Newbie with questions!!!

[Tin Lizzy]

Hello there! I happened to stumble across the C-Dory boats on my search for a purchase I will make in about a year. I currently own a 2004 Lund WC-14 with a 25hp Johnson tiller named "Tin Lizzy". It's not much but my wife told me I needed a hobby after I sold my motorcycle and snowmobile to buy our new house (and pay for a master's degree, new child etc.) and it was something I could afford and always wanted to do. I went small to make sure I truly would like it and not have a second mortgage if I didn't. I think you know my decision. I have been looking at everything from cuddies to express cruisers (used) but I am not interested in the high maintenance and slip fees. "Tin Lizzy" fits in my garage sideways when winter comes and we can park both vehicles inside and there is almost no maintenance. My wife and would love a large cruiser but it doesn't fit in our budget and I think she wouldn't use it as much as I would. We have a 3 yr old son that factors in as well. I have been looking at the 16' angler/cruiser and need some real feedback. I live in Buffalo, NY and my typical boating day starts by dropping in the Erie Canal and "putting" 7miles up to the Niagara river for a little fishing and a lot of sun. We love to go to the concerts on Saturday nights in the canal. I would like a bigger vessell but it wouldn't factor into the budget. Questions, how big is the cuddy? Can Junior take a nap? Cooler space? Deck Space (can we fit 2 lawn chairs for cruising)? Ideally I would park this in my garage when not in use. It has a 8' tall opening, would it fit? I enjoyed what I have read so far and look forward to your feedback, what a great website!!!

[Otter-BelleHavenMarina]

Welcome aboard! Your questions:
How big is the berth? Can Junior take a nap? Absolutely. We have an 8 year old and a 5 year old (4 and 1 when we got the boat), and having the enclosed cabin and berth has been a great advantage. Little 'uns don't tolerate getting cold, wet, or too much sun very well. When I was looking at boats originally, I was thinking open center consoles until I thought through the reality of having to turn back (or not go out at all with the family) when conditions weren't ideal. The C-Dory allows them to nap, play "house" in the berth, do coloring books, whatever during the long voyages. There have been many occasions where we've arrived at our favorite beach with our youngest sound asleep.

Deck space for cooler and chairs? Yes -- an igloo and two folding chairs work well on the 22. Also, the freeboard in the cockpit is high, and I have few worries about the kids slipping and falling over the side. While underway, my wife is usually back there in chair enjoying the breeze and the kids always wear PFDs.

Will it fit in your garage? I don't know, I've never measured the height, but others on this site have. One of the other advantages to the C-Dory design though is that even if you have to leave it outside, there's very little clean up. Some leaves and debris fall into the cockpit, but the interior and electronics are all enclosed in a watertight cabin. I leave it outside on its trailer at the marina and just crank up the trailer wheel to a height where rainwater will drain out of the cockpit. I've never purchased a cover for it. The gelcoat fades over the years, but a good waxing brings back most of the shine.

This is a very family-friendly boat. I took mine out last weekend for a quick cruise, mainly to run the engine since it had been sitting for a few weeks, and when I came back my five year old looked at me reproachfully and said, "You went out on the boat without taking me?!?" I thought that was a very good sign!

Best regards,

[New Hampshire Guy]

With family and a young one I think you would be happier with the Cruiser model. The only soft places to sit on the Angler are the two seats. Plus the Cruiser has a port-a-pottie.
The Cruiser sits 72" tall. I haven't measured the trailer+boat but I can tell you it sure doesn't LOOK like the boat is two feet off the ground. I'll try to get a measurement, but my guess is the Garage would fit fine. If you have your E-mail on the BRATS I can send it direct, plus coordinate getting you a brochure.
As far as chairs, the seats spin around so you can roll up the canvas and turn and face aft. No need for fold up chairs if its just the two of you.
There are line drawings at www.c-dory.com and then click the 16' link. To get the dimensions on the berth try the "Line Drawings" link. Also a brochure has the dimensions for all the boats.
Hope this helps.
Fair Winds...
John
www.y-landing.com

[Otter-BelleHavenMarina]

Sorry Tin Lizzy - you were asking specifically about the 16' and I responded thinking 22' (which is what we have). Should have read more carefully!

