# cape dory 30



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hi ;My wife and I are searching for a boat to cruise the east and gulf coast with trips to the Bahamas. We have considered several boats wanting one that is big enough but not too much. We considered the Catalina 30 which is very roomy but seems a little less seaworthy than what we need. We have looked at 2 Cape Dory''s. A 270 and a 30. We really like the cape dorys. The CD270 was just too small and not that much better than a Catalina 30 for seaworthiness. Any advice on the cape dory 30 for a cruising couple??? We plan to cruise for a couple years. It does seem a little small for a 30 footer but is it seaworthy???
Tom


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## Bluesmoods (Jul 8, 2001)

RE: Cape Dory 30

I sold Cape Dory Yachts. All Cape Dory Boats are pretty darn sea worthy. I would consult with a qualified Marine Surveyor.

One boat may be more so than another. As far as the Catalina 30 goes. It too is a very seaworthy vessel. 

When you think about it, many boats that one would probably not take across a lake let alone an ocean have accomplished marvelous feats not necessarily because of the boat, but because of the crew. Catalina Yachts are rated very high for blue water cruising.

Make sure you check your weather at all times and make sure you a properly suited to make such a journey in terms of equipment, solid solutions for "what if" situations and so forth. 

I do understand that you probaly want a full keel boat. That does make sense. But at the same time, it does not make the Catalina 30 or another fin keel (I do not own one but sold them as well) less "sea worthy" vessels.

What every you choice, make sure you find a good Surveyor. 

All the best,

Andy


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thanks Andy; We bounced around the idea of cruising on a catalina 30 and most responders considered the Catalina not suitable for offshore work. I definately like the room in a Catalina 30. We were down at the coast last weekend in our sea kayaks. It was a humbling experience just thinking about being out there in the those conditions. Most of my experience is in lakes where you can always find a tight cove and an Oak tree to tie up to for the night. We were paddling around Sand Island which is just south of Dauphin island at the mouth of Mobile Bay. It is a big expanse of shoals. The wind was whipping up whitecaps. We couldn''t have paddled except that the wind was from shore so the waves were small. But I was thinking what would I do if I was sailing into Mobile Bay in these conditions?? When dreaming of sailing there are always "perfect Conditions". Then I do a reality check and remember the times I''ve seen the ocean in a not so friendly mood. I don''t need a boat to go around Cape Horn but I do want one that I can trust in conditions that I would reasonably expect to encounter. We also looked at a Tartan 30 but didn''t like the interior layout as much as the CD30.
Tom


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## tsenator (Nov 6, 2000)

Bluemoods,

"Catalina Yachts are rated very high for blue water cruising." ?

(Before the one or two nuts on this board respond to this post and spew forth blatant garbage, I better jump in and comment) 

Even though I think Catalina yachts make very good boats and I think they are set up excellently for Coastal Cruising , I wouldn''t go so far as to say they are rated very high for blue water cruising. That is taking it too far. Could some of the bigger Catalinas with proven designs be taken Blue Water cruising, absolutely and many do. But they are not the ultimate design (some thing are easily modified though, such as sea berths and extra tankage, etc) and with modifications I wouldn''t mind doing some blue water cruising on some of the Catalinas (C42 comes to mind, proven record, etc)

Dollar for Dollar, I don''t think you will find a more solidly constructed, conservatively designed and well though out coastal cruiser on the market. It will not be the fastest and not have the best wood work below, but it is plenty fast for me (of course a J boat is faster, but the Cat will blow the doors off most Blue Water cruisers) and the woodworking is still very nice though not a Tartan or Sabre (I''d rather a manufacturer puts its money into beefing up the important things like Chainplate attachments, etc, which I believe Catalina does) Every year their build quality goes up and they do subtle design changes that are recommended by owners. They are continually refining their boats.....It is not the ultimate or highest rated blue water cruiser, but it is definitely one highest rated coastal cruisers.


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## Doug_53 (Dec 1, 2002)

I beg to differ with all those who say the Cape Dory is the way to go. I shopped for a Cape Dory for quite some time. I ended up with what I feel is a better boat. I bought an Alberg 29. She is 29''3" Beam 9''6" and she has a lot more interior room than a Dory. Sloop rigged with roller furling headsail, Wheel, and has a 2GM Yanmar Diesel. She points very well and has taken me through some very bad weather without a drop going below. The 29 isn''t to common but her big sister the Alberg 30 was made in more numbers. Have a look for Alberg 30 and see what you can find. Same designer as the Cape Dory but since she doesnt have the Dory name she is a lot less money. Built in every way just as good. BTW I bet I could sail circles arond a Dory rigged with a club footed jib.


