Cape Dory Typhoon vs Com-Pac Sun Cat

A Round 2 Mini-Cruiser Matchup

Whew! Here’s a pairing that could have just as likely taken place in the finals—two of the most popular mini-cruisers in this contest.

About the Cape Dory we wrote: Conservative yacht designer Carl Alberg was plainly more concerned with a boat’s ultimate stability than its speed. Perhaps the clearest example is found in the specifications of his Cape Dory Typhoon. Displacing two-thousand pounds on a 13’6” waterline, with nine-hundred pounds in ballast—the Cape Dory Typhoon might be the beefiest mini-cruiser in its class.

Above: Yet another great day for sailing the Typhoon Just Now in Buzzards Bay. Photo Ida Little. Below: Tim Derry’s Cape Dory preparing for a sail.

With her full keel she handles like a bigger boat. Roughly half of owners were critical of light air performance…(but) with reefed sails, the Typhoon is apparently up to most any reasonable challenge. Owners talked of sailing in 30-plus knots without incident.