cape dory 28 sailboat data

Cape dory 28

The cape dory 28 is a 28.14ft masthead sloop designed by carl alberg and built in fiberglass by cape dory yachts between 1974 and 1988., 388 units have been built..

The Cape dory 28 is a heavy sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is originally very small. There is a short water supply range.

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Cape Dory 28

• By Lauren Anthone
• Updated: June 24, 2008

Cape Dory 28 368

I’m a longtime sailor on OPB-other people’s boats-and one crisp, Chesapeake fall day, I found myself ashore and in the process of succumbing to a quiet desperation. I did the only thing that one can do under such circumstances: I went and looked at boats.

I wandered around boatyards until I found myself gazing at a Carl Alberg-designed Cape Dory 28. Three weeks later, and despite the fact that I really hadn’t intended for it to happen, I was a boat owner.

What drew me to the Cape Dory were lines altogether typical of Alberg, including a graceful sheer that sweeps forward from a counter stern to a teak bowsprit. Teak grabrails and eyebrows accentuate the fine proportions of the long trunk cabin, and easily navigable side decks connect the generous cockpit to the fair-sized foredeck. A full keel and a keel-hung rudder complete the profile.

Details below complement the traditional exterior. Solid teak and teak veneer are abundant, and bronze, in the through-hulls and the eight opening ports, is everywhere it should be.

Above the saloon settees, narrow shelves hold books; beneath each settee lies a 30-gallon water tank. More storage spaces are located behind the seatbacks. The starboard settee serves as a single berth; the other slides out to create a slender “double.” A teak table swings down from the bulkhead and unfolds between the settees. The saloon has about 6 feet of headroom, and two opening hatches overhead help keep the air moving through it. The head is forward of the saloon and contains a hanging wet locker and a small sink, which unfortunately drains into a fiberglass trough, then into the bilge. The marine toilet is installed below the waterline, so all valves must be closed when it’s not in use. A folding door separates the head from the V-berth, which covers various compartments. A cushioned plywood insert fills the V to create a double berth, forward of which a panel opens to the anchor locker.

The companionway, its top step on the countertop next to the single stainless-steel sink, bisects the galley, between a spacious icebox to starboard and an alcohol stove to port.

Removing the companionway stairs buys just enough room for a small person to ease over the top of the engine to service the raw-water pump or to top off the transmission oil.

Under sail, my CD 28, Innisfree, was a sound, safe, and comfortable cruising boat. She was stiff, surprisingly quick in light wind, extremely capable in heavy air, and a sheer joy off the wind. Innisfree balanced well, tracked perfectly, and, with all of her momentum, just plowed right through the Chesapeake chop. The club-footed jib, though handy for windward work when I was singlehanding, was difficult to trim properly, so I eventually installed a ProFurl furling system.

Between 1974 and 1987, Cape Dory Yachts built 388 CD 28s in East Taunton, Massachusetts. Today the 28 is listed at prices from $14,500 to $35,000. The Cape Dory Sailboat Owners Association ( www.capedory.org ) is just one of several groups that offers support to CD fans.

LOA 28′ 2″ (8.59 m.) LWL 22′ 3″ (6.78 m.) Beam 8′ 11″ (2.72 m.) Draft 4′ 0″ (1.22 m.) Sail Area (100%) 404 sq. ft. (37.5 sq. m.) Ballast 3,500 lb. (1,588 kg.) Displacement 9,000 lb. (4,082 kg.) Ballast/D .39 D/L 365 SA/D 14.9 Water 60 gal. (227 l.) Fuel 32 gal. (121 l.) Engine Various Designer Carl Alberg

Lauren Anthone sailed her Cape Dory 28, Innisfree, for six years.

• More: 21 - 30 ft , before 2000 , cape dory , Coastal Cruising , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , sailboats classic plastic
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Cape Dory 28

This rugged carl alberg-designed classic is a bargain-priced family cruiser.

According to the Cape Dory Sailboat Owners’ Association, Cape Dory Yachts in East Taunton, Massachusetts, built 389 CD28s between 1974 and 1987.

During the company’s 28 years in business, it built more than 2,800 sailboats, ranging in length from the pint-sized Cape Dory 10 to hulls exceeding 45 feet. The Cape Dory Typhoon, just shy of 20 feet, proved a standout. The CD28 is often compared to the Pearson Triton 28, the Columbia 29, Bristol 27 and Alberg 30.

First impressions

There’s something pleasant about the Cape Dory 28. It has a robust, seagoing appearance, perhaps due to the bowsprit with anchor roller and the long cabintrunk. Four portals on each side of the cabin are uniform in size and shape, giving the boat a traditional look that’s further enhanced by two deck hatches, a graceful sheer and low freeboard. 

Designer Carl Alberg had to compromise in order to gain interior volume in this relatively slender sloop. As a result, he left the bow overhang intact to promote the impression of elegance, but the stern overhang was dramatically trimmed back. That design decision gave the boat a longer waterline, which increased its speed potential, but detracted from its overall beauty.

