Help me tell the story of Cape Dory.
If you've crewed on, owned, or spent time on a Cape Dory — and you know its hull number — type it in. Tell us where you took off from, and where you went. Write your experience. Write your story.
It's stories that make life interesting. It's stories that give these boats their soul. It's stories that give people the desire to carry on, and be a part of it.
Help me tell the story.
Every Cape Dory has a story. This living history is where the fleet's stories live — one boat at a time, by hull number.
Our Cape Dorys for sale page tracks boats on the market. This map is for every Cape Dory — the ones being sailed, lived on, lovingly refitted, or waiting patiently on the hard for their next chapter. If you own a Cape Dory — or ever did — add yours here: the hull number, where it's been, and its story. When a boat changes hands, its story stays with the hull, and every owner adds a chapter — so the next owner can find out where it's been and who loved it before. And every journey on the map starts at the same place: the Cape Dory factory in East Taunton, Massachusetts, where it was built.
Finding your hull number: it's in the HIN stamped on the transom (upper starboard side). Cape Dory HINs start with CPD, then a letter for the model, then the hull number itself — so CPDH0193 is Cape Dory 30 hull #193. Strip the leading zeros and that's the number this history runs on.
It takes about two minutes. We never publish owners' names or contact information — just the boat, where it's been, and its story, credited the way each owner chooses.
The fleet map
Every journey starts at the factory in East Taunton, Massachusetts (the gold star) — a line runs from the factory to every place a Cape Dory has been spotted by our listings tracker, where the boats on this map are now, the hailing ports of the federally documented Cape Dorys from US Coast Guard records (the blue pins — boat names and hailing ports only), and 817 more hulls recorded in the Cape Dory Sailboat Owners Association's registry (the green pins — hull numbers and the towns those boats were recorded in; the association's registry is public, and we show no owner information from it). Every one of those boats began its life at the end of one of these lines. As owners add their boats and the places they have been, each boat's own journey fills in.
Boats on the map
12 Cape Dorys on the map so far.
Puffin (also Skyt) — Typhoon
Hull #1
We did many day sails out of Shilshole marina, just crossing the sound or sailing north and south. We had a complete boom tent made and Ken made a wooden platform to go between the seats in the cockpit. We spent a week sailing around Puget Sound, camping on the boat. With the huge cockpit of the daysailer, it was very comfortable. At one point we had been to Paulsbo and as we approached the main sound, we observed a lot more weather fully involved with large waves and whitecaps We reefed the main prior to sailing out into the main Puget Sound. We needed to cross the sound sailing slightly south to the Chittenden Locks. This was the most wind I had ever encountered on this little boat. We were about a third of the way across when a coast guard boat came up. It appeared to be observing us. I was sailing and Ken was bailing, but in our opinion, the boat was handling the conditions really well. After a few minutes, the coast guard moved on, heading south down the sound. We got to Shilshole and put the boat on the gas dock. We decided against going thru the locks at that time. We were exhausted and exhilarated from our wild ride! We later learned that the coast guard had towed in 40 boats that day! Thankfully, we were not one of them
— story shared by K. & J. E.
See Puffin (also Skyt)’s travels on the map ↑
Ellinor — Cape Dory 22 (1983)
Hull #73 · Port Ludlow, WA · Actively sailing
We purchased this boat after not sailing for 30+ years, so we have been working at relearning old skills. We sailed from Port Orchard Marina to Port Ludlow. We have plans to sail to the San Juan Islands.
— story shared by K. & J. E.
See Ellinor’s travels on the map ↑
Lori Ann — Cape Dory 26 (1986)
Hull #41 · Lake Lanier, GA · Actively sailing
See Lori Ann’s travels on the map ↑
Victoria — Cape Dory 28 (1979)
Hull #233 · Lake Superior · On the hard
See Victoria’s travels on the map ↑
Mirage — Cape Dory 28 (1980)
Hull #253 · Taylors, SC · Project boat
When I bought the boat it was pretty picked over. No diesel engine, no radio, no working electrical — the only electrical it had were lights and a bilge pump powered by a solar panel. The side of the boat was marked up by the pier on the dock it had been rubbing against. The gel coat below the water line has popped and is in the process of being repaired. Nevertheless, the interior of the boat is warm and comfortable, and the boat sails quite well — giving me confidence beyond my experience. Looking forward to bringing her back to life and back on the open ocean.
