C-Dory 25' Cruiser

gljjr · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 8:24 pm Post subject:

Sorry Pete, You are VERY wrong about jet drives not being able to back up. Maybe that was true many years ago but it certainly isn't true now. If you look at my sig you will see that I currently own a '96 North River Jet Sled. It backs up just fine. In fact, I would bet that I have as much or more low speed control with the sled than you do with your C-Dory. One of the things I'm really going to miss is the slow speed control at the dock that I have now.

What you have to learn with a jet is how to control the reverse bucket. once you do they are a piece of cake to control even at slow speeds. True you need to have some patience but what is boating all about anyway? It definitely isn't about who can get things done the fastest! The NR is capable of doing 360's in its own length. That is something you will never be able to accomplish with a single prop. The biggest drawback to a jet is that you don't have a true nuetral so it has to be tied up to idle the boat.

Sneaks, I had a friend in the late '70s who litterally ripped the transom off the back of his boat from dropping his reverse bucket doing 70mph! He did the manuever so many times the transom finally failed on him. What he would do was to head off at full speed and then drop it in reverse while spinning the wheel. Then when he had pivoted 180 degrees he would slam it back in forward and take off the other direction. What you were able to see is the boat would all of a sudden rise up off the water about 15' on all the water being thrown in reverse and then it would pivot and come flying out of the spray going the other direction. Scared the livin daylights out of his friends when he did it!

416rigby · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 8:36 pm Post subject:

The one thing that I would like to see on a CD, and I'm sure I'm not alone on this one, is a squared off transom with no splashwell and an outboard mounted on a transom bracket. It would free up a lot of fishing space that I think is wasted with the way the transom is now. Up here, there are a heck of a lot of boats with transom brackets...I used to have one on my 21 footer...love them! You have a built in swim platform to get out of the water should you go overboard, and it's also a bit easier to do certain engine work when you can get out on the bracket and stand. Just my 2 cents...

Aiviq · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 6:03 am Post subject:

Pat Anderson · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 8:59 am Post subject:

IF you keep the boat? If you DON'T, you should have an auction HERE please! You have a rare treasure in that 27 Pilothouse! You just need an assignment a little closer to the water, do we have a Consulate in Victoria, B.C.? Wink

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 11:36 am Post subject:

Gary- Interesting comments about maneuverability. Do you have a Hamilton jet pump on your boat? Do you think it would maneuver the C-Dory the same? Sounds like your friend who liked to show off and be reckless got his just reward in the end ! (pun intended) Joe.

gljjr · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 11:49 am Post subject:

Joe,

I have the Kodiak. Since it is a '96 it doesn't even have the new style bucket on it that Hamiltion, Mercury, and American have gone to. The new reverse buckets are at least twice the size and do a much better job of redirecting the water flow for reverse.

What amazed me about the jet is that to turn in a circle you just turn the wheel in the direction you want to turn and then simply rock the bucket back and forth. This keeps the boat in the same place and just spins the boat. With the fairly flat hull on the C-Dory I think it would work pretty much similar to the sled. I do worry about cavitation on the jet though.

And yes my friend got his just rewards! I think in high school he managed to total 6 cars and that boat and still survive. I could never understand him. But kids with money do strange things to get dads attention!

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:05 pm Post subject:

46rigby-

Intriguing idea about the transom bracket! This would make for a CD-22 cruiser with the cockpit room of a CD-22 Angler! Some thoughts-

Would only be practical if it didn't significantly change the balance and handling of the boat, especially in the ocean swells in a following sea with the added surface area of the bracket bottom, which is usually closed off to provide added buoyancy for the weight shift abaft. (The transom bracket essentially adds 2 feet to the boat.)

The gas tanks would have to be relocated to fully make use of the vacated area- maybe to saddle tanks or possible inclusion in the bracket structure. With both sets of tanks, range would be significantly increased!

With the added length, the engine choice might be in favor of light motors, perhaps the e-tech(s) with slight power boost as well.

The factory can barely keep up with production of the current models and finishing the development of the TC-25, so interest in this project will have to wait, unless someone would be interested enough to go ahead on their own boat, which would include strengthening the transom, fabricating a bracket, cutting out and restructuring the transom well, relocating the tanks, lengthening the control lines, and whatever else necessary. Not a project for the average boat owner! Anyone interested enough to step up to the bat? (And risk significantly altering the resale value of your boat!)

Final question- Once a boat is converted, one will have to ask: How good is it? Is there a real demand for it? Would it work in production? Is it significantly different than the 25 to warrant adding to the line? Etc., etc.

Lots of questions to answer!!! ???????????Joe.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:15 pm Post subject:

Alvig- "Sahel" huh? At 130, that's an apt "affectionate" nickname for it! You really deserve to cool off on the waters of the NorthWest more than any of the rest of us! Only a month or so more to go....be sure to take lots of photos and keep a log for all of us to enjoy on your voyage!!! Joe.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:27 pm Post subject:

Pat and Alvig

Pat's absolutely right! The Pilothouse 27 is a truly unique one of a kind! I considered buying it and even had a trip lined up with the previous owner the day after it went on the market to scope it out when I realized it was just too big for my lake use. It is, however, a perfect sized C-Dory for a NorthWest Passage voyage. Bon Voyage! Joe.

Aiviq · Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 9:57 am Post subject:

Pat: Don't hold your breath waiting for an auction. My wife will have to twist my arm a lot harder than she's doing yet to get me to sell it.

Sea Wolf: Sahel isn't a nickname, it's "the boundary zone in Africa between the Sahara in the north, and the more fertile region to the south. An area of semi-arid grasslands and thorn savanna." It's apparently from the Arabic "sahil", meaning border or shore (border in this case, the nearest shore is several hundred miles away). You're right, though. In English, the name is quite apt. Amazing what you can learn on the C-Brats site. It's like watching discovery channel. Jim