Cape Dorys sailing strengths

[bob]

Still in luv with CD's even when many trying to disuade me. Tell me about their lite air/close haul abilities along with turning characteristics while moving slow and fast.(sure hard to find em for sail..)



bcartm@west.net

[Dana]

Still in luv with CD's even when many trying to disuade me. Tell me about their lite air/close haul abilities along with turning characteristics while moving slow and fast.(sure hard to find em for sail..)

_____________________________________________________________________

Bob,

I hope you will be able to sail one sometime. I'll try to explain the "feel" of the CD26 to you from the prospective of the helmsman.

First thing, the boat may seen very tender at the dock to most who see and walk on them at the dock for the first time. This is especially true for shorter boat length designs. Most folks first figure that the boat simply MUST be terrible when you actually out there in the big water. They are generally surprised when sailing to find the boat has the feel of a much larger boat and the sense of security for both the helmsman and the crew. They are usually surprised to find that the boat can be balanced out to give only a very slight windward helm and one does not fight the helm to keep it on course.

Because the boat hull has this 'wine glass" shape, the boat movement into chop is more cushioned and "pounding" is unusual for mine. The surface area of the undersides (center of resistance to side motion) and the superstructure (topsides and cabin center of area) are very well match over each other. That means that the boat will just sit abeam to the wind with all sails down. So when taking down sails and securing them away, a single handler can manage it pretty well without the boat sailing away downwind, windward, etc.

These boats will never be as fast as a low wetted surface area, wider beam, more modern design. They just have more surface area. But the ability to sail really fast and the ability to sail under light wind conditions are different. I really enjoy sailing in anything above 6 knots of wind.

One the aspects of these boats is that they carry well thru the wind during tacking. This is because they build up a mommentum and carry it thru the tack even if the wind might be light. Other boat designs may be quick to accelerate after the tack but many times they are also very quick to decelerate during the tack.

For heavier air, the boat really doesn't become more difficult to handle, I generally am just controlling the amount of sail and heel.

My type of sailing focuses on the surroundings i.e. the water, the sky, the day........the feel of the water. The knotmeter has a part of picture, but not the most important. I like to feel I am in control, that I do not have to work hard at that, and I have good performance for my activity. Boats are no different from choices in cars, one choses it for the type of activity and its looks.


Dana



darenius@aol.com

[Jerry Hammernik]

Every sailboat has its favorite conditions. CD's may not be the fastest but they have surprised a lot of people. I was on a CD28 that stomped all over a Catalina 41 on a long passage. Granted we had a crew of 4 experienced Dorians vs. Mom, Dad and the kids, but they still should of held their own. They don't turn like a fin keel but then they track much better. You spend a lot more time out sailing than you do docking. You just have to learn the boat, they handle just fine with a little practice. They do great when the wind is up. When they fly the small craft advisory we call it a Cape Dory Day. I'm thinking about putting my 25 up for sale, but only to buy a bigger Cape Dory. (I have 4 children, and it's getting a little tight) I say buy one, you'll become a part of the nicest group of people you'll ever meet.



dauntles@execpc.com

[Paul]

When I was searching for a boat, I considered everything from a bilge-keeled Westerly to a light Catalina and a shoal-keel center cockpit ODay. When I stepped aboard a little CD 28 I knew it was the boat for me even before sailing it because of its stability. All the other boats in this size range rolled and bounced when I stepped aboard and the CD just gently eased a bit. The heavy displacement was a very comfortable and familiar feeling because it reminded me of a big old 1926 Alden schooner that I worked aboard 25 years ago. I was very struck by the similarities in the feel of the big old schooner and the little CD and only later learned that Alberg was a student of Alden...it was amazing how one could actually feel the similarity. Sailing the CD was similar...her wineglass hull doesn't bump and ricochet off every little wavelet and the heavy displacement gives a degree of inertia which makes the boat feel like her larger cousins. Like the difference between a heavy floating timber and a clorox bottle. She heels and stiffens up and here the cutaway full keel keeps her sailing in a groove. One is not fighting every sea and this makes for a comfortable and smooth ride. I wanted a sturdy, simple, no-nonsense pocket cruiser and that what the CD design is. People always say "But she's so slow"...I respond that if I wanted to go fast I would not have a sailboat...and if I have a sailboat, I want it to be safe, comfortable, forgiving, and strong. The other comment one hears often is that they are small below...this is true...her narrow beam gives a comfortable sail when going to windward but also makes a small cabin...However, the alternative is a big living room whose floor is pounding all the time...not for me. Besides...a few extra cubic feet are small comfort when the weather turns foul and the going gets dicey. I sail out on the ocean mostly, so a CD under my feet is the thing for me. There are other good boats out there as well, Island Packet, and Crealock are beauties, but they are far beyond my means...so think about what you will use the boat for and what kind of conditions you will regularly encounter. I hope you buy a CD because I can't imagine that you wouldn't be happy with it. Good luck.



