right. I have seen 31, 33, and 330 for about the same price ($50k) depending upon the additional items you might need. If price is your main concern I would suggest you do the same thing many of us have done - FINANCE IT!!!

If you are not doing any extended cruising then optional electronic items are not essential, but I am sure a heater would be appreciated. Several folks in my marina in New York are brave enough to live aboard during the winter. They tell stories of things freezing to the cabin sole during especially cold periods. As a bachelor you could forget about entertaining in the winter if you are in a cold climate.
7 June

Chris,

Thank you for your suggestion about the 330. Looked at the plans on this site and it did look good--a plump 31 with a separate shower. The numbers made me wonder, though: only 22 built, in what must have been the waning years of the company? They must be hard to find. Any 330 owners out there? Solid as the rest? Pink slips in the laminate?



alex_barnett@mcgraw-hill.com
Chris Reinke

Re: Did you consider a 33 or 330?

Post by Chris Reinke »

Alex - All hope is not lost. I found my 330 after about a year of searching and looking over 3 others. They do come on the market - but like most CD their owners are not readily parted from them. I have a couple of contacts which I made during my search which I can pass to you if you are serious. Please let me know where you are located assuming you do not wish to travel across the country to look at one. If you are in the Massachusetts area then I would suggest you mark you calendar for the Rendezvous in Onset on July 17 / 18. I would be more than happy to give you a look at my CD330, plus we have almost every other type of CD planning on attending.

Chris Reinke
chris.reinke@transamerica.com

Alex B. wrote:
Chris wrote: You may wish to consider the 33 or even better would be a 330 if you are seriously considering living aboard. The 330 includes a seperate shower stall so you do not need to hide all the items in the head when you shower. The cabin layout is a bit more spacious and the bunks are longer. You would forgo one of the berths, but how many bachelors need to sleep 6 people in their homes? Your pricing estimates look to be about right. I have seen 31, 33, and 330 for about the same price ($50k) depending upon the additional items you might need. If price is your main concern I would suggest you do the same thing many of us have done - FINANCE IT!!!

If you are not doing any extended cruising then optional electronic items are not essential, but I am sure a heater would be appreciated. Several folks in my marina in New York are brave enough to live aboard during the winter. They tell stories of things freezing to the cabin sole during especially cold periods. As a bachelor you could forget about entertaining in the winter if you are in a cold climate.
7 June

Chris,

Thank you for your suggestion about the 330. Looked at the plans on this site and it did look good--a plump 31 with a separate shower. The numbers made me wonder, though: only 22 built, in what must have been the waning years of the company? They must be hard to find. Any 330 owners out there? Solid as the rest? Pink slips in the laminate?


Chris.reinke@transamerica.com
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