Towing and Stepping a Cape Dory Typhoon

[William Jablonski]

To any owners of Cape Dory Typhoons,


I need a few questions answered due to the fact I have a chance at
getting a Typhoon of my own. The most important item I need in a boat
right now is trailerability. I just bought a Jeep Wrangler, 2.5L manual
transmittion and would be using that to tow the Typhoon. Can anyone give
me information and tell me if this is possible? My Jeep can only tow 2,000
lbs. I am worried I may not be able to take my boat to different areas on
Lake Michigan where I would be sailing. Also, is the mast easily stepped
by two people? My sailing partner and I may be the only two putting it up
and removing it. Now, I'm not sure yet if it is deck or keel stepped.
I'll be looking at it this weekend. My last question is what are the
things to watch out for when looking to buy a Typhoon? Any soft spots,
problem areas, things of that nature.

As far as the boat, I know only to well how great they are as well as
stable. I hope to join all of you Typhoon owners in the joy of sailing
this terrific little yacht.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration in answering my
concerns. Happy sailing!!

**If anyone needs to call me to answer any of these question, feel free to.
(414) 272-6314 and ask for Bill.



BeezBears@aol.com

[john hoft-march]

I've recently joined the ranks of happy Typhoon owners, so don't have a whole lot of experience but, for what its worth....
I tow mine with an older (1990) Audi 100, 2.3L, approx. 130 hp, manual and it tows beautifully, including pulling up the launching ramp. I should think your 2.5L Jeep would be up to the task.

As for set-up, mine is deck stepped - which I thought all were but I'm hardly an expert. I connected the back and side stays and, with my wife holding the masthead over her head at arm's length, guided it into the step. From there I just walked it up, though I kind of got stuck at the end of the cockpit and had to have her climb up and hold it while I moved up to the cabin top to finish. Other posters to this page have used block & tackle arrangements to the jib halyard, with or without a gin pole for leverage, which I think would solve the problem quite handily.

One problem I did have on retrieval was that the winch lines up about two feet below the stem head. The former owner used lines to the aft cleats to pull it onto the trailer, which didn't work worth a hoot for me. I solved the problem by making an extension to the winch support with a roller at the top, over which I led the winch strap. The point of effort for the winch is now above the stem head, which, via a stout bit of line looped through the bow chocks and connected to the winch strap, lets the winch pull the bow straight in and just slightly up.

Two further modifications I plan to make to the trailer (its the kind with bunks for the bilges and a heavy plank for the keel, and has a tongue extension - about 16 ft.) are:
add a keel guide to help line the boat up and keep it lined up while pulling it in - I have in mind adding a couple of 2 x 8s on edge alongside the keel plank - and
rigging the tongue extension so it will be immobilized on the trailer tongue so I can steer while backing it into the water. The extension is just a piece of square stock with a ball on one end and a receiver on the other. Since I can't steer it, the trailer has a tendency to turn sideways everytime a wheel hits a rock.

Trailer modifications aside, I was astonished at how easy it was to launch & retrieve the first time I tried it.

Good luck.



john.hoft-march@appleton.org

[Greg Lutzow]

Bill;

I have been a Typhoon owner for many years and have done a moderate amount of trailering in that time. I'll address your concerns in order.

1) Your Jeep is not sufficient to trailer this boat. By the time you add gear, sails, motor, etc you will weight-in around 2600lbs. You're asking for trouble. I use a Dodge Dakota with a towing capacity of 5000 lbs. Watch your tongue weight of the trailer. I have between 80-100lbs of weight on my hitch. The manual transmission could also be a problem. Not because of the fact that it is manual, but because of the low towing limit of your vehicle. Automatic transmissions are usually rated for a greater towing weight. My Dakota is a manual and I haven't experienced any problems that weren't caused by my own stupidity. Repeat after me; Transmission cooler, Transmission cooler, Transmission cooler.

2)The mast is deck stepped and I haven't any problems doing the job alone. 5"10"' 186lbs; no giant, but I'll do. The easiest way to step is to insert the mast into the step holding the mast just slightly above vertical. Then walk forward, lifting the mast up as you go. Insure that the first stay you set is the forestay. This will insure that no errant gust of wind, or as in my case, operator stupidity causes the mast to fall back( see 1).


