Cape Cod 30 Information, Review, Specs

The Cape Cod 30 first entered production in 1961, emerging from the skilled hands of Cape Cod Shipbuilding Co. in Wareham, Massachusetts. The builder, with a legacy spanning over a century, was among the pioneers in fiberglass boat construction, transitioning to the material in 1947 and developing innovative techniques for bonding hulls and decks. This ethos of first-rate construction and durability was certainly applied to the Cape Cod 30, designed by A. Sidney DeWolf Herreshoff with the clear intention of creating a capable cruiser. Herreshoff's design philosophy for the Cape Cod 30 likely emphasized stability and comfort, aligning with the builder's reputation for producing long-lasting vessels rather than lightweight, mass-produced boats. During this era, Cape Cod Shipbuilding was known for its meticulous craftsmanship, ensuring that their boats were built to endure for generations.

Sailing Performance and Handling

The Cape Cod 30 is characterized by its long keel hull type and a masthead sloop rig, providing a stable and predictable platform on the water. With a sail area to displacement ratio (SA/Disp) of 19.21, the Cape Cod 30 suggests a balanced performance profile. This ratio indicates that while she possesses sufficient sail area to perform adequately in lighter breezes, she is not overly sensitive to increasing wind strengths, making her suitable for a range of conditions.

Her stability is further underscored by an impressive ballast to displacement ratio (Bal/Disp) of 46.43%. This high ratio, indicating that nearly half of the boat's total weight is in its ballast, suggests exceptional stiffness and the ability to stand up to a strong breeze without excessive heeling, contributing significantly to a comfortable motion in a seaway. The displacement to length ratio (Disp/LWL) of 251.56 categorizes the Cape Cod 30 as a moderate to heavy displacement cruiser. This translates to a solid, powerful motion through waves, rather than a light and skittish one, which is desirable for offshore passages or when encountering choppy conditions. Owners are likely to appreciate her robust feel and a righting moment that is higher than 79% of similar sailboat designs, reinforcing her reputation for stability and safety.

Accommodations and Layout

While specific detailed floor plans for the Cape Cod 30 are not widely documented in publicly available search results, a 30-foot cruiser from 1961 built by a quality yard like Cape Cod Shipbuilding would typically feature a layout designed for comfortable cruising. Given her overall length of 30 feet and a beam of 9 feet, the interior would likely include a V-berth forward, a main salon with settees that may convert into berths, a galley area for basic meal preparation, and a dedicated head compartment. Cape Cod Shipbuilding is known for combining traditional aesthetics with robust construction, suggesting that the interior would feature durable materials and a functional, seamanlike finish, prioritizing practicality and longevity over intricate details. Storage would be ample for extended voyages, and ventilation would be achieved through hatches and ports, characteristic of well-built cruisers of the era.