Cape Dory Yachts
Encyclopedia
Cape Dory Yachts was a Massachusetts based fiberglass
boat builder which operated from 1963 to 1996.
The company was founded in 1963 by Andrew Vavolotis. The vessels were first manufactured in Bridgewater, Massachusetts
, and then later moved to a facility in Taunton, Massachusetts
, where they resided for the rest of the company's life.
The first model produced was the Cape Dory 10, a small fiberglass sailing dinghy that became known as the original Cape Dory. Later, Cape Dory moved into building the popular Typhoon series of small sailboats, as well as cruising
yachts ranging from 22 to 45 feet. Carl Alberg
designed many of the Cape Dory models, and left distinctive traces on those boats. The sailboats often utilized a full keel
design, providing them with distinct classic shapes and better handling in heavier winds. Alberg favored simple, timeless lines and narrow beams on his boats, utilizing the aforementioned full keel with attached rudder for a sleek and sturdy shape.
In later years Cape Dory branched out from manufacturing sailboats, also producing a number of pleasure powerboats and trawlers as well as some commercial boats.
Cape Dory went out of business in 1992, selling a number of its designs to New York's Newport Shipyards, which later ceased operations in 1996. The hull molds and designs for several Cape Dory models were acquired by the boatbuilding company Robinhood Marine, which is headed by Cape Dory founder Vavolotis, and are available today as semi-custom yachts.
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
boat builder which operated from 1963 to 1996.
History
Over the years the company was building boats, they produced several thousand ranging from 10 to 45 feet in size.The company was founded in 1963 by Andrew Vavolotis. The vessels were first manufactured in Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
, and then later moved to a facility in Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
, where they resided for the rest of the company's life.
The first model produced was the Cape Dory 10, a small fiberglass sailing dinghy that became known as the original Cape Dory. Later, Cape Dory moved into building the popular Typhoon series of small sailboats, as well as cruising
Cruising
Cruising may mean:*Cruising , driving around for social purposes, especially by teenagers*Cruise , in aviation*Cruising , leisurely travel by boat, yacht, or cruise ship...
yachts ranging from 22 to 45 feet. Carl Alberg
Carl Alberg
Carl Alberg was a Swedish born yacht designer known for his influence in early fiberglass boats.- Career :thumb|an Alberg 30, built in 1966...
designed many of the Cape Dory models, and left distinctive traces on those boats. The sailboats often utilized a full keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
design, providing them with distinct classic shapes and better handling in heavier winds. Alberg favored simple, timeless lines and narrow beams on his boats, utilizing the aforementioned full keel with attached rudder for a sleek and sturdy shape.
In later years Cape Dory branched out from manufacturing sailboats, also producing a number of pleasure powerboats and trawlers as well as some commercial boats.
Cape Dory went out of business in 1992, selling a number of its designs to New York's Newport Shipyards, which later ceased operations in 1996. The hull molds and designs for several Cape Dory models were acquired by the boatbuilding company Robinhood Marine, which is headed by Cape Dory founder Vavolotis, and are available today as semi-custom yachts.
Models
| Model | Years Built | Number Produced | LOA | LWL Waterline length The Waterline length is a measurement of ships and boats. The term denotes the length of the vessel at the point where it sits in the water. It excludes the total length of the boat, such as features that are out of the water... |
Beam Beam (nautical) The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position... |
Draft Draft (hull) The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained... |
Displacement Displacement (ship) A ship's displacement is its weight at any given time, generally expressed in metric tons or long tons. The term is often used to mean the ship's weight when it is loaded to its maximum capacity. A number of synonymous terms exist for this maximum weight, such as loaded displacement, full load... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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' 3 1/2" | 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' 4 1/2" | 8' | 2' 7" | 5,250 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 25 | 1972-1982 | 846 | 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 | 277 | 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' 1 3/4" | 22' 2 1/2" | 8' 10 1/2" | 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' 2 1/2" | 4' 5 1'2" | 9,350 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 30 | 1976-1986 | 363 | 30' 2 1/2" | 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' 1 1/2" | 27' | 10' 8" | 5' | 16,100 lbs. |
| Cape Dory 36 (powerboat) | 1987-1990 | 13 | 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 |