Cape Cutter 19

Cape Cutter 19 

Plywood Lapstrake Traditional Trailer-sailer

Pretty as a picture

~ The charm of tradition
~ Accommodation for family weekending
~ Comfortable cockpit
~ Towing behind the family car
~ Choice of gaff or marconi rig
~ Shallow draft to access favorite spots
~ Plywood plans for amateur builders

The Cape Cutter 19 was commissioned by Cape Cutter Yachts, as a GRP production trailer-sailer. Their brief was very particular in requiring a little cruiser which was to be traditional workboat in image, with lots of character, shallow draft and good sailing characteristics. She also had to fit inside a 6m (20ft) shipping container for economical transportation to international markets.

There are already other designs which fit some or all of those criteria, so part of our job was to draw a boat to satisfy those needs in a different way. I believe that we fulfilled this need and added valauble features as part of the process.

 
  Plywood CC19 "Tiptoe", beautifully built by Ian Allen in New Zealand

The Hull

I took the unusual step with this one of drawing the lines on paper then moving them across into the computer lines fairing program for final fairing. I did this because it is easier to assess the aesthetics and proportions of a chine or lapstrake hull on paper than on a computer screen. I felt that I would produce a prettier hull this way.

The next step was to move it across into a 3D modelling program, which allowed us to generate accurate full size patterns of all of the skin panels. This, along with full size framing patterns, speeded up the building process of the plug. It produced basic plug surfaces that were relatively quick to bring to production plug standard.

She has a plumb bow and long waterline, to maximise top-end performance. The bow is fine down at waterline to allow her to punch through a wind chop, for good windward ability. This flares to a full plan shape at deck level, giving reserve buoyancy to resist bow burying and to keep her dry on deck.

Aft she is quite full on plan, with straight buttocks. This powerful stern gives her good reaching speed and the volume distribution to carry reasonable crew loads in the cockpit.

She has a long and shallow keel moulded in, which runs from the leading edge of the centre plate through to the outboard engine well. A rudder horn is bolted to the heel of the keel to give protection to the semi-balanced spade rudder, which is hung off the transom on pintles.

Section through GRP version

On Deck

Her deck layout has been drawn clean and simple, keeping the best spots available for the crew rather than occupying them with deck hardware and ropes.

She has a raised sheer and flush deck, maximising usable space both on deck and down below. The sunken self-draining foredeck acts as an oversize anchor well and also provides a comfortable spot to sit, both sailing and at anchor. She has a handrail/toerail detail along the deck edge, to give safer footing on deck and useful tie-on points for fenders etc.

Her cockpit is deep, giving good protection behind the cabin from wind and spray. The seats have comfortable backrests and the coamings are wide enough to sit on. The outboard engine well is in the cockpit footwell, with a dam formed around it to contain accidental fuel or oil spillage which may otherwise make the sole area slippery. Drainage in the event of taking a large wave onboard will be very fast, via the engine well.

Halliards and headsail furling lines are led alongside the companion hatch and through stoppers to a pair of 6:1 winches on the aft end of the cabintop. Headsail sheets are led through pivoting fairleads with built-in camcleats to the same pair of winches or directly to the crew for hand control from whichever position suits them. Mainsheet blocks are mounted on the top of the transom and reefing lines have been kept on the boom. She can be reefed by one person standing in the companionway, from where all lines can be reached.

Centreplate and Ballast

Her centreplate, of approximately 100kg, is raised by means of a simple drum winch housed under the companionway step. Fixed ballast is lead, glassed over to form the cabin sole.

Mike Brooke sailing "Theo's Future" in the Solent in
preparation for his successful circum-navigation of
England in 2008 to raise funds for research into
a cure for a currently incurable genetic eye disease.
Mike wrote the book "Fight for Sight on Theo's Future:
A Voyage of Hope & Endeavour". Buy the book
to support a worthy cause and have a good read.

Comfortable Weekending Accommodation

Down below she has an open layout, with sitting headroom all the way to the sides. With no sidedecks to get in the way, you can lounge back against her hull in comfort. Her compact galley is equipped with single-burner cooker, sink and plenty of locker space. With berths for 4 adults, she is great for a small family. The quarter berths double as settees, with space for 2 people each side.
The Portapotti toilet is under the aft end of the forward berth. Located in a wide well, it is used athwartships rather than fore and aft. A privacy curtain can be fitted, hiding behind the galley lockers when not in use.

