Rough Ride?

[swag]

People are trying to convince us not to buy a 2008 C-Dory 2' Angler because they are claiming the ride will be too rough? Any advice from the forum? swag

[JamesTXSD]

The ride will be what you make it. When conditions are smooth, you can run at any speed the boat is capable of; when in chop, you will need to slow down to keep the ride comfortable. If you try to run hard in 2+ chop, the ride will be rough... but the person at the helm controls that.

I don't like a rough ride. We thoroughly enjoyed our C-Dory, because we ran it according to the conditions.

If you are getting advice from people who don't have a C-Dory, that would be like getting motorcycle advice from someone who only drives a truck. A deep-V hull will give you a better ride in moderate chop, if you are both trying to run the same speed. The C-Dory will give you a better ride at slower speeds (where V-hulls tend to wallow). When the excrement hits the rotating device, all small boats will have to slow down... that's where the ride in the C-Dory will shine over the deep-V hull. And through it all, the C-Dory will be more economical.

Driving a boat so that it pounds isn't good for any boat or the occupants... drive the boat for the conditions, and it will take care of you and give you the better ride. If any boat is pounding, it is trying to tell you something.

Good luck with the search. You will get much better C-Dory advice here, from people who use them. In all kinds of conditions. It is a very seaworthy boat.

Jim B.

[swag]

Many thanks for this. Yes, most 'advisors' are those who stress the floor of the boat is actually on the water, thus no protective layers of wood and fiberglas and air! But...that is what allows the shallow draft we require.

Accommodations can be made, depending on boaters' priorities.

[colbysmith]

It can be rough in chop, but one can slow down to eliminate some of the roughness. Before my CD-22, I owned a Searay 268 Sundancer. I don't think my Cdory rides any worse than it did. In rough water/chop, I'm not convinced any "small" boat is going to be real comfortable. I just recently spent a few days in the North Channel with 4-6 ft waves and 30 mph winds. It was rough. But even the bigger boats were staying in. We were back to 5mph, even 3mph, and taking some water over the bow. These boats are very seaworthy, if that's any consolation in regards to not the smoothest riding in chop. Colby

[PaulNBriannaLynn]

Its not the fastest riding boat through chop but its safe and will inspire confidence when a lot of other boats turn around.

We followed a 22' parker across some very rough conditions (gale) headed to the San Juan Islands. The difference was very noticeable they were able to cross at what I was guessing around 18 knots, and we had to slow down to 12 knots. The majority of boats were returning because it was too rough when we were heading out.

By the time we made it to our destination, that Parker had already set their shrimp pots. We burned half the fuel but they got there alot faster.

Our previous boat was a deep-V style boat, and the one advantage I don't hear very often is the c-dory's ability to stay flat on the water when trolling or stopped. Our previous boat would rock from side to side pretty terrible under the right conditions. The c-dory doesn't do that.

[swag]

I'm learning something with every reply. Thank you all for being so responsive! Quite reassuring that unpleasant conditions can be handled.

[rogerbum]

I had a 22 and regularly fished out of Neah Bay with it. I've run as far out as 30 miles offshore in that boat and had it in some pretty rough conditions at the end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In anything over about 1' of chop coming at you, the boat will ride rough if you push it too hard. I'd often run out at 12-15 kts while other deep-V hulls were running at 30 into the chop. I had to slow down because it was too rough to go faster. On the way back in with the wind and swells at my back, I often ran as fast as the others. In really crappy stuff - 3-4' of confused seas, we were all going pretty slow and I was holding my own. In fairly large following swells (6' and larger), I was occasionally running faster than the deep-V hulls as the swells tend to run under the flat bottom fairly easily - these boats are more like a cork in following seas. As long as you don't jam the bow too hard into the next swell, surfing down as swell is a more controlled event that in some deep V's.

