[1][5][6] The Typhoon 18 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with balsa-cored decks and teak wooden trim, including coamings and taffrails.
The hull has a raked stem; a raised counter, angled transom; a keel-mounted rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed long keel.
[5] The boat is supported by an active class club that organizes racing events, the Cape Dory Sailboat Owners Association.
"[9] In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "Of all the boats in this comp[etitor] group 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.
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.