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25 Cruiser vs 26 Venture
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Cfoster



Joined: 28 May 2006
Posts: 56
City/Region: Louisville
State or Province: KY
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 2:38 pm    Post subject: 25 Cruiser vs 26 Venture Reply with quote

I'm confused regarding exactly what the differences are between the 25 Cruiser and the 26 Venture. Could someone please explain the advantages of one model over the other? I can see the differences on the specifications, but what are the real world every day differences. They must be different in some important ways if they build two models so close to each other.
Thanks.

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Foggy



Joined: 01 Aug 2013
Posts: 1518
City/Region: Traverse City; Northern Lake Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2014
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Boatless in Boating Paradise
Photos: W B Nod
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know anyone in this forum who has owned both a 25 cruiser and a 26
Venture to give you a learned comparison. I'm sure some have opinions though.

I owned a 26 Venture and would be happy to answer a few specific questions
about that model, if asked.

Aye.
Grandpa used to say,"OK to compare cars, boats, cheese or houses. Never
compare women."

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Cfoster



Joined: 28 May 2006
Posts: 56
City/Region: Louisville
State or Province: KY
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Foggy,
Thanks for replying. Why did you buy a Venture 26 over a Cruiser 25? was it a deliberate act of just what was available when you were ready?
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Ordutch1975



Joined: 06 Jun 2017
Posts: 255
City/Region: Portland
State or Province: OR
Vessel Name: Boatless :-(
Photos: PennyBridge
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will answer in regards to 22 vs 23 I believe many of the differences are the same:

1. The 23/26 venture has closed foam core vs a balsa core
2. The 23/26 has a steeper dead rise which in theory allows it to run smoother also it tracks better from my understanding (I haven't been on the 22 enough to quantify this.
3. The 23/26 venture has a finished interior vs unfinished. IE insulation and a nicer fit and finish (my wife and I both appreciate this). Drop ceiling with wood trim etc.
4. The 23/26 is heavier than the 22/25 (consider your tow vehicle)
5. The ventures are a bit wide and longer than their counter parts

That is as much as I know - we love our 23. A 22 was just slightly too small for us (I am a big guy 6'4" and 250lbs) you may not have the same issue with the 25 tho.

H

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DavidM



Joined: 24 Dec 2017
Posts: 196
City/Region: Punta Gorda
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This question was answered by giving the history of the Venture and its design and dimensional differences in another recent thread on this subject.

Basically the deeper keel of the Venture 26 will provide a better ride in chop than the Cruiser 25. The Venture feels a little bigger due to its slightly wider beam and length.

David
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Cfoster



Joined: 28 May 2006
Posts: 56
City/Region: Louisville
State or Province: KY
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You all both mention a wider beam but the specs say they both have a beam of 8’6”? Is there a difference in the beam?
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Foggy



Joined: 01 Aug 2013
Posts: 1518
City/Region: Traverse City; Northern Lake Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2014
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Boatless in Boating Paradise
Photos: W B Nod
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cfoster wrote:
Foggy,
Thanks for replying. Why did you buy a Venture 26 over a Cruiser 25? was it a deliberate act of just what was available when you were ready?


It was the deliberate act of ordering the 26 Venture from a dealer in my state.
Why the 26 vs the 25? Really, no good reason except the 22 was WAY too small
for my wife after being on board one (she's not a big one only slightly
claustrophobic). Never rode in a 25 and I'll bet my rubber duck I wouldn't be able
to tell the difference.

Puny reasons to spend the extra bucks but I did.
1. The 26 was longer (4") and you know "length is ride" on the water...
The hull may have the length but maybe it's in the 4" longer cockpit.
2. The 26 hull has slightly more "V" and more clinker strakes.
3. Interior finished a little better - vinyl foam which ended up delaminating
in the south from humidity.

Aye.
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ken35216



Joined: 12 Mar 2013
Posts: 569
City/Region: Destin, Florida
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2017
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Lady Onyx
Photos: ken35216
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm 6'3" and the reason I went with the 25 is the extra interior headroom. I also like the unfinished interior as my boat is in Florida. I also like the looks of the 25 a little better. That's a personal opinion.

Both are awesome boats!

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Cfoster



Joined: 28 May 2006
Posts: 56
City/Region: Louisville
State or Province: KY
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How is the 26 interior finish different than the 25?
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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20779
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most of the 26's have vinyl (Like naugahyde facing out, with a thin foam backing. The problem with this is that the foam/vinyl/to fiberglass delaminates, and gets mold in the foam. This may only be a problem in the hotter climates. But I don't like mold in my boat. I considered buying a 26 a few years ago. That boat had only been used for about 1000 miles--had mold in the headliner/foam delaminated. There was an undetermined leak, which kept filling up the bilge (under the floor in the cabin) with water. (The 26 has a cabin floor over the bottom of the hull; the 25 has the cabin floor as the bottom of the hull. Part of the reason for this is the slightly deeper "V" of the hull in the 26. I have seen the boat a number of times since at gatherings. Wooden batten pulled the foam/vinyl back to the top. There is still mold in the boat. Last I saw it, the puzzle of the water in the bilge was not solved.

I just just spent 2 days getting mold out of the boat--I will spend another day--in the 25 you just scrub, and then rinse (I use a pressure garden sprayer to direct the rinse water). You cannot clean the 26 the same way.

