The Decision to Buy: how long did it take?

[Valkyrie]

Hi Everyone,

I'm curious just how long it took you to make the decision to buy your C-Dory, from the initial search to actually writing the check. I know that there are many variables, such as the need to sell the old boat, convince the spouse, can we have it for this season so on.

At one time I was selling ad space (hated it) for a Midwest sailing magazine and SOUNDINGS: TRADE ONLY had figures that showed the time frame for powerboaters was about 18-24 months and sailors took closer to three years to make the decision.

Of course, cost of boat, type of boat and other factors come into play, but I'm curious what the figures are for our favorite boat.

In my case, I knew that after I ran my first C-Dory, I would get one when I got out of sail, but that was a 14 year span, which would really skew the averages. Once Spirit was sold however, we were writing a check at the boat show three months later.

Any comments?
Best regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"

[Alyssa Jean]

My first C-Dory was the 22 I bought at the boat show in Jan of 2003. Pat (Daydream) had been talking about this great boat he had seen while cruising around in the San Juans. I also had a smaller boat and living in the San Juans wanted something bigger, more comfortable etc.
He and Patti asked Kate and I to go with them to the show, "just to look". We looked and then both of us put a check down on two boats at the show.
(Last year we went back "just to look" and bought the 25.

I tend to make most important decisisions a little too fast however. Met Kate on Aug. 31, 1980. Moved in with her in Sept. Married her in Feb. 26 years ago. She has lasted much longer than any boat I may fall in love with.

[Sneaks]

Contrary to our usual deliberate pre-purchase process with major purchases, we wrote a check within two hours of stepping on our first C-Dory at the Los Angeles area's authorized dealership.

Much of the second hour involved spousal unit convincing me that it was the right boat and a good time to buy.

Once ordered, within two weeks I discovered the C-Brat/C-Dog sites, met Rana Verde Chris who generously gave me a demo ride, and instantly modified our order to include the Tall Top, Barber Chair, and Wallas. It became readily apparent that the C-22 was, indeed, the right boat for us.

Don

[journey on]

Writing the check took 3 days. However,

Thinking about a power boat started 6 years ago, on the way to Alaska, where the sailboat was a powerboat, with a funny pole in the middle. And that damn trawaler passed and asked where your windshield wipers were. Continued on the East Coast, where that funny pole got taken up and down (not for free,) and you trailered the boat on a Peterbuilt. And you needed 6 ft. of water, and didn't have it.

Continued whilst looking at every go-fast boat in So Cal (the only kind they sell.)

So it took 5 years.

Judy

[Salty Dog]

Took me 6 years from the time I first saw a C-Dory to the time I purchased the boat. Spent 3 years generally researching the boats (C-Dory website, etc.), then saw one up close at the dealer, then another 3 years after that before I finally bought one.

[Dreamer]

We sold our Krogen 39 in April 2005
Noticed the Tom Cat 255 on the Factory Web Site in October
Met Jeff and Scott at the factory Dec 22.
Wrote the check within the first half hour of the Seattle Boat Show.
We will finally get to sea trial one next week. Waiting anxiously,
Roger
Dreamer

[john schuler]

Good question. Last year my wife had a work related trip to Seattle. I mostly
stay home but I have always liked boats. The SBS was that weekend so I
went along. Right inside was the C-Dory set up. I spent the day there and before dinner she came down and in 15min made her choise. I liked the
22 but she said " get the one with the bathroom. DONE.
Then put the down payment in before dinner , what a good wife.
Then it took me a while th sell my 66 vet to pay the rest. I hadn't driven
that car for years and in the year sence i've had more fun with the C-Dory
than I ever had with the vet.
So my answer is 1 day.
john schuler

[Sea Wolf]

I saw my first C-Dory in the early 1980's at the Sportsman's Show in San Mateo (S.F. Bay Area). Thought it was pretty utilitrian and unconventional in some ways, but would make a great fishing machine for the Bay and Delta.

However, at the time we were too busy racing sailboats to get seriously involved with such a fishing and cruising boat. I did, nontheless, keep track of the C-Dory's, and favorably noted the model changes with the new Cruiser and Angler in 1987.

In 1998, nearing retirement (2002), and thinking it would be a great boat as a retiement present and to serve as a continuing hobby focus, I saw an ad in the Fish Sniffer Magazine, and a few days later we were owners.

