Is it Possible to Take a Cape Dory 25 Around the World ?

[hecate]

I'm thinking about singlehanding around the world, and I was wondering if I need to buy a new boat or if I can take the boat I already have. It's a 1974, in fairly good shape. One problem I can think of is that the hull takes in a slight amount of water. It's never been serious enough to cause any sort of problem, and she sits in the water for the entire summer. Does anyone have any advice about this?

[Pblais]

I think the bigger question is if you could sail a Cape Dory 25 around the world. The boa really can't sail itself. Taking on a little water would not be a good thing. It might be due to some problems that could lead to worse problems. For such long trips it's best not to begin with disadvantages such as taking on water. You really want all the things you can correct already fixed before you leave. These trips don't just happen because you say you want to. You really have to make it all work and be ready.

You probably ought to haul her out and really look it over fixing all you can first and then take it on a test sail maybe do a few hundred miles and make sure. It would be a shame to start out on such a big trip only to end up in a bad way after a few weeks. Preparation and planning is what these trips take. You don't hear about it all that much since they only want to publicize the completion of the trip.

If you really want to do something you have to do the planning and preparation to be successful. Just wanting it is never enough. You could start to prepare today or you could just dream about it the rest of your life.

[gonesail]

could be taking on water via the prop shaft packing gland. this can be addressed fairly easily.

[AnchorageGuy]

Do you have the skills and abilities to sail any boat around the world? If you have not yet figured out where water is coming into your boat and been able to fix it at the dock or marina, can you make emergency repairs and normal maintenance in the middle of an ocean in adverse conditions? Is the rigging up to the task. Offshore sailing will put more stress on a rig in months than most get in their entire life sailing on weekends. Can your boat hold the equipment, stores, water and fuel you will require? Lots of questions in addition to can a Cape Dory 25 do it.

[Tempest245]

What route around were you thinking?

[endoftheroad]

I'm sorry to say that if you don't know what is causing your water leak then you probably don't have what it takes to do the trip. You have to be strong minded and ambitious to take on the world's oceans.
Don't be a statistic.

[hecate]

okay, a little clarification. It's not that water is getting into the boat from an unknown source, it's that the fiberglass itself is old and slightly porous. Two years ago when I got the boat I measured the water content of the fiberglass, and it was slightly above the ideal. Sorry if I was unclear about that. Also, I understand about the need to plan; if I was to take this trip I wouldn't start for more than two years.

[endoftheroad]

Ok, sorry, it was a bit unclear.

Sure, it is very possible to circumnavigate that boat.

Could you give us more details of the boat?
Pics maybe?

I am considering buying a 1978 cape dory 36.
Nice boats.

[hecate]

Well, I can't post pictures, but I'm going to try again at some point. Anyway, I'm not entirely sure what it is you want to know, but:
It currently is not roller furling, but I have a furler and am going to install it this spring. It has a well in the stern for an outboard, with space for two gas tanks. It sleeps four, and has a small (very small) head and teeny locker for hanging stuff. The only galley space it has is about 3 square feet and a sink. It has a tiller rather than a wheel, and it also currently has no reefs in the mainsail, but again I'm hoping to fix that this year. The cockpit drains rather slowly, because the deck of the cockpit is only about an inch above sea level. It has two cockpit lockers, and small lockers under the two berths in the main cabin. There is no standing headroom.
Thanks for your help

[Randall]

hey its been done for less, i think the real question is like stated before can you do it. be safe plan it correctly good luck.

[AnchorageGuy]

I have to ask you the same question which you have yet to answer. Can your boat hold the fuel, water and supplies needed for weeks or more at sea. A 25 will not cover a lot of miles each day. A trip to Hawaii will take you 3 probably 4 or more weeks if the wind is right. Forget catching your food from the sea. If the winds fail you with an outboard you could be talking 6 weeks or more. Can you provision and carry fuel and water for that trip? That to me would be one of the major drawbacks to the boat.

[roverhi]

The boat will make it, will you?? Others have detailed things you are going to have to look at before you leave like new rigging. We met a couple in Tahiti in a 26' folkboat. They'd been out cruising for two years without any problems other than how to fit TWO people in that small a boat. They'd done a few deliveries on bigger boats and prefered their 26 footer.

Today, there seems to be a mentality that 50' and all the bells and whistles is the only way to go cruising. All you need is sound boat, like yours, that is set up properly. An outboard will work just fine. If you are into sailing you'll only use it to get in to tight harbors. You will need a way to recharge your battery(ies) like a solar panel or two. You might have to make some modifications to the interior to be able to store enough food for some of the longer passages. Hanging lockers are a waste of space. Might want to put shelves in it or tear it out and redesign the space. The same goes for water where you'll need a 1/2 gallon per day per person of estimated passage time plus a significant safety margin. A tiller is a big plus. Wheels are a yuppie affectation that only add potential problems. You'll need a self steering vane. Navik makes one for small boats and a Monitor or CapeHorn would also probably work just fine. A depth sounder, some way to measure distance through the water, a digital watch with cheap shortwave radio to check accuracy, plastic sextant and charts (can be xerox'd) will get you around the world. Personally wouldn't go without a couple of GPS's but those can be had for a $150 each or less. Roller furling is nice but has a problem with sail changes in nasty conditions. Hank on headsails have worked for a few thousand years and probably will work for a few more. You can add additional cockpit drains. It's not the distance from the water but the diameter of the drains or restrictions in the drain system that's causing the slow draining.

Somebody is feeding you a load of garbage about your hull. FRP does have a very slow water absorption ability but in everyday use it's water tight. You are getting water in the boat from something other than through the hull layup. You need to find out where the water is getting in and fix it if you can. A little water is just an annoyance so you might need to make a risk analysis whether it absolutely needs to be dealt with. Most times, moisture meter readings are from the deck. It's the deck core material that soaks up water from leaking fittings. That does need to be handled as it will cause the core material to rot.

It really boils down to your ability to survive in the confined spaces of a 25' boat. A lot of people have done it but it's not the norm. I'd take my next vacation and see if I could live continuously on the boat. Take notes on what doesn't work and figure out ways to modify the boat to deal with them. If it doesn't work at all for you, sell the boat and buy a larger boat. You will at least then have the experience of experience of what you need.

FWIW, I live aboard my boat for up to 3 weeks at a time. I actually only use about 10', 14' if you count the engine, of the boat for living. I'm rebuilding the boat as time passes and the rest of the boat is crammed with tools and materials used in the modifications or torn apart. Hopefully some day the space will be available but I don't really miss it now. It would be another story if my wife was on board, however.

Good luck in your endeavor.

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35

[sandy daugherty]

Haul it out, dry it out, barrier coat it. Put it back in the water and stay out of sight of land for two weeks.
Then decide. By then you will have a good idea of what you need to do.

[Amgine]

Yes.

There are lots of caveats, but the answer is yes.

[Liberty28]

Check out Atom Voyages | Voyaging Around the World on the Sailboat Atom with James and Mei and shoot James a line. He's done it all and might even have some tips for you.

And, yes, it can be done if you REALLY want to!!!