C Dory Quality

[Golerud]

My wife and I are thinking of moving up to a larger boat. A friend who owns a Roseborough 246 said his second choice in boats was a C Dory. Since there was a C Dory dealer nearby we dicided to go take a look. We looked at a 25' cruiser and after a very brief inspection, we noticed several obvious quality problems. The drawer boxes were poorly constructed and had the cheapest slides money can buy. There were plywood edges showing that what looked like they had only recieved one coat of thin paint and had bot been sanded and were rough to the touch.

My question to owners of C Dory boats is this: Are the problems we noticed and were quite obvious, indicative of the quality in areas of the boat that aren't readily accesible? The salesman who showed us the boat said the problem was due to the $9.00/hour labor and they couldn't afford to hire qualified cabinent makers.

[Alasgun]

You bet, these boats are full of flaws, we all regret buying them but are stuck and ashamed to admit it and everything else out there is light years ahead of C-Dory.

Or maybe not, it all depends who's story you get. Look them over and you be the judge, after all it's your money. If you need any help spending it there are plenty of folks on this site that will give advice on that too!

Mike

[Rob & Karen]

Am I the only one who is becoming completely exasperated reading this kind of post? It seems like every day someone is posting something implying major problems with the boats. Maybe there are problems at the factory, but what is to be gained by bringing the issue to the attention of people who already bought the boat? I can see discussing specific problems and how to resolve them, but what about the more general comment that we looked at a C-Dory and did not like it? So what is your point? What is the expected answer to the posted question.....yes the boats suck from top to bottom....don't buy one.

Rob (just Rob...not Karen)

[pcator]

I'm beginning to question of the validity of these kinds of posts. The competition? Someone with a grudge? They just stink.

We just finished the NC gathering sponsored by the local dealer Mobile East Marine. Could not have been with a nicer, happier bunch of boat owners anywhere.

Patrick

[C-Gypsy]

Yup. C-Dory's suck. They are terrible. Hell, it's amazing they float at all.

I must be stupid because I love my C-Dory 22 Cruiser. She might be a little rough around the edges, but she's my kind of boat. Solid.

C-Dory's are built on the KISS theory I believe. And built on a solid hull.

Years ago when I bought my Nor'Sea 27 sailboat the dealer tried to talk me out of it, saying it was a "cult" boat. Very solid blue-water cruiser, but who wants that? I did. I still own it.

I believe the C-Dory is also a "cult" boat. Mostly owned by people who want solid, simple boats that satisfy a lot of needs for a lot of people's boating needs.

When you purchase a C-Dory you are joining a family of really weird but happy people. The friendlist group of people I have ever met.

Oh, one more thing? C-Dory's are solid. Did I mention that?

Al

[flagold]

Fully agree -- don't buy a C-Dory. Mine is held together with duct-tape and string. I just happened to fall off the turnip truck by a C-Dory dealer and they took rough advantage of me. Now I'm left to fend for myself on a 4400 mile trip in one with "nuthin but a paddle . . ."

[Golerud]

It appears that I offended many C Dory Owners with my question about Quality in my original post and if I did, I apologize. My wording may not have been the best but what I am looking for is what areas should I take a look at that may be problem areas if and when I buy a C Dory. I thought owners of the boats would be the best individuals to ask questions of. The salesman I mentioned in my original post did not even know the fuel tank capacity. Again, I'm sorry if I offended anybody.

[JamesTXSD]

Well, "quality" is one of those perceived things. There are many boats that are finished off nicer than a C-Dory. I certainly don't take that to mean the boat is lacking in quality. My take is that the boats are built to take what the owners and Mother Nature throw at 'em. We just returned home from a year with well over 4,000 nm in the water and another 20,000 miles on the trailer. With few exceptions, any problems we've had have been from the "house" things on the boat. Some of these were less than smart install and some were parts that C-Dory (and lots of other manufacturers) use. But, THE BOAT is a great boat.

If you were to buy a boat that has granite countertops and tile floors, it could easily be understood that the manufacturer has used much more expensive components... but that doesn't make the quality of the boat any better.

Frankly, I cannot imagine a better boat to do the things we've done this past year. I absolutely think C-Dory (the factory) could be more upfront in dealing with problem areas. I was ticked to get the boat home, find we had water leaking in, and in frustration called the factory and was told, "Oh, yeah, we know what the problem is." I feel they should have called ME and said, "We may have a problem, and this is what to look for." Not very many companies will do that, though... and the ones who do have my respect and return business. If I believe they are looking out for me, I can (and will) be patient and loyal. When it seems that they are avoiding discussions and not making the effort necessary to eliminate problems, that is a real business killer in a niche market. I don't see this as an "us vs them" situation, and I hope C-Dory (the factory) doesn't, either.