That said, there is no doubt that in chop and wind waves above about 1', the ride will be rough if you want to travel at a comparable speed to a deep-V hull. You'll make up some of that time lost by driving past the fuel pumps while the deep-V's are re-fueling. That's the real trade-off. With the dory hull, you'll get much better fuel mileage compared to a similar size and weight V-hull. You'll also be more stable if you're drifting while bottom fishing or just anchored out. So it really depends on how important speed in rough conditions is to you compared to how willing you are to pay the fuel bill. If the former is more important than the latter, a deep V hull is probably a better choice. If economy is more important, the dory is the better choice.

[Foggy]

Just so we're on the same page, I believe the USCG
calls boats under 65' "small craft".

Also, flattish bottomed C-Dorys compared to deep Vs
running into 1' - 3+' seas is not an apple-to-apple
comparison. Simply put, the two hulls are designed to
handle differently which, in my experience, they
do just that. Then, besides bottom differences, there's
beam and length.

My 26' Venture has a 8'6" beam and my 28' Saber
(HP deep V) had a 7'10" beam which gave the Saber
the ability to run on top of 3' - 4' oncoming seas at
45 mph and up which the C-Dory could not approach
and maybe only dream of. Yes, fuel consumption is
different and that is another non-apple -to-apple
comparable.

So, now we come to length. In effect, on the water, length
is ride. A longer boat will pitch less that a shorter boat.
Not much more to this.

One other factor not much discussed is freeboard which
seems fairly skimpy in C-Dory design (vs Osprey). One
can easily imagine the closer you are to the water surface,
the wetter you will be.

Thanks for the read. I feel better now.

Aye.

[thataway]

What do you want the boat to do? If you want a pocket cruiser, which will allow you to live and travel on the water for months at a time, go to Alaska, or Bahamas, towed behind a light truck or many SUV's--then the C Dory is a good boat. (Look at some of the recent adventures--two members just spent over a month in AK, going outside of the Islands.) I have spent a month in Alaska and only didn't move one day because of weather--that day, no boats, including 80 footers were moving. One day, I got caught late in the day, and the chop had come up to over 3 feet--I pulled in behind a trawler trying to go 8 knots (actually making close to 6) and had a great ride. Been across the San Francisco Bay when the chop was up--a bit of spray, but a good ride. Run down Johnstone straights in 10 to 15' seas and gale force winds…Boris just came back from the Channel Islands some of the roughest water we have in the S. Calif. area.

A number of C Dorys have done the "Great Loop".

If you want to run out to the outer banks in 4 foot seas, then consider either a Contender or Regulator, with 26 degree dead rise, and some of the disadvantages of this hull type. Another choice would be a catamaran. I have a catamaran for those fishing trips, when I have to make speed, and don't need accommodations when I know it is going to be rough.

Best, look at the C Brat map,
find some one who lives near you , and go for a ride. There is a reason that almost every one of the C Dory's built is still in use, and that the resale value is very high.

There are "tricks" to learning to drive any boat--and the C Dory has several.

Yes, there are a number of folks who knock the semi dory hull. But they have either no ridden in one, or in a boat which was not properly trimmed. Remember that the semi dory is one of the most seaworthy hulls.

[rogerbum]

Of course comparing a C-Dory to a deep V is not an apples to apples comparison. But the OP is asking about rough rides and in general that involves a comparison between the C-Dory and someone else's experience with a deep V hull (usually the people who are advising against a C-Dory). In all cases, boat designs are compromises and what matters most is the intended use and what the owner values the most. If they value high speed in rough waters most, a deep V or a catamaran will perform better. If they value fuel economy, a C-Dory will perform better, unless they are willing to always stay at hull speed in which case a trawler style might be a better choice. So, when asked a question about a rough ride in a C-Dory, the non-apples-to-apples comparison (on many factors) is a pretty natural discussion.

[T.R. Bauer]

I would not call it a rough ride. But then again, my experience with C-Dory folks is that they are patient, practical, and very smart. It is a different hull and will pound the crap out of you if you want that. However, just slow down and most of the time all that goes away. The benefits of the semi dory hull design have been well discussed here for sure.....

