CD25 aluminum cabin ports?????

[Alan and Anne]

We have hull #148 built in 1974 and the cabin ports/windows are aluminum framed. Both myself and another fellow who has a 1982 CD33 thought all Cape Dory's were made with bronze ports. What gives? This is our first sailboat and we just got it (so of course it's in drydock for some overdue maint and upgrades-- usual stuff-- surveyed well and fair). Thanx

[Jim Hollister]

We have hull #148 built in 1974 and the cabin ports/windows are aluminum framed. Both myself and another fellow who has a 1982 CD33 thought all Cape Dory's were made with bronze ports. What gives? This is our first sailboat and we just got it (so of course it's in drydock for some overdue maint and upgrades-- usual stuff-- surveyed well and fair). Thanx

I have the boat made right before yours -- I'm #147 -- and it too has aluminum ports. I'd like to get opening ports (with screens, etc.), bronze would be nice. Would like to hear from you if you change yours.




jjhollister@excel.net

[Vern Campbell]

We have hull #148 built in 1974 and the cabin ports/windows are aluminum framed. Both myself and another fellow who has a 1982 CD33 thought all Cape Dory's were made with bronze ports. What gives? This is our first sailboat and we just got it (so of course it's in drydock for some overdue maint and upgrades-- usual stuff-- surveyed well and fair). Thanx

I have hull #324, a 1975 model, and it too has aluminum fixed ports. From what I have seen and read, I think Cape Dory went to bronze opening ports in the 25 around 1980. The opening ports would be a great addition to Renegade; if anyone has made a change I'd be very interested.



campbell@downeast.net

[Jim Stull]

We have hull #148 built in 1974 and the cabin ports/windows are aluminum framed. Both myself and another fellow who has a 1982 CD33 thought all Cape Dory's were made with bronze ports. What gives? This is our first sailboat and we just got it (so of course it's in drydock for some overdue maint and upgrades-- usual stuff-- surveyed well and fair). Thanx

I have hull #324, a 1975 model, and it too has aluminum fixed ports. From what I have seen and read, I think Cape Dory went to bronze opening ports in the 25 around 1980. The opening ports would be a great addition to Renegade; if anyone has made a change I'd be very interested.

Hi
I changed the aluminum ports on my 1975 CD25 last winter to New Found Metals bronze opening ports with screens.
We realy like them and the additional ventalation in the cabin is great. They look quite nice also. Many complements.
HOWEVER
Installation was a very big job. They are somewhat smaller than the origional, which I liked for safety reasons but this ment a lot of work reshaping the cabinsides and getting it fair. As I had to get access to the inside of the hull to do the reshaping this ment cutting out part of the liner and then dealing with the results.
We made mahogany panels to fill in the inside of the cabin sides and the result is very nice. (We redid the complete inside to get rid of the horrible fake teak formika also.)
Unless you plan on keeping the boat, I don't believe the job is economocally realistic, even if you do all the work your self.
The job cost well over $1,000 just for materials. On the other hand, although we have now about $18,000 invested in our boat, including the trailer (but not our labor which I figure is now @ about 2,000 hours), the boat is a show stopper and also sails very well. The major problems still to be adressed this winter is the horrible recirculating head and the very uncomfortable (for sitting not sleeping) settes.
I sure would not trade even-up for a brand new "Clorox bottle boat"!
If you decide to go ahead, give a shout and I will share what I learned.
Jim



jtstull@icubed.com

[Jim Stull]

We have hull #148 built in 1974 and the cabin ports/windows are aluminum framed. Both myself and another fellow who has a 1982 CD33 thought all Cape Dory's were made with bronze ports. What gives? This is our first sailboat and we just got it (so of course it's in drydock for some overdue maint and upgrades-- usual stuff-- surveyed well and fair). Thanx

I have hull #324, a 1975 model, and it too has aluminum fixed ports. From what I have seen and read, I think Cape Dory went to bronze opening ports in the 25 around 1980. The opening ports would be a great addition to Renegade; if anyone has made a change I'd be very interested.

Hi
I changed the aluminum ports on my 1975 CD25 last winter to New Found Metals bronze opening ports with screens.
We realy like them and the additional ventalation in the cabin is great. They look quite nice also. Many complements.
HOWEVER
Installation was a very big job. They are somewhat smaller than the origional, which I liked for safety reasons but this ment a lot of work reshaping the cabinsides and getting it fair. As I had to get access to the inside of the hull to do the reshaping this ment cutting out part of the liner and then dealing with the results.
We made mahogany panels to fill in the inside of the cabin sides and the result is very nice. (We redid the complete inside to get rid of the horrible fake teak formika also.)
Unless you plan on keeping the boat, I don't believe the job is economocally realistic, even if you do all the work your self.
The job cost well over $1,000 just for materials. On the other hand, although we have now about $18,000 invested in our boat, including the trailer (but not our labor which I figure is now @ about 2,000 hours), the boat is a show stopper and also sails very well. The major problems still to be adressed this winter is the horrible recirculating head and the very uncomfortable (for sitting not sleeping) settes.
I sure would not trade even-up for a brand new "Clorox bottle boat"!
If you decide to go ahead, give a shout and I will share what I learned.
Jim



jtstull@icubed.com

[Don Kolenda]

