C-Dory Venture 29

C-Dude · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:32 pm Post subject: C-Dory Venture 29

Hi-

I used to have a 22 foot c-dory that I liked very much. I have moved on to a different boat at this time. My buddy, however is looking at a 29 C-Dory Venture and has asked my advice. I don't know the first thing about this model. It is a 220 HP yanmar inboard diesel. The intended use would be cruising/fishing 3-4 people in Prince William Sound area of Alaska.

Does anyone out there know much about these boats? Ride, towability, strengths, weeknesses, etc.

The boat is a 2008 with 30 hours on it and a 5212 garmin setup.

They are asking $119,000

Thanks in advance

Alyssa Jean · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:57 pm Post subject:

This sounds like the 29 ft inboard that ended up at Master Marine in Mt. Vernon. I think they made two off them. Someone else will come in with more about the boat. If it is the one I am thinking about, I was on it up in Bellingham when the factory brought it up to show on a trailer.

C-Dude · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:05 pm Post subject:

This boat was purchased new in Anchorage, from what I have been told. It is currently here in Alaska

Spike · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:59 pm Post subject:

I remember looking over the member list one day and seeing that one or two peole listed as owning a 29'. Maybe a seach and an e-mail or two would give you the answers you're looking for. Sorry that is as far as I can take you. Can't remember the names or much else

JamesTXSD · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:07 pm Post subject:

I think C-Dory made 3 or 4 of the 29s. Like David, I was on the first 29 at Bellingham, on a trailer in the parking lot at a C-Brat gathering (July 2007). What I recall of the boat was a beam of 9.5 feet or so, meaning some restrictions for towing. A deeper V hull than the rest of the C-Dory line, so probably a better ride in chop. The head was a step-down arrangement that actually stood between the copilot seat and the windshield. The steering wheel seemed to sit unusually low. A bow thruster. Inboard diesel, Yanmar. It was a tall boat on the trailer. Not to offend anyone who owns one, but to my eye it didn't have the same salty lines of the 22, although there was definitely a family resemblance... kind of a "Baby Huey" look to it.

That said, I'm sure it would be a very functional boat... just a departure from everything else in the C-Dory line at the time. Besides the one at Master Marine, I think one went to a dealer on the east coast. It was from a distance, but I could swear I saw one when we were in Canada on the Trent-Severn Waterway. Certainly not what could be considered a sales success, I think this was one of the "Tom Latham era" ideas at C-Dory, during the Reynolds ownership. 2008 model year boats that were a lot more $$ at a time the economy began to tank.

This was the only image I could find on a quick search...

http://www.mastermarine.com/boat_detail.php?key=135

With the vantage point of almost 5 years since I saw the boat, I may be fuzzy on the specifics. Consider that the boat was 2 factory owners previous, there would be no warranty or factory support. It was more boat, but with much the same layout (other than the head in the v-berth area) of the 25s; bigger dinette, more galley counter, could easily seat 6 in the cabin as I recall.

No personal on-the-water experience with the boat, but I do recall someone on the forum here who owned one.

That's all I recall.

Jim B.

DaveS · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:13 pm Post subject:

The 29' was first observed by many of us at the 2007 Bellingham C-Brat Gathering. In looking at the album for that event, I see only one picture of it (one on the trailer), however if my memory is correct it was towed up to Bellingham from the factory by a one ton truck. I was hoping to find a picture of it with the tow vehicle, but unfortunately I'm unable to locate such a picture. I do know that one of the 29's is still at the sales yard at Master Marine in Mt. Vernon, as I saw it there yesterday as I drove past it on I-5.

starcrafttom · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:22 pm Post subject:

I remember not being impressed with the performance numbers at the time. So I would go for a long test ride and see what the boat can do and how much fuel it will burn. other then that its a big boat with a lot of room.

colobear · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:54 pm Post subject:

Ditto with what others have said. There is a 29 at Master Marine in Mt. Vernon, WA that has been there for at least two years. I'd bet they would really deal to get rid of it. I saw another (of the three that were made I think) new and on the hard at skyline marina in Anacortes, WA. It might be worthwhile to see what Master Marine would sell theirs for just for negotiating purposes. I don't know of any brat who's been on a 29 in the water so we all are pretty much speculating. Good luck Caveat....