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## Doug_53 (Dec 1, 2002)

Opps sorry the words Cape Dory just get me fired up. Here is a bit more info for you. I have been out in snot in the Catalinas and yes the bigger ones can be fine. The Catalina 30 will not handle bad weather. The hull shape alone should tell you that. Thats how they get all their interior space. To much freeboard and the bottom is to flat. Anything over a 3 foot wind wave and she will begin to pound rather that cut through the waves. Have a look at the (TOO) hull fitings. One good freez and your looking at a possable problem. I replaced all mine with bronze through hulls. Now look at the spar and rig. Do you think it will stand up to a real blow. (NO) Been there done that. She was designed for inland waters or day sailing coastal water. She is a good design for that use. Intercoastal waterway (OK). I would not want to gamble my life on one in any other way. Dont get me wrong my Catalina was wonderfull and took me into the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound but she didn''t do well when the tide was against the wind and the waves built up. Experiance is the best teacher.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thanks Doug I have looked at the Alberg 30. It seems like all Alberg designs are pretty seaworthy. The problem is that you trade speed for seaworthiness. Anyone have any favorites that are seaworthy and reasonably fast??? I was looking at a Pacific Seacraft 25 which is small but seaworthy. It has also been described as a sea slug!!!! We want to sail most of the time and the gulf coast can be pretty calm in the summer. My brother had a PS25 when he lived in Guam. He liked it a lot but admitted that there was usually a pretty good breeze all of the time. If we are going to be power boaters might as well buy a trawler!!! It has turned into a more difficult search for "the boat" than we imagined. I am more willing to trade safety for speed. My wife wants more safety.


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## XINI (Feb 27, 2011)

Hi,

I read your thread about the CD 30 vs Catalina 30. I am actually at exactly the same point of decision and would like to consult you, since I guess you made up your mind about it.

I would like to live aboard for 3/4 days a week and maybe in the first year(s) sail the ICW or bays and down to the Keys, then in a year start trips to Bahamas. Is the Catalina really sooo unstable? I dont wanna sink in the Gulf Stream of course...

any opininos?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Given that neither Doug or C172guy have posted in over three years... it's unlikely you'll get a response. 

Either boat would work for sailing the ICW and bays, but the Catalina 30 is going to be a much better boat for liveaboard purposes, as it will be far larger in terms of space. 

Either boat could easily cross the Gulf Stream, given the right weather window, but the CD30 is probably a more seaworthy design.


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## XINI (Feb 27, 2011)

Thanks for your answer. Could you be more specific on the seaworthyness? - I have only experience with a very stable full keel boat. Do you think having a good Storm Jib can keep the Catalina enough stable in the waves? Are there any other 'adjustments' to make her more seaworthy? Because I dont believe in always finding the right weather conditions - if your trip is long enough sooner or later it gets you... Are there any other advantages/disadvantages that you could share with me about these two boats, or recommendations?

Thanks


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Seaworthiness and seakindliness have a lot more to do with the design of the boat and how it will handle heavy weather. The Catalina 30 was designed as a coastal cruiser and is relatively lightly built. Just adding a storm jib to it isn't going to really help much since it is sadly lacking in other areas.

For instance, the interior of the Catalina 30 is fairly spacious and has a lack of good handholds which are a necessity for moving about the cabin safely in heavy weather.

The Catalina 30 has a spade rudder versus a keel or skeg-hung rudder.

The Catalina 30 has no real bridgedeck to prevent downflooding if the boat should be pooped. The companionway is rather wide and the drop boards are tapered, meaning they can come out rather easily if the boat is knocked down.

Catalina 30 Mk II cockpit:










Cape Dory 30 Cockpit










And the list goes on...

You're really better off starting your own thread asking for recommendations after explaining what your purpose for the boat is. I'd also highly recommend you read the *POST* in my signature, as it'll help you get the most out of your time on Sailnet.



