by GreenLake » Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:42 am
Less weight, more sail area, deeper CB and flatter hull - that gives you the main point of difference in terms of sailing characteristics. You are looking at a boat that will be somewhat quicker to respond to gusts, where you will need to hike sooner, and get off the water sooner as the wind builds.
There's less stowage and the side decks look designed for easy hiking. All in all it looks like a (somewhat) more spirited boat, but one that would seem less suitable for taking on extended cruises. The difference to the DS will not be as dramatic as with a 5o5, for example. (The latter adds another 25sqft of sail area and has 200lbs less, and is designed to be sailed with the crew on a trapeze.)
Ultimately, it depends on your style of sailing, as well as perhaps your sailing area. If most days bring you moderate winds at best, getting a boat with a bit more sail area per displacement might be the answer. If, instead, you often get conditions where you have all the wind that you can handle, getting a boat with more sail area would not seem the answer. From the flatter bow area, the Capri looks like it might be a wetter boat in chop (and because of the lower weight, might have a harder time pushing through) so it might prefer (even) flatter waters than the DS. And because it is wider and lighter, I expect it would be a bit easier to get it on a plane
~ green ~ lake ~ ~