I had a visit with Tom Latham recently and he told me all that the factory is doing to make these boats even better. I believe him. These often small but annoying problems need to be addressed and eliminated. It hurts the public PERCEPTION of quality.

I will go on record saying that Wild Blue is a great boat. Working together, we can make it (and all the future boats) even better. Who else out there has a great boat?

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[RJD Wannabe]

I'm a C-dory wannabe. I'm convinced a 22 Angler will be mine in a year or so.

I don't mind these posts if they are constructive and informative.

I still believe the old addage: Value = quality/price

These boats are GREAT VALUE, period. Not perfect, just great. I do want to be eduated and informed about areas i will work on. I might even go after a 24 Tomcat, based on value. I used to own a Cobalt, great quality, but the value is gone.

I'm not gonna drop $150K, but $30-40K when the time comes, and nothing I can see comes close for me. I'm happy to redo some things, and knowing where to start and what projects to do is VERY HELPFUL.

More and more, it seems used will be the way to go. The response by the factory may. or my not, change my mind regarding new vs used.

[flagold]

[Alok]

Golerud:

You appear to have touched a nerve because there have been a number of threads lately on quality control issues on C-Dory boats, and some of the negative comments - mostly by people who did not own a C-Dory, and had no experience using them- appear to have been unjustified. Even so, I was taken aback by the vehemance of some of the responses!

I personally felt that your observation and your question were quite legitimate. Clearly, every one who is active on this site knows that there have been some genuine quality control issues in the recent past.

I will give you first, my personal experience, and then some general obeservations.

I have a C-Dory Tomcat that is now 1 year old. It is permanently kept in a slip in salt water, and has about 170 hours on the motors (twin 150 Suzukis). I have had a water line leak in the shower plumbing (poor construction) and the caps on the fuel and water tanks have some rust (poor quality steel); the fuse on one macerator pump has a tendency to blow (poor design?) and the fish boxes in the cockpit fill up with water (poor design). But that is it so far. My dealer is a thousand miles away, and I have had no reason to regret the distance.

The only probem that required factory service was an electronics issue in the Raymarine equipment- not a C-Dory problem.

The interior cabinetry has stood up well; the hull, decks, and the cabin structure appear to be fine; the gelcoat and the exterior finish is fine; the Diamond Seaglaze windows are great.

Oh, and the boat has performed up to my expectations.

I may have been lucky; other have had more problems than I have. These have mostly been secondary to sloppy workmanship at the factory. It is impossible to determine the frequency of these problems because only those who have experienced them tend to speak up.

Your specific question about whether the visible evidence of cutting corners indicates problems in hidden areas cannot really be answered, because there seems to be quite a bit of variation from boat to boat. However, I have not picked up any evidence of a major recurring problem on the CD-25 from the postings on this site.

The large majority of C-Dory owners appear to be enjoying their boats to the hilt.

However, in all honesty, there is one other issue to consider.

The C-Dory has been, to some extent, a cult boat. In the past, there was a strong bond between the manufacturer and the customer. Problems, big or small, were handled either directly by the factory or by the dealer with the backing of the factory. It was not a mass-market boat.

There recently has been a change in direction at the factory. It appears that they are positioning the C-Dory as a commodity item: high-volume sales with less of a personal touch. The relationship between the factory and some of the established dealers has also been affected; these dealers were known for the quality of their service, so the membership of this site has watched this development with discomfort. This does not necessarily mean that the quality of the product will decline, but the onus appears to be on the factory to prove itself.

So, I would do a detailed survey of any new C-Dory I was thinking of purchasing, either personally or even with the help of a qualified surveyor; I would try to be near a dealer; and I would need to feel comfortable that the dealer would be helpful if problems arose.

[Kent Richmond]

This summer, as a Coast Guard Auxiliarist, I used my 22 in standardization trials with our local USCG station. I did spend some time "tricking it out" so that it would qualify as a "facility" for use by the Auxiliary. After the day's activity, I tied up at the Coast Guard Station to refuel and found a number of "coasties" standing by to help me moor. One of the guys was grinning ear to ear. When I asked him why, he said that he and his colleagues are "really big fans of C-Dories." Nuff said?
Kent Richmond
Bayfield, Wis.

[JimD]

I was first introduced to C-dory by Mobile East Marine at a local boat show. Great people! All one has to do is read the forums from other manufacturers, including Brunswick, and Genmar. Not only are the QC issues on new boats a real problem, but in many cases; UNLIKE with C-dory, the dealers are a nightmare as well.
I was on the verge of purchasing a TC 255 until I came across a multi acre estate and couldn't afford both.
However, despite all the rhetoric about the factory, I still plan on getting a Tomcat as soon as finances permit.
Remember, the grass is not always greener.....

[matt_unique]

[Capt. Jim]

Why give Golerud a hard time when it is the factory that is doing things that are not quite right?