We've never regretted one bit of the purchase, and VERY GLAD we purchased the 22 ft Cruiser because of the more universal accomodation/adaptability package.

Took 15 years from the first look to the purchase.....not exactly an impulse buy, but a testimony in itself that the boat stood up to that many years of examination and analysis and still came out the boat of first choice!

Joe.

[JamesTXSD]

I joined this forum about a year ago. I asked a neighbor with a Nimble Nomad about his boat and he said that he'd recommend a C-Dory since it had a planing hull. I looked over this site, the old C-Dog site and the C-Dory factory site; darned if I could find an actual boat to look at (deep south Texas or western South Dakota). We stumbled across an older 22 on a lift that was in pretty rough shape (full of mold!) and got to see one... kinda. We discussed and debated the idea of going from sail to power... for about 9 months (guess the idea was gestating ). Then I saw the discussion about the Seattle Boat Show on this site. Before I signed off, Joan had booked flights, hotel, and a car... three days later we were on our way to Seattle. Finally, a chance to see a 22 up close and personal... and pretty! We spent hours "trying on" the v-berth, checking out the visibility, and visiting with some very kind and patient owners. The only thing missing was a ride on one. Tom (yes, HERO Tom from the Susan E) overheard our lament about a ride and offered to take us out. Yep, two strangers... shivering in the cold, damp weather of the NW. Tom and Susan took us across to Whidby Island, we had a nice lunch and a walk, and got to experience the warmth and comfort of an inside steering station. We had a lot of discussion that evening: one of the sailboats would have to go, which; would we be happy with life as powerboaters; the 22 or the 25. I was thinking the 22, the Blonde was lobbying for the 25. Back to the boat show the next morning and a lot of laps between the 22 and the 25. Jeff from the factory worked with us on the timing (we have lots to wrap up before we can get back to Seattle) and we put down our deposit and signed the order for a 25.

So, 9 months of consideration; 2 days after first seeing one, one day after getting out on the water in one. We are looking forward to late July, early August and starting our next chapter.

Best wishes,
Jim

[nscogin]

My spouse and I started talking about a power boat last summer after not really getting out in our sail boat because of the need for conditions to be just so (though it looked really nice on the mooring). After the holidays I started looking at power cats for their stability/smooth ride. Went to the Baltimore Boat Show a few weeks later to look at a World Cat; they happened to be set up right next to the new Tom Cat, the only cats in the show. Loved the Tom Cat and got some info on price, glanced at the smaller C-Dorys, then came home to do some internet research and, of course, found this site.

The more we thought about it, the less sure we were about spending $100K plus on a new Tom Cat without knowing how much we would really use it. I also had reservations about getting it in time to enjoy this summer. Everyone here raved about the 22 and it seemed to be a good compromise of features/ride and price. So I started checking on used boats in the area and went back to Baltimore for a closer look at the 22 at the show. (Spouse accuses me of being in love with the boat by that point.) Mulled it over for a couple of days and decided the price difference was not that great and we might as well buy a new one with a few additional features we liked. A week and a day after seeing the boat for the first time, we put down the deposit, subject to a sea trial. Had the sea trial four weeks later and wrote the check that morning. Five weeks from first viewing to completing the purchase.

We may still end up with a TC 255 in a few years, but for now I'm psyched about our choice and can't wait to get it in the water in about a month.

Norma

[SEA3PO]

Ha! that was about the quickest decision I ever made...I had seen C-Dorys...and liked them...I had looked at the website and I liked what I saw... so I called Mike (Sealife) and went down to the marina to see him, and have lunch...he told me where to buy one (Elco Marine) and an hour later I ordered one...luckily Elco had one on order and I took that one...only had to wait 6 weeks or so... The whole decision and purchase only took a few days... One of the best purchases I have ever made....I am still thrilled with my 22' cruiser....great boat....great boating group...great friends.

Although my friends worry when I tell them "I meet all my new friends on the internet"

Joel

[CatyMae n Steve]

[Rabbits Hutch]

Arriving at the 2005 Seattle Boat Show, the plan was to simply look and enjoy the show. Climb aboard everything, enjoy a hot dog, fiddle with the new electronics...

Once I arrived at the C-Dory display, met Jeff and Scott and other family members/owners, in less than an hour, I had purchased the 16' Cruiser on display.

