Not a C-Brat yet but considering for Southern Cali?

dafishinsamoan

I am looking for a boat to get me out to Catalina , San Clemente CA , for freediving/ spearing trips. Want something with the range and stable enough to be safe. I've been researching & was drawn to C-Dory for the price, dependability & shelter of pilot house.

Have been told many different things by several poeple. Everything from "definitely gonna have to be a 30'" or "you better get a deep vee", or "for the islands you'll only be able to go there in flat calm seas in a trailerable boat".

Any advice is appreciated - I'm a sponge trying to absorb it all in.

mahalo
ben

C-Hawk · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:15 pm Post subject:

Ben,
I have a 22' and go out to Channel Islands all the time for diving and fishing.
We go to catalina every August for a week at Two Harbors. There are some that go to T.H. almost every weekend.
We've been out to Santa Barbara for fishing.
Like all boats on the ocean--- ya got to go with the weather!!
Yes, calm water is a nice ride. We can slow down when it gets bumpy and stay on plane at 9 knots. The C.D. is not a fast boat- I've been up to 26 knots on calm water, but I wasn't sucking up the fuel either.

Gene Morris · Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:55 am Post subject:

If you look at the boats for sale area of the home page you will see a 2006 Tomcat "Divecat" if your budget allows this would do everything that you want in a boat.

Gene Morris

thataway · Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject:

I lived most of my life in S. Calif--and have gone to the various channel Islands thousands of times. The smallest boat I have taken to Catalina was a 12 foot inflatable. I went many times in an open 18 foot runabout.
Generally in the early morning hours (up until about 11 Am) it is calm--some swells. The afternoons can get choppy, but I still commuted with the 18 footer a few weeks from Huntington Harbor to the Istmus leaving the mainland at 5 PM.

Any of the C Dories are capable of this . As you get up to San Miguel, you will have heavier seas much of the time--and then the semidisplacment speed of the semi dory does very well.

C-Hawk · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:53 am Post subject:

journey on · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:26 pm Post subject:

Judy and I have spent most of our time sailing SoCal, including the off shore islands. The reason we got a CD25 is that it's most like a sailboat, in that it takes rough seas well. The thrill is in getting from San Pedro to Catalina in an hour, when it's smooth in the morning. Coming home downwind is easy.

In any boat, you don't want to be heading upwind in the afternoon, the chop is just bad, but Journey On handles it as well as anything. It also has a closed cabin to keep the spray and wind off. That's really nice.

Boris