Conference unifix::sailing

166.0. "Cape Dory 22 review" by RANGLY::BELTON_TRAVI () Fri Aug 30 1985 19:28

Although there have been many notes written about sailboat equipment, places
to sail/moor your boat, and boats for sale, there has been little written
about the boats themselves.  

I think it would be of help/interest to those  interested in purchasing a boat 
to hear from owners what they like/dislike about their current boats.  The 
inevitable replies containing comparisons ("...you think a Flubadub 21 is fast? 
Ha! My Bezelbub 19 ...") should challenge all of our abilities at tact and 
diplomacy.  Quesions on what was said or left unsaid, and differences of opinion
are welcome.

If this is a good idea, say so;  ie, write your own review, or request a review
on a boat you are considering.  If it's not such a hot idea, well....


              The Totally Biased Thoughts of a Full Keel Lover

The Cape Dory 22 is a full keel, moderately heavy displacement sloop that sleeps
four.  This is my third summer with mine;  prior to that I sailed a Cape Dory
Typhoon (18.5ft) through the Portland Harbor Sailing Center (similar to BHSC).
I have also sailed on numerous daysailors 12-19', and larger boats up to 42'.
My wife, two children and I spend 20% of our time on the boat daysailing 
around Casco Bay and 80% of the time cruising.  Cruising for us is mostly
Sat AM-Sun PM, with some two night trips and one 1-2 week trip (w/o the kids).  

The boat has been perfect for us.  It is well built and well finished inside
and out.  We take great pleasure in the Cape Dory's good looks while sitting
in the cockpit, and even more pleasure in the warmth and coziness of the ash 
and teak interior while we are below.  For us the more sterile appearance of 
other production boats would diminish the sailing experience.  To put it another
way, a Tubby 25-sleeps 11-condominium-afloat was not what we had in mind.

It has a comfortable motion even in the choppiest seas that makes
you feel safe and secure.  Having sailed a fair amount on a Hunter 31 and raced
on a Tanzer 22, I can compare their motions.  I believe my boat would be more 
comfortable in a chop than the Hunter, even though it is 4 times as big 
(displacement).  The flat bottom forward of the keel on the Hunter made it 
pound over the waves (15-20 kts wind) where the Cape Dory moves through and 
with them.  The Tanzer also experienced a rapid and uncomfortable motion even 
though the wind and seas were fairly light (15kts).  The downside here is that 
while the Hunter and the Tanzer would turn on a dime (so quick that I had to be 
very careful when tacking), my Cape Dory comes around slowly, but surely.

Boat speed??  I have always assumed that I gave up a lot here to more modern
fin keel designs.  That was not a consideration in buying the boat because I've
got all the sailing I need within 15 miles.  Perhaps the boat is not so slow as
I've thought.  Last week in 2-5kts wind I smoked past (well, passed) a Hunter 30
on a close reach.  And in 2-3 kts wind pulled away from a Hunter 31 going dead
downwind.  Those experiences have me confused.

The arrangement below is great for a couple, or a family with up to 2 pre-
teenagers for the type cruising I do.  It is a little cramped, but it works 
fine.

If you buy a CD22 you must get a 150 Genoa for two reasons.  The sails that come
with the boat (main and working jib) are not very good.  And the boat needs a
bigger jib to move it in anything under 15 kts.  I had a 150 cut after the first
season (by Eastern Sailmakers) and it has made a tremendous difference.

The most significant drawback to this boat is its price/size ratio.  For what
you pay ($20,000) you could get a much larger boat.  A somewhat lesser drawback
is the amount of time you'll spend keeping up all of the bronze and teak you 
just paid for.

If you want to race, I wouldn't consider a CD22. PHRF handicapped it might be
competitive, but it really isn't laid out on deck to race (too hard to tweak
everything).  If you'll want to trailer your boat, this one is too heavy and
would take too much time to setup.  If you want to daysail, your money would be
better spent on a larger boat without the expensive interior cabin.  But, if
you want to cruise....ah, a Cape Dory 22 is great.

     -Travis

	In case people are not aware, Cruising World magazine has a reader
service wherby you can call or write them for owners willing to act as
references on a particular boat.  Alternatively you can act as a reference.

	In their most recent issue they have an extensive list of boats
that they have people giving referals on.  They do not take any responsibility
for the information provided.

I would be willing to offer my comments on the C&C 26 we owned and the Valiant
32 we own if anyone is interested.

Alan

re .1

I've used the Cruising World service and offered myself as a reference to it.
The mail requests I sent to people (and I even included a SASE and a
fill-in-the-blanks questionaire) were never answered. I chalked it up to poor
luck on my part. I did get one call as a respondent. A guy down the street had
gotten my name from them and he wandered over one afternoon with a "Hey,
Cruising World told me to talk to you about Pearson 26's". Telephone calls are
probably the best way to use it if they don't have anyone in your neighborhood.

Ed

   I started to write a response to your confusion as to why you might have
been faster than two larger boats, but when it got to be about four screens
I decided it was too complex.

  Suffice it to say that there are any number of factors including sails,
bottom, your abilities vs. others, etc. that can account for it.

  The other thing is not to confuse marketing with reality. Just because boats
are designed like racing boats doesn't make them fast. Most boats in the so
called "cruiser/racer"/"racer/cruiser" class are designed to look like boats
designed to a rule called the IOR. This rule is based upon a huge number of
measurements which go into totally uncomprehensible (to the layman) formulae,
which ultimately gives the racer a seconds/mile figure to "handicap" one
boat against another. If you look at the rule and its history, it has con-
sistently penalized fast designs. When someone has built a boat to the rule
which was really fast, they changed the rule. Now the rule encourages rather
wide beams and relatively hard chined and flat bottomed hull forms. It also
(until recently) encouraged large foretriangle areas and small mains, just the
opposite of what a couple cruising wants to deal with.  In racing, fast is
relative to other boats you race.  I can lay a lot more of this stuff on you
all if interested, as I do have an IOR boat, and have wrestled with the rule,
and subsequent designs. I have also previously owned an old 1968 designed boat
which was long (38'), narrow (10'), and fast (ignoring the rule). The difference
in motion between that one and my flat bottomed one are enormous, but my new
one would kick the stuffing out of the old one racing (the major differences
in rating).

  Hope this wasn't too much pontificating, it happens to be a favorite subject.

re .2

I'll also be happy to give my (biased) report on the O'day 22 and the O'day
25.

Also, Practical Sailor does write-ups on production boats from time to time.
There may be a means of obtaining a listing of all the boats they've 
evaluated.


b.c.

re: .2

I am interested in the Valiant 32.  With my 33' 12-ton gaff ketch gone (slow,
yeah, but what a looker...in published photos, films, and remembered by many),
my next serious boat is only a few years away.  This year for the first time
I sailed some on a V-40, and was more impressed than I expected to be.  Below-
decks still isn't my ideal at all, but abovedecks she was very nice.  Has 
Valiant maintained the bloodline in her smaller sister?

re:.3

Perhaps three of four times I answered "Another Opinion" requests with long
letters; almost sold the boat to one of them, who flew out from Ohio for
a close look about the time I decided I should sell.  I've also asked for
info twice since then, and received lengthy, detailed and thoughtful replies
which have been more helpful than I could have hoped.  It's as good as NOTES!

John.