A bridgedeck was installed in the cockpit approximately four years after the start of production. It added to the interior volume. The deck has plenty of walkaround room for crew to go forward when changing sails or anchoring. 

The mainsheet is attached aft of the cockpit where it doesn’t interfere with crew activity. The original models have tiller steering and a self-tending, club-footed jib, allowing the boat to be sailed with minimal crew. A jiffy-reefing system on the mainsail also makes for easy sailing.

Construction

The CD28 hull is solid fiberglass in polyester resin. The decks are a sandwich of fiberglass cored with either marine plywood or balsa. In keeping with Cape Dory Yachts’ reputation for high-quality construction, the through-hull seacocks are bronze. Two deck hatches and eight portals open to provide ventilation and natural light. The boat has tiller steering, a full keel with lead ballast, and a keel-hung rudder. The mast is deck-stepped. “The shrouds and fittings are oversized for a vessel of this size,” said New Orleans sailor Keith Fawcett, who sails the CD28 Sea Hound.

What to look for

Deck delamination is always a possibility on older boats and the CD28 is no exception with its sandwich deck construction. The decks should be inspected for any spongy feel. Water infusion can occur at the chainplates or wherever other deck hardware is fastened. Telltale signs are stress cracks, crazing and blistering. 

Fawcett noted the internally fastened chainplates are cast iron, which create problems of rust and corrosion. The chainplates are accessible from the interior. He also warned there is a jib stay with a bronze cast fitting on the stem that should be watched for problems. 

Owners report that the plastic portals installed between 1974 and 1978 were of inferior quality. 

By now the winches may be tired and in need of an upgrade. If the standing rigging is original, it should be replaced. The diesel engine should be tested for compression, leaks and other potential problems. At the very least, belts and filters should be replaced.

Fuel tanks are either steel or aluminum. The steel tanks can rust and weaken. The aluminum tanks, because they’re in direct contact with a plywood base, can begin to pit. 

The boat is sloop-rigged, the mainsheet attached at the aft end of the cockpit to keep it from interfering with crew activity. Its 42-foot aluminum mast is deck stepped and secured by heavy-gauge standing rigging. The self-tending, club-footed jib on the foredeck is a welcome addition for short-handed sailors. The sturdy bowsprit supports an anchor roller and extends the forestay outward, providing more room for a genoa. There’s plenty of workspace on the foredeck. The cockpit has a bridgedeck on most models. The deck has a nonskid surface. 

The area below the deck isn’t cavernous by any means. The boat’s beam of just under 9 feet gives the CD28 a sleek appearance while dictating that the quarters below will be cramped.

On the positive side, headroom is 6 feet 2 inches in the cabin. The boat sleeps five. There’s a V-berth in the bow, an adjacent head to port and a wet hanging locker to starboard, which is a typical layout for compact cruising boats. The saloon features a starboard settee that is used as a single berth, and a port settee that slides out to become a double berth. A drop-leaf table rests between the settees.

The galley is aft, with an icebox and stainless sink to starboard, alcohol or propane stove to port. The two deck hatches and eight portals provide plenty of natural light and ventilation.

The boat has several storage lockers and carries 60 gallons of fresh water.

The original CD28s were fitted with  a Volvo 2-cylinder, 15-horsepower diesel engine. Owners say the engine is powerful enough to push the boat in a chop, but tends to be loud, smoky, and shakes like a demon. The engine is accessed from the cabin by raising the companionway steps and through two cockpit lockers, but service space is tight. The fuel tank holds 32 gallons.

Owners describe the CD28 as kindly and capable in rough seas. Despite its 9,000-pound displacement, the boat moves easily in light winds over 10 knots with the club-footed jib. The full keel with attached rudder helps the boat track downwind and allows it to point nicely to windward. 

The owner of the CD28 Entropy II once remarked, “I kept the original rig—a club-footed working jib for brisk-to-heavy winds and a 140% genoa for light winds. The Cape Dory 28 is a very sweet sailer —9,000 pounds of displacement with a Carl Alberg-designed hull—makes for a comfortable ride in various weather conditions. She may not be the fastest, but she’s a cruiser that points well and is easy to sail.”

“She can’t compete sailing with modern fin spade keel designs, but for the traditional sailor she will provide endless joy,” Fawcett  said.

Several CD28 owners maintain websites that describe their sailing experiences, which include bluewater passages and Fred Bickum’s three-year, singlehanded voyage completed in 2009 aboard FeNIX , a 1978 model.

The Cape Dory 28 is a sturdy, traditionally styled, compact cruising sloop ideal for family coastal cruising yet capable of offshore sailing.

Principal dimensions: LOA  28’2”;  LWL 22’3”;  Beam 8’11”;  Draft   4’  ;  Displacement 9,000 lbs.;  Ballast   3,500 lbs.;  Sail area   404 sq. ft.