— story shared by Paul
See Mirage’s travels on the map ↑
Persimmon (formerly Friendship) — Cape Dory 28 (1985)
Hull #380 · Australia · Actively sailing
I purchased her in Pensacola with the intention of sailing her around the world. She had just undergone a major refit, so didn't take much work to get going. I added a windvane self steering and a solar system, then went on a shakedown cruise to Key West and Back before leaving for the circumnavigation. I have a whole book's worth of stories and I haven't even left Australia yet.
— story shared by N. W.
See Persimmon (formerly Friendship)’s travels on the map ↑
Raven — Cape Dory 30 (1984)
Hull #309 · In refit
Raven has been set up as a single handed sailing machine and has been my teak escape capsule for over 20 years. She has never failed me.
— story shared by Steven
See Raven’s travels on the map ↑
Warlock (formerly Flor De Mayo) — Cape Dory 30 (1984)
Hull #314 · Wilmington, CA · Actively sailing
My Cape Dory story began in the early 1970s wheO was in high school and saw a Cape Dory Typhoon. I thought that would be the perfect boat for me and told my parents how I felt. Of course, they did not buy one for me. But the did send me to Windward Sailing Academy in Rowayton CT. I purchased my first Cape Dory, a 1979 25 named Shaman. In the early 2000s in Long Beach CA. Then I purchased Warlock in 2016 and I've been cruising and improving my boat ever since.
— story shared by Jay
See Warlock (formerly Flor De Mayo)’s travels on the map ↑
Ma Chérie — Intrepid 28 (1978)
Hull #10 · Southport, NC · In refit
I am a 20 year mariner and Ma Chérie is the first vessel I’ve ever been able to call my own. I purchased her from a fellow mariner on the Cape Fear River, and he worked with me over the course of a month to get her ready and sail down the Cape Fear from Wilmington to her new home in Southport. I have cleaned her up a bit and absolutely love visiting her at the dock, putting in hours of elbow grease and preparing her next chance to get underway in the Southport, NC area. The experience has been a lifelong dream come true, and I still know we are only at the beginning.
— story shared by D. E.
See Ma Chérie’s travels on the map ↑
Nutmeg — Cape Dory 36 (1985)
Hull #131 · Rockland, ME · Actively sailing
There were many stops along the way so I’ll try to hit the big ones. We departed from Rockland ME and made our way to Portland. From there we sailed to Portsmouth NH and on to Gloucester, Scituate and the Cape Cod canal. Then Cutty Hunk, Westerly RI and making our way to Port Washington. Then the Jersey shore to Cape May and the C and D canal to Chesapeake Bay. We stopped at Annapolis, Cambridge and Hampton Roads before entering the ICW. We did the Dismal swamp canal hitting Elizabeth City, Oriental etc. We followed the ICW down through Charleston and to Jekyll Island and St Augustine. From there we got to Vero Beach before heading to West Palm Beach. Here we turned around and went back to Vero beach for the winter. In the spring we reversed our course and followed the ICW back into the Chesapeake where we hauled out in Rock Hall. The next spring we headed back through the C&D to Cape May and NYC. We traveled back up the coast again and finally arriving back in Rockland. This summer we traveled all over the mid coast region of Maine as this is where we keep our boat.
— story shared by Russ
See Nutmeg’s travels on the map ↑
Arrow (formerly Raccoon) — Cape Dory 36 (1983)
Hull #85 · Roque Bluffs, ME · On the hard
See Arrow (formerly Raccoon)’s travels on the map ↑
Audrey — Cape Dory 36 (1983)
Hull #86 · Bellingham, WA · Actively sailing
The previous owner was based in San Francisco and spent two years sailing Audrey around the South Pacific toTonga, Hawaii and other Islands.
— story shared by Russ
See Audrey’s travels on the map ↑
The fleet, by model
Pick a model to see every hull number built, where those boats have been on the map, and the stories their owners have told. Don't see your hull yet? Register your Cape Dory — it takes two minutes.
