New Boat, sorta new member

[Not For Hire]

Hi folks,

Longtime lurker and occasional responder. (I think I have one or two posts since I joined this group in May of 04). My name is Mark Smathers and I live in Cadillac, Michigan. Three different Lake Michigan ports are each about 45 to 50 miles from where I live. I have fished and boated in all of the Great Lakes and many inland waters for forty years. (Here inland means non-Great Lakes, the big lakes are the Sweetwater Seas). Unfortunately my wife is not much of a boater but I fish with a few different folks and I also enjoy single-handing for fishing and exploring.

There is now a brand new, blue, 2004 C-Dory parked in my backyard. I bought the boat from the broker in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. Boat has twin 40s, anchor deck pipe and opening center window but is otherwise stock. I have been looking for a new boat a long time. Focused on the 22 after considering Rosborough, Siemens, Parker, and the C-Dory 25. (I once believed I needed a stand up head). But when I visited the CD 25 in person I thought the cockpit wasn’t nearly deep enough and I could see myself as the subject in an unscheduled man overboard drill. On the other hand I was captivated by the 22, and as I learned more at the user groups I became confirmed that decision. As one of the sages said “May as well get the C-Dory because you won’t be able to get it out of your head.” That was me. I almost bought a couple of different used boats. I considered ordering a boat but there was that delay thing and the money thing. I might have liked the high top. The rest of many accessories I look forward to adding myself. I like doing the backyard and driveway stuff as well as the water stuff. I am very happy I don’t have to live with the holes somebody else made in my boat. At least now, stupid holes or not, I made them.

I bought the C-Dory for many of the same reasons given already: an economical to operate (if not purchase) boat, can operate at almost any speed (no awkward phase between hull speed and planing), good looks, no sun, no rain, yes over-nighting or longer, a go-far and not a go-fast boat. And isn’t it amazing how your opinion of the high resale price on C-Dorys changes when you are an owner instead of a prospective owner.

Mulling over names: “Not For Hire,” “Marita,” “Ruthie,” “Spartuna.” “Betty Lou”. When I get the name I will ask for an album and new handle.

I have some questions and I will ask them in other topic areas.

Sorry for the long winded hello.

Mark

[B~C]

great, now comes the fun and most important time...spending quality time bonding with your new baby....bouncing on the seat in the driveway whilst making motor sounds....downstairs restroom full of boating catalogs.....to much time spent on the stupid internet..... the bad news is, unlike most toys I've had, that new toy joy just never seems to fade away.

[Pat Anderson]

Well, welcome aboard, even if you are not exactly new to the site...you will discover in spades just exactly how true all of the reasons listed are! We just sold our 22, and are waiting for the 25 to get finished, but then we are cruisers rather than fishermen first and foremost, so the bit of extra elbow room, additional amenities and greater range will be nice - but truth be told, we both loved our 22 and could have been happy cruising on it as well...

[CAVU]

Mark'
Welcome. You are in a great place if you like fishing. I was stationed in the UP for five years at K. I. Sawyer AFB back in the early 70's. Fished both Superior and Michigan from my little 14' cartopper (near shore-good wx.) I know you will love that C-Dory.

[El and Bill]

Mark --
Congrats on the new boat -- where will you be doing most of your cruising?? Good luck on the naming -- that can be a hard process.

[Mr. Fisherman]

Congrats and welcome.
I think you are gonna love your boat.

[Not For Hire]

Thank you for the kind words. I may go with "Not For Hire" although I used that name once before. Supposedly Mark Twain as the young Sam Clemens dreamed of owning his own riverboat one day and naming it the Not For Hire and taking it wherever and whenever he wanted. The C-Dory with its river exploration possibilities kinda fits.

El and Bill, thank you for your website and inspiration. Put me on your list of folks that may be of assistance if you are up this way. I like to think my best cruising is in front of me. Northern Lake Michigan is the closest to me but I have considerable time in Northern Huron also. Was in the USCGAUX for several years and had some wonderful times on the St. Marys river and watching the 1000 foot ore boats go by. If you get up this way this summer I recommend Snail Shell Harbor at Fayette, Michigan on the UP's Garden Peninsula. Small wonderfully protected harbor. Fayette is a ghost town that was a company iron smelting town for about twenty years in the 19th century. They brought iron ore in by schooner and locally they had hardwood and limestone. A couple of thousand workers, mostly from Europe built this little town. With the spread of the coke smelting process the hardwood process ended abruptly. The area is now a park operated in tandem by the Dept. of Natural Resources and historical commission. The limestone cliff can be seen from way off and that and Canadian shield ore bearing rocks may be of old enough history to interest bill. Best to go sometime other than July and August as boats can be rafted up at that time. The Lighthouse bar, about a mile's walk from the dock and outside the park, is famous for fresh whitefish dinners.
You may also like Beaver Island for its human history as well. Mackinac island is best in the winter (see my website for some amateur human and geological history) www.lawnorth.com.

I hope to cruise the Apostle Islands this year with Moose, although he doesn't know it (or me) yet.

Mark

[Spirit]

Congratulations, bet you can't wait to get her out on the water.

In February we bought the Anna Leigh and yesterday it finally got warm enough here in Helena to put on the new name (Spirit) and Montana registration numbers. We crawled all over the boat getting it ready for summer cruising, but it was a good thing we put it back in storage last night because its snowing again today.

Best of luck.

[El and Bill]

Thanks for the ideas and kind words, Mark. We look forward to some cruising in the Great Lakes country this summer, and are casting about for some thoughts -- your ideas are a big help. Congrats again on your "Not for Hire" -- like the name and its history.

[larry7777]

Congratulations on your C-Dory.

I sure like the name and the story behind it.

Like a lot of things Mark Twain said, it has real meaning.

Larry

Florida Keys