CCDO Notes
Summer 1998
No. 8 - Published Now and Anon by the
California Cape Dory Owners Association © 1998
P.O. Box 111, Corte Madera, CA 94976
 (415) 435-4433 ­ fax (415) 435-3829
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Rendezvous in Benecia Aug. 15-16

Returning to where it all started, the California Cape Dory Owners Association will hold our fifth annual Rendezvous in Benecia on August 15-16. We hope you'll be able to boat in, but if not, please drive up and join us for dinner.

Benecia is a lovely town on Carquinez Strait with a wide variety of shops and restaurants within easy walking distance from the well-maintained marina. Benecia also has historic sites and art galleries to visit. The concept of a Cape Dory association was first discussed at Benicia Marina in 1994 by Sandy Smith, Walt Bilofsky and Mike Fahy. The result was the first Rendezvous, just across the river in Martinez that September.

Berthing arrangements will be handled by Steve Arian. Please call him at 415-461-5902 a week in advance, or email SArian1286@aol.com.

A private dinning room and bar has been reserved for Saturday dinner at Captain Blyther's at the foot of First Street. Our annual no-rules business meeting, facilitated by cocktails, will begin around 1800 with dinner about 1900.

Mike Fahy has arranged a complete dinner for us for the reasonable price of $24.50, including tax and tip. Choose from grilled salmon with lemon dill sauce, New York steak smothered in mushrooms, or chicken breast "cordon bleu" stuffed with ham and cheese. The price includes bread, salad, rice or potatoes, vegetables, dessert and coffee.

To make your reservation, send a check for $24.50 per person payable to "Captain Blyther's". Include your choice of entrees, and mail to: Mike Fahy, 2981 Crawford St., Concord, CA 94518. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (at least 55 cents postage) so Mike can mail you a complete information packet, including more about Benecia, a historic walking tour map, a graphic display of tides and currents and a ticket for a useful door prize.

The quaint courtyard at the Washington House Café has been reserved for our Sunday breakfast. Housed in an 1850 building which has served as a gambling den, speak-easy and bordello, this is Benecia's oldest restaurant (but the eggs are fresh). The menu offers a wide choice of entrees from $6 to $9.

This should be a great rendezvous! Send your reservation early. Please don't stay home if you decide at the last minute to join us- just call Mike Fahy at 925-691-7985 evenings or 925-648-8600 days.

Fine Float-In at Emeryville

Emery Cove Marina was the scene of a successful spring float-in April 18 and 19. There were 8 boats, and 29 for dinner including many who came by land yacht.

Our dinner was a Chinese banquet at the Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood restaurant, a short walk from the docks. Thanks to Nancy Sheridon who planned the occasion, including the nine-dish menu, and the food and service were first rate. Thanks also to Alex and Galina Bogomolets for arranging our docking at the Emery Cove Marina.

Attendees:

Steve & Susan Arian
Larry & Sharon Austin and Mike Loscotoff
John & Micaela Baker
Ted & Maureen Bateman
Walt & Nancy Bilofsky (Golden Phoenix)
Alex & Galina Bogomolets (Drummer III)*
Lynette & Russell Breed
Becky & Allen Breed
Bob & Dottie Hamilton & guests (Kokopeli)
Dick Honey & Jo Anne Kipp (La Baleine)
Craig Nagle (Skylark)
Noel Peattie
Mike & Nancy Sheridon (Naga)*
Dave & Dianne Symonds (Molly Waldo)
Pat & Nancy Turner (22)
Ed Voigt

* Host Port

Before the Cape Dory

One of the host port boats at our April float in was Naga, Mike and Nancy Sheridon's 30' yawl. As you can see from the picture, it does not look like a Cape Dory. Mike offers the following explanation:

A long time ago, before Cape Dory Yachts and long before Cape Dory power boats, Carl Alberg brought forth into this world a design he simply called "30 foot fiberglass yawl No. 27". This drawing, dated June 1959, has the same long keel and shallow forefoot that have been characteristic of every Cape Dory sailboat since then. This keel configuration plus its low interior ballast give the "Capes" their relatively quick turning ability coupled with the tracking of a long keel. The interior ballast provides a most sea-kindly hull.

In the early 1960's this design was licensed to be built by Clark Marine of Redwood City, California. Seventeen of these sturdy boats were built to the original 1959 drawings and marketed under the name Odyssey. Later the deckhouse was modified and the deck was raised to give a roomier interior with more headroom; these models were called the Oceana.

During this period Clark Marine went out of business after completing only two Oceanas, leaving two hulls incomplete. Of the two boats known to have been completed, one is in the Los Angeles area and the other is on San Francisco Bay.

Many of the Odyssey models are still on the West Coast, proving to be reliable cruising boats. One sailed from San Francisco Bay to the South Pacific and back. These boats can sometimes be found for sale at low prices as they do not have the brand recognition of a Cape Dory. For any person wanting to own a 30 foot "Cape", an Odyssey is an excellent low cost alternative as the naval architect drawings show its hull design to be identical.

