Operating Costs

[GreatLakes]

I've been looking at C-Dory's on and off for the past year and am trying to decide what will fit my budget. I can afford the outright cost of a used C-22, but have also looked at a 16 and 19. I'll be renting a 22 this fall for a few days to get a better idea of how I like it.

I have a lot of experience with trailerable sailboats. My current boat is a Catalina 22. I love trailering it to new areas of the Great Lakes, but with a full time job I am limited to weekends or 1 week at a time. I think a C-Dory would get me out on the water a little more quickly on Friday afternoons (no mast to set up) and a lot more often (no waiting for good sailing weather). I would also like to do some salmon fishing on Lake Michigan.

My question is about operating costs.

I bought my current sailboat in rough shape and have fixed it up myself. I do my own maintenance including fiberglass work, rigging, and basic outboard maintenance (6hp 4 stroke). I have no real experience with bilge pumps, larger outboards, or steering controls and my electrical experience is limited to mostly lights.

What are the typical maintenance costs I would have for a C-Dory? I am patient and understand outboards enough that I can probably winterize them and do minor tune-ups, etc. I try to keep things in good condition, addressing anything as soon as it comes up, and would be storing the boat indoors.

Thanks for your input!

[DavidM]

Maintenance costs for boats typically divide themselves into three catagories:

1. Preventative/scheduled maintenance like oil changes, repacking trailer bearings, etc.

2. Cosmetic upkeep like hull waxing

3. Replacing things that go bad.

A competent DIYer can do 1, and 2 easily and the costs are minimal: oil, grease, wax, etc.

Fortunately most CD's have simple systems such as a manual fresh water pump and the alcohol stove. Many don't even have a shore powered battery charger. So not much to go bad. Yes, some have experienced water seepage into the hull laminate core and that takes a professional to fix and can be expensive. But for the most part there isn't much to go bad.

If you use your boat 100 hours per year you will probably spend more on gas than on the three catagories above- less than $1,000 annually.

David

[GreatLakes]

[colbysmith]

I have a 22, a tandem axle aluminum trailer with all electric brakes and oil bath bearing hubs. Annually I change the outboard oils. Every two years I change the water pump impellar and spark plugs. I replaced my electric brakes last year, after 5 years, and they could have gone longer. The outboard oils run about $50, as semi synthetic. Brakes are about $40/wheel. Hub seals $11/seal. The water pump stuff is around $40 if I remember. Plugs about $6/each. (x4). I spend way more on new gadgets and etc. Mileage on my Mercury 115EFI 4 Stroke is about 3.3 statute miles/gallon. Towing, boat and trailer weighs in around 5100 lbs. Your mileage may vary depending what you tow with! I do most all my own work. I think most places around here get $200-$300 plus parts to winterize. I can get my 14x13 3 blade prop fixed by MDProp.com for $50. A new one online runs about $120.
Those are the costs that come to mind right away. Colby

[ken35216]

Boat drinks have been my biggest expense and I have a 25.

[thataway]

Not a lot different than sailboats: priced new sails recently? Insurance is always a factor, trailer maintenance, hull maintenance are similar.

If you go at displacement speeds you can get “mileage”. Of 6 plus miles per gallon. The boats plane at low speeds, and are very fuel efficient. The 19 is about the same as the 22 in fuel usage.

A real plus is the pilot house, and being able to run in bad weather.

Many of us are “ex-sailors”. In 1981, I said when I got too old to sail, I would get that new boat: a C Dory—got my first one a little over 20 years later.

[colbysmith]

I wish I could get 6+ mpG on my boat. The best I've gotten at hull speed (5 mph) is 4.1. That's with the Mercury 115hp EFI 4 Stroke... Colby

[jennykatz]

we get a little under 4mpg at 4000 rpm 20mph . We have a venture cc-23 weight of boat is 3000lb plus merc115 CT 370lb plus anchors,batteries and 50gallons of gas so we are over 4000lb for sure .Going through no wake zones here in SW Fl. At 1500rpm we get a little over 5mpg .

[Foggy]

I started sailing smaller boats on inland lakes in Michigan in the 1950s.
Then larger sailboats in Lake Michigan, other Great Lakes, coastal US
and caribbean until 1980s. Then I got into powerboats for a decade, then
back to a performance sloop catamaran in the 1990s to do 'the islands'.
Then back to powerboats, deep V HP (speed changes you) then a 26 C Dory
Venture and now a 32' Tiara.

What have I learned? Well, sailing (wind is free, fuel is cheap but sails are not)
you spend almost all your time getting there often seeing a few powerboats
take the last few available transient slips while in sight of the marina. Then,
in a powerboat (more cost for fuel, slip and bar tabs), you get there fast and
have to figure out what to do once there. That can spell a sure thing at the
local watering hole but big bar bills not to mention the costs of divorce if you
make this a loner life style...

As far as comparing costs between the two, don't bother. It's not worth worrying
about as you've plunked out some pretty big bucks already just getting a boat and
putting in those 'have to have' extras that make it seem like an extension of
yourself. If you can't help worrying about it anyway, do something else besides
boating.

Aye.

[Joni Lynn]

Ahoy MI.
I sent you a PM today.
Paul

[hardee]

Many of us here on C-BRATS are past sailors, and some still do. It took me 4 years to sell my sail boat after I bought the C-Dory, because I wanted to be sure I was going the right direction. Truth be told, the sail boat never went out again after I started on the C-Dory. Costs, every minute on the boat is worth what it costs to keep it up and to feed the horses, (twin 40's,) and much of my boating is done at 4.5 -5.5 knots -- you know, sailing speeds.

Enjoy your rental, and report back.

Harvey
SleepyC

[GreatLakes]

Thanks for all of the input!

The place I was going to rent from sold their C-Dory, so I'll have to keep my eye out in the harbors for one to check out.

I'm not quite "too old" for sailing, but with a full time job it's tough to schedule a weekend around the wind, especially when we only have so many in the Great Lakes before winter comes around again. The C Dory is appealing for a lot of reasons, the only drawback being the up-front cost. Sailboats can be had around here for basically nothing and I've been fortunate enough to only have to buy one sail (although I priced out another and decided it can wait).

Jodi Lynn - I replied to your PM. Let me know if it didn't come through.

Thanks again!

[CaptMac]

Here are some things I found work to properly-maintain a C-Dory and keep expenses at minimum:

* Flush thoroughly after each use,

* Always use ethanol free fuel,

* Use only fresh fuel,

* Rinse the boat off completely after each use,

* Wax it a couple times a year (prevents oxidation of the gel-coat),

* If not using the boat for more than a week, block the boat up so that the weight is off the tires (preserves the tires and also better for the trailer bearings),

* Store the boat under cover out of the elements.

* Keep the batteries topped off with distilled water.

I'm sure there's a lot of other things but these are a few things that i feel important.