In case you haven't already discovered it, check out the
Cape Dory forum at
Cape Dory Boats - Index.
Yes, many of the boats have gotten some water in the
deck core and it is something to watch out for. Repairing this can be done in a few different ways depending on how bad it is. We actually just finished doing 2 small areas on our own
boat. The best way to
repair it is to actually remove the top layer of
fiberglass, replace the core, replace the top layer, fix the
gelcoat. This is a big process and you may well spend several hundred dollars for every square foot fixed if you decide to have someone else do it. If you catch it early, you may be able to get away with drilling a few holes and injecting
epoxy into the deck but this is not considered good practice with truly rotten decks.
Member CharlieCobra posted an interesting method using a grease gun which in my opinion would make sense for slightly rotten decks. If you can avoid
buying a boat with wet decks, it will be best.
The engines is the next biggest thing to watch out for as you have said. There is someone who actually makes bolt-in replacement
engine beds to
repower with a
Beta marine engine but it will still be ~$12k and it is unlikely that the
price of the boat will ever reflect this.
Otherwise, the next thing to watch out for in my opinion would be the
electrical system. Most of these boats have older
electrical systems not up to the
current standards. Whether it is safe usually comes down to the quality of previous owner modifications.
One other Cape Dory specific thing to check is the
bowsprit which some models have. Most were originally either oak or
teak and some of them will have rotted at this point. Replacement is very straightforward but it does take some time. Most of the ones that I have seen are still in very good shape but there are a few that are new (mine included).
Cape Dory's were not premium boats like Morris but they were very well built and generally have few problems for boats of their age. If the boat has been kept simple, it should present a manageable amount of
maintenance. Having the brand specific forum is extremely helpful and one of the best
parts of owning a Cape Dory. You certainly should not limit your search to only one brand but you will not go wrong if you buy one.
Good luck in your search.