Cape Dory Yachts
Cape Dory Yachts was a Massachusetts-based builder of fiberglass sailboats, powerboats, and pleasure trawlers which operated from 1963 to 1992. It also produced a small number of commercial craft.
 A Cape Dory 36 cruising in the Caribbean | |
| Founded | 1963, Bridgewater, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Founder | Andrew Vavolotis |
| Defunct | 1992 |
| Headquarters | |
History
The company was founded in 1963 by Andrew Vavolotis in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. It began building a small fiberglass sailing dinghy, the Cape Dory 10. Later it moved to a facility in Taunton, Massachusetts, producing thousands of boats during the company's lifespan. After the dingy it introduced the popular Typhoon series of small sailboats, then cruising yachts ranging from 22 to 45 feet.
Carl Alberg designed many of the company's models, favoring simple lines, narrow beams, and often utilizing a full keel for superior handling in heavier winds and seas. Together they gave these boats the classic Cape Dory look.[1] Alberg utilized the aforementioned full keel with attached rudder for a sleek and sturdy shape.
In later years the company added pleasure powerboats and trawlers and some commercial boats to its output.
The Cape Dory 25D has been single-handed across both the Atlantic (New York to Ireland) and Pacific (California to Australia) oceans and a solo circumnavigation was completed in a Cape Dory 28.
A division was Intrepid Yachts, which built the Intrepid 28 starting in 1979, among other designs.[2]
When Cape Dory folded in 1992 it sold a number of its designs to New York's Newport Shipyards, which ceased operations in 1996. The hull molds and designs for several models were then acquired by Robinhood Marine. Headed by Cape Dory founder Vavolotis, it makes them available today as semi-custom yachts.[3]
Models
| Model | Years Built | Number Produced | LOA | LWL | Beam | Draft | Displacement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Dory 10 | 1964–1983 | 2260 | 10' 6" | 49" | 5" (board up) 24" (board down) |
~150 lbs. | |
| Cape Dory 14 | 1964–1973 | 652 | 14' 6" | 51" | 6" (board up) 36" (board down) |
~200 lbs. | |
| Typhoon Daysailer | 1977–1986 | 141 | 18' 6" | 13' 6" | 6' 31⁄2" | 2' 7" | 1,900 lbs. |
| Typhoon Weekender | 1967–1986 | 1982 | 18' 6" | 13' 11" | 6' 3" | 2' 7" | 2,000 lbs. |
| Typhoon Senior | 1984–1987 | 57 | 22' 5" | 16' 6" | 7' 5" | 3' 1" | 3,300 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 22/22D | 1981–1985 | 176 | 22' 4" | 16' 3" | 7' 4" | 3' | 3,200 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 24 Trawler | 1982–1985 | 17 | 24' | 22' 41⁄2" | 8' | 2' 7" | 5,250 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 25 | 1973–1982 | 845 | 24' 10" | 18' | 7' 3" | 3' | 4,000 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 25D | 1981–1985 | 189 | 25' | 19' | 8' | 3' 6" | 5,120 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 26 | 1976–1984 | 78 | 25' 11" | 19' 3" | 8' | 3' 7" | 5,300 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 27 | 1976–1984 | 277 | 27' 1" | 20' | 8' 6" | 4' | 7,500 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 270 | 1984–1986 | 21 | 27' 3" | 20' 9" | 9' 5" | 3' (board up) 7' (board down) |
8,380 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 28 | 1974–1987 | 389 | 28' 13⁄4" | 22' 21⁄2" | 8' 101⁄2" | 4' | 9,000 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 28 (powerboat) open, sport, cruiser |
1984–1990 | 223 | 25' 11" | 9' 11" | 2' 11" | 6,500 lbs.(Sport) 7,000 lbs.(Open) 8,000 lbs.(Cruiser) | |
| Cape 30 | 1972–? | 6 | 30' | 20' 2" | 9' 21⁄2" | 4' 5 1'2" | 9,350 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 30 | 1976–1986 | 363 | 30' 21⁄2" | 22' 10" | 9' | 4' 2" | 10,000 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 30 MkII | 1987–1990 | 31 | 24' 2" | 10' 6" | 4' 6" | 10,500 lbs. | |
| Cape Dory 300 (Motorsailer) | 1985–1990 | 47 | 26' 6" | 11' 5" | 3' 11" | 11,500 lbs. | |
| Cape Dory 30 (powerboat) | 1989–1990 | 15 | 32' 0" | 12' 0" | 2' 10" | 12,800 lbs. | |
| Cape Dory 31 | 1982–1985 | 89 | 31' 4" | 23' 3" | 9' 9" | 4' 9" | 11,500 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 32 | 1985–1987 | 11 | 32' 2" | 24' 2" | 9' 11" | 4' 11" | 11,750 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 33 | 1980–1985 | 120 | 33' 1/2" | 24' 6" | 10' 3" | 4' 10" | 13,300 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 330 | 1985–1988 | 27 | 35' 4" | 24' 6" | 10' 3" | 4' 10" | 13,300 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 33 (powerboat) | 1988–1990 | 22 | 30' 0" | 12' 2" | 2' 11" | 13,500 lbs. | |
| Cape Dory 36 | 1978–1990 | 165 | 36' 11⁄2" | 27' | 10' 8" | 5' | 16,100 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 36 (powerboat) | 1987–1990 | 14 | 31' 7" | 13' 6" | 3' 6" | 18,000 lbs. | |
| Cape Dory 38 (powerboat) | |||||||
| Cape Dory 40 | 1984–1989 | 16 | 30' | 11' 8" | 5' 8" | 19,500 lbs. | |
| Cape Dory 40 Trawler | 1992–1994 | 13' 10" | 3' 9" | 25,000 lbs. | |||
| Cape Dory 42 (powerboat) | 1983–1987 | 14 | 13' 7" | 6' 0" | |||
| Cape Dory 45 | 3 |
Notes
- Myerson, Joe (August 2007), "Good News For Sailors" (PDF), Offshore Magazine (later Northeast Boating Magazine), retrieved 4 September 2010
- Browning, Randy (2017). "Intrepid 28 sailboat specifications and details". sailboatdata.com. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- "Robinhood Marine Center, Maine Yacht Builders, Maine Boatbuilder". Archived from the original on 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
References
Fraser; Fraser-Harris, Jean (Summer 1982), "Cape Dory 36 - A Survey", Nautical Quarterly No. 18, retrieved 5 September 2010
McKnew, Ed (2007). 2008 PowerBoat Guide. Traverse City, MI: American Marine Publishing, Inc. pp. 51–52. ISBN 978-0-9773539-4-1.