General Market Price Data

$35,000     1983 Maine  •    $24,900    1982 Michigan   •    $10,000   1978 Washington

SAILING’s Value Guide

(5-sailboat rating system)

PRICE:  (4 sailboats) The price of a used Cape Dory 28 can range widely, depending on age, condition and upgrades. A 1978 model in North Carolina that requires an engine is selling online for $5,500, while a fully equipped 1983 boat in excellent  shape is on the market in Maine for $35,000. 

DESIGN QUALITY:  (4 sailboats) The CD28 was designed by prominent naval architect Carl Alberg, who preferred boats with an elegant, Scandinavian-inspired sheer, low freeboard and long overhangs. 

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: (3 sailboats) Cape Dory Yachts in the 1970s and 1980s had a reputation for building ruggedly constructed boats, with solid fiberglass hulls in polyester resin and fiberglass and sandwich cored decks. All hardware is heavy duty, the seacocks forged in bronze. Teak is used throughout the interior. 

USER-FRIENDLINESS:   (3 sailboats) The CD28 has an anchor roller and self-tending, club-footed jib. The cockpit comfortably accommodates four. The heavy displacement makes for a smooth ride. And the sensible sailplan helps keep the boat under control in high wind conditions.

SAFETY:   (3 sailboats) Safety features include sturdy lifelines, and roomy deck space, a 3,500-pound full keel with lead ballast to keep the boat upright, and a cockpit bridgedeck on later models that prevents water from entering the cabin.  

TYPICAL CONDITION:  (3 sailboats)  Many CD28s are 40 years old, which in all likelihood means they’ve had multiple owners and varying maintenance regimens.  The boat’s solid fiberglass hull is difficult to damage and often found in sound condition. Decks may have softened due to water infusion. 

REFITTING:  (3 sailboats) Several owners have replaced the Volvo engine with Beta Marine or Kubota diesels and report much quieter operation. The standing rigging likely needs replacement. Many owners eliminate the club-footed jib in favor of a roller-furling genoa, claiming the latter affords better sail trim. 

SUPPORT: (2 sailboats) Cape Dory Yachts is no longer in business, but there’s an active Cape Dory Sailboat Owners’ Association (www.capedory.org), with fleets located in the Carolinas, Gulf states, Chesapeake Bay and the Northeast. 

AVAILABILITY:   (3 sailboats) There’s no shortage of Cape Dory 28s on the market. At press time, at least 15 were for sale in the U.S. 

INVESTMENT AND RESALE:   (3 sailboats) The Cape Dory 28 holds its value.

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Cape Dory 28 - Sailboat Data, Parts & Rigging

Sailboat data, rig dimensions and recommended sail areas for Cape Dory 28 sailboat. Tech info about rigging, halyards, sheets, mainsail covers and more.

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Bluewater Sailboat – Cape Dory 28

Also called: cd28.

The Bluewater Sailboat Cape Dory 28 is a tough little cruiser that has been described as having the feel of a larger boat.

She blends conventional styling, high-quality construction, and well-mannered sailing characteristics in an offshore-capable package. We’ve seen at least one circumnavigation as proof of her seaworthiness – in 2009, Fred Bickum completed a three-year solo cruise in his 1978 Cape Dory, FêNIX.

• LOA: 28′ 2″ (8.59 m.)
• LWL: 22′ 3″ (6.78 m.)
• Beam: 8′ 11″ (2.72 m.)
• Draft: 4′ 0″ (1.22 m.)
• Ballast: 3,500 lbs.
• Displacement: 9,000 lbs.
• Sail Area: 404 sq. ft.
• Bridge Clearance: 41′ 0″
• Headroom: 6’ 2″
• Water: 60 US Gal.
• Fuel: 32 US Gal.
• Engine: Volvo 2-cylinder 15hp diesel
• Year Introduced: 1974
• Year Ended: 1987
• Total Built: 388
• Designer: Carl Alberg
• Builder: Cape Dory Yachts
• Also Known As: CD28

The Bluewater Sailboat Cape Dory 28’s debut in 1974 marked the beginning of a remarkable twelve-year collaboration between Cape Dory Yachts and well-known designer Carl Alberg. Between 1974 and 1987, Cape Dory built 388 yachts in their yard in East Taunton, New England, helping the company establish a grand reputation for building well-made sailboats with excellent sailing characteristics.

A skilled eye can detect much of the classic Alberg form in her hull design. As a Swede, he was heavily influenced by the sleek Scandinavian folkboats of the early twentieth century, and the 28’s hull is narrow, allowing for less accommodation volume belowdecks, but the long overhangs seen in earlier Alberg designs are only hinted at, instead being toned down in favor of a longer waterline and regaining some space. The sheerline is elegant, with a modest freeboard. A full keel with a forefoot cutaway and a keel-hung rudder completes her classical design under the waterline.

The hulls are made of solid fibreglass in polyester resin, while the decks are made of balsa or plywood cored fibreglass. The build quality is superb throughout, and the fixtures are of exceptional quality. The through hull fittings and the eight opening ports are made of bronze, while earlier boats before 1978 used poorer quality plastic ports.

