Cape Dory B questions

[Casco Bay]

Hello Forum,

I am researching Cape Dory boats with great interest. Once in a while I come upon the B design, and it appears to be rare and more valuable. The price is usually higher for the same condition of boat compared to the regular layout.

In your opinion, is the common price difference worth the unique layout, assuming the boat would be a liveaboard (28-30' range).

How rare are these boats?

If this layout is better, why was it so rare? Is anything else different about the design other than the interior?

I have tried to find diagrams online but have not been very successful.

Any help on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-Joe

[Morgan Paul]

Joe, this might help.

http://www.capedory.org/specs/brochu...ctBrochure.pdf

[Curmudgeon]

I looked at several Cape Dory 30-Bs when shopping for a boat. Nice boats if you are not very tall. The lack of headroom in the forepeak (where the toilet and shower are located on the 30-B) is even more annoying than the lack of headroom in the cabin.

[Casco Bay]

For the record, I plan on boarding both styles of interior when I can arrange for it. That is obviously the best way to decide if the B design is much better. Right now I am just researching for sale adds and weighing my future options.

Morgan Paul, Thanks for the diagram. From that and pictures of the B design on for sale adds, it appears they removed the V berth and made it a larger head with shower and storage cabinet. Also, the galley is a U shape, and opposite is chart table and bench. It does look much better than the A design.

Curmudgeon, Based on info in adds, it says there is over 6' in head room. How tall would you think is too tall based on your experience? I am 6'1". Do you think it would be uncomfortable for me?

Thanks

[Curmudgeon]

Well, I'm 6-2 and it seemed uncomfortable to me. I do not believe that the Cape Dory 30 has 6" of headroom. 5' 10" is more like it. But don't take my word for it; go aboard one.

[harryrezz]

After a quick look a the diagrams - if you plan to live aboard by yourself, the B is definitely better - you'll probably wind up sleeping on one of the berths in the main salon and use the aft berth as a catch-all for your stuff, although it is a pita to have to make and unmake your bed every day so you may well use the aft cabin for that reason. One bad point about forward heads is that they are more challenging to use when under way because the extreme bow of the boat tends to have the most vertical motion (picture yourself straddling a bucking bronco while going about your business), but I not that the head is well forward on the other design, too, so it is moot. Both galleys look workable.
On the other hand, if you will have a female mate aboard, the A layout might be more suitable merely because it has that nice big V-berth to use as opposed to, again, using the "double" in the main salon and having to make and unmake it every day.

[harryrezz]

Oops - hit a wrong key there!
CD's are great boats - well built and they sail well. 30' is about the smallest one would want as a live aboard, and that headroom may be an issue - but you'll know better about that when yoou get aboard one or two.
Good luck!

[Amgine]

I have a Cape Dory 25D, which has the forepeak head layout, and love it.

I can't speak to the headroom issues, as I'm pretty short. But as far as usability underway... it just ain't so. Yes, there's a fair bit of motion in a seaway, but that's true of the entire boat. The grab bars and slightly-angled seat let you wedge yourself into place, and you're not being launched as is true of centerline-facing heads when heeled.

For the shower, The forehatch is conveniently placed over the shower sump, or you can sit down (which you'll be doing anyway in a seaway.) In the 25D I've removed the pressure water system so it doesn't matter for me, but the boat also has a simple yet ingenious teak bench covering the head which could be built similar to a sauna bench for comfortable seated showering. Our current method of showering is using a solar shower hung from the forestay through the forehatch.

I was dubious about the forepeak head when we considered this boat, but all my boat doodling in the past couple years have it firmly in place. With the bench down it is my favorite reading spot below decks, and the kid's spot to play video games. The biggest drawback is the forepeak has the only useful bookshelf space, which we cannot take advantage of due to shower spray. (We also can't store anything which might be damaged by wet there.)

[Casco Bay]

I am not sure how I missed it the first time around in my web search, but I found a website which is a perfect resource for Cape Dory questions:

Welcome to the Cape Dory Sailboat Owners Association's Home Page

The discussion board is pretty extensive, and you can use it without being a member. They also have all of the specs and history for each model made.

Thanks for your help!

[CTSailor]

I had a Cape Dory 30 previously, and at 6'1" myself I found it had plenty of headroom. The A configuration is a little cramped in the head, and one reason wjhy I now have a CD31 instead. The 31 has an aft located head with shower adjacent to the companionway ladder, lots of space. The 30B's are fairly rare, and perhaps because most people do prefer to have a v-berth in the forepeak.