2nd best decision that I have ever made. The first was ordering my 22' Cruiser last week....

Gary R

[CAVU]

I saw my first C-Dory at Neah Bay. I was there on a fishing trip in 1989 and thought, "what a cool looking boat". At the time I was fishing from a 17' Boston Whaler and owned a lot rain gear. Next year I saw a used C-Dory advertised in the Spokane paper. I asked my long time fishing partner to go look at it with me. It was a 1983 Angler with 70HP Johnson. We really liked it and the next day we bought it as a partnership boat. We fished it at Port Hardy that summer and again the next summer at Ucluelet. We were not impressed with the handling in the big waves at Ucluelet! After that trip we decided to sell it. We paid 10,500 for it in Jul 90 and fished it almost two years and sold it in the fall of 1991 for 10,500! Even then they had great resale value. Looking back on it, I'm sure the poor handling in big following seas was more a matter of balance and weight distribution than any fault of the boat. After following the early C-Dog site and later C-Brat site for a couple years I decided to try it again and bought another C-Dory in 2004. Been very happy with this one. I wish I had kept records of the first boat. It would be interesting to know where it is now and who owns it. To the best of my limited memory we sold it to a young school teacher from the West side.

[rogerbum]

My process took about 10 years including the psychological conditioning of the spouse. It started LONG before I had money for a boat and long before I knew I wanted a C-Dory. Here's how it went:

1) I started with frequent staring and longing looks at any kind of boat. I didn't really say much other than things like "that's a neat boat", I just used those occasional puppy dog eyes. This went on for about 5 years.

2) I started referring to the garage as a "two-boat" garage. Yes, the idea of having two boats in there was ridiculous and yes, I can't even fit the boat I have in there now BUT, once she started saying things like "Why do you need TWO boats?", getting her moved to accepting just ONE boat was easy. The longing stares continued - 3 more years.

3) Prior to a large camping trip, I purchased what would become the eventual tow vehicle. It's an Isuzu Trooper 5K towing capacity but the heated seats, sun roof, cruise control, air con, and roof rack made it ideal for camping with the scouts and nice for her to drive. The 0.3% financing made it easy to buy. Of course, I didn't refer to it as a tow vehicle.

4) By now, I've spent enough time researching things to know I want an enclosed cabin (it rains a lot here in the NW), heat, a least a porta potty and a generally all around good fishing platform. I also know that if I get anything much larger than a 22' boat, the weight will exceed the towing capacity of the Trooper. She's weakening on the boat thing but I know I can't get both a new boat AND a new truck - I don't have enough time to wear her down twice! Those considerations limit my choices to very few boats including the CD 22. A little more research on resale value and I'm locked in. Not time to "move in for the kill" with the wife, need to wait a year before I can sell some stock.

5) Convince wife to go to the boat show one year in advance of when I think I will get a boat. "Why", she asks? - "I'm bored, it's rainy, it might be fun, we'll only LOOK..."

6) We visit a number of boats but I make sure she gets on a C-Dory. I say things like "We could go to the islands for a picnic" while I think things like "Sure, I'll troll for salmon all the way there but the picnic, that's all for you, darling".

7) One more year of hard practicing of my puppy dog eyes and other BS stories like in #6 above. By the time the next boat show comes around, she's convinced.

Total time - about 10 years but now she's properly conditioned. She actually likes the boat a little and she loves me enough to tolerate the fishing. I try to make a point of not fishing about 1 time out of 5 or 10 so that we just go out. She loves crabbing and shrimping (mostly the eating part but crabs and shrimp are worth the effort in her mind). We've both gained confidence in the boat and my abilities to handle it. I haven't really gotten her to a point where she could feel competent handling the boat. I'll work on that this summer.

Now the trick is how to get the next larger boat. Joyce already has started jonesing for the real head of the 25 or C-Ranger tug. I've started to refer to SeaDNA as our "first boat" with the obvious implication that there will be a second. However, I've got to get the kid through college (almost a boat/year for 4 years at Reed) OR win the lottery OR come up with a plan for earning some extra income before we can realisticly trade up. Without some lucky or unforseen circumstances, boat number 2 is probably 4-5 years away.

So for now, I'll just keep looking at bigger boats and I'll keeping referring to SeaDNA as the "first boat".