Cape Dory Typhoon look-alike

Ned Crockett · Post by **Ned Crockett** » May 18th, '08, 07:46

I recently used my Ty trailer to pick up and bring a newly purchased"Typhoon" to a boatyard. This boat is unlike any "Ty" I have ever seen. The length, beam, draft, etc. look identical to my Ty Weekender. The differences are obvious: no portholes in the enclosed cabin, the mast is stepped through the cabin top to the keel, it is not self-bailing, the cockpit seats resemble a Ty Daysailer, the owner said its year is 1969, it has a bronze plaque identifying it as a Typhoon but no mention of Cape Dory, and it has no wenches except two small non-metal ones on the cabin top. I have read in the Cape Dory literature that Alberg designed the Typhoon which led to the initial success of the Cape Dory company. I believe the bronze plaque indicates the boat is #36. All the hardware appeared to be bronze and the motor mount is a bronze tri-pod arrangement bolted to the stern. I am curious about the history of this boat. Can anyone offer an explanation?

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » May 18th, '08, 08:46

Ned,

I believe that the boat is an early version of the Ty.

Does the bronze plaque say:

"Naugus Fiberglass Industries

TYPHOON #XX

Salem, Mass."

If so, that was an early version of the present day Ty.

It came with no port lights, wooden strip bench seats, no self bailing scuppers, keel stepped mast through the cuddy rooftop, and void of winches

Truly, the perfect little sailing yacht before it became adulterated. (My thoughts)

Ah, so much for progress.

O J

Ned Crockett · Post by **Ned Crockett** » May 18th, '08, 11:48

Thanks, O.J., for your reply. That's the boat - just as you described! I assume it is the original Carl Alberg design. I have a Cape Dory Newsletter dated Spring 1987 the front page of which is dedicated to Carl Alberg who died that year. In it the writer wrote: "Without question Carl designed a great family of sea-going sailboats. It all started with the Typhoon, our most popular design -- with over 2000 in the water. You might say that the Typhoon launched the Cape Dory fleet that followed. " I guess my Ty is a modification of the original Alberg design purchased by Cape Dory which you described. I notice that you have a 1967 Ty. Is it the original design?

Joe Montana · Post by **Joe Montana** » May 18th, '08, 12:58

Ned, it sounds like you have a piece of CD history -- as well as a great boat. Any chance of posting a photo? I'd love to see it, and I suspect many others would as well. Also, Cathy Monaghan might find an appropriate place for it on the "History of Cape Dory Boats" pages.

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » May 18th, '08, 13:43

Ned,

Yes, my 1967 Ty is the original design. And you know something, I haven't changed it one bit. It is still the same as it was when it came from the factory. (Well, maybe a few minor things that would be hard to detect).

I could be wrong on this, but I think that in the earlier days, at least with me, people didn't put as much emphasis on boat year of manufacture and hull number as they do in this present day and age. I didn't notice this until I started hanging around this board and noticing that boat owners included their boat's name age and number in their post's header. That induced me to look up my boat's paperwork.

I notice that your friend was told that his Ty Weekender (not to be confused with the hull number series and letter prefix of the Daysailer models) was built in 1969 and has a hull number of 36. Of course, not knowing for sure, I would venture a guess that the boat is several years older, maybe a 1967, too. I am working on the supposition that if my Ty WE #42 was built in 1967, the Ty with hull number #36 would have been built around the same era as mine. But then again, I don't know for sure.

I am, and always have been, a strong advocate of K I S S. It is my opinion that Carl Alberg, the nautical genius that he was, took a composite of all the desirous features of a sailing ship for the masses, crunched the numbers and came up with the design of the Typhoon. At that time in its heyday, the Ty, for its size and cost, was hard to beat. It was, and still is, a simple boat for basic sailing. It is a safe boat, well constructed to last a lifetime with modest care. KISS makes sense.

I think that one of the most profound things etched in my mind is what one of our board members once said, "The Cape Dory will take you home". Those few words say so much.

O J

Tod M · Post by **Tod M** » May 19th, '08, 14:28

that the main reason (or at least a good one) for including dates/hull numbers is because it often communicates the "state of the design" to others since builders often make design "improvements" during the life of the build (often when the molds have reached their useful life and are being replaced).

For example, a cockpit might be reworked to make it self-bailing.

Some changes might be to make the boat "better" or they might be to make it easier to build.

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