XINI said:


> Thanks for your answer. Could you be more specific on the seaworthyness? - I have only experience with a very stable full keel boat. Do you think having a good Storm Jib can keep the Catalina enough stable in the waves? Are there any other 'adjustments' to make her more seaworthy? Because I dont believe in always finding the right weather conditions - if your trip is long enough sooner or later it gets you... Are there any other advantages/disadvantages that you could share with me about these two boats, or recommendations?
> 
> Thanks


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

SD,

Is there anything in your guidelines about posting pics that are over 2000 pixels wide?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

SlowButSteady said:


> SD,
> 
> Is there anything in your guidelines about posting pics that are over 2000 pixels wide?


LOL... I was on a work computer, not my personal one, and didn't have the software installed to upload the re-sized image...Still at work... will upload and link to the re-sized image instead of using the one I linked to when I get home.  BTW, it doesn't look too bad when you're using a 30" monitor like I am at the moment.


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## slap (Mar 13, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> LOL... I was on a work computer, not my personal one, and didn't have the software installed to upload the re-sized image...Still at work... will upload and link to the re-sized image instead of using the one I linked to when I get home.  BTW, it doesn't look too bad when you're using a 30" monitor like I am at the moment.


If you can afford to own a boat, you can afford a 30" monitor.


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## XINI (Feb 27, 2011)

So, once question about the Cape Dory steering setup you showed (which seems to be standard). I really mislike the 'steering wheel' (sorry for my missing jargon), and would like to have a normal tiller. Also with the compass on top and the steering wheel it seems that you cannot steer the boat while sitting down but actually have to stand up. How much is it to replace that (on average)? And 2nd, so you cannot transform the outside area in to a bed right? (I have just cruised with a performance which had that and thought it is great)!!


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## gdrisk (Jan 14, 2011)

It sounds like you are interested in quite a bit of off shore stuff. Have you thought about moving your size requirements up a bit? When I was searching for my first sailboat I was thinking small and manageable and I wound up with a CT-41 ketch! Glad I did because the comfort, stability, and safety of the larger, heavier, full keeled boat was the way to go. I know the dock fees increase by the foot but in the long run there are a lot of bargains out there and for the same price as the Cape Dory 30 you could get into a much more comfortable and seaworthy boat. Just a thought.


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## klem (Oct 16, 2009)

XINI,

The Cape Dory 30 was actually offered with 3 different steering options. The one in the picture above is the Edson Pedestal option. If you want to see the compass or electronics with this setup, you really need to stand but you can steer sitting down otherwise. There was also a schooner style which utilizes a worm gear drive. This option is less responsive but very rugged and doesn't take up much cockpit space. They also offered a tiller option but not many were rigged that way.

It is certainly possible to convert from wheel to tiller on these boats. The top of the rudder post is easily accessible and all of the hardware exists to make the swap without custom fabrication.

If you are really interested in a Cape Dory, I would suggest looking at capedory.org as well since it is dedicated to these boats.


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## night0wl (Mar 20, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> LOL... I was on a work computer, not my personal one, and didn't have the software installed to upload the re-sized image...Still at work... will upload and link to the re-sized image instead of using the one I linked to when I get home.  BTW, it doesn't look too bad when you're using a 30" monitor like I am at the moment.


What kind of computer doesn't have Microsoft Paint??!


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## XINI (Feb 27, 2011)

Thank you, that is very useful information.
I definitely dont wanna have to stand up, so at least I need to remount the compass, e.g. aside the seacock, which I think is the best place to have.
How much do you think it would cost to replace the wheel with a tiller (approx.)?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

night0wl said:


> What kind of computer doesn't have Microsoft Paint??!


It isn't the resizing of the photo that was the issue, but the posting of it to my website, because I don't have the SSH certificate I need for accessing my webserver on my client's computers...


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The biggest expense is getting the tiller head, that allows you to attach a tiller to the rudder stock. Without knowing what the design of it is, it is hard to say. Contacting the Cape Dory owner's association would probably be a good start, since they may know of a source for the tiller head. The tiller itself isn't too expensive.



XINI said:


> Thank you, that is very useful information.
> I definitely dont wanna have to stand up, so at least I need to remount the compass, e.g. aside the seacock, which I think is the best place to have.
> How much do you think it would cost to replace the wheel with a tiller (approx.)?