Performance

They are sea-friendly Bluewater Sailboats, stiff and capable in large seas but surprisingly swift in mild winds. A displacement of 9,000 pounds, a modified full keel, and a well-distributed sail plan result in a well-balanced boat that tracks smoothly, is quick through the tacks, and has the momentum to push through choppy seas.

In conclusion, if you want a compact cruiser with a traditional appearance and proven offshore potential but don’t mind losing the interior space seen in more modern 28-footers, the Cape Dory 28 may be a fine alternative.

Quick Notes

• Decks are made of fiberglass with plywood or balsa core in some models. Check for stress cracking, which can let moisture into the core if not addressed. Chainplates and deck hardware mounting places are very important.
• Examine the gasoline tanks. The majority of models had aluminum tanks fixed on wooden cleats, which caused pitting in the aluminum and finally failure. Some types include steel tanks that are susceptible to rusting. It should be noted that the tanks are conveniently accessible via the port seat locker.

Looking for a used sailboat for sale? Check out the Bluewater sailboat data and specs to make an informed decision. Ocean Wave Sail has data for over 10000+ boats that can help you select one to meet your sailing needs.

Now you can also precisely calculate the expenses related to boat ownership to make smart choices based on your budget and sailing needs. Use this bluewater Sailboat Calculator to explore different options and make the best decision.

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CAPE DORY 28 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of CAPE DORY 28. Built by Cape Dory Yachts and designed by Carl Alberg, the boat was first built in 1974. It has a hull type of Full Keel and LOA is 8.58. Its sail area/displacement ratio 14.99. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Volvo, runs on Diesel.

CAPE DORY 28 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about CAPE DORY 28 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the cape dory 28.

CAPE DORY 28 was designed by Carl Alberg.

Who builds CAPE DORY 28?

CAPE DORY 28 is built by Cape Dory Yachts.

When was CAPE DORY 28 first built?

CAPE DORY 28 was first built in 1974.

How long is CAPE DORY 28?

CAPE DORY 28 is 6.77 m in length.

What is mast height on CAPE DORY 28?

CAPE DORY 28 has a mast height of 9.6 m.

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• Sailboat Guide

1978 Cape dory yachts Cape Dory 28

• Description

Seller's Description

Solidly built classic Alberg design. Very seaworthy and stable. Full keel. Holding tanks & interior woodwork in very good condition. Sails in good condition. Brightwork needs finishing. Fiberglass hull new Awlgrip finish 2012. Waterline painted 2023. Main cabin headroom 62. V berth 6 5 Main cabin settees 6w In water until September 28, 2023. On hard in Eliot Maine for off season.

Equipment: Volvo MD7a diesel engine. 2 main sails. 1 Genoa on roller furler. 1 spinnaker. Dodger. Boom cover. Manual pump head & 2 sinks. Ice box. Custom screens for port windows & curtains. 2 burner denaturated alcohol stove. 1 fresh water tank. 1 holding tank. Compass. Depth finder. GPS chart plotter. Radio. Autopilot for tiller. 2 battery operated fans. Ring buoy. Pick up pole. Aluminum 4 step ladder.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The Cape Dory 28 is a rugged little cruiser often quoted as having a feel of a larger boat. She combines traditional looks, quality construction and well-mannered sailing characteristics into a package that is offshore capable. As testimony to her seaworthiness, we’ve seen at least one circumnavigation – in 2009 Fred Bickum completed his three year voyage singlehanded in his 1978 Cape Dory, FêNIX .

At her launch in 1974 the Cape Dory 28 marked the beginning of a fruitful twelve year partnership between Cape Dory Yachts and well respected designer Carl Alberg . Between 1974 and 1987, Cape Dory built 388 in their yard in East Taunton, New England, helping the company forge a grand reputation for producing sailboats that are well constructed with excellent sailing characteristics.

Taking a closer look at her hull shape a trained eye can see much of the classic Alberg form. A Swede himself, he was heavily influenced by the sleek Scandinavian folkboats of the early 20th century, and in that regard the 28’s hull is narrow, making for less accomodation volume belowdecks, but the long overhangs seen in earlier Alberg designs are only hinted at, instead they have been toned down in favour of a longer waterline and gaining back some space. The sheerline is graceful with traditionally low freeboard. Beneath the waterline is a full keel with a forefoot cutaway and ending in a keel-hung rudder which completes her classical profile.

Hulls are of solid fiberglass in polyester resin while decks are balsa or plywood cored fiberglass. The build quality is excellent throughout and the quality of her fittings are good. Bronze is used for the through hull fittings and the eight opening ports, though early boats before 1978 had lower quality plastic ports.

Under sail, they are sea kindly, stiff and capable in heavy seas, yet surprisingly quick in light winds. Nine thousand pounds of displacement, a modified full keel and a well-distributed sail plan results in a well balanced boat that tracks easily, is nimble through the tacks yet has enough momentum to push through choppy water.

In summary, if you’re looking for a small cruiser with classic looks and proven offshore potential, but don’t mind foregoing the interior room seen in more modern 28-footers, the Cape Dory 28 may be a good choice.

