CD-28 vs CD-30 Opinion sought.

[Douglas G Young]

I would appreciate the opinion of the Cape Dory owners here on the board. I have been looking for a CD and have only been looking at the CD-30. Your honest opinion on how much I would gain with a 30 vs a 28 is needed. Should I include the 28 in my selection and if so what will I be missing.



dgyoung50@msn.com

[Larry DeMers]

It totally depends on your intended use, where sailed, your experience so far, size of crew, number of crew, cash allocated to burn on a boat, and future plans/hopes/dreams...plus a few others that I probably missed.
About 3-4 years ago, I located, outfitted and assisted with sea trials and checking out the new owner ( a friend) of a CD28 in Duluth, Minn., so have some time onboard the boat, and I have owned a CD30 for 13 years now, sailed it around 18,000 miles on Superior.
Everything that the CD30 can do well, the CD28 can do too..just not as well (VMG, storage, amenities, stiffness to weather and to some, including me..looks). That said, the 28 is a darn fine boat to start out with..or to just plain end up with, depending on the items in the first paragraph above.

Other than these generalities, it is hard to be specific without a better definition of your needs.

Cheers,

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Lake Superior
-had Storm Warnings today..60kt. gusts and 11-14ft. seas wwith snow/rain! Yikes..storm sails, don't fail me now!

I would appreciate the opinion of the Cape Dory owners here on the board. I have been looking for a CD and have only been looking at the CD-30. Your honest opinion on how much I would gain with a 30 vs a 28 is needed. Should I include the 28 in my selection and if so what will I be missing.

demers@sgi.com

[Douglas]

From what I can see the only dif is a few inches here and there and a larger sturn overhang. Is there realy more storage or interior space?



dgyoung50@msn.com

[Tom G]

IMHO,you would be missing nothing if you find a 28 in good condition. I would look at the condition of the boat, not the 2 foot difference. I looked at both and went with the 28 becauce I liked the options it had and the price was better. I sailed both and felt there wasn't any difference. The difference in size did not matter for me, because it will only be 2 of us cruising.

Tom
Ambuscade


the opinion of the Cape Dory owners here on the board. I have been looking for a CD and have only been looking at the CD-30. Your honest opinion on how much I would gain with a 30 vs a 28 is needed. Should I include the 28 in my selection and if so what will I be missing.



tgrant9008@aol.com

[Gary L.]

I would appreciate the opinion of the Cape Dory owners here on the board. I have been looking for a CD and have only been looking at the CD-30. Your honest opinion on how much I would gain with a 30 vs a 28 is needed. Should I include the 28 in my selection and if so what will I be missing.

Douglas,

Earlier this year, I too was comparing boats, abeit the Caped Dory 28 to the Pearson Triton. I found that the Cape Dory 28 had more room below, more displacement and more sail area. The same goes for your comparison of CD28 and CD30. Price, cruising areas, and availability of either boat make the differences. Fortunately for me, I found a CD30 at price I couldn't refuse. But, if it is a Cape Dory you can't go wrong.

Hope this helps,

Gary Lapine
Red Witch III
CD30C, #339



dory26@attbi.com

[Olli Wendelin]

Douglas,

A few observations btwn the 28 and 30.

The same line drawing is used for the 28 and 30. For the 28 the bow and stern overhangs are shortened. Being heavier (1000 lbs) and longer, the CD30 rides the waves smoother.

Tiller (CD28) is better if you install self steering. Wheel & worm gear steering (CD30) lets the boat sail itself, if you have a tiller you must hold it or tie it off.

The 28 has a 2 burner cook top. The 30 has a gimbled stove and oven. If you cook while heeled over sailing, you need a gimbled stove. If you cook pizza you need an oven.

The 30 had alot of changes during its manufacturing run. Sail rig, engines, cabin layout.

Prices vary greatly with age, condition, and location. Don't be afraid to buy a few states away for a much better price. Also asking price is not selling price, I bought my boat for >25% below asking price.

I did pick the 30 for myself, but I shopped for a year looking at various boats and found the one that met my needs and pocketbook. I have sailed a 28 a few times and think it is a great boat, but I can bake on my 30

Good Luck,

Olli Wendelin
BLUE MOON
CD30 Ketch
Charleston, SC



wendelin@spawar.navy.mil

[Jay H]

I would appreciate the opinion of the Cape Dory owners here on the board. I have been looking for a CD and have only been looking at the CD-30. Your honest opinion on how much I would gain with a 30 vs a 28 is needed. Should I include the 28 in my selection and if so what will I be missing.

Which ever you choose you get a great "go anywhere" boat. After more that 40 years of sailing (mostly in the NE), I choose the 28 as my retirement sailer.

Suggest you compare the two hulls using John Holtrop's sail calculator and then take a realistic look at what you want from the boat. If you could find a 28 and a 30 that had perfect sails and rigging the finite performance differences between the two would still be offset the helmsman and the sail trim.

When looking at 30's be aware there are two standard layouts the "A" and the "B" as well as a sloop and a ketch. With the 28's there is some variation in main salon berths and head hanging locker areas.

Since I pretty much sail alone, I would have preferred the 30 "B" but I never did find a good one. Most of the 28 s that I have seen did not have Heat exchangers and were cooled with raw water as a result there is a bit more room under the cockpit seats for storage but only if that area has been blocked off from the shaft area. (Some of the early ones were not.) In the cabin the 28 has less storage, especially in the boats that have a 30 gallon water tanks Port & Starboard with a waste tank under the V berth, however you need those water tanks if your going offsoundings.
Cooking underway is not a problem with a two burner if its gimballed or if its a wick type stove like an Origo if fitted with good Fiddles to keep the extra tall pots in place. I like tiller steering but would suggest that which ever you decide on, you should invest in a tiller or wheel pilot (with remote).

One big disadvantage on the 28 is that it's pretty awkward to carry a hard dingy & definitely a little easier on the 30. You will hear some people say the 30 can carry sail longer or the 30's overhangs help going to windward but you will hear just the opposite too. Personaly I have always liked short overhangs as I always felt there was more initial bouyancy and lift on wave impact as well as more bow lift when running in a heavy breeze.

Also you might take a look at storage, mooring and marina costs of a 28 vs a 30. In some marinas the length is "overall length" thus forcing the CD 30 into the next slip size up from the 30 foot because of the bowsprit. This could result in paying for a 36 ft slip in some areas. The 28 fits in a 30 Ft slip.

Good luck in you search

JHH
Fiddler's Green
CD 28 #245





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