C-Dorys in Lake Superior area?

[Boondock]

I'm new to the forum and am interested in buying a 23'-26' C-dory/Venture. I'm wondering if anyone on this forum lives in the Apostle Islands, Duluth, or South Shore of Lake Superior area and would be willing to let me step on their boats to see what they are like so I can figure out which model feels right for me? I currently have a 21' Nimble Vagabond - a trawler. It's a sweet little boat, but I want something bigger, the ability to go a bit faster sometimes could be nice, and having enough room for 2 people to enjoy overnighting, and also the ability to cruise around for a day with 4 people is a must as well. I think a C-Dory is right up my alley, but am not sure which size boat is my best bet. By the way, I'm 6'2" tall and want enough headroom to be comfortable, so the 22 is too short to be of interest. If anyone is able to help with suggestions that would be much appreciated!

[Tom Hruby]

FYI The 22 ft C-Dory comes with two options for cabin height - 6'2" and 6'9". I am 6'1" and when I ordered my 22 ft cruiser from NMI I was able to specify the higher top. My wife and I were not comfortable trying to sleep in the forward area so I had NMI not build the sink and stove area. They just extended the 9" high platform so it extended from the wheel to the aft bulkhead. I was then able to build a berth on top of that with a removable section to put in a helm seat. I have posted pictures of this in my album (WATT NOW).

[NorthWater]

I'm glad to see you found this forum.

As you know we are the new dealer in the area and we are working to get an "inventory" of boats in this area so we can make referrals and so forth.

You have been in communication with my sales manager Jeff.

I'd also be interested to hear a roll call on what boats are in the area.

We are here to help in any way we can and hopefully help you find the boat you are looking for.

[thataway]

[colbysmith]

Boondock, there are at least two C-Dory's I know of in or near Bayfield. Hopefully they'll see your post. One of them is Bill Bland, the latest owner of Halcyon. You might see if you can find him in the Bayfield Marina. Perhaps Foggy will pipe up and offer a view of his boat, if he still has it. I was just up in the Apostles, and while in the past it was rare to see other C-Dorys, I saw half a dozen at different times. So if you have time to hang around Bayfield, you may see some pull into the City dock, or one of the marinas.

[ssobol]

[Boondock]

Thanks all. It's good to hear that C-Dory is open to custom requests. Being located on Chequamegon Bay and the Apostle Islands, I thought the Venture series boat might give a slightly smoother ride in the not infrequent choppy conditions here. I also have heard the Venture series have more rugged tops that can be walked on and used for storing things like kayaks etc. As far as interior space goes, I do want a large enough space to be comfortable enough inside for multiday trips. Sleeping comfort, space to cook/eat/relax, good visibility out the windows, durability, ease of maintenance and use, fuel efficiency are all considerations. I'll keep looking for opportunities to get into different models so I can get a feel for what I like or don't. I think the 22 is going to feel a bit smaller than I want, but I'll check one out if given an opportunity.

I have heard some people (on this forum) mention that the Venture series boats with the insulated/finished interior walls can grow mold and delaminate. Is that an old issue thats been remedied by the manufacturer? It's hard to imagine boats of this caliber being manufactured with commonly known issues like that. I feel the same way about the talk of water in the bilges of Ventures from unknown sources. Hopefully C-Dory has addressed design or manufacturing issues for simple but significant detail flaws like that. Venture Sport and C-Dory 25 models worth considering instead

[Schuster]

Hello Boondock, I have the 25' cruiser and as far as the chop goes, here in the PNW we travel anywhere between Port Orchard, Wa up to Nanaimo, BC where our Son and his family live. So needless to say we encounter a fair amount of chop. I find that the 25 handles it remarkably well. Very seldom do i need to drop below 15 or 16 mph due to rough ride. With the Cdory brand if you use your trim tabs (highly recommended option) and put your bow down and cut thru the chop your ride will be comfortable. Bow up and you're going to pound on the waves and loosen your fillings. But that is the case with even deep V boats, you have to pilot the boat to the conditions.
In the 25 you will have no problem with headroom of 6'10". The visibility in the 25 is fantastic with 360deg visibility unless the head curtains are activated. We have had zero mildew issues with the exception of the bilge area that doesn't breath that well. I'm guessing that that could be remedied by installing louvered hatch door into the battery compartment. I haven't done that as I don't feel it is that big of an issue and I leave the hatch covers open when the boat is in storage under its garage area.
In summary, I'd definitely look at the 22s before you knock them off your list as there are a lot of them out there and a ton of happy boaters. As with anything there are trade offs from one model to the other and that is your job to sort all of that out. For instance, the 25' has a built in head with shower while the 22 uses a porta-potty. We've used a porta pot for years but sure enjoy having the head. With the 22 you can haul it with a small truck whereas with the 25 you need a more substantial towing vehicle if you plan on towing it any distance. A lot of things to consider and that is half the fun of shopping for a boat. Good luck.

[itiming]