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.

Cape Dory Yachts
Founded1963, Bridgewater, Massachusetts
FounderAndrew Vavolotis
Defunct1992
Headquarters

History

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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

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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' 312" 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' 412" 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' 134" 22' 212" 8' 1012" 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' 212" 4' 5 1'2" 9,350 lbs.
Cape Dory 30 1976–1986 363 30' 212" 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' 112" 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

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Myerson, Joe (August 2007), "Good News For Sailors" (PDF), Offshore Magazine (later Northeast Boating Magazine), retrieved 4 September 2010
  2. ^ Browning, Randy (2017). "Intrepid 28 sailboat specifications and details". sailboatdata.com. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Robinhood Marine Center, Maine Yacht Builders, Maine Boatbuilder". Archived from the original on 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2010-09-09.

References

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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.

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