Chris & Kathryn Wicks's "Kaliope" cruising in the
Greek Isles, pulled up close to the beach for lunch.

Great Little Cruiser

All round, the Cape Cutter 19 makes a great little family cruiser. Being trailable as well as safe for coastal cruising in reasonable conditions, she will open up your cruising options and expand your horisons.

This little boat has been very well received by the market. The GRP version has sold 60 boats in the 2 years since it was introduced into UK.

Follow this link to see a stability curve for this design.

Note that this design is not available for series building by any builder other than Cape Cutter Yachts.

Build her in Plywood

Since the first showing of this design, we have received many enquiries after a plywood version. This is now available in a comprehensive plywood design package. The layout has been very slightly changed to suit the construction requirements of plywood but she is the same pretty, seaworthy and speedy little cruiser. We received orders for 20 sets of plywood plans in the first 9 months after completing them.

Hull construction is plywood lapstrake over stringers and plywood backbone. Stringers are notched into the bulkheads and the backbone is locked into the bulkheads eggcrate-fashion.

The stock plan package includes full size patterns of the bulkheads plotted on stable mylar. These are plotted in colour to make them easier to follow and minimise chances of builders making a mistake. We also offer an optional extra of full size mylar patterns for the hull skin panels if you feel that you need help you through the process of laying out these panels. These patterns can be ordered with the stock plan package or later.

Section through plywood version

Russell Eden, in UK, sold his Cape Cutter 19 in August 2013. The following day he sent this message to me.

"I sold my Cape Cutter 19 today after three years of ownership.

She was number 47, built in SA. I wanted to personally thank you for creating such a beautiful craft. Each and every day I sailed her I had people approach me to talk. People would sail/motor over to take photos and video. People offered me money for her, there, on the spot.

I've only sold her because my wife says she will come sailing with me more often if we had a boat with full standing room and a heads. I would have kept her forever otherwise.

I'm sitting here now wondering what I've done; I've let go perhaps the most wonderful piece of property I've ever owned. No doubt I'll get over it in time, but I doubt I'll ever own anything quite so easy on the eye, or so wonderful on the water.

Thank you for designing her"

Follow these links to a timber material list for hull, deck, interior and building stocks, a list of drawings for the plywood version of this design and a stability graph. For other useful information, please also see Cape Henry 21 Builders' Notes, most of which are also applicable to the Cape Cutter 19.

CHARACTERISTICS

LOD 5.80m (19'0")
LWL 5.50m (18'0")
Beam moulded 2.20m (7'3")
Draft 0.45/1.22m (1'6"/4'0")
Displ to DWL 1100kg (2425lb)
Displ light 870kg (1918lb)
Ballast 380kg (838lb)

Sail area (main + genoa) 23.52sq.m (253sq.ft)
Mainsail 13.32sq.m (143sq.ft)
Staysail 4.99 sq.m (54sq.ft)
Genoa 10.20sq.m (110sq.ft)

Powering 6hp short shaft outboard

Waterplane area 6.25sq.m (67sq.ft)
Immersion rate 64kg/cm (358lb/inch)
Wetted surface 9.2sq.m (97sq.ft)

Sail Area/Wetted Surface 2.56
Sail Area/Displ 23.3

Displ/length 184
Prismatic coef .52
Block coef .31
Fineness coef .64

Righting Moment @ 30 deg 444kgm (3211ft.lb)
Righting Moment @ 60 deg 598kgm (4325ft.lb)
Righting Moment @ 90 deg 386kgm (2792ft.lb) 
 
 
 
Plans can be sent either  from DIX DESIGN or NAUTIKIT. Prices are the same, like as the shipping costs, calculated on the project value.   Options for papersheet plans sent by courier or postal service, or pdf plans sent by e-mail in 24-48 hours. For more information see our shipping page. The "Royalty Kit" includes the building plans (pdf or papersheets), the dwg/cnc cutting files and the royalty for the purchase of our construction kits or for  a CNC company of your choice