2004 C-Dory Cruiser 16 with 40 hp Honda Four-Stroke, $14,500

[Wolfeboro]

2004 C-Dory Cruiser 16 with 40 hp Honda Four-Stroke for sale, $14,500




Currently in use and in the water, this excellent little cruiser is unexpectedly for sale because of a family medical situation. She was the delightful result of an exhaustive “East of the Mississippi” search in 2023, and we found her just about three miles east of the Mississippi River, lovingly cared for by a meticulous retiree who used her as a “safety boat” for the annual “Floatzilla” kayaking event.

Previous owners equipped the boat and trailer fully—from the electric winch at the bow to the self-retracting and ratcheting tie-downs at the stern, plus full canvas for mooring, storing, and camping.

I hired a boatyard just across the river in Iowa to survey and prepare the boat before its trip to the New Hampshire Lakes Region. Their July 2023 survey showed that the engine—compression, cylinder “leakdown” and drop test, etc.—was in “very good” condition. I paid for them to install new control cables, spark plugs, water pump, oil filter, trailer hubs, seals and O-rings, oil and lubricant, etc. (documents available) in July of 2023 to make certain that the boat was completely ready for use when it arrived at our lakes.

And it was. The boat has performed flawlessly since its launch, taking us on picnic cruises from our Crescent Lake dock through the Smith River to Stamp Act Island on Lake Wentworth (its 5’3” height easily clearing the low Whitten Neck bridge) and from Alton Bay up Lake Winnipesaukee to Wolfeboro Bay. The boat has lived at its dock most of the time, though it has been easy to trail to other waters behind our Tacoma, and even our Mini Cooper Countryman has been able to take it the three miles between our driveway and the Crescent Lake boat launch.

The previous owner tells me that this boat’s first owner was a Detroit detective who used it on Lake Erie. Its second owner used it on the Mississippi. I have used it in New Hampshire’s very clean lakes. To my knowledge, it has never seen saltwater. And as far as I know, it has never seen ethanol—at least not for the past ten years during the last two owners’ times. Certainly in New Hampshire it has run quite happily on ethanol-free gasoline from the seaplane dock up at Nineteen Mile Bay.

The Honda engine has no hour meter, but it appears that this boat was used regularly but lightly—an ideal combination. It has been carefully winterized and stored, with appropriate commissioning using the specified Honda lubricants.

The beauty of the C-Dory Cruiser 16 is its very solid performance, combining the safety and efficiency of the dory-skiff hull with the comfort and security of a pilothouse. (Shelter from sun, wind, and spray was our crew’s requirement after our last open Downeast-style boat.) With a skipper alone the boat planes in the mid-to-upper-twenty-mph range. Fully loaded, it cruises in the mid-to-high teens. Lunch cruises at comfortable speeds are quiet enough for normal conversation in the cabin and cockpit. This boat never fails to turn heads: people love its traditional appearance, whether they are hikers on the rail trail watching the boat navigate the Smith River, other skippers on the lakes admiring it, or pedestrians in town shouting out approval as the boat heads home from the launch on its trailer.

The boat comes with high-quality custom canvas added by its Illinois owner: a full winter-storage cover with separate engine cover plus an easy-on/easy-off mooring cover and a “camping” cover to close the back of the pilot house. Having a cabin near our dock, we never overnighted on the boat, but it could be done.

All in all, an excellent little boat in excellent condition. Hard to find on the East Coast, but at our dock and ready to go right now. As our asking price indicates, we are seeking a good new owner for a good boat, not a good profit margin. Please see the photos in our C-Brats Gallery and feel free to ask any questions. Like most C-Dory skippers, I am happy to talk about C-Dorys.

Some specifics:

Hull:
16’ Fiberglass hull, approximate weight 900 lbs. empty
Two slide opening windows
Front opening hatch over v-berth
Manual Windshield wipers
Stainless steel cabin-top handrails
Stainless steel cockpit handrails
Cabin light
Running and anchor lights
Folding boarding ladder
Stainless steel anchor roller

Power:
Honda 40hp carbureted 4-stroke outboard motor with electric start, low hours
Honda manual
Extra Prop
2 Honda 6.6-gallon fuel tanks
Permatrim Performance Foil to increase performance and efficiency
Minn-Kota electric trolling motor for fishing and backup
Honda BF5A 5hp 4-stroke manual start outboard for trolling
Marine battery for engine and accessories
Brand new (2025) deep-cycle battery for trolling motor

Electrics:
New (2023) Garmin Echomap Uhd2 5" Chartplotter 53cv W/Gt20-Tm Transducer
New (2023) Ritchie S-53 Compass
New (2024) Marinco MiniBlast Compact Single Horn (Handheld Air Horn as well)
Uniden Atlantis 250 Handheld Marine Radio
Navigation Lights
Cabin Light
Circuit Breaker Board
Separate Navigation/Anchor Light control

Cabin:
Upholstered V-Berth Pad
Swiveling Skipper and Crew Chairs with Matching Upholstery
Exterior-Grade Wooden Bench for passengers
Dri-Dek Interlocking Plastic Non-Skid Flooring Tiles
Cabin Ceiling Light
Removable Chart Table for Crew


Ground Tackle:
9-pound Rocna Fisherman Anchor for Improved Retrieval
100’ Double-Braided Nylon Anchor Line with Stainless Thimble
West Marine Anchor Rode Bag
4’ Coated Anchor Chain
Osculati Twist Swiveling Connector for Proper Anchor Retrieval
C-Dory Anchor Bow Roller
Small Mushroom Anchor and Line for Fishing and Picnicking
Extendable Boat Hook
Various Heavy-Duty Lines for Docking and Mooring

Miscellaneous:
4 Adult Life vests
Air Horn
Fire Extinguisher
Automatic Bilge Pump
Manual bilge pump
Telescoping Oar
First Aid Kit
Porta-Potti
Two Fishing Rod Holders

[Lthomas]

PM sent

[Lthomas]

PM Sent