cape dory 25

[slowpoke]

has any one sailed a cape dory? i have one in mind, 1982 in great condition. thank you in advance.

[calden]

slowpoke:

There is a very good feature article about the Cape Dory 25 in the November/December 2005 issue of Good Old Boat magazine. Sounds like a great boat.

Carlos

[klem]

For the right person, they are a great boat but they are not for everyone. What version of the 25 are you looking at? The designs are dated so they have a little bit less room, less speed, and heel more than some modern boats. That said, they are extremely able boats and a real pleasure to sail.

If you like to race around and be the fastest boat in the bay, then they are obviously not the boat for you. However, if you value good looks, good build quality and the feeling of this type of boat, then it would be an excellent choice. I happen to fall into the latter category and the 30 that I have is a wonderful boat for me. It is quicker than I had originally expected and has a wonderful feeling to sailing.

There is a really good cape dory owners association that might be worth checking out.

[slowpoke]

i am 75 ,and no hurry but i dont want to worry when the wind comes up, thats why im looking at cape dory 25.

[MrDoug]

From a different point of view...

I bought a CD-25 last year on a whim. (Nobody here has EVER bought a boat on a whim...right?) Initially, I was excited about the boat. I grew up sailing, and was looking forward to showing my boys (2 and 4) about sailing. I quickly learned this isn't a "family" boat like I'd thought. At least for MY family...2 small kids running around in a small cabin = recipe for disaster. I also have learned that I kinda despise an outboard motor.

I'm out looking for something a little bigger now. (Something like a J30) I grew up racing, so it's a little slow for me. If you are in the Cleveland area, I'd love to take you out for a spin.

They are really neat boats. Solid as the day is long. Quality built boats from top-to-bottom. There are some deals out there on them too. Search Google for Cape Dory Forums, and you'll find the guys that you need to talk to about them.

[nmellon]

I owned a 1975 CD25 a few years ago. I was very pleased with its sailing ability. It handled big winds and the short, steep chop in Pamlico Sound well. It is small enough that I could single-hand it easily.

My boat had a problem common to many CD25s. The decks just outboard of the cockpit sagged due to lack of support directly under the companionway. This would cause water to pool up outside of the coamings instead of draining. There was always algae growth to clean up and the toerails were starting to rot due to the perpetually wet decks. I've heard of some owners fixing the problem by jacking up the sagging areas and adding supports.

There were really just two issues that would keep me from buying a CD25 again.

1. The outboard fits in a very small lazarette. It is very difficult to manhandle the motor in and out of there each time you sail. If I left the motor installed between sails, marine growth really got out of hand.

2. None of the bunks are really good for a 6' + person to sleep in. If you are only daysailing then this may not be a problem.

[Sabreman]

My Brother-In-Law has a CD25-D. The inboard diesel version (the "-D") makes for a great boat that motors much better than the outboard version. A very solid boat with a huge forward head that is almost as large as the one on my Sabre 38. Pretty good, well made boat but of a very dated design (Carl Alberg). Some problems that he has encountered:

1. Stuffing box exits into a sump and not the main bilge. I'd add a way for stuffing box drip to drain to the bilge.
2. Required replacement of the Westerbeke due to cracked head. Probably due to poor winter layup since I've had Westerbekes in my 2 Sabres and never had a significant problem.
3. Crazing in the gel coat around the deck. They had the deck re-gel-coated.
4. Delamination of the cockpit sole that required rebuilding the entire cockpit. Check for soft areas around where the tiller exits the cockpit sole. Expensive repair.
5. Inboard diesel is great but access is really tight. If you do your own work now is a good time to lose weight.
6. Fair amount of weather helm that may be solved by new sails/rig tuning.

[slap]

Sabreman,

The Cape Dory 25 was designed by George Stadel III and was originally built by Allied Boats. The Cape Dory 25D is a completely different design by Carl Alberg.

[Sabreman]

On a good day, I learn something new. Today is a good day. Thanks for the info.... I've seen a bunch of CD25s but will have to look more closely to see the differences.

Thanks

[slowpoke]

Yes i bought her last week, cant wait for first sail.will sail from starboard me. to deer island nb canada.just waiting for the right weather, and no fog.