C-Dory announces eboat for 2024?

TyBoo · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2023 9:50 pm Post subject: C-Dory announces eboat for 2024?

I saw a post on the C-Dory Facebook page announcing an electric 22' cruiser coming in 2024.

It may be a spoof - Facebook gets its share of those - but it looked legitimate. Why in the world they choose to use that platform for their social interactions I don't know. The C-Brats have sold more C-Dorys than any other medium and we will still be here when Facebook is an afterthought. We outlasted MySpace by a long shot!

I hope you all had a great Christmas!

ssobol

thataway · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:17 pm Post subject:

is this Tom Hruby"s Boat?. It seems to fit the description.

TyBoo · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:32 pm Post subject:

That could very well be it, Bob. Thanks for the reminder of that interesting thread. I hope he keeps us up to date on the progress.

There have only been a few comments on the FB post but quite a bit of interest judging by the "Likes". I don't have an opinion one way or the other but I do think it is a concept worth exploring, although it probably won't be a trend for quite a while. It is interesting, for sure.

Tom Hruby · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:53 pm Post subject:

Yes, everyone. This electric C-Dory they announced is my boat. I just visited the shop this morning and they were just starting to spray the gel coat into the mold. Estimated time of completion is early March. I am having some modifications made to the cabin. The starboard side sink etc. is being eliminated so I can build a second berth there. My wife and I cannot fit comfortably in the forward berth so that will be our storage. I will also be installing the helm seat on hinges so it can be rotated out of the way for the night. PS I have built 20 boats (5 larger ones of 21-26 ft) in my lifetime so am willing to undertake such modifications myself.

The batteries will be along either side of the cockpit with a removable bench over the top. They will be fixed in a permanent position only after I optimize their location for the best power/speed conditions. Since the two electric outboards are small I am having the hydraulic steering replaced with a cable steering. Also, no fuel tanks so the area under the transom will be storage.

thataway · Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2023 3:53 am Post subject:

C Dory already has a "Computer model" interior, which has bench seats on both sides. I am not certain that they have the interior molds for that, or if they are still made of wood; if they are still being made at all.

I am not sure what the issue is with the V berth forward that you cannot fit comfortably in the V Berth. An option is to extend the port length of the forward cabin berth by leaving the bulkhead off on the port side. This "bulkhead" is non structural and it has been removed in both the 22 and the 25 to significantly expand the sleeping bunk on the port side. I made cushions to fill the foot well in the boats I have owned which have been modified by the port bulkhead. The sliding (Barber) seat is utilized to give the forward port seat to be used as a navigator's seat, and face forward. I don't think you will get much longer, nor wider bunk by elimination of the galley. Granted one can do outdoor cooking--and maybe use an induction burner for cooking as we. have done for almost 10 years.

One other thought, some builders of the interior of the C Dory22 in the past have use zinc plated "L" brackets to secure the plywood to each other piece and to the floor. I replaced most of those in my boats with glass and epoxy tabing to avoid any holes into the hull core. (Which leads to delimitation.) My son (6'4" and 230#) can sleep in the V Berth. But in his "Cruise Ship" C Dory 25 the dinette is a full sized 4' wide, and I believe about 6it 1/2 feet long (Not absolutely sure about the length) and by preference sleeps there.

Interesting that it will be taking over 3 months to build a 22. I suspect that they have several other boats under construction at the same time. The only "new" C Dory I purchased was built in about a month, and in two months was rigged and transported all the way across the United States, to Wefings in Apalachicola. I believe that there are several advantages to the fiberglass interior. But that it is harder to modify than the wooden/custom.

In anyway we are all following your build with great interest.

Happy New Year--and a new C Dory owner.

Tom Hruby · Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2023 10:02 am Post subject:

The current version of the C-Dory 22 cruiser does not have bench seats on either side. Port side has a dinette set that can be converted to a berth and starboard side has the helm seat and raised work space for a sink and/or stove. All NMI will be doing for us is extending the 9" platform that starts under the helm all the way to the back. I will then put a berth on top of that. The current construction of the interior is done using a composite honeycomb product, not plywood.

With regards to the forward berth: my wife and tried getting in and out but it did not work for us because the cabin top was too low. To get in and out of a berth I need to be able to sit up straight first. I have a bad back ,am 75, and 6'1". I can no longer go through the contortions needed to get in and out, and my wife has similar issues.

ssobol · Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2023 12:26 pm Post subject:

One problem with berths in the cabin is that they tend to be narrow and if you get waked in the night you can end up on the cabin floor.

thataway · Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:49 pm Post subject:

Tom Hruby · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:31 pm Post subject:

A lot of questions are coming up and I will try to answer some of them. The current version of the C-Dory 22 cruiser has the interior sections molded in several pieces. NMI is using a honeycombed glass composite (1/2" or so in thickness) for the interior. The port side has the table and two seats that are convertible into a berth. The starboard side currently has the helm seat and a cabinet that has the sink and potentially a stove. I have asked them to cut down the cabinets on the starboard side and just extend the 9" high platform that is under the helm all the way to the back of the cabin. I will then put a plywood platform 4 inches higher as the base of a berth with a 6" mattress on top. The helm seat will be removable and the platform on which it sits will fold back out of the way for the night The space under the wheel will be filled with additional foam to make a level berth 6 ft long.
With regards to its resale value: The berth and platform can always be removed and cabinetry added on top of the platform to make it look like the way it is currently set up.

We will have shore power so can use a hot-pot and small electric stove, microwave and fridge. I will have 20kWhrs of battery storage and a 48V inverter for the times we are away from shore power. For emergencies I will also carry an alcohol stove. In the 26 years of cruising in my previous boats we have never had to use the alcohol stove. We will be getting the "camper" top from King Marine Canvas, so can use the cockpit for additional living/cooking space.

Yes, I did look at Sam Devlin's designs and even bought the plans for his 22' Dunlin. However, when I contacted several boat builders including Sam, all the quotes I received were more than $15,000 higher than the quote I had from the folks at C-Dory. I also looked at the 22' Bartender. Since fiberglass is even less maintenance than stitch and glue plywood boats, I decided to go with the C-Dory.

I also looked at the successor to the C-Dory (the Marinaut and now called Cape Dory). However, I was severely disappointed in the business model Ricardo Ruelos was using - endless promises but no follow up in writing of the prices or options he was quoting over the phone. This was over a 5 week period. He was even unwilling, or unable, to give me the price of shipping the boat from Florida to Washington.