C-Dory 25 vs C-Dory 22

[rogerbum]

Glen - If you want to hop on a ferry and take a ride from Victoria down to the Seattle area, I'd be happy to give you a ride on a Tomcat. Mine's getting some work done right (normal maintenance + a few changes) now so it won't be available for a couple of weeks or so.

It's a great boat for the ocean. I salmon fished out of it all this past summer typically about 18 miles out from Neah Bay (Swiftsure). I was 50-60 miles offshore in it doing some albacore fishing also. Lots of storage and sleeping space as others have noted. Just a bit more to tow and a bit more to operate (relative to the 22 I used to have). Not much more complicated that a 25 (especially if the 25 has twins). A little heavier than a 25 on the trailer but the one Charlie is selling is on an aluminum trailer so the weight difference relative to a 25 is not the great. The performance difference relative to a 25 is huge though and I'd point out that Charlie's is priced at well less than a new 25.

[c-ness]

I'll second the notion that a tomcat would be a great way to go. The benefits of a tomcat have already been noted. I'll add that the price difference between Charlie's boat and a nicely appointed 25 is minimal. If I was in the market for a boat in this price range I'd jump on this 255. We just bought an older tomcat last year and are delighted. If we were still in the market we would have jumped on a 255 at this price.

[BRAZO]

Love our 22, but given the choice (price wise) between TomCat vs 25 - hands down a TomCat. That may be the only boat that I'd consider upgrading to.

I'd vote for Charlie's TomCat - if I didn't have the 22 I'd consider it at Charlie's price.

Good luck.

[Captains Cat]

Thanks for the votes guys! The Cat is being detailed this week and I just recarpeted the trailer bunks. It's ready to roll!

Good luck on your hunt Glen, try to trial them all if you can and make up your mind for what best suits you.

Charlie

[RogerJuntunen]

This is a great topic and the fact of the matter is no single boat will do everything, so my suggestion is all of us need to own at least five boats, maybe more. Lets see, how about starting with a river drift boat, add several canoes, a multi-purpose dingy, an aluminum fishing boat, a 22 and 25 C-Dory and thats just for starters. Come on C-Brats- lets get the economy rolling! Roger

[grutledge]

Well, I already have a canoe and a 14' whitehall. If I buy the 25 then I will be well on my way!

[Pat Anderson]

CD25 + CD16 + Alaska Series Dinghy + Pelican Pursuit kayaks (2) = five boats!

[tpbrady]

CD-25
Kingfisher 28
15' Harbercraft
14 foot kayak
Coleman Scanoe
Power Drifter
One cheap inflatable canoe

[Beflyguy]

I think I have enough boats.

Tomcat
Water tender 9.4 dinghy
1996 Starcraft 1750 ski boat
12' aluminum boat
10' aluminum boat
10' rowing/sailing skiff
15' fiberglass canoe
10' Avon Redshank inflatable w/rowing frame for rivers
17' Alden rowing shell w/2 rowing frames & oars
(2) Supercat pontoon boats (for fishing)
U-boat float tube (for fishing)
Inflatable kayak

[RBH]