3) What type of trailer is the boat on now?? It should be a Bunker trailer, NOT a roller style. The weight of the boat should rest upon the keel, not the bunkers. The bunkers simply stabilize the boat on the trailer. A roller style of trailer will tend to indent the hull causing soft spots in the hull.

4) Check the hull for soft spots; especially in the bow and where the boat rest upon the trailer( see 3). Insure that the mast support mod has been done. It's usually a piece of wood below decks going from the keel to below the mast step to support it and prevent sagging. Inspect the area wfere the cuddy cabin top(assuming weekender) where it fairs into the deck. Watch for any signs of cracking!! This would indicate that the mast was overtightened without the step brace causing the cabin top to give way. Check your standing rigging for broken strands. DO NOT use your bare hands unless you enjoy tearing your hand open. Get a shop rag, wrap it around each stay and run the rag down the length of the stay. You're looking for snagging of any type. This indicates a broken strand. Check each swag where the stay goes into it. If there is corrosion anticipate having to replace the standing rigging. This usually is a sign of sloppy maintenence and indicates that there is corrosion inside the fitting. REPLACE before you sail. It's not worth the risk. Check the rudder for delamination and also check the rudder post bearing for play. A delaminated rudder is easy to repair, but it will let you anticipate what kind of job lies ahead. Check the hull for bubbles/bulges/measles. These usually show below the waterline under the bottom paint, but with a little care you should be able to get an idea. Check below decks for staining or measles, this usually indicates a sinking or two; not necessarily bad, just food for thought.

Don't get me wrong, I have owned my Typoon for over 20 years and enjoy the boat a great deal.

Check it out. Go into it with your eyes open. Expect to spend extra time on repairs the first year. AND SAIL. It's what we're all here for isn't it??

Greg



nms_inc@mindspring.com

[sloopjohnl]

your jeep will definitely know it has something behind it! your main concern should be can the jeep STOP it. you may want to opt for a trailer with electric brakes. you're probably at the minimum as a tow vehicle with the jeep so don't try any mountains.
the mast is deck-stepped and is relatively easy for two people to raise. one person in the cockpit walking the mast up and the other on the ground using the jib halyard to keep it from moving sideways and helping to pull it into place. i use the jib halyard and tie it off once the mast is vertical which leaves the forestay free for immediate attachment to the stemhead.
it was a beautiful day for sailing in e. pa today - 15-18 knots, light sweater and full sails. well worth taking the afternoon off for! see what you have to look forward to!!!!!
good luck and happy sailing.

To any owners of Cape Dory Typhoons,


I need a few questions answered due to the fact I have a chance at
getting a Typhoon of my own. The most important item I need in a boat
right now is trailerability. I just bought a Jeep Wrangler, 2.5L manual
transmittion and would be using that to tow the Typhoon. Can anyone give
me information and tell me if this is possible? My Jeep can only tow 2,000
lbs. I am worried I may not be able to take my boat to different areas on
Lake Michigan where I would be sailing. Also, is the mast easily stepped
by two people? My sailing partner and I may be the only two putting it up
and removing it. Now, I'm not sure yet if it is deck or keel stepped.
I'll be looking at it this weekend. My last question is what are the
things to watch out for when looking to buy a Typhoon? Any soft spots,
problem areas, things of that nature.

As far as the boat, I know only to well how great they are as well as
stable. I hope to join all of you Typhoon owners in the joy of sailing
this terrific little yacht.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration in answering my
concerns. Happy sailing!!

**If anyone needs to call me to answer any of these question, feel free to.
(414) 272-6314 and ask for Bill.

[michael]

I too have a Jeep Wrangler - a 1989 4.2L (6cyl). It feels like I'm using most of the engine's capacity. Not sure how well a 2.5L will do, but sooo many variables. Are there hills? Steep ramp? A long tow distance? Mine tows fine, but I wish the trailer hitch was stronger. Like you said only 2000 lbs - looks weak to me! But works fine. Breaking does take a while, since the jeep is so light. I have problems dragging the boat OUT of the water! Of course depends on your boat ramp. On mine I need 4WD in low - this the only time I use 4WD. I have a trailer with rollers - helps launching and retrieving. (no soft spots and its been on a trailer for 15 years).