Buyers Notes

• Decks are fiberglass with a plywood or in some models balsa core. Check for stress cracking which if neglected can allow moisture into the core. Particularly critical areas include the chainplates and mounting points for deck hardware
• Check the fuel tanks. Most models have aluminum tanks mounted on wooden cleats that caused pitting in the aluminum, eventually leading to failure. Some models have steel tanks which can be prone to rusting. Note the tanks can be easily accessed via the port seat locker without difficulty.

Links, References and Further Reading

» Cape Dory Owners Association’s Cape Dory 28 page . Info, brochures and photos. » Cruising World Magazine’s review of the Cape Dory 28 by Lauren Anthone, 2007. » Jack Horner’s review of the Cape Dory 28 , BoatUS

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Cape Dory 30

Our pick of these boats is a cutter-rigged late model with full-width galley and pedestal steering..

When the Cape Dory 30 entered production in 1976, it was the largest boat in the expanding line of the Taunton, Massachusetts boatbuilder. In 1986, when production ceased, over 350 Cape Dory 30s had been built, and what had been the largest boat in the company’s fleet was one of the smallest.

In 1986, Cape Dory introduced the Cape Dory 30 Mk II, an entirely different boat, designed in-house (rather than by Carl Alberg), longer on the waterline, 1 1/2′ wider, and with a far roomier and more modern interior.

The old Cape Dory 30 was designed as a ketch, with cutter or sloop rigs optional. In the middle of the production run, the more efficient cutter rig replaced the ketch as standard. The ketch remained an option.

The Cape Dory line always consisted of traditional- looking, long-keel cruising boats, and their appeal has been strongest on the East Coast, particularly in New England, a well-known hotbed of sailing reactionaries.

Sailing Performance

No one buys a Cape Dory looking for a flashy speedster. The original ketch rig has a lot of windage, and relatively small, inefficient sails. The rig does, however, give the boat a distinctly “shippy” traditional appearance.

A PHRF rating of about 220 shows the ketch to be a slow boat. By way of contrast, the old original C&C 25 carries about the same rating. The cutter-rigged Cape Dory 30 is about 15 seconds per mile faster.

The Cape Dory 30 was originally equipped with worm gear steering. This type of gear is powerful, foolproof, and requires no steering pedestal in the cockpit. The wheel will also hold the rudder in position without a brake. The disadvantage is that there is almost no rudder feedback, so that it’s hard to tell when the boat is properly balanced. Worm gear steering will not make you a better sailor.

The worm gear steerer is especially compatible with the original ketch rig. Since the mizzen is stepped in the middle of the cockpit, it’s nice to get the steering wheel back aft where it won’t take up any usable space. The top of the steering gear box also serves as a good helmsman’s seat.

With the cutter rig, it became feasible to put a more conventional pedestal steerer in the boat. However, moving the steerer further forward meant that the old steering box—now a storage locker—was too far away from the wheel to be used as a seat.

In practice, you usually sit to the side of the wheel with a pedestal steerer, not behind it. But this re- quires a wheel that is big enough to let you get far enough outboard to see sail trim. Most helmsmen will only sit directly behind the wheel when the boat is under power and they can see straight ahead, with no sails in the way.

The big steering wheel that’s the easiest to use with pedestal steering almost requires a T-shaped cockpit for easy maneuverability. The Cape Dory 30 stuck with the straight bench cockpit seats, and used a fairly small destroyer wheel. Although you don’t need the leverage of a big wheel on this boat, it will make steering less tiring, and there is room between the seats to fit a larger-diameter wheel. It would make it necessary to climb over the seats to go forward, however.

Most owners report that the boat—with either rig—is easy to balance under sail. The percentage reporting difficulty in balancing the boat complain of excessive weather helm on a close reach.

Hard steering when reaching is a common complaint on boats with attached rudders and a lot of rake to the rudderpost. The Cape Dory 30 does have a relatively efficient Constellation-type rudder, even if it is located about 2′ further forward than it would be with a comparable fin keel and spade rudder underbody.

Weather helm when reaching is frequently caused by overtrimming the main. On a boat without a vang, the boom tends to lift quickly as the sheet is eased, and the top of the sail twists off and begins to luff. Thinking they’ve eased the sheet too much, many sailors will at that point overtrim the main, shifting the draft of the sail aft and creating weather helm. Under those conditions, the proper thing to do with the Cape Dory 30 is use mainsheet tension to create a fair leech, then ease the traveler down to keep the whole sail working.

On both rigs, the mainsail is controlled by a traveler over the main companionway.

With the ketch rig, the mast is stepped further forward than the cutter, and the mainsheet attaches to the boom about two-thirds of the way aft, giving reasonable leverage. With the cutter, the mast location means that the mainsheet attaches almost exactly at the boom midpoint, reducing leverage and making the sail somewhat harder to trim.

In either case the traveler location at the forward end of the companionway is out of the way, but it makes installing a cockpit dodger more difficult.

The cutter’s main boom is at a reasonable height, but the taller helmsman should still watch his head when tacking.