We have hull #148 built in 1974 and the cabin ports/windows are aluminum framed. Both myself and another fellow who has a 1982 CD33 thought all Cape Dory's were made with bronze ports. What gives? This is our first sailboat and we just got it (so of course it's in drydock for some overdue maint and upgrades-- usual stuff-- surveyed well and fair). Thanx

I have hull #324, a 1975 model, and it too has aluminum fixed ports. From what I have seen and read, I think Cape Dory went to bronze opening ports in the 25 around 1980. The opening ports would be a great addition to Renegade; if anyone has made a change I'd be very interested.

Hi
I changed the aluminum ports on my 1975 CD25 last winter to New Found Metals bronze opening ports with screens.
We realy like them and the additional ventalation in the cabin is great. They look quite nice also. Many complements.
HOWEVER
Installation was a very big job. They are somewhat smaller than the origional, which I liked for safety reasons but this ment a lot of work reshaping the cabinsides and getting it fair. As I had to get access to the inside of the hull to do the reshaping this ment cutting out part of the liner and then dealing with the results.
We made mahogany panels to fill in the inside of the cabin sides and the result is very nice. (We redid the complete inside to get rid of the horrible fake teak formika also.)
Unless you plan on keeping the boat, I don't believe the job is economocally realistic, even if you do all the work your self.
The job cost well over $1,000 just for materials. On the other hand, although we have now about $18,000 invested in our boat, including the trailer (but not our labor which I figure is now @ about 2,000 hours), the boat is a show stopper and also sails very well. The major problems still to be adressed this winter is the horrible recirculating head and the very uncomfortable (for sitting not sleeping) settes.
I sure would not trade even-up for a brand new "Clorox bottle boat"!
If you decide to go ahead, give a shout and I will share what I learned.
Jim

Guys, we have 1974 CD25 Hull#76. Aluminum ports too. I'm curious why you had to go with smaller ports; availability? I'm just getting ready to seriously search this project for the winter garage as well as replacement of the forward hatch. I've seen bronze ports close to approximate sizes needed while wondering about a few shops but I haven't taken real measurements as of yet. ??? Sounds like this may be bigger undertaking than may be workwhile.



don_kolenda@msn.com

[Jim Stull]

I have hull #324, a 1975 model, and it too has aluminum fixed ports. From what I have seen and read, I think Cape Dory went to bronze opening ports in the 25 around 1980. The opening ports would be a great addition to Renegade; if anyone has made a change I'd be very interested.

Hi
I changed the aluminum ports on my 1975 CD25 last winter to New Found Metals bronze opening ports with screens.
We realy like them and the additional ventalation in the cabin is great. They look quite nice also. Many complements.
HOWEVER
Installation was a very big job. They are somewhat smaller than the origional, which I liked for safety reasons but this ment a lot of work reshaping the cabinsides and getting it fair. As I had to get access to the inside of the hull to do the reshaping this ment cutting out part of the liner and then dealing with the results.
We made mahogany panels to fill in the inside of the cabin sides and the result is very nice. (We redid the complete inside to get rid of the horrible fake teak formika also.)
Unless you plan on keeping the boat, I don't believe the job is economocally realistic, even if you do all the work your self.
The job cost well over $1,000 just for materials. On the other hand, although we have now about $18,000 invested in our boat, including the trailer (but not our labor which I figure is now @ about 2,000 hours), the boat is a show stopper and also sails very well. The major problems still to be adressed this winter is the horrible recirculating head and the very uncomfortable (for sitting not sleeping) settes.
I sure would not trade even-up for a brand new "Clorox bottle boat"!
If you decide to go ahead, give a shout and I will share what I learned.
Jim

Guys, we have 1974 CD25 Hull#76. Aluminum ports too. I'm curious why you had to go with smaller ports; availability? I'm just getting ready to seriously search this project for the winter garage as well as replacement of the forward hatch. I've seen bronze ports close to approximate sizes needed while wondering about a few shops but I haven't taken real measurements as of yet. ??? Sounds like this may be bigger undertaking than may be workwhile.

I could find nothing that was a "bolt in" retrofit. Once I decided to make a change that required fiberglass work I figured I might as well go for the best look I could. The NFM windows look similar to the later CD25 factory installed portlites.
BTW: In the process of removing the old aluminum windows we found that the fit of the windows in the cabinside was very loose. ie. very little "purchase' of the frame on the fiberglass. The old bedding compound was shot therefore it did not require much imagination to visualise a hard whap from a wave knocking the window out of the cabinside. I don't know if my boat was typical but this point might be worth checking on boats which could be subjected to heavy weather.
Jim




jtstull@icubed.com

[PJC]

My 1977 had plastic port holes, so stop crying.Circa 1980 came the bronze-age.



pierat@msn.com