I have ridden in several 26's, and they do ride very slightly better than the 25's--but most folks will not be able to tell. A good skipper who knows how to run the 25 will get almost an identical ride. The difference in "Deadrise"--the amount of "V" at the transom is only a few degrees. A true deep "V" is 24 to 26*. The C Dory 25 is about 4*, the 26 is about 8*..The amount of variable deadrise is probably deeper in the 26 at the helm station--and that is what gives the slightly better ride. Neither of the boats have any significant keel. The tracking is essentially the same. Both can pound going into a chop.

As noted the cockpit in the 26 is a few inches longer than the 25, but the 25 is slightly wider. Both boats are 8'6" wide (Max trailerable width without a permit).
There is only 4" Length over all. The number of strakes in the hull is more in the 26, but that was only for looks, when the boats were first made as a competitor to C Dory, and to get around the no compete clause (didn't work, C Dory won, and the copy cats forfeited the molds--short version).

Recently I bought my second 25--it was a 2007, intentionally, because it was the first year of the fiberglass interior. My close friend who has a 2004 saw my boat yesterday, and commented on the definite differences between the 2004 and 2007.

The fuel mileage and range will be pretty close. The 26 weight is a bit more. They both have 100 gallons of fuel, They both can carry up to 200 hp, although in general most of the 25's have 150. With a heavy boat, and 4 stokes getting lighter, the 200 is a better choice.

To the credit of the 26, one has made a number of runs from San Francisco to Catalina and back--this can be one of the roughest stretches of water on the West Coast. True they have taken as much as a month (most waiting for weather). I believe that they made the run several times only stopping for fuel. A 25 could do this also--but I am not aware of any that have. The vinyl/foam insulation may give less condensation, and there is a little insulation factor there for the colder climates.

Ideally the boats would all have a perfectly smooth glossy interior and thus far less likely to have a mold issue. This would make the boats much heavier and more expensive.

Foam bottom core vs balsa bottom core: There have been some of the older boats --mostly 22's--which have had some balsa core rot. These have had the core replaced. There are reasons that balsa is a better core material--this involves both shear strength and compression loading. The newest boats have basically no penetration of the bottom core. I believe that most all of the boats now have foam core transoms. The C Dory's do not have the core delimitation problems that many other boats (Sea Ray, Bertum, etc) have had. All boats have some core penetration. Only the most expensive (Hinkley etc) put any core penetration thru solid glass, or undercut/remove core and put in epoxy plugs properly. This should be done for the C Dory--but it boils down to the individual owners to do this if necessary. There are a couple of places in my "new" boat which will require this--but nothing significant. (you find these issues with a small phenolic hammer and moisture meter). I spent almost a full day surveying the boat I just bought.

I am happy to answer any specific questions--obviously I tend toward the 22 and 25 line--but the 23 and 26 are equally as well built boats, and many like them better. I just feel that for the South--the utilitarian raw glass interior is better.

Good luck in your quest. I suggest that you try and get a ride in both of the hulls. C Brats are very accommodating, and you should be able to get rides. A good way to get involved is to go to one of the gatherings. Most have a "Cruise" involved and members are happy to take you for a ride. Also you get to see many of the boats and modifications.

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Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
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Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
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Foggy



Joined: 01 Aug 2013
Posts: 1518
City/Region: Traverse City; Northern Lake Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2014
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Boatless in Boating Paradise
Photos: W B Nod
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, as I have said, no one has had both the 25 cruiser and the 26 venture,
so far.

All have had opinions. Some verbose regurgitating what another said
earlier in fewer words.

Bottom line; they're 'bout the same. If I were the Mfg, I'd drop one.

Aye.
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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20779
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Foggy, the forum has just one rule--just be nice. Due to that rule, I will not say what I think of you and your comments thru the several years you have been on this forum.

However, Cfoster asked some specific questions which were not answered in your or any of the other posts. I answered those to the best of my ability--having ridden in 6 of the 26's and traveled several thousand miles in my own 25's.

Regards
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Ordutch1975



Joined: 06 Jun 2017
Posts: 255
City/Region: Portland
State or Province: OR
Vessel Name: Boatless :-(
Photos: PennyBridge
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look - it comes down to personal preference BTW you can get the 23 and 26 these days with fiber glass interior if you order it. I personally like my interior but I also don’t live in Florida where the warm moist air may be a bigger issue. One of the brats has one - he installed his own marine “carpeting” on the interior walls.

In the PNW where it rains a lot in winter I just make sure to keep a heater/dryer going in the winter months.
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Cfoster



Joined: 28 May 2006
Posts: 56
City/Region: Louisville
State or Province: KY
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2018 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thataway,
Thank you for your thorough response. I really appreciate knowing all the details. That is exactly why I asked the question. I live in KY and our summers can be as hot and humid as any in FL. We call them velvet days in the Bluegrass. I see where Three Rivers has a 26 Venture Sport in inventory. Is that the unfinished interior that Ordutch1975 is referring to? I noticed that the TomCat Three Rivers has in stock is also a Sport model as well.
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DayBreak



Joined: 16 Jul 2017
Posts: 838
City/Region: Monmouth, Or.
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 2018
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: DayBreak
Photos: DayBreak
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2018 1:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Cfoster. To answer your question. Yes, the Venture Sport model boats have the spray in stipple material. We prefer this for ease of cleaning, reduced chance of mold or hidden mold and it has a nice textured look on the walls.
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