With the advent of modern headsail reefing systems, the cutter rig is really superfluous on this boat. The small gap between the forestay and headstay makes it difficult to tack a big genoa, yet you really need a big genoa if this fairly heavy boat is to be properly powered in light air. The double head rig is fine in breezes over 15 knots, but in lighter air it’s much slower than a good number one genoa.

According to owners, the boat’s only sailing weakness is light air. With a lot of wetted surface and an inefficient foretriangle, the boat is simply not going to be fast in very light air. All in all, though, owners say the boat is faster than they expected it to be in all conditions.

With a 40% ballast/displacement ratio, the Cape Dory 30 is reasonably stiff despite the very narrow beam. You can get stability with a lot of ballast down low, or with a lot of beam. The Cape Dory 30 gets it from a lot of ballast, placed low in the hull.

With less weight aloft, the cutter should be slightly stiffer than the ketch.

Both the ketch and cutter rig use simple, untapered aluminum masts, stepped on deck. With a stiff section and double lower shrouds, these rigs are fairly foolproof.

Unlike many builders, Cape Dory put diesel engines in every inboard-powered sailboat they built after 1975. You won’t find an Atomic 4 here.

What you will find, unfortunately, is an engine installation and selection that is somewhat less than ideal.

Because this is a narrow boat with slack bilges, it wasn’t possible to get the engine far enough down in the bilge to be out of the way in a normal installation. Instead, the engine is mounted under the cockpit, using a V-drive. The engine is kept out of the way, but out of sight in this case means poor access for servicing. Getting to the alternator belts for adjustment, for example, requires crawlingunder the cockpit through a locker.

The original engine was a single-cylinder Yanmar diesel rated at 12 hp. This engine is too small for the boat, and single-cylinder engines are notorious for their vibration.

Starting with 1977 models, the Yanmar diesel was replaced with a Volvo MD7A, rated at 13 hp. The Volvo engine has more displacement, and has two cylinders. Nevertheless, some owners still complain that the boat is underpowered with the Volvo diesel.

Despite the long keel, the Cape Dory is reasonably maneuverable under power. The exception is handling in reverse, which according to many owners varies from unpredictable to impossible. This is not a characteristic unique to this boat; it is a fault of most long-keel boats with attached rudders. You learn to act as if reverse were nothing more than a set of brakes—not very good ones, at that.

Other than its location, the engine installation itself is pretty good, with dual fuel filters, 1″ bronze shaft, and oil drip pan under the engine. The fuel tank capacity of 20 gallons should give well over 200 miles range under power with any of the engines.

During the 1983 model year, a switch was made to a two-cylinder Universal diesel. We would definitely prefer a boat with either the Volvo or Universal engine over the original small Yanmar.

Construction

The Cape Dory 30 is solidly built, although there is nothing particularly innovative or unusual about the construction. The hull is a solid fiberglass laminate, the deck is balsa cored. No owners in our survey mention problems with either hull or deck construction.

A number of owners have reservations about the hull-to-deck joint, which is not through-bolted. Other owners mention that there are washers but no backing plates on deck hardware such as lifeline stanchions. Although none report problems either with deck hardware or the hull-to-deck joint, their concerns are valid. Backing plates on deck hardware help distribute loads, and reduce the chance of stress cracks around fittings. Likewise, a through-bolted hull-to-deck connection offers a foolproof mechanical backup should the polyester putty bond between the hull and deck fail. Bolts won’t stop leaks, but a through-bolted joint won’t come apart until the surrounding glass fails.

As in most boats this size, the lifeline stanchions are only 24″ high. This is too low for any real security—the lifelines strike most people just about at knee height, the right height for tripping. There are some bolts through the hull-to-deck joint, since both the lifeline stanchions and chainplates fasten through the inward-turning hull flange. We would, however, prefer to see closely-spaced bolts throughout the length of the joint.

Chainplates are cast bronze lugs bolted through the hull and deck flange. As long as the hull and deck are adequately reinforced—and they are, in this case—this type of installation is fine.

We’ve seen the same general type of chainplates on 40′ boats with Lloyds certificates, so they can’t be all bad.

All Cape Dory boats came with deck hardware— cleats, winch islands, bow fittings, seacocks and chainplates—by Spartan, a sister company to Cape

Dory. This is good stuff that will last the life of the boat and then some. The only disadvantages are that it is heavy, being bronze, and is not very well finished.

Going from burnished to polished finish just about doubles the price of a piece of hardware— polishing is very labor intensive—and on most Cape Dory 30s you’ll find burnished hardware. It’s rugged, though.

There’s a fair amount of exterior teak on these boats, including cockpit coamings, toerails, hatch trim, and eyebrow trim around the cabin on later models. This gives the boat a yachty appearance, but it does increase maintenance.

You could get the Cape Dory 30 in any color you wanted, as long as it was Cape Dory white with a nicely-contrasting tan deck. Several owners report discoloration of the colored portion of the non-skid decks. The non-skid itself is quite functional.