You are going to love sailing a Typhoon! It is a blast!

Michael



mdelcharco@taylorengineering.com

[Roger]

William - Your Jeep is too small; you'll burn out the transmission regardless of the terrain, ramp, temperature, etc. Sorry. Roger



rosenwalds@hotmail.com

[tim]

I just finished my first season with a typhoon. My first experience with it was trailering it back from MN to MI in a late nov snow storm. I am towing with a S10 2 door blazer. It has a factory towing package. The boat tows great ,,,,, The trailer i would guess is the factory type trailer ..... Its a two wheel with hyd surge brakes ... I have no idea if they work or not. I only have to go around the lake to the access so i am just going to let sleeping dogs lie for a while.

My blazer is rated for well over the est 3000 pounds for boat and trailer. If you dont intend to tow a long haul ,, you may get away with towing with your jeep ,, and with lo 4x4 it will retrieve the boat. I dont think i woulid be running all over the state with your set up ,, but a short haul may be within reason ,, only you can really decide that.

The only issue i see with the typhoon and trailering is getting a steep enough ramp and the water depth to get it to float off and back on. I pulled the boat out a couple weeks early due to no rain in sight and with the knowledge that the lake level is down 5 inches since i launched in spring.

The retrieval went off without a hitch this am .... it floated right on and it was a piece of cake.


My ramp is a little skinny on water since our lake is very shallow .... like 4 to 5 feet at its deepest. The access had 4 and a half foot of water this spring ,, its down to 4 ft now. I would guess at three and a half feet a guy would have to start doing things like ... let the air down on the trailer tires and lowering the rear pads on the trailer to get more clearance.

I am in kalamazoo mi ...... the typhoon is a great boat, its a keeper for sure. tim

[Serge Zimberoff]

Summarizing:

1. Tow vehicle doubtful.

2. Trailer setup crucial. As noted above bunker boards for stability only. Weight on keel. Tongue extension needed to avoid using the old ‘rope trick’ launch method.

3. Stepping mast. You are standing pretty high in the air. The mast is going to throw you off balance. Totally doable with two. Don’t recommend it alone because you need someone to hold the forestay while the turnbuckle connection is made anyway and it is so easy for them to pull the mast up with a line fastened with a rolling hitch to the forestay. Wind is a major factor! We once unstepped the mast in a wind so strong that we had to pull the mast down, gravity wasn’t enough.

All that said, my totally biased opinion is that it is completely worth it to be able to be out in a Ty!

Serge

[Appleton68]

With regard to stepping the mast, you need two people to do it easily. Make sure none of the stays are crossed and that they are attached at the correct spot. If anything is tight on the way up, stop and look at everything. Remember when you take the mast down to be careful, have two people & do it slowly so it does not overcome you.

[Keith Wood]

The ability to singlehandedly step the mast of a Typhoon is relative to one's strength and agility. Rigging a block at the foredeck and running a line from the mast, through the block, and back to where you can pull on it as you lift the mast is helpful. I can step and unstep the mast alone, but would not expect my wife or daughter to step the mast without help. About 30+/- minutes is what it takes me to trailer launch or retrieve my Ty.

[tim]

The ability to singlehandedly step the mast of a Typhoon is relative to one's strength and agility. Rigging a block at the foredeck and running a line from the mast, through the block, and back to where you can pull on it as you lift the mast is helpful. I can step and unstep the mast alone, but would not expect my wife or daughter to step the mast without help. About 30+/- minutes is what it takes me to trailer launch or retrieve my Ty.

I rigged and launched my typoon for the first time with the help of a non sailor neighbor who was a never ever on rigging a boat. I have owned several inland lake class boats..... the TY isnt any harder than the hobie 16 to rig. The tongue extension thing is a pain ,,, but its the price you pay for sailing somthing that is more than a dingy. The Typhoon was the next logical step for me....is going to a bigger boat enhance the day sailing experience if you dont have to trailer the boat? tim