Note: My Oceana is not for sale!

(This article originally appeared in Noel Peattie's Typhooner for July 1997, and is reprinted here by his kind permission. © 1997 Noel Peattie - All Rights Reserved.)

Source of Original Cape Dory Stainless Assemblies

John Huegel of Lexington, MA writes: "In case you are interested, I recently found that the original supplier of stainless steel tubular fabrications (rails, lifeline stantions, swim ladders, etc.) for all of the Cape Dory models is still in business. They also have the original drawings and can reproduce parts to order. I recently had a transom mounted swim ladder made for my 25D. This is saving me an estimated $150 over the cost of having the equivalent ladder custom made locally.

"They are known as Ocean Engineering (aka Bellmore Johnson Co.) and are located at 242 Branford Rd. North Branford, CT. 06471 Phone (203) 488-8960. My contact was Bob Adley."

Crew List?

John and Micaela Baker (CCDO's storekeepers for burgees and hats thought that perhaps we ought to put together a crew list a la Latitude 38 so that interested members could contact each other if they needed an extra pair of hands on their boat or for some unforeseeable reason a member has been shorebound too long. If you want to be listed as either willing to crew or willing to take crew, let Walt Bilofsky know. His contact info is on the masthead. (The newsletter's, not the boat's.) If we get enough people, the info will be added to the membership list and circulated.

A Visit to Robinhood Marine

Steve Arian reports: "Just came back from a two week East Coast trip which included a visit to Robinhood Marine. Spent about an hour with Dave Perry, who with Dick Sciuto is the sales staff there, and he was generous in showing me around. Got to see new boats in various stages of completion, including a Robinhood 36, as well as a 33' power boat. Took some pictures, including the power boat which Andy Vavalotis was just getting ready for sea trials. Dave said it was a bit different than the old 33s, especially the sheer, but my camera ran out of juice when I tried to get a picture. Did get a photo of Dave standing in front of a new RH36, out of the water.

For those interested, the 36 is almost identical to the old CD36. There are some changes such as, mast pulpits, but the interior is identical to post '87 CD36s. Construction quality appears to be top notch. Robinhood will "customize" your boat if you wish, but based on what I saw, I would not recommend major departures from the standard.

"Robinhood Marine is about six miles off Maine state route #1. Going north on Interstate 95, about 30 miles past Portland, take the Brunswick exit on to State #1 North toward Bath. Cross the Carlton Bridge, take first right after bridge, in front of a Dairy Queen, and follow the signs to Robinhood Marine at the end of the road."

From "SKYLARK" - Cape Dory 27

Craig Nagle reports: "A while back, Skylark sustained some damage to her coamings in an accidental jibe. The damage rendered the traveler unusable. The fix required the fabrication and installation of a pair of stainless steel brackets with a 91 degree bend, a rectangular cut-out, and 6 holes. These pieces reinforce the coamings and support the double turning blocks that are part of the traveler system."

"I took a set of drawings of the needed parts to most all of the well-known marine-oriented metal shops for quotes. Not being a high-dollar job, most of those shops couldn't be bothered.

"After making some calls, I took my drawings to Du-Mel Corp. in Hayward. Imagine my shock and amazement when the next day I received a call that the parts were completed. The brackets are installed now. They are good and sturdy, they stiffen up the coaming just as I'd hoped, they were made exactly as ordered, the angle was right on, and I have the use of my traveler again. Du-Mel can turn out backing, adapter, reinforcing and mounting plates, quickly and with respect for your needs.

"For those with rusty areas on an older Yanmar engine in their boats, (70's models), you can pay $8 to $12 per can for Yanmar spray engine enamel, or head on down to Orchard Supply, and for $1.99 per can get the house brand of engine enamel, color "cast iron", and have a match so close you would be hard-pressed to tell the two apart.

"CD 27's did not come originally equipped with a mainsheet traveler. This was a retrofit. If you'd care to find out or see how this was done, and maybe learn from my mistakes, you can call me at (510) 278-2936."

Cape Dory 30 Featured in "Good Old Boat"

Good Old Boat is a new magazine for classic fiberglass sailboats like Cape Dorys. The featured boat in its premiere issue is De La Mer, Larry DeMers' CD 30. Although De La Mer sails on Lake Superior, you can see the California Cape Dory Owners Association burgee flying from the spreader in the cover photo. Inside, there are nice pictures of Jan and Larry in CCDO caps. Elsewhere in the issue is an admiring quote from CCDO member and Typhooner newsletter publisher Noel Peattie.

A couple of plugs: A no-risk subscription to Good Old Boat is $39.95. Good Old Boat Magazine, 7340 Niagara Lane North, Maple Grove, MN 55311, 612-420-8923, http://www.goodoldboat.com. Free sample copies will be available at the August 15 Rendezvous.

And those CCDO hats and burgees are available for $15 each. Make checks payable to John Baker and send to California Cape Dory Owners Association, c/o Baker, P.O. Box 305, Denair, CA 95316.