Aluminum ... A-dory?

C-Green · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 3:20 pm Post subject:

A friend has a Lifetimer (Duncan, BC). Great boat. It has a deep vee but with the rear third shaved off giving more plane-ing surface. "Climbing out of the hole" characteristics very similar to a C-Dory which is to say "no hole" just a gradual rise of the bow. Manufacturer was very open to modifications by the factory at original build but that was some 20 or more years ago.

Jay

Punkin Drublic · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 7:16 pm Post subject:

Hey Jay, thanks for that info. Will add lifetimer to the writing list on the subject.

By chance know any cdory owners on the island that might be willing to do a ride along? PM me if you do.

C-Green · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2025 9:13 pm Post subject:

I meant that the Lifetimer is made in Duncan. My friend and his boat are in Duluth, MN. So I don't know a sloe on Vancouver Is. which is the island I assume you were referring to. I checked out the LIfetimer 22 on the web and it is close to a CD-22 except for the hull bottom.; buy local, no tariffs! I apologize for the us president.

Jay

Punkin Drublic · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2025 10:02 pm Post subject:

Yes sorry, I was meaning Vancouver Island. Bad habit to refer to it as 'the island' when theres a few of them in the world haha.

Silver Streak was more interested to selling me a Swiftsure from their manufacturing line up than discussing a A-dory. Will go look at lifetimer a bit closer in a few minutes.

Punkin Drublic · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 12:36 pm Post subject:

Yes, the lifetimer 2200 series on paper is a very close match in a deep V. Have written Lifetimer with some questions and going to have a look in person hopefully soon'ish. See various boats of theirs around and have always impressed me visually.

Also found Cope boat design in qualicum through some more of my own digging and written them as well. Liked what I was seeing on their website. Maybe a A-Dory born yet. My wife asked if the A was for Abomination-Dory. . . might make that the name and run a pirate flag lol

kaelc · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2025 5:33 pm Post subject:

I went through the same analysis as you with my 18 Hewescraft when I moved up to an overnight boat. I think the Dory design is best in Fiberglass. I did get quotes on a Silver Streak Phantom 21 at the time. Right now the best value is a used 26 Venture out of WA. The Vancouver C-Dory dealer has a 23 Venture and there is a 23 owner on Lower Mainland but I haven't seen them come up for sale used.

Most Vancouver Island builders will build a boat based on a Cope or similar aluminum welding-designed boat. Doing a custom one-off boat would be cost-prohibitive and difficult to resell. There is a custom 28 aluminum pilot house for sale in Campbell river for 80 or 90k Canadian and it isn't selling (home weld job too)

Punkin Drublic · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2025 5:51 am Post subject:

I'm going to be stopping in to the seller in north van this friday hopefully and take a more solid look at the 23 venture. Been waiting for them to bring in a 25/26 but with current political stuff who knows if/when that'll happen.

I spoke with Cope (Bruce) via email, he's stopped doing custom work however a 10 year associate of his, Amanda, is doing custom work but as yet to hear back from her office. https://devalkdesign.com/

And yes, custom work may be more than I want to play with but I'm curious enough to pursue it, see where it leads. An associate of mine does aluminum fabrication, used to work at Port Boat House till he started on his own. Still does work for Port Boat House and other dealerships so that may be an option.

Last time I was at the North Van dealership he didn't seem all too keen on outfitting a hull with twins. I may end up getting the boat without any rigging and do it myself. Neighbor is a certified marine mechanic and holds his marine electrical etc. I'm an electrician by trade so should be able to sort it out. Although he's in Northern BC (South Bank) my uncle is a chief engineer and outfitted a early 2000's 22 dory this summer past with twin 50 tohatsu's so I've some experiences to draw from there. He found the boat in Yellowknife of all places 😳