Gutting a CD 25D?

[Ben Miller]

If you can find me some existing drawings, I can smash them on top of each other, but that's about it! I lifted those drawings from sailboatdata.com.

[mgphl52]

I seem to remember there being a fair bit of difference in freeboard between my CD25 and my friend's CD25D.
Ya gotta get that "standing head room" from somewhere...

[John Stone]

That's a really good point. In the photos of the two boats side by side the 25d looks a lot bigger than the 25, especially WRT freeboard. But the drawing are similar. Perhaps the photos are misleading due to perspective. The D has more beam according to the specs. So that plays into size issues.

It's all very interesting.

Anyone know of a 25D damaged in one of the hurricanes that might be for sale?

And do I need to even be thinking about this?

[mgphl52]

And do I need to even be thinking about this?

Some say you can never have too many boats...

[John Stone]

Well, it’s not having another boat that bothers me. It’s that I would want to take the things I learned rebuilding and sailing the Far Reach and make a maximum pocket cruiser. The time required would become a distraction. On the other hand I could store it in my yard or in a indoor shop in my yard and fuss with it in between the time I am sailing the FR. Something to work on in the evening. It would take years to complete. But I think it could be a very capable and comfortable pocket cruiser when launched.

I don’t think it would be that much money. But it would be a lot of time. Still, it would be time well spent as opposed to time wasted watching the TV.

[Frenchy]

John, your hankering to get into another multi-year satisfying project can be fulfilled another way-
write a book. You've got lots of pictures, boat-craft tips and communication ability. Add a dollop of
boater humor and you might be disgustingly rich. Just a thought - Jean

[Ken Textor]

John,

I agree with Bob Lascelles: The CD25D and the CD 26 are essentially the same boat. But also arguing in favor of the 26 is the price is generally WAY lower for a used one. The CD 26 was originally aimed at the price-sensitive buyer who might like the 25D but not like the price tag. In a 26, you also avoid the nightmare job of cutting out that liner in the 25D. It sounds as if you're familiar with that job and know what a bear it can be. The 26 has no liner. It's also quite spacious and lends itself to additions you might like to install. An brand new outboard to power it would be in the neighborhood of $1500-2800 and MUCH easier to maintain than a diesel, which in the 25D is VERY hard to access comfortably. (Right Joe?) And finally, if you can tow the 25D with your pickup, you can probably tow the 26. The Triton Trailer folks already have built trailers for a 26, so someone out there has experience towing it. I'm enjoying the heck out of rehabbing my CD 26, perhaps the last in a lifetime of rehabs. I looked at several CD 25Ds before pulling the trigger on the 26. To me, the 25D had more negatives than the 26. Good luck,

Ken

[steveg]

Hey Ken,

My thoughts were similar to yours. Then in the process of looking at boats there are not an abundance of either the 25D or the 26. It caused me to conclude that because they were basically the same with the exception of the interior layout and the power that the first one in really good condition would be selected. It happened to be the 25D and it was only about 400 miles away and had spent it's entire life in fresh water. Initially apprehensive about the diesel, once it was in my possession, grew to really prefer it. It is efficient, and not too difficult to access. Yes it is harder than an outboard but probably more efficient. It is a pretty simple engine to service yourself. Proper maintenance should result in a life of several thousand hours. The layout with the large forward head is really appreciated by the Admiral. The head on most small boats is not that nice, on the 25D it is bigger and more well ventilated than even quite a bit larger boats. It really just boils down to ones individual preferences. There is no accounting for individual taste. Either is likely to be enjoyed. Pick one that suits your priorities best. One final note regarding trailering, I hauled mine on a trailer the 400 miles home with a half ton full size pick up. Probably not ideal, a 2500 would be, but it did get the job done. A quality trailer fitted to the boat makes it manageable. Currently the same old GMC gets it to the lake to launch in the spring, then out and back to the barn in the fall.

