Gilbert, I have owned my M15 for 7 yrs and during that same time I sailed a Cape Dory 25 for a season. I really enjoyed the CD 25 as it sails very well, tracks very well and got me through a 40 - 60 kt line squall in very fine fashion. However I did't keep it because I felt confined by the cruising distances within the Marina area. I also felt restricted by the relatively deep draft 3' per spec but think it was closer to 3'4". The Typhoon is only 2'6" draft. I sailed the M15 in protected waters for three days with the lightest winds around 20 kts and most of the time it was 25 - 30 kts. It handled very well so I went out in the 8 ft seas in Vineyard sound and it handled those quite well too. If I were to be sailing in the SF Bay area I would definitely prefer the M17 over the M15 for the added weight and beam. They are very dry boats but then I didn't find the CD 25 to be "wet". Think how you will actually use the boat and you are likely to end up with M17 for lots of reasons. The M17 cockpit is very comfortable and is a pleasure to daysail in with 3 or 4 people. The CD cockpit design is not nearly as comfortable (I crew on an M17 frequently). The M17 is faster - John Edwards in his M17 could out point me in the CD 25 and had much better boat speed as well. You will enjoy embarrassing the bigger boats :) Thanks, Doug Kelch M15 "Seas the Day" --- Gilbert Landin <gilbert@mindgame.com> wrote:
I have been tossing and turning, trying to decide what my next sailboat will be. I thought for sure I would want something trailable. Not being limited to by neighborhood is a great incentive. I also wanted a daysailor w/ a cabin to spend weekends somewhere. Abig concearn (and I turn to this knowledgable group) is how the boat handles in bay situations when the wind is blowing 20-25 knots as it will be for the next 4-5 months. I was looking at a cape dory typhoon, with its nice heavy shoal keel But they stopped produced in the mid 80's. So there is a big apeal towards newer stronger and lighter materials. I have never sailed either dows anyone have any comparison notes between the CD Typhoon and the 17?
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