CD30c suitable for blue water cruising?

[Jeff]

Take a look at a Camper and Nicholsons 31 if you can find one. She's not as nice to look at as the CD, but is build like a tank yet well balanced and reasonably fast for her size. We cruised ours extensively in the Bahamas and Caribbean, offshore and in the ditch. Lots of storage, oversized fittings, extremely sea-worthy.

Good luck with your search!

Jeff

[Al Levesque]

On the other hand, look up La Bella in the news. She is a 35 foot boat and needed help southeast of Cape Cod. Pictures show a tattered roller furled jib and reports indicate keel failure. Enclosed ballast and suitable gear can make all the difference. Size is not everything.

[bottomscraper]

WHDH: This one with FLIR video:
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO33995/


BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 146016.stm

Boston.Com
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_r ... plu_1.html


WCVB
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/10 ... etail.html

Coast Guard : With FLIR Video
http://www.uscgnewengland.com/go/site/778//local

[Stan W.]

November anyway? Call me a wimp, but when I saw the Globe article this a.m. my immediate reaction was, "what were they thinking?"

[Steve Laume]

I do not have enough knowledge to make a judgement. I do know that the hurricane season is about over. It is much warmer down there than it is in New York. It has been warmer than usual this month. I can definitely see what they were thinking. Warm weather, clear water, palm trees.... I am ready to go. Weather or not it was a good idea should not necessary be judged by the outcome of their journey. Some times bad things just happen, Steve.

[marilou]

Smallest boat is 28 L.O.A. (Bristol Channel Cutter) Largest (Hallberg-Rassy 62/has already arrived at Tortola, but left 2 days before fleet. Rally was delayed because of weather forecast. Several boats have returned for repairs - sail & rudder problems. Size is a consideration, but a lot depends on the boat, crew, and weather. You can follow the boats at [url]www.carib1500.com[url]

[Drew]

Agree with Steve. My Significant Other just completed her first voyage - from Newport to Annapolis. They left on Halloween and were met be twenty-foot waves and winds gusting well over 40 kts. This in a nearly 40 year-old racing boat (39 ft.), but captained by an old salt. She says she never felt unsafe, due largely to the captain's measured calm throughout.

But I'll tell you what, she is a changed person. Of that there can be no doubt. Home safely is the best news, seconded by the assurance there will be more sailing in our future

[Neil Gordon]

November anyway? Call me a wimp, but when I saw the Globe article this a.m. my immediate reaction was, "what were they thinking?"

My insurance company might be wimpy, as well, but they require me to be decommissioned by November 1.

Fact is, winter weather here is different from summer weather. Fishing boats go out all year, but they tend to be lost in the winter. (Hint: it's not due to the cold.)

[marilou]

The best insurance is self insurance.

[Steve Laume]

Self insurance would work for my boat. Off season is the time with the least amount of liability risk. The real reason I have insurance is in case I wipe out some one elses boat. I could swim away from the loss of my own boat (very sadly). I would have a very hard time ponying up for damage to someones gold plater. When I had my Typhoon in the water and used to sail all through the mooring field, knowing I had insurance was a great comfort. Whatever an insurance company could give me for the loss of my boat would not be enough, Steve.

[Stan W.]

November anyway? Call me a wimp, but when I saw the Globe article this a.m. my immediate reaction was, "what were they thinking?"

My insurance company might be wimpy, as well, but they require me to be decommissioned by November 1.

Fact is, winter weather here is different from summer weather. Fishing boats go out all year, but they tend to be lost in the winter. (Hint: it's not due to the cold.)

Agreed. In the North Atlantic, November weather is winter weather and winter weather in the North Atlantic is serious business. I had forgotten about Phil Shedd's earlier post mentioning two other boats abandoned at sea on the way to BDA this month. That's three boats in less than two weeks!

[bottomscraper]

Back in the late 70's when I was in the Navy I was onboard the USS John F Kennedy. We were doing workups for our next cruise on Thanksgiving in the North Atlantic. We ran into some nasty weather and we were taking waves over the bow, yes over the bow of an aircraft carrier! Normally we didn't do much rocking and rolling but that day we did. Many sailers lost thir turkey dinner! I think it was 1979 but I'm not 100% sure.

[blueridgebuilder]

First Shaunfield/Stalker thanks for the Trefethen book title.

Does anyone know of and have contact information for Hugh Dundee. A Cape Dory 30 owner who has circumnavigated his CD30 and made multi-Atlantic crossings?

Thanks, John

[jambalaya]

Having taken a CD 30 many times to the Bahamas and one time to Bermuda, I can speak with some authority. It is a wonderful boat for anywhere in the Bahamas. Draft is perfect. It is comfortable for a two man (person) crew. It is a very seaworthy boat. This becomes very important as you cross the GulfStream.
It is a safe boat (as safe as any 30' boat in an open sea) to take to Bermuda. But on a trip like that, bigger is more comfortable. For one thing, the 30 has limited storage capacity. You can increase capacity somewhat by getting rid of the oven. If you are like me, all you need for cooking is the two-burner stove top, a skillet and a sauce pan. There is valuable space taken up by the useless oven. If you plan a long cruise you simply will not be able to bring enough supplies, e.g. food, extra clothes and Beer. You can increase your beer capacity by going short on the clothes and food. So you must plan on resupply upon arrival at destination, probably at higher prices.
Before you undertake any ocean voyage, be sure you inspect the boat carefully and replace any suspicious item.
If I can think of other advise will send it along.
Will
Jambalaya

[blueridgebuilder]

Thanks Jambalaya,

My primary concern is that the CD30 does not have enough storage space for the stores required by two people on an extended cruise.

By most accounts we're talking 2000-2500 lbs. of stuff.

John