Early boats in this series have an unusual water tankage arrangement. One tank is plumbed to the head sink, the other to the galley.

Since you use a lot more water in the galley than in the head, that tank runs out first. Many owners have replumbed these tanks so that you can use the entire water supply.

Some early boats also have the water tank fills located below, which may be fine for keeping salt water out of the tanks, but can make for a fire drill when trying to fill them without making a mess. On later boats there is a 30-gallon water tank under each main cabin settee, and the system is correctly plumbed.

There are proper seacocks on all fittings below the waterline.

The deck-stepped rigs in both the cutter and ketch are well engineered, as no owners in our survey report any deck deflection or stress cracking in that area.

Unlike a lot of 30-footers, the Cape Dory 30 was designed as a small seagoing boat. For example, it has a reasonable bridge deck, although it is lower than the main cockpit seats and the cockpit coamings.There is also a sea hood over the main companionway hatch.

The main companionway is an unusual design. The vertical part of the companionway is fairly narrow and straight sided—good features in terms of seaworthiness. The sliding hatch and its opening are wider, letting more light and air below.

Relatively few owners in our survey report gelcoat blistering. The only glasswork complaints were gelcoat crazing in an early model, and discoloration of the gelcoat in the hull liner, cabin overhead, and non-skid areas in the deck.

Compared to newer 30-footers, the Cape Dory 30 is cramped below. The boat is more than a foot narrower than the typical cruiser/racer built today, and about 2′ shorter on the waterline. There’s no way around it: this is a small boat.

Within these limitations, the interior layout is pretty good. There are V-berths forward, with a dropin insert to form a double. The forward berths are narrow at the foot.

Ventilation in the forward cabin is provided by two opening ports plus an overhead Bomar aluminum- framed hatch. There are drawers and lockers beneath the berths.

The head compartment utilizes the full width of the boat, the way it should on a boat this narrow. Outboard of the toilet is a hanging locker. Opposite the toilet there is a dresser with sink.

A grate in the head sole for a shower was standard equipment, but the pressure water necessary to use it was an option. If you’re going to spend more than a weekend on a boat, a shower is almost mandatory.

Inexplicably, the head sink and shower drain into the bilge. This is unacceptable. Because of the boat’s low freeboard, the head sink is too low to be plumbed directly overboard if you expect it to drain on port tack. The best solution, although it is somewhat awkward, would be to install a closed sump tank in the bilge. It could be emptied overboard by either a manual or an electric pump. You wouldn’t want your bathroom sink and shower to drain into your basement, would you?

Two opening ports plus a cowl vent in a Dorade box provide ventilation in the head. If it were our boat, we’d also install a small venting hatch or another Dorade box over the head, even though the standard arrangement is better than you find on many larger boats.

The main cabin has settees which double as berths along either side. There are narrow shelves above and outboard of each settee.

Since the water tanks take up most of the volume below the main cabin settees, there is little storage space available in the main cabin.

As in most boats this size, the main cabin table folds down from the forward main bulkhead. It will seat four, although in a somewhat cramped fashion.

In the original layout, the galley aft runs the full width of the boat. On the port side there is a pressurized, two-burner gimbaled alcohol stove with oven.

If you want to stay with alcohol cooking fuel, we recommend switching to a non-pressurized stove such as the Origo. Despite the fact that alcohol fires can be extinguished with water, pressurized alcohol stoves can be dangerous because most people underestimate the volatility of the fuel.

The sinks are aft of the stove, and are somewhat difficult to reach because the slope of the bilge intrudes into the space where you would normally stand.

Opposite the stove there is a good galley dresser containing an icebox, storage bin, and drawers. The icebox drains into the bilge. This is a poor arrangement, since organic matter from the icebox will inevitably contaminate the bilge, even if it is pumped daily. The icebox could either be pumped into the galley sink, or into the sump you install for the head sink and shower.

With this layout, you use the top of the icebox as a navigation table. The lack of a good place to do chart work is a common failing in older designs of this size.

Late in the production run, the interior layout was “modernized” by adding a quarterberth and small chart table. The arrangement takes up a lot of the space that was formerly used for the galley. You get another berth—which you don’t need—at the cook’s expense. We don’t think this layout is an improvement, despite the fact that the navigator gets his or her own workspace.

Headroom on centerline in the main cabin is just over 6′, with slightly less further forward.

Main cabin ventilation is good, with four opening ports—excellent bronze Spartan ports—and an overhead Bomar hatch. We’d add a pair of cowl vents in Dorade boxes on either side of the ventilation hatch. The space is there, and the job is pretty simple. Although the galley has reasonable storage, there is little storage space in the rest of the boat. This makes the boat unsuitable as a long-term cruising boat, unless you want to do a fair amount of modification to the interior.

Joinerwork and finishing detail throughout are of good production boat quality. Since a lot of teak is used for interior woodwork, the boat is quite dark below.

You could brighten this up a lot by finishing the interior with gloss varnish, rather than the standard satin oil finish.

