NO C-DORY AT THE DETROIT COBO HALL BOAT SHOW

El and Bill · Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:54 pm Post subject:

Nick --

We'd sure agree with Pat -- we have been to three-boat gatherings and they were great!! Just being together on the water, with the comradeship of boat ownership, is well worth the name Gathering! Go for it!

Valkyrie · Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject:

Pat, El and Bill,

Okay, you three, you've got me there! Hey, I've only been to one gathering, the BIG EAST COAST GATHERING and our boat hadn't even come in yet! We'll be there with boat this year.

I think what I meant about "not full blown" was let's keep it simple and with as little bother as possible. Having been involved with MANY Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited banquets, I dread the organization that those big shindigs take.

Okay, my goal for this summer is to organize a three boat Gathering!

Best regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"

therevdr · Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 9:05 pm Post subject:

Nick,
I can't promise anything definite . . . but I'd attempt to make it a four-boat gathering!!
Bruce
therevdr

Jahmi · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:28 pm Post subject:

There was a reason that the metro Detroit dealer did not have any C-Dory's at the Cobo boat show. If you where in his shoes you would have made the same decision. I met with the owner the day he returned from Florida to see the 25 C-Dory he had in stock. I asked if he was going to be at the boat show and he told me yes but he would not have any C-Dory's. He did tell me the reason but I'm not going to disclose it in a public forum. I will call him and bring this thread to his attention and if he wants to disclose it he can.

I would disagree with anybody who says he is not committed to the C-Dory line. He was honest with me about the line. He was the first salesman that told it like it is. He did not sugar coat the problems with the boats that you guys are discussing here and led me to believe that he would be there for me to help with those issues. He offered me a test ride as soon as the ice melts in March and he directed me to this site to gain first hand information about the quirks of the boats.

As far as him going away to Florida in the winter and basically shutting down the business for those months. Can you blame him? It's not like there's a large demand for boats in Michigan in December and January. He can't even give someboady a test drive. Are you going to drop $50,000 on a boat without a test ride? I'm not. These boat dealers work hard during the season here and deserve some time to get a little boating in during the winter months.

He hasn't lost me as a customer and based on my limited experience with him during the off season I would say he did a great job cosidering the circumstances.

Jeff M · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 64

I just got off the phone with Larry the owner of Decks and Docks. They will be at the Novi Spring Boating Expo Boat show March 16-19. He apologized for not having C-Dory at the Cobo Hall Show. His display space at Cobo HAll (which is very expensive) was paid for by Brunswick. Brunswick did not think too highly of letting us slide a couple of C-Dory's into the display. We are both sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

Jeff

randykolchuk · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:53 pm Post subject:

I purchased my 25 from Decks and Docks. They have done their best to service my C-Dory. Any issues with the boat or the Hondas have been taken care of by them or the factory directly.

Les

ps: My boat is cruising around the Lake Erie islands quite a bit, I have yet to see another Dory.

Valkyrie · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:11 pm Post subject:

Jahmi,

The local Honda Marine dealer nearby lost its dealership recently and I went looking for another dealer, locating one 100 miles from here, but close to where we dock Valkyrie. I called to inquire about service and found that they were closed for an extended time. As encouraged by the recording, I left a message and backed it up with an email. I received both a phone call and email response within twenty-four hours. That's good communication and the dealer will now have my business.

I begrudge no one time of for boating and know that most dealers work very hard or they won't be in the business for long, but when I contacted the C-Dory dealer I received no responses to any means of communication, including email. After over a month of trying to get a response, I went hundreds of miles away to order a CD 22 from another dealer.

Also, if I had received a response letting me know that he was out of town and when he would return, I could have made other plans. All the phone message said was that they were closed, no explanation given. In this day of electronic communation, I don't think that is too much to ask, especially when we intended to spend close to $60,000 for a fully loaded CD22, which we did.

I'm sure that he is a good dealer or C-Dory wouldn't keep him around and if communcation was better he would have had a sale and we could have bought from a dealer fairly close to home.

Nick
"Valkyrie"

Jahmi · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:57 pm Post subject:

Valkrie

I see your point and I'm glad everything worked out for you. I left a message with the local dealer also but unlike you I got a response from one of his employees explaining the situation. I was very happy with my experience with him and felt it needed to be said because this guy was getting a bad rap and I knew better.

randykolchuk

If things work out for me and I do end up with a C-Dory we may cross paths because I plan on spending some time down there.

Jahmi

C-batical · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:40 pm Post subject:

Valkrie:

I also purchased my new boat from Decks and Docks in 2004. I found them to be extremely honest and decent people to deal with. Larry, the owner, has personally done a very good job in correcting some earlier rigging issues. He is always willing to do what is best for the customer. I do a lot of fishing and cruising in the western basin of Lake Erie usually launching from the Monroe, MI area. Occasionally, I make it over to the Bass Islands. I spent my youth with my dad on Lake St. Clair and subsequently raised my family boating on this marvelous body of water. I try to spend least one day a week during the summer cruising with my old boating buddies up by the North Channel. I always monitor Channel 16, Please give me a hail and perhaps we can meet up some day to share experiences. I also have had some material shipped from C-Dory through RabidFish Marina and they have been extremely helpful also.

Best regards,
Rollie/C-Batical

Valkyrie · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:26 pm Post subject:

Rollie,

Sounds good to me! My wife and I would love to meet other CD owners in the Lake Erie area and run together and compare boats. We'll be docking in East Harbor, only 13 miles from South Bass Island and are planning on running up the Detroit River to Lake St. Clair and points north on some of Marcia's five day weekends. Maybe we could meet sometime.

Best regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"