Matt Gurnsey · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:12 pm Post subject:

I think actual producton numbers were closer to 10 or a dozen of this model.

Not a great seller, it was introduced as the market was beginning to cool off, and it did not have good marketing behind it. It also has not been accepted by most of the members of the C-Brats site.

When judged against the rest of the C-Dory line, it is a very different animal. But I think with the right marketing, and some fine tuning of the design, if could have grown a market for itself.

The boat is very large inside, with great visability. The dinette is big, and would seat 6 in a pinch, four very comfortable. The boat will sleep 6. The head is down to port, which is a very common design for may boats, and while it rises a bit it certainly doesn't block the view for the co pilot. The advantage to the design is the 360 degree visability from the helm.

The steering wheel is low on the helm, and I would have preferred it be about 3-4" higher. There is room for flush mount electronics on the dash. The helm seat is comfortable and has a flip up section for standing operation.

The cockpit is large, and there is a transom door and molded in seating with storage or fishbox.

It's been awhile since I saw one at the factory, but I was overall impressed with the boat. But I wwasn't looking at it as a C-Dory owner, I was looking at it as a boat to be sold. At the time, we were selling Shamrocks, and the 270 Mackinaw was a great seller for us. But it only slept 2 and had a small galley. The things that were objections to potenmtial Mackinaw buyers was addressed by the design features of the 29 Venture.

I understand the boat seemed underpowered with the smaller diesel, but the 220 gave decent performance, and decent economy.

I think the boat is worth a look, and might be a very good boat for the stated purposes.

Matt Gurnsey · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:19 pm Post subject:

Let's see if this works:

[img]http://newimages.yachtworld.com/2/0/3/3/1/2033111_1.jpg?1234901155000[/img]

[img]http://newimages.yachtworld.com/2/0/3/3/1/2033111_4.jpg?1234901155000[/img]

[img]http://newimages.yachtworld.com/2/0/3/3/1/2033111_5.jpg?1234901156000[/img]

[img]http://newimages.yachtworld.com/2/0/3/3/1/2033111_9.jpg?1234901198000[/img]

[img]http://newimages.yachtworld.com/2/0/3/3/1/2033111_14.jpg?1234901244000[/img]

[img]http://newimages.yachtworld.com/2/0/3/3/1/2033111_15.jpg?1234901244000[/img]

Looking at the images, I think the roofline should have been a curved line like the Cape Cruiser / Venture 23 / 26, as the stepped look, while a feature on the rest of the C-Dory lines, looks too exagerated in the 29.

On edit- well heck. I have yet to have the image tab work for me in a post. Any tips?

C-Dude · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:47 pm Post subject:

Thank you all very much for the replys, this will be very helpful.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:48 pm Post subject:

Matt- I couldn't get the addresses to link and change into photo displays either, but here's a click on version for use in the meantime! Joe.

Da Nag · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:52 pm Post subject:

JamesTXSD · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 1:03 pm Post subject:

For reference sake, the boat in the images above that was listed on Yachtworld was marked "sold", the listed price was $89,900.

westward · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 1:45 pm Post subject:

I personally dismissed this boat when it first came out. I think because it was pretty far outside of the normal appeal parameters of the other C-Dory models, and also because the factory at the time seemed to be straying from the original C-dory formula (simple, economical, lightweight, spartan, etc.)in many ways at that time. I might change my mind very quickly if I were caught in a blow on Prince William Sound however! This could be an opportunity to pick up a good, serviceable boat for below what it cost to build originally. Best, Mike.