I have had them both.
I really liked our C 22 but my wife made a request that 3 weeks at a time on it was "enough".
In that I like to stay out for at least a month and longer I kept an eye out for a good C 25 and found one in great - almost showroom condition (built in 2006, ca 80 hours on the original 150 Yamaha and a new 8hp Yamaha kicker) - that I bought from a good and knowledgeable guy. Within a week of announcing it I sold the C 22.
We cruised up to six weeks at a time in the North Channel and northern Georgia Bay of Lake Huron in 2019 (the C 22), 2022 (C25) and 2023 (C 25).
Many of the pluses and minuses of the two models have been accurately stated by others. Though it is borderline, I pulled the C 25 with a Roadtrek 190 Camper van (built on the Chevy 3500 chassis) for a couple of hundred miles from central Michigan to Blind River in Ontario. To keep the weight down we traveled with an empty water tank and almost empty fuel tanks to shortly before launching, no groceries or canned goods, drinks etc. The C 22 I pulled from where I bought it in Florida to Michigan with same vehicle. Obviously, the C 22 gets the nod for hauling.
I am in my late seventies and find launching either boat doable. But then again, I only put it in and out of the water a couple of times a year and do pick the "right" ramps, and right weather/wind conditions which makes it easy for my wife to hold the lines from the dock while I pull the boat and trailer away. If I was "weekending" of course the C 22 is the easier and faster alternative. For two minimalists longer tours with the 22 has long been proven possible by the original owners of "Halcyon Days" (a fun and well written read for any C Dory owner).
Underway with some wind and waves the C 25 is a bit more comfortable, the C 22 more "lively". For my wife the head of the C 25 is definitely a plus over the porta-potti on the C 22.
In that I am just over 5ft 10in tall, I have raised the floor of the C 25 to be the same height as the step at the entrance, i.e. the same height all the way through to the V berths (I kept the original cupboard doors to easily reconvert it back if a new owner would prefer it that way and made shorter doors for the port side. At night, I remove the last two boards to the V berth of the raised floor for easier entering/exiting. The fridge and starboard cupboard doors just clear the raised floorboards. What this gives me is over seven inches in height of storage down deep where you want the weight while still retaining a good 6 feet of headroom. Bending to get into the cupboards is less ideal, but I have worked out a solution for that to be implemented this year. The advantage besides deep, wide and ca 7 feet long storage is a much easier step up to the seats and a better height for cooking/and using the deep sink basin for my wife who is about 5ft 2 in tall. Having the extra storage space for us is valuable because we mainly stay at anchorages and love being independent from having to often shop groceries, bottled water, canned goods etc. The dinghy electric motor, oars, fishing rods and other cruising stuff can also be stored there.
A simple composting toilet is next on the list as well as solar power, particularly for refrigeration (I have a light Yamaha 1000-watt generator for "emergency" charging of the batteries and a good ice chest that holds blocks of ice for five or six days...)
As stated, we are usually out cruising for weeks at a time (with an occasional stop for ice, emptying wastewater, and a good meal when a restaurant if available and maybe an overnight if we like the marina). If we were doing short tours, I would prefer the C 22. For longer tours the C25 is the better boat for us, particularly for my lovely wife who has been very tolerant of my various escapades for over fifty years.
In that we are contemplating moving our winter boating (from November to April) to the Florida Keys/Bahamas our next boat might possibly be a small trawler (max a Mainship 34, or Manatee 36, but probably - and preferably. something smaller). If I was alone, I wouldn’t hesitate to keep the C 25 for such cruising but, thankfully, I am not alone, and, what-the-heck, a Trawler would be another fun and new experience (I come from several decades of sailing, thus going slow is not an issue. Vic Aversa going a "fast" 15 knots or thereabouts with the C Dory is sometimes a nice to have alternative).
Don't know if any of this is useful for anybody out there...the "right boat" is always dependent on the wants and needs of the owner or owners. Both the C 22 and C25 are easier to modify than more "sophisticated" yachts...and I like it that way. For cruising the North Channel or Georgian Bay I love the huge advantage shallow draft brings with any C Dory (this coming summer I plan on experimenting with a "Push Pole" with both motors up to get safely into places that would be impossible for most cruising boats out there.).

[JamesTXSD]

A 13 year "break" on this thread, but RBH brings interesting experience to the conversation. It would interesting to see your floor conversion on the 25.

[Dora~Jean]

Excellent insights and novel ideas on maximizing the utility of the boat for the type of cruising desired. My wife and I primarily do short cruises to our offshore Channel Islands and usually with another family on board. We have always managed and enjoyed the space aboard our CD25. The separate head is extremely important with mixed company for not only as a bathroom but for a changing room as well. I’ve owned 13 ocean-capable boats, all trailerable, and this one has fit our needs the best all around.

[RBH]

I have added photos of raising the floor on our C 25. The border base is from 2 x 3's, the horizontal boards are 1 inch (real world 3/4") pine, doubled (screwed and glued). No holes in the hull floor. All construction lumber from Menard's. 2x3's instead of 2x4's to save weight and is sufficient. Can all be removed quite easily if another owner would prefer. Port doors adjacent to the floor I made anew, saving the originals for reversing the installation. It was not difficult after having spent some time figuring out a simple way to do it, taking into consideration of adding as little weight as reasonably possible. To make entering the forward V berth easily, I remove the last two boards for the night. To access the kitchen (or other area) any two boards can be removed and placed sideways to step down and, if desired sit on the sideways placed boards. I fill much of the area with Walmart plastic bins. The advantages besides the over 7' long storage space is the level area from from the first step into the cabin thru to the V berth and a much easier step up to the seats and a better height for the kitchen countertop for my wife. At just over 5'10" I have never bumped my head on the ceiling. If taller it would make sense to have the floor lower than the maximum I used dictated by the lower edge of the refrigerator. A fun and inexpensive simple project.

[RBH]

I forgot to add: for easy spacing and removal of the boards I used a pan head screw on the leading edge of each of the board ca 3 inches from the ends.

Bob Harris