BoatsCape Dory 33

Cape Dory 33

Masthead Sloop · Long Keel · 1980–1985

A 1980s production masthead sloop with a 41% ballast ratio, occasionally factory-fitted with a Volvo diesel

Designed by Carl Alberg.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Long Keel

See her sail

The Cape Dory 33, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Into Oblivion

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 34 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 34
CoastalBluewater

1.73 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.73
LightHeavy

404 — very heavy for her waterline, a serious load-carrying cruiser.

Displacement / length 404
EasygoingPowered-up

15.4 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.4
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

What the fleet has seen

The Cape Dory 33, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Cape DORY 33 is a Masthead Sloop sailboat designed by Carl Alberg and built by Cape Dory Yachts between 1980 and 1985, featuring a long keel, a 10.1 m LOA, and a displacement of 6032 kg.33:21 Some boats were delivered with a Volvo diesel engine, and a Cutter rig variant was also available. Aboard *Sailing Into Oblivion*, solo sailor Eitan cruised the Bahamas on a $5,000 Cape DORY 33, emphasizing that a boat does not need to be in perfect condition for cruising, having completed his first passage without lifelines or a functional autopilot.35:48 He navigated the Bahama banks to Florida using only a Garmin inReach after his phone failed, highlighting the value of practical experience and basic maintenance skills over a large budget.41:14 He prefers offshore sailing to the Intracoastal Waterway, where squalls can cause derelict vessels to drift into occupied ones, and considers AIS critical for solo sleep management on long passages.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1channel weighed buying one
US$5,000Median asking

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.4
Displacement / length
403.7
Comfort ratio
34.2
Capsize screening
1.73
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
897
Hull
Hull type
Long Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1980–1985
Units built
124
Designer
Carl Alberg
Builder
Cape Dory Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Rustler 319.58 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA heavy-displacement masthead sloop with a long keel, evolved from the North Sea 24 and sharing lineage with the Twister 31
Air Tools: The Secret to a Perfect Finish | Practical Boat Owner0:07from practicalboatowner
Sea Sprite 3410.31 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 10.3-metre fractional sloop with a long keel, also marketed as the Luders 34
Sailing S/V Southwind, a 1984 Sea Sprite 34from Hold Fast!
Allied Yachts Luders 3310.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bill Luders-designed masthead sloop featuring a long keel and heavy displacement for stable, classic offshore cruising
33 Foot Sailboat for Less Than $10,000!0:55from Lady K Sailing
Beneteau Evasion 329.70 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA long-keeled masthead ketch that launched the Evasion line and marked a new era for Beneteau
The Cheapest Sailboat That's Actually A Perfect Cruiser 👌0:05from Reversing Entropy
Alden 32 Motor Sailer9.60 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterOriginally known as the Winsome Class, this masthead sloop features a long keel and was available in both sloop and ketch
OPB: 1969 Alden 32 Tour and Sail - msvLaReina (October 2025)0:04from keeldragger
Nicholson 329.75 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA long-running production classic with a 55% ballast ratio, built over two decades for steady offshore passage making
GGR 2026 — The race — 2026-09-11 18:00-23:591:15:17from Golden Globe Race Official

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Cape Dory 32A short-run 1986-1988 masthead sloop with a 40% ballast ratio, designed for steady, traditional cruisingCape Dory 31A Carl Alberg-designed cutter with a long keel, built between 1983 and 1985 for traditional, steady offshore cruisingCape Dory 40A Carl Alberg-designed cutter with a long keel, built for steady, traditional blue-water passage makingCape Dory 330An updated evolution of the Cape Dory 33, featuring a cutter rig and a long keel for stable, traditional cruisingCape Dory 28A classic Carl Alberg full-keel masthead sloop designed for steady, comfortable cruisingCape Dory 27A 1977-1985 production masthead sloop featuring a 40% ballast ratio for stability in a traditional full-keel hull

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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