The Typhoon 18 is a family of American trailerable

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

s that was designed by

Carl Alberg Carl Alberg (11 April 1901 – 31 August 1986) was a Swedish born naval architect known for his influence in early fiberglass boats. Career Alberg moved to the United States in 1925 where he began working as a rigger then later as a spar (sa ...

day sailer A daysailer, day sailer, or dayboat is a small sailboat with or without sleeping accommodations but which is larger than a dinghy. Dayboats can be mono hull or multihull, and are typically trailer-able. Many dayboats have a small cabin or "cu ...

s and cruisers, first built in 1967.Sherwood, Richard M.: ''A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition'', pages 98-99.

Houghton Mifflin Company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company ( ; HMH) is an American publisher of textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, and reference works. The company is based in the Boston Financial District. It was formerly known as the Houghto ...

, 1994.

Production

The design was built by Cape Dory Yachts and Naugus Fiberglass in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, but it is now out of production.

Design

The Typhoon 18 is a recreational

keelboat A keelboat is a riverine cargo-capable working boat, or a small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yacht. The boats in the first category have shallow structural keels, and are nearly flat-bottomed and often used leeboards if forced in open w ...

, built predominantly of

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) is a common type of fibre-reinforced plastic, fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened i ...

, with

balsa ''Ochroma pyramidale'', commonly known as balsa, is a large, fast-growing tree native to the Americas. It is the sole member of the genus ''Ochroma'', and is classified in the subfamily Bombacoideae of the mallow family Malvaceae. The tree is fa ...

-cored decks and

teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panic ...

wooden trim, including

coaming Coaming is any vertical surface on a ship designed to deflect or prevent entry of water. It usually consists of a raised section of deck plating around an opening, such as a cargo hatch. Coamings also provide a frame onto which to fit a hatch cov ...

s and

taffrail In naval architecture, a taffrail is the handrail around the open deck area toward the stern of a ship or boat. The rear deck of a ship is often called the afterdeck or poop deck. Not all ships have an afterdeck or poop deck. Sometimes taffrail r ...

s. It has a fractional sloop rig with

anodized Anodizing is an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. The process is called ''anodizing'' because the part to be treated forms the anode electrode of an electro ...

aluminum Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

spars. The hull has a

raked stem The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. Description The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to ...

; a raised counter, angled transom; a

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

-mounted

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, airship, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (usually air or water). On an airplane, the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw ...

controlled by a

tiller A tiller or till is a lever used to steer a vehicle. The mechanism is primarily used in watercraft, where it is attached to an outboard motor, rudder post, rudder post or stock to provide leverage in the form of torque for the helmsman to turn ...

and a fixed long

. For sailing the design may equipped with a working

jib A jib is a triangular sail that sets ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its forward corner (tack) is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bows, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast. Jibs and spinnakers are the two main ty ...

or a

genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

. All models have genoa tracks and jib

winch A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in (wind up) or let out (wind out) or otherwise adjust the tension (physics), tension of a rope or wire rope (also called "cable" or "wire cable"). In its simplest form, it consists of a Bobb ...

es.

Variants

;Cape Dory Yachts Typhoon 18 Weekender :This model was built by Cape Dory Yachts and was their most successful boat model produced, built from 1967 to 1986, with 1,982 boats completed. The Weekender has a bigger cabin and smaller cockpit than the Daysailer model. It has sleeping accommodation for four people in a double bow "V" berth and two quarter berths. A

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple ani ...

was optional. Stowage is provided in two cockpit lockers, plus cabin shelving. It has a length overall of , a waterline length of , displaces and carries of lead ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel. ;Cape Dory Yachts Typhoon 18 Daysailer :This model was built by Cape Dory Yachts between 1974 and 1986, with 141 boats completed. The Daysailer has a larger cockpit with teak seats and smaller

cuddy cabin A cuddy is a small room or cupboard, particularly on a boat. Sometimes a cuddy refers to a small but cosy hut. The origin of the term is not clear. Cuddy was in use in colonial America as early as 1655. The term may derive from the Dutch ''kaj ...

without any portholes. The rub rails and strakes are also teak. Stowage is provided in a forepeak locker. At least one was built in about 1974 that had no cuddy cabin at all, just an enlarged cockpit and which was also marketed as the Typhoon Daysailer. The Daysailer has a length overall of , a waterline length of , displaces and carries of lead ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel. ;Naugus Typhoon 18 :This model was built by Naugus Fiberglass and introduced in 1974. This model predated the Cape Dory Daysailer on the market and has an open cockpit, with no cabin. At least one was built. It has a length overall of , a waterline length of , displaces and carries of lead ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel.

Operational history

The boat is supported by an active class club that organizes racing events, the ''Cape Dory Sailboat Owners Association''. John Kretschmer wrote a review of the design in ''Sailing Magazine'' in 2008, describing it as "certainly one of America's best-loved small boats". He noted, "It's a boat that beginners and seasoned sailors alike appreciate because it satisfies on many levels. It's aesthetically pleasing, responds to a sure hand on the helm, is safe in a blow and steady when an annoying powerboat stirs up a chop. It's not a sport boat-heck, it's not fast by any definition-but it's still a delight to sail. I can see the day when I am done crossing oceans, I'll own a sweet little Typhoon and spend my afternoons gliding about the harbor, checking out all the new boats. The Typhoon is a boat to sail just for sake of sailing, one of those things you understand intrinsically or you never will." Steve Knauth did an interview with owner Frank Hall in 2010 for ''Soundings''. Hall described the boat's sailing characteristics: "the boat handles exceptionally well when the wind increases to 15 or 20 knots ... The strongest wind that I sailed in was in a race when it was blowing 20 to 23 knots. I had a full main with a reef in the jib and she handled it very well, with a moderate heel. The rudder is well-balanced with little windward helm." In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "Of all the boats in this comp titorgroup of four, the CD Typhoon 18 is the design we'd feel most comfortable with in iffy weather—despite the fact that her cockpit sole is too close to the waterline to be fully self-bailing, though you could probably leave her at a mooring and expect the rain that falls into her to drain successfully. Best features: She has enough ballast to keep her stiff when sailing short-handed in a blow. Her motion in a chop will be relatively comfortable. She looks competent and pretty in a traditional way, and is well-built with quality bronze fittings and wood trim. She was made over a span of 25 years, so you can probably find used boats in a wide range of prices that might suit your budget. Worst features: Since she was built by several builders before Cape Dory began production, through hard times as well as good, the construction quality may vary widely among the old boats available today. Buyer beware!"Henkel, Steve: ''The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats'', page 23.

International Marine McGraw Hill is an American education science company that provides educational content, software, and services for students and educators across various levels—from K-12 to higher education and professional settings. They produce textbooks, ...

McGraw-Hill McGraw Hill is an American education science company that provides educational content, software, and services for students and educators across various levels—from K-12 to higher education and professional settings. They produce textbooks, ...

, 2010.

References

{{Trailer sailers and Trailer yachts worldwide Keelboats 1960s sailboat type designs Sailing yachts Sailboat type designs by Carl Alberg Sailboat types built by Cape Dory Yachts Sailboat types built by Naugus Fiberglass

Production

Design

Variants

Operational history

See also

References