[ghone]

Others have said it well, what's the mission you want done?
These boats have the proven ability to weather just about any condition
Here's the deal, if you're cruising and passage making you go when conditions are good. If you want a day boat for fishing our short cruises you go when you have the day off
You might need a different boat for each scenario
We've just done a two week Broughton Archipelago cruise in company with another c dory for a week, in an area infamous for fog, gales, wind against tide boat testing waves etc
We ran in calms, ripples, and one time up to 20 knot 1 ft chop because we paid attention to the clouds in the sky, the available weather reports and asked people who lived there when do they travel? We sat out the big winds
We sat in Alert Bay for 2 days as 25-40 knot westerlies tore up the place
We stayed put as did everyone else. On our cruise as many others we've done, our c dory is typically the smallest passage making cruiser in sight
The deep vee, high power boats are almost if not all day boats. Used for day trips and fishing and back to the rv or condo at night
We live aboard as we cruise, and just looking at how the deep vees behave when tied up keep me unimpressed not to mention trying to keep gas aboard with 500 HP on the back
As for weather ability Kerri On a couple years ago crossed Queen Charlotte strait in a full gale reported and seas higher than the pilothouse top, ie 7 ft when I had a schedule to keep ( I have no schedule now so we spend more time in calmer waters)
I was some impressed when she covered the 28 miles from Echo Bay to Port McNiel in 2 hrs 20 min with 5 miles or more of the big waves and rest anywhere from 2-4 ft
I found a great wave avoidance speed of 9 knots or so and not a head on assault important
We've been asked in some remote places by owners of big yachts, "how'd you get here?" Just like you did I say current passes and all
A big boat is often more hindrance than help,
We see Selenes, Nordhavn's Krogens etc leaving with us or at dawn as they don't want a beating either! If your mission is an all weather, anytime machine, go find what your local search and rescue outfit runs
Buy one of those, but you'll likely need an rv to stay in or a condo
They make poor live aboards.
When folks suggest the boat you're looking at rides rough, ask them what they drive that rides smooth? 9 times out of 10 they're marina experts with little actual mileage
C Dory's are different, tough little boats, and the cruises to prove it are in the forums
Have fun cyber cruising!
George

[Salmon Fisher]

The other day I took a ride in a friend's 26 Campion with a 250 Yamaha. It went fast, but at 26 mph in a 1 foot chop it was jarring each time it hit the next wave. I drove on the way back and wanted to cruise at C Dory speed, 17-18 mph. The deep vee wouldn't do it,couldn't do it, became bow high and it's stern dug in. Honestly, I hated it.

I love being able to plane at 10-11 mph and cruise nicely at 16-18 mph and we enjoy the nice smooth ride.

I fish a lot and as others have said, the C Dory is outstanding as a fishing platform.

We have owned a 22 for 5 years and now a 25 for 1 year. I have fished the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound. For cruising and taking extended trips C Dory cannot be beat, in my opinion.

This is the boat that has made my wife fall in love with boating and cruising.

Good Luck in your search. You're researching in the right place, no other place like it when it comes to great people!

[Tommy J]

Simply put, the 22' C dory hull will plane easily at 10 -11 kts and typically cruise at 14-18 kts even in light chop for a fairly smooth ride (this was the original intent of the designers). It will top out at 25-30 MPH if smooth water. The rougher it gets, you must trim the nose down (becomes a semidisplacement type hull instead of a planning hull) and slow down - and if you do this, then it will continue to be a smooth acceptable ride even in very rough seas. The Cdory will be powered by half the horsepower of the same length deep V and get twice the milage but you will not be able to blast thru 3' chop at 30 MPH. The Cdory is a fantastic boat if those characteristics fit your needs.

[Jack in Alaska]

Great and accurate comments on the 22' CD. I had one for 26 yrs. and loved it. Son has it now.
My 26' CD is more seaworthy, runs faster in rough seas but gets 1/2 the mileage.
Using your head when running the throttle is the answer.
CD's are a tough well built boat.