Cape Cutter 19

I’ve heard people talk enthusiastically about Cape Cutter 19s. Today I saw one for the first time, and I was taken with the quality of her build and fittings. The gaff cutter rig looks pretty handy too. There is an option for a Bermudan rig. She has a large comfortable cockpit with direct access to winches and jam cleats on top of her flush cabin. All handling lines run back to the cockpit, and for a gaff rigged yacht, that’s an achievement. Getting past the dodger when it’s up would not be possible, but it can be folded down quite easily. When up, it will not present too much windage, and yet be adequate for protecting the crew when the boat is hard on the wind. There’s no pulpit or guardrails which help to make her look uncluttered, and because all handling lines can be worked from the cockpit, there is little need for them. In my experience, guardrail stanchions get a lot of bashing and often end up being the cause of leaks though decks. Savings are made by not having them, even saving of weight and windage.





It’s well worth taking a look at the Cape Cutter 19 Association’s website where there is an excellent display of photos. From them you can get an idea of the deck layout, including a recessed anchor well at her bow, which provides some security when working there. She has a forward deck hatch and wooden handrails. All in all, she would appear to be a very well-thought out shallow draught yacht with a centreboard, which makes getting her on and off a trailer pretty easy. Some people would classify her as a trailer sailer, but I think she’s more like a pocket cruiser that can be transported by road on her purpose-built trailer. I like the inboard outboard well and her tiller that can be lifted up to provide more useable space in the cockpit when at anchor or in a marina. There’s an option for teak seating in her cockpit and on the floor. There are so many little touches, like the pouches for rope tails in the cockpit that make for ease of handling, and tidiness.


Honnor Marine builds and markets the Cape Cutter 19, and they do a remarkably good job on both counts, the downside is the price of £20,950 for the standard boat, but what can you get for your money these days? It doesn’t go very far. If you want a trailer, you’ll have to fork out another £2,460. If you’ll settle for a second-hand boat there’s one for sale at Woodrolfe Brokerage for £13,500. (See link below) You could, of course, get the plans and build one from wood.



Links


Cape Cutter 19

http://www.capecutter19.com/


Cape Cutter 19 Association

http://www.capecutter19.org/


Cape Cutter 19 For Sale £13,500 as at 02.09.11

http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/V29vZCs0MDEyfldSRkIwMQ=-Cape-Cutter-19.html


CKD Boats do a kit for building from wood

http://ckdboats.blogspot.com/2009/03/ians-cape-cutter-19-build-progress.html