Cape Dory 10 — 61 recorded by the CDSOA · 2 boats spotted so far
found in 21 states · 61 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,028 mi — Ashton, ID
Cape Dory 14 — 35 recorded by the CDSOA · 2 boats spotted so far
found in 20 states · 34 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 1,851 mi — Steamboat Springs, CO
Typhoon — 1 on the map · 1 hull number known · 242 recorded by the CDSOA · 36 boats spotted so far
found in 32 states · 2 countries · 233 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,820 mi — Ketchikan, AK
Typhoon Senior — 11 recorded by the CDSOA
found in 8 states · 10 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 1,590 mi — Galveston, TX
Cape Dory 22 — 1 on the map · 1 hull number known · 36 recorded by the CDSOA · 9 boats spotted so far
found in 19 states · 2 countries · 45 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,659 mi — byron, CA
Cape Dory 24 — 3 recorded by the CDSOA · 1 boat spotted so far
found in 3 states · 4 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,636 mi — Trinity Center, CA
Cape Dory 25 — 130 recorded by the CDSOA · 30 boats spotted so far
found in 29 states · 139 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,692 mi — Channel Islands, CA
Cape Dory 25D — 34 federally documented · 46 recorded by the CDSOA · 9 boats spotted so far
found in 28 states · 76 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 3,264 mi — North Pole, AK
Cape Dory 26 — 1 on the map · 1 hull number known · 10 federally documented · 19 recorded by the CDSOA · 7 boats spotted so far
found in 18 states · 30 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,581 mi — San Diego, CA
Cape Dory 27 — 82 federally documented · 57 recorded by the CDSOA · 15 boats spotted so far
found in 30 states · 2 countries · 132 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 9,777 mi — Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Cape Dory 270 — 10 federally documented · 4 recorded by the CDSOA · 3 boats spotted so far
found in 12 states · 16 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,486 mi — Trout Lake, WA
Cape Dory 28 — 3 on the map · 4 hull numbers known · 115 federally documented · 67 recorded by the CDSOA · 23 boats spotted so far
found in 31 states · 2 countries · 168 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 10,549 mi — Australia
Cape Dory 28 Trawler (power) — 104 federally documented · 26 recorded by the CDSOA
found in 23 states · 111 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 3,363 mi — Whittier, AK
Cape Dory 30 — 2 on the map · 4 hull numbers known · 166 federally documented · 49 recorded by the CDSOA · 41 boats spotted so far
found in 34 states · 3 countries · 195 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 3,529 mi — Delfzijl, Netherlands
Cape Dory 30 MkII — 22 federally documented · 3 recorded by the CDSOA
found in 12 states · 23 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,700 mi — San Francisco, CA
Cape 30 — 2 boats spotted so far
found in 1 state · 1 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 411 mi — Deltaville, VA
Intrepid 9M — 1 boat spotted so far
found in 1 state · 1 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 473 mi — Kitty Hawk, NC
Intrepid 28 — 1 on the map · 1 hull number known
found in 1 state · 1 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 669 mi — Southport, NC
Cape Dory 300 Motorsailer — 27 federally documented · 5 recorded by the CDSOA
found in 16 states · 29 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 5,049 mi — Makena, HI
Cape Dory 31 — 1 hull number known · 52 federally documented · 15 recorded by the CDSOA · 3 boats spotted so far
found in 22 states · 57 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,702 mi — Sausalito, CA
Cape Dory 32 — 4 recorded by the CDSOA · 1 boat spotted so far
found in 5 states · 5 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 1,162 mi — Niceville, FL
Cape Dory 33 — 87 federally documented · 15 recorded by the CDSOA · 11 boats spotted so far
found in 24 states · 95 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 5,091 mi — Honolulu, HI
Cape Dory 330 — 11 federally documented · 8 recorded by the CDSOA · 2 boats spotted so far
found in 10 states · 20 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,510 mi — winslow, WA
Cape Dory 36 — 3 on the map · 3 hull numbers known · 116 federally documented · 21 recorded by the CDSOA · 18 boats spotted so far
found in 30 states · 124 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 5,143 mi — Kauai, HI
Cape Dory 38 — 3 federally documented
found in 3 states · 3 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 171 mi — Tenants Harbor, ME
Cape Dory 40 — 11 federally documented · 1 recorded by the CDSOA
found in 11 states · 12 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 2,505 mi — Blaine, WA
Cape Dory 42 — 8 federally documented
found in 5 states · 8 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 520 mi — Hatteras, NC
Cape Dory 45 — 3 federally documented
found in 3 states · 3 towns & ports · farthest from the factory: 437 mi — Virginia Beach, VA