Conclusions

With her narrow beam and short waterline, the Cape Dory 30 is a lot smaller than newer boats of this length and displacement. The boat will have a strong appeal to the traditionalist who places a high value on appearance.

The boats are well constructed, suited for serious coastal cruising, and perhaps for limited offshore sailing.

Cape Dory boats were quite expensive, but they hold their value well. When production began in 1976, the Cape Dory 30 had a base price of about $29,000. By the time production ceased a decade later, the price had almost doubled—but so had the price of just about everything.

Although some might prefer the “shippiness” of the ketch rig, the cutter is both faster and more practical. Some boats were built as sloops, and this would be the best rig of all. Inevitably, the Cape Dory 30 will be compared to the Alberg 30. The Cape Dory 30 is longer on the waterline, wider, heavier, and has a roomier interior. The Cape Dory 30 cutter is slightly faster than the sloop-rigged Alberg 30.

Our choice in a Cape Dory 30 would be a latemodel cutter with full-width galley, Edson pedestal, and the Volvo or Universal diesel. For the money, you get a well-designed traditional boat that is a good coastal cruiser for a couple or a small family. We don’t think the boat is big enough for four adults for anything more than weekend sailing.

If you want the looks of an older boat but the construction details and diesel engine found in newer boats, the Cape Dory 30 is a good choice.

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14 comments.

Some photos would be useful in an article like this. Remember a photo is worth how many words? Regards

Agree – at least one picture of the entire boat would’ve been appreciated

Good article. very informative

If you’re a sailor you’re proud to show your boat! Where are the photos of this boat???

Pictures would’ve been great

If readers are accessing this story on-line, a quick search for “Cape Dory 30 Mark II” produces 1.7 million images.

…so even less excuse for not putting a couple here… 🙂

Cape Dory apparently ventured into trying to have a little more modern design by producing around 75 or so boats with a fin keel and sloop rig – Intrepid 9m by Cape Dory. Ours was originally outfitted with the Volvo diesel but was at some point changed to a 27hp Yanmar 3 cylinder. Much of the Cape Dory 30 interior description sounds similar. It’s been a slow project for us with much to do.

This article was previously published in the 6th edition of Practical Boat Buying in 2003, and perhaps in earlier editions as well. Originally, the article included a sail plan and line drawing of the layout.

i have the Cape Dory 31. One foot difference makes a big difference in the layout. I love the boat.

I bought a 1978 Cape Dory 30 ketch a few years ago, my first big boat, in the hopes of coastal and some blue water cruising. I appreciate the comments made in the article, there are many good points made. A few comments/questions: -I agree with the discussion of backing the boat; I cannot claim to do it well, especially in crosswinds out of a slip. Nice to know I am not alone. -Not sure I understand why the ketch would be more tender than the cutter; its mainmast is a foot or two shorter with a resulting shorter lever-arm. -It should be mentioned that the ketch has a longer on-deck space than the cutter, making it possible to carry a small dinghy on deck; I’m not sure this would be possible with the cutter. -The ketch allows flexibility in sail handling: I can sail with furling genoa and mizzen with good balance, raising and trimming without leaving the cockpit. This is a real blessing for single handing, of which I do a fair amount. -I have installed a Schaefer furler for the genoa, replacing the much older poorly functioning furler that came with the boat. I can self tack the genoa using the jibboom that came with the boat, or raise a storm jib with the jibboom and self tack with a sail well back off the bowsprit. Again, nice for cruising, single handing, and heavy air. -It probably should be mentioned that the Cape Dorys have internal ballasted molded in keel. This may be an advantage in an older boat since one does not have to worry about aging keel bolts. The 4 foot draft, with long keel and attached rudder is an advantage in places like the Louisiana Gulf Coast with plenty of shallow, quite muddy water. Yes, unfortunately, I know this from experience. -Recent hurricanes have put a number of boats ashore. Friends from Texas have told me that one of their members’ Cape Dorys went ashore losing mast and rigging, but little damage to the hull. Anecdotal, but the hull is thick with good glasswork. -I agree with the assessment of the bronze steering gear that came with the boat. It seems bulletproof and simple. Any assessment as to whether it would work with an autopilot system? -thanks for the article.

How does this boat look like, no photos, Great article, not.

For those not entirely reading the fine article…

“ By Darrell Nicholson – June 14, 2000”

Solid review.

What the cape dory cutter rig really needs is a Bowsprit a rather long one at that. Put a 3-4 ft bow sprit on it move the head stay out to the end and the move the staysail stay to where the head stay was and you then have a far better sail plan and you would increase the displacement to sail area ratio to quite speedy levels. Also the main needs a boomvang. The mast without a bowsprit is still too far forward for an efficient cutter rig. (Ona cutter the mast should really be center of the sail plan. I can see looking at the standard sail plan why it would have excessive weather helm not enough head sail area to overcome the main and over all not enough sail area. Carl Alberg included a small bowsprit on the Cape dory 28 and looking at the design of the 30 most of the extra length was added aft. Of the keel. I would really like to see what a long bowsprit would do (would also help with anchoring as you could get the bow roller further out)

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