[lloyds]

We bought our 16 cruiser in september and have been very happy with it. Children can sleep and play in the v-berth with no problem. Space is tight. They have pretty much shoe-horned in a few amenities, like a sleeping size berth, two swivel seats, and a little over 3 feet of cockpit, so everything is tight, but that shouldn't be a problem with a small family, for short trips. I used to camp in a vw bus with four kids, probably wouldn't be much different here. I think you would really enjoy it. It is a major step up from an open boat like the lund. Especially in comfort and weather protection. Feel free to ask specific questions if you wish. I have somewhat less than a 8' opening in the garage door and it will not go inside. I will have to check to see what is required and get back to you.

[Tin Lizzy]

I appreciate all of you taking the time to answer my questions. I liked the C-Dory layout over the conventional boats because of the hardtop. I know that I am sacrificing space but it gives me a longer boating season here in Buffalo and takes the chill off those cool nights. I picked the 16 because of price, towability and storage. I will have a total budget of $20k to buy my next boat plus what I get on trade for my current one (right now trade-in value is around $3500). From estimating motor, trailer, options and canvas I think I could be close to doing this with a 16 cruiser. I would probably go with an Evinrude 50hp E-Tec or Yamaha 50hp Four Stroke just for the service. The dealer I bought my boat from carries these (plus Johnson) and has excellent service. Nothing against Honda, Suzuki or Nissan but there are almost no dealers around for these makes. I have seen some leftover 19' anglers on line with a 75hp for $23k (too bad it was in Washington State!).
Again thanks for your insights, now all that is left is to get the C.E.O. to write the check. Dale

[Lil Rascal]

Check out C-Pup on the C-Dog site. He is able to park his in the garage with a few modifications.

Scott

[teflonmom]

The 22 would be a better cruising boat , but my guess is that you could camp quite nicely. The 16 does have room for a potty and the V-berth would sleep two adults. If you had an enclosure for the cockpit the little one could sleep back out aft and still be under cover. Cooking could be shore side in a single burner camp stove at the picnic tables at the locks.

See the 16 ft pictures on the C- Dory site you will get the idea.Just do it! A family that boats together-you know the rest.The size of the boat has little to do with the fun you can have. Keep us posted on your plans and first cruises.

Fred and Pat Red Lion, Pa.

[El and Bill]

Sorry we missed you -- just left the Erie Canal a few weeks ago, and in July and early September we cruised out Buffalo way. There are folks planning a C-Dory Gathering on the canal next year, so there will be opportunities to see the boats then. You're on the right track thinking C-Dory.

[Pat Anderson]

$20K can probably get you an older used 22 instead of a new 16...honestly, based on what you have written, I think you and your family would be happier ultimately with a 22...

[DaveS]

Hi Tin Lizzy,
Prior to our purchase of the 22' Cruiser we owned a 16' Cruiser. At the time of purchase our daughter was 9 yrs. old. I used to overnight frequently with it by myself and had plenty of room in the V-berth. On one occasion, my daughter who was 10 yrs. old at the time and I spent two nights sleeping on the V-berth with our cocker spaniel dog. It would have been much more comfortable if the dog wasn't lying on my feet all night... . At no time did my wife spend the night on the 16'. (However she and Jessica used to trade off napping in the V-berth while we cruised during the day). There are however several couples who routinely spend the night sleeping on their 16' Cruiser, (perhaps they'll chime in). As to the "lawn chairs", we were able to squeeze two folding canvas armchairs in the cockpit, but that left no room for anything else in the cockpit. (One chair was better). As to the question of height, the measurement of our 16' on an EZ Loader Roller trailer was 7'4'' tall and was 20' 6'' long on the trailer with the engine in the down position.
If you get a 16' Cruiser and plan on spending nights on it, I would recommend obtaining a camperback, so you have more room to store items that tend to accumulate on the V-berth. (In fact, I have a camperback for the 22' Cruiser and would personally never be without one, especially in the rainy Pacific Northwest).
You mentioned attending concerts in the evenings. One drawback with a 16' is the inability to lock it up while away from the vessel as there is no solid bulkhead seperating the cabin from the cockpit. (However, I never had a problem with "pirates" boarding my vessel while I was away from it).
Given your concern for storage space, your cruising plans, and your child's age, I would recommend the 16' Cruiser. However, when your child gets older (and bigger ), you'll be ready for a 22' Cruiser and then be perplexed as to where to store the vessel when you are not out on the "high seas" enjoying it! Pix of my former 16' and current 22' are in our photo album.
{P.S. Another plus with the 16', 19' and 22' C-Dory is the deep cockpit, which means your small child is not as likely to be able to "accidentally" fall out of the boat!...Oh, and did I mention all the C-Dorys are sea worthy and "cute" .