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## night0wl (Mar 20, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> It isn't the resizing of the photo that was the issue, but the posting of it to my website, because I don't have the SSH certificate I need for accessing my webserver on my client's computers...


imgur.com. You can resize pics online by simply pointing the URL










for example.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Very cool... just bookmarked that site.  Thanks Nightowl.


night0wl said:


> imgur.com. You can resize pics online by simply pointing the URL
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## klem (Oct 16, 2009)

To convert a cape dory 30 to tiller steering, I would assume that the tiller cap on these boats would be from spartan marine hardware and they are $230. You can make a tiller yourself pretty cheaply if you have basic woodworking skills. If you convert a schooner style wheel, you will need a stuffing box for the rudder post since those boats didn't have them but a pedestal type will. The rudder shaft may be a bit short on the pedestal style boats, I am not sure but I bet someone on the cape dory board could help with that. Then you would need some glass, a deck fitting and some gelcoat. The big cost would really be your labor hours unless it is something you really want to do.

It would probably be much easier to buy a tiller boat to start with, there were some cape dory 30's like that and all of the 28's started that way.


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## SeaQwest (Nov 17, 2008)

Didn't Cape Dory also build a full keel 31 footer in the mid 80s? It was beamier than the 30 with more headroom and other amenities. I'm pretty sure it was also an Alberg design. I hear very little about this vessel. Does anyone know how she compares to the 30 from a seakindly perspective?

Jim
SeaQwest


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

SeaQwest said:


> Didn't Cape Dory also build a full keel 31 footer in the mid 80s? It was beamier than the 30 with more headroom and other amenities. I'm pretty sure it was also an Alberg design. I hear very little about this vessel. Does anyone know how she compares to the 30 from a seakindly perspective?
> 
> Jim
> SeaQwest


You're probably thinking of the 30MKII. This was beamier and had more room than the 31. The 30 MKII was designed by Clive Dent and was 10'6" +/- beam IIRC and the 31 by Carl Alberg and was narrower at under a 10' beam...


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## SeaQwest (Nov 17, 2008)

Actually, there are a few CD 31s for sale on YW. They are not the 30MKII designed by Dent. They state they are designed by Alberg. I was just curious if anyone knew how the 31 compared with the 30, especially in its bluewater capabilities.

Jim
SeaQwest


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## oldragbaggers (Dec 6, 2005)

My husband and I usually prefer tillers on boats, however, we are currently looking at a CD30 with a wheel and if we buy it we plan to leave it that way. 

Our last boat was a CD28 with a tiller. The CD28 and CD30 have nearly identical cockpits and we found that because of the smaller size of the cockpit on these boats that the tiller sweeping across made it seem very crowded. We were always shifting our position around to accomodate the tiller.

I can't say enough about the beautiful handling of the boat though, and we had it out in some pretty snotty conditions, but it always performed in a very seakindly manner. As far as manuevering goes, the only fault we could find with it was that it didn't back worth a damn under power. Something about the design of the prop. We hear that is the case with inboard powered CDs pretty much across the board.

We've owned a variety of types of boats from Catalina's (3) and a Newport 30 on the racer/cruiser side to a Bristol, a Cabo Rico and 3 Cape Dories on the cruiser side. There is no question in our mind which type of boat we would be more comfortable going to sea on. 

We have always been minimalists to some degree. We have lived on a Bristol 24 and we camp with a homebuilt teardrop. Some people may not be comfortable with the smaller space inside the Cape Dories and similar narrow full-keel designed boats, but this is the boat we are considering for our retirement cruiser.


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## Woodvet (May 5, 2012)

I have wrestled with the quest for an affordable, safe boat many years and the problem I have is that the same brand is not the same from year to year and then condition, upgrades all come into play. 
I would not own a Catalina. They are flat bottomed and pound, (as was said). The catalina smile, A nickname for the undesirable trait it has in the pre 88's where the keel parts slightly at the entry where they used wood. A catalina is a fine boat for smooth water and most accommodating in comfort but as with Beneteaus they have no real smooth transition over a wave and the way the rudders are not supported say she's no good near coral or rocks. They do back better but the tracking for long crossings is not there. 
I like but caution you about the Rawson 30' Baba 30' Willard 30' Bristol Channel Cutter 28' or the Cape Dory 29/30 but they can be good boats but there are many factors in construction and post construction like wood cores or the bunks the engine sats on that can present a challenge to fix. Chain plates, rudder shafts, bow sprits. Look at the wood where you find it. Many times I found a problem on port side was not the same on the starboard. 
Go into a boat as a cynic not just looking for reasons to buy it. A boat is a temporary insanity much like marriage. Take your time. Take a week and bring in several opinions. Trust no one when buying a boat, PERIOD!!!!


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