rfurman@dmv.com

[Catherine Monaghan]

Bob,Dana has hit the nail right on the head.Our CD32 sails quite nicely when the wind is blowing at least 6 knots. The addition of a spinnaker makes a big difference too. We used our beautiful cruising spinnaker often this past sailing season. It was either that or just two sails. REALIZATION is cutter rigged, but this past sailing season brought either too little wind necessitating the spinnaker or too much wind causing us to reduce sail. Either way, the boat was happy and so were we. Whether ghosting along or plowing through chop her strong hourglass shape slices gracefully through the water. She is seakindly and strong. One always feels safe and comfortable on a Cape Dory.I enjoy tweeking the boat's controls to make her sail as fast and efficiently as possible and she sometimes wins races with other unsuspecting boats out on the bay. When the wind is up, the ride is exhilarating and you may find yourself passing boats that you didn't think you ever could.Maybe a fellow Cape Dorian in your area would be willing to take you for a test ride.Cathy M.CD32 REALIZATIONRaritan Bay: Still in luv with CD's even when many trying to disuade me. Tell me about their lite air/close haul abilities along with turning characteristics while moving slow and fast.(sure hard to find em for sail..)



catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Craig Soucy]

I have a CD 30 C, which is our 2nd boat. We looked at everything that floats in the 28-30 range. CD had the best ratio of ruggedness/cost. My first choice would be Pacific Seacraft, but they are cost prohibative. My suggestion would be to sail one. All the CD owners I have met are very proud of their boats, so getting out on one should not be very difficult.

Big selling point for me, was my wife, who was new to boating feels safe on the our CD 30 C, even when the weather turns bad. This was not the case when sailing Hunters, O'Days and Catalina's. Sure they have more room down below, but we sail more. Sailing would not be the same for us, if we both were not comfortable with our boat.

Still in luv with CD's even when many trying to disuade me. Tell me about their lite air/close haul abilities along with turning characteristics while moving slow and fast.(sure hard to find em for sail..)

11314.2024@compuserve.com

[bob]

Still in luv with CD's even when many trying to disuade me. Tell me about their lite air/close haul abilities along with turning characteristics while moving slow and fast.(sure hard to find em for sail..)

_____________________________________________________________________

Bob,

I hope you will be able to sail one sometime. I'll try to explain the "feel" of the CD26 to you from the prospective of the helmsman.

First thing, the boat may seen very tender at the dock to most who see and walk on them at the dock for the first time. This is especially true for shorter boat length designs. Most folks first figure that the boat simply MUST be terrible when you actually out there in the big water. They are generally surprised when sailing to find the boat has the feel of a much larger boat and the sense of security for both the helmsman and the crew. They are usually surprised to find that the boat can be balanced out to give only a very slight windward helm and one does not fight the helm to keep it on course.

Because the boat hull has this 'wine glass" shape, the boat movement into chop is more cushioned and "pounding" is unusual for mine. The surface area of the undersides (center of resistance to side motion) and the superstructure (topsides and cabin center of area) are very well match over each other. That means that the boat will just sit abeam to the wind with all sails down. So when taking down sails and securing them away, a single handler can manage it pretty well without the boat sailing away downwind, windward, etc.

These boats will never be as fast as a low wetted surface area, wider beam, more modern design. They just have more surface area. But the ability to sail really fast and the ability to sail under light wind conditions are different. I really enjoy sailing in anything above 6 knots of wind.

One the aspects of these boats is that they carry well thru the wind during tacking. This is because they build up a mommentum and carry it thru the tack even if the wind might be light. Other boat designs may be quick to accelerate after the tack but many times they are also very quick to decelerate during the tack.

For heavier air, the boat really doesn't become more difficult to handle, I generally am just controlling the amount of sail and heel.

My type of sailing focuses on the surroundings i.e. the water, the sky, the day........the feel of the water. The knotmeter has a part of picture, but not the most important. I like to feel I am in control, that I do not have to work hard at that, and I have good performance for my activity. Boats are no different from choices in cars, one choses it for the type of activity and its looks.


Dana

Hi Dana..I still refuse to listen to all the bad talk about the CD's as I believe that they haven't a clue. We have all these Catalina lovers out here. I am still hot for a CD and the one that is in the rental slip is never ready to go. Lots of excuses but believe me as the time move on and the weather gets nicer, I am going to do it.Thnks for your great comments...



bcarm@west.net