[hughpenk]

I have owned a 16 cruiser since may of this year. I would have liked to own a 22 but the 16 fits the budget. I have absolutely no regrets since owning the smaller craft. If you are a large person- over 6 ft. it might make a difference. But this is a big little boat. The camper back would greatly increase usable room. 2 chairs in the cock-pit would be a bit much, but the seats swivel and are comfortable. I have a honda 40 and I fill up the 6 gallon tank at the gas station and get about 8mpg and can go around 25 mph easy. Launching the boat by myself is easy. I think of it as an ideal 2 people boat but a small child should fit good. Though I still want a 22 I would have a hard time saying good-bye to the 16. Yesterday I was in 6foot chop powering up and down waves 30 mph+ winds no problem. The 16 is the gunkholing king. I have taken people with decades of boating experince on the Hudson to places that they have never seen practically in their own back yard. Good luck!

[Tin Lizzy]

Thanks for the info guys. "Sea Shift" your dimensions are perfect. This boat would fit in my garage and probably sideways too for winter storage. I don't think I would be doing any seroius cruising, just lazy days with naptime once in a while. The camper canvas was one of the options I was considering. It is nice to know that the cabin seats swivel around. This would eliminate the need for an additional lawn chair, altough my c.e.o. will still have to have her spot. I don't think I will be doing any real cooking etc. More sandwiches and snacks. We also have a few restaurants around for a quick meal. Visibility isn't an issue for the concerts. We tie up to our friends boat. There is a hill you have to climb to see the show but we just sit back and listen from the water. On a good night there will be a couple hundred of boats in the canal and 10 thousand people. To El and Bill please make a post when you are down in the canal next summer. I would love to see the fleet in person. I live about 7 miles from where the actual canal ends and meets Tonawanda creek in Western NY (about 7 miles from the Niagara River). The concerts are on Saturday nights and are free. This past summer we had Eddie Money and The Guess Who as the big headliners. There is a fee to dock but if you get a good spot there is shorepower and water. Thanks again! Dale

[Chuck S]

We've had our 16' Cruiser for 3 seasons now and have never used the cruiser part. The Vee berth is big enough for two adults and the porta potti fits neatly underneath. A single folding chair consumes the entire cockpit.

The 16 Cruiser gives up all cockpit space for the berth. The 16 Angler does the reverse and gives up any means of sleeping on board for a larger cockpit.

I'm not sure I'd buy the 16 Cruiser again since ALL our boating has been day drips returning to the same launch site the same day. Anticipated overnighters have just not happened -- the camper trailer does that part!

The 16 Angler is, I believe, a better balanced boat regarding fore and aft trim. Steering and seating is 2' forward of that position in the Cruiser. This gives the boat a better bow down position.

If you can wait until spring you're more than welcome to come "up lake" and see ours.

-- Chuck

[El and Bill]

Dale --

The Last Dance lives just around the corner from you in western New York. Perhaps a p.m. email to him will put you two in touch. He has a nifty 22-footer and is a great guy (he's otherwise known as Red Cat, on this site). Also, Crescent Girl and Hunky Dory -- folks over New England way -- have been organizers of the NE Gatherings and the Erie Canal cruise. They can keep you posted of their thoughts about next year's cruise.

Looks like we'll have to give a miss to those great times on Saturday night out your way -- although we sure enjoyed cruising the canal this past summer -- we have some other thoughts for cruising this next summer.

The 16' is a great little boat for your intended use -- perfect for your water, and with the cover overhead (and maybe a camper back) should give an extended season for you. Good luck.[/i]