[John Stone]

Except, I definitely don't want an inboard engine. I also don't want a liner as this would be a complete gut job in all probability. The trick is not to get dragged back into a larger boat than necessary. I have a 36 ready to go anywhere. This is a project for fun on the side to see what I can do with what I have learned so far.

As I have written about extensively, I have nothing against diesels. I just don't want the complication, loss of space, or reduced sailing performance.

It's a great discussion though so I am still interested in the collective views of the CDCBT.

[Ben Miller]

It's interesting (to me) that the 25D and the 26 have exactly the same rig specs on SailboatData. Assuming they have their numbers right, Cape Dory must have used the same mast and boom on both boats.

[John Stone]

Ok. So I am a little slow sometime. But, now I get it. Ken, I see why you recommend the 26. The 25D and the 26 are basically the same boat. The 26 is just a foot longer which provides the geometry for the outboard well. The beam is the same. The LWL is almost the same. The rig as Ben points out is the same. The 26 has 400lbs more ballast which probably offsets the weight of the diesel. As a result it has a slightly higher 43 percent ballast/displ ratio. BTW that should be a pretty stiff boat. And, the 26 does not have a liner you say. Very interesting.

I need to see a 26 sometime. Excellent.

[Bob Lascelles]

Hi John,
I love my CD25d, the layout and diesel are what sold me. But to my eye, I have to admit the extra foot at the stern of the CD26 makes it look less cutoff and much more like a CD27. With a CD26 you’ll get a much more customizable boat, and never have to clean a CD25d mustache off the transom! I think both boats could be good pocket cruisers candidates.

Bob

[Ken Textor]

John,

Another reason I turned down the CD25D in favor of the 26 was based on plumbing. The CD25D comes with a holding tank built into the keel. Access to that tank is nearly impossible because it lives almost directly under the engine room. Without significant revisions, you could never clean the holding tank thoroughly, if at all. To me, that's a sure-fire recipe for passengers who wrinkle their noses when they go below. My own nose is pretty sensitive too. The two CD25Ds I visited both had this holding tank problem. One had even tried to solve the problem with all new, high-grade hoses. Didn't work. But it's not an issue with the 26. In fact, many of them were sold with a porta-potti aboard. Other head arrangements were also available but the built-in holding tank was not, as far as I know, one of them.

For what it's worth, I also owned a CD 27 for many years. Sailed like a dream, looked great but had a bit more draft, displacement, ballast, etc. I wouldn't consider it a pocket cruiser but the CD 26 does fit my definition of a pocket cruiser, just barely. The CD 26 looks almost as good as the CD 27. I almost envy your search for the "right boat." Good luck,

Ken

[steveg]

Ken,

I agree with you on the 25D septic tank hose problem. It can be solved by removing the existing hose between the head and tank, which follows a very circuitous route. The original hose layout has the effect of having waste remain in the hose. Then you replace the hose with a straight shot of PVC pipe which drains much better into the tank. You then only have a small section of high grade hose between the head and the pipe and the pipe and the tank fitting. There is a topic on this somewhere here which shows the PVC pipe layout. Cleaning the tank has not been a problem with the access port at the top of the tank. Not sure what you have in mind or would require for the tank cleaning.

It just depends on what your needs and preferences are. Porta potties, at least the ones familiar to me, do not have much capacity if you will be on the boat for a few days. They are easier to empty then finding a pump out, but require more frequent disposal. Generally my tank is pumped frequently, regardless of the level, just because it is not very desirable to have that stuff hanging around.

Either are great boats at the top end of the trailerable pocket cruiser class. If you wish to argue whether they really are trailerable, that is a legitimate concern as well. How is the size of the v berth on the 26? Is it large enough for those who are taller than average, say over six feet? The v berth on the 25, not the 25D, is virtually useless unless one is rather modest in height.

It seems this general topic has received quite a bit of interest, perhaps it is due to the weather.

[mgphl52]

It seems this general topic has received quite a bit of interest, perhaps it is due to the weather.

And soon we may be discussing free-wheeling & foot-loose...