16' Angler for Tampa-bound family?

B

Badger Matt

New member
OK, here goes. I’m a boating novice at best. I graduated high school in the FL panhandle and taught sailing on catamarans while life-guarding while working my way through junior college…a long time ago. Had a little 14’ aluminum boat as a lieutenant and swamped the beast but survived (thank God my flight sergeant was there). Did a bit of Prince William Sound, AK fishing and hunting/fishing/shrimping with a buddy out of Valdez in his 17’ aluminum hull (best time of my life) and spent a week aboard a converted trawler hunting bears/deer in AK. Throw in a little water-skiing and you’ve captured my experience level.

Here’s the scoop. My family and I are moving to Tampa in July and will likely be there for two years…maybe three if we’re lucky. My wife’s sister lives there so we may retire in Florida when the assignment ends, especially if the bastages try to send me back to the Pentagon for my 2nd tour or the Middle-East for my 4th. Actually, I like the desert but the more rank I gain the more desk time I get. My daughter will be a senior in HS (college bound) and my son a freshman (with high aspirations). In other words, money may be tight soon.s

I’ve long lusted after the C-Dory boats – nice, classic, rugged, and capable. After my Alaska experiences (sometimes the heart rate rises a wee bit when water come over the cockpit – we turned back). I like the idea of a boat that can handle the water better than I. I imagine fishing will be the primary pursuit in Tampa with me and my son…and we should throw in some recreational anchor-n-swim and the odd inner-tube pull. I’d really like the Cruiser but, heck, I had a camper shell on my pickup and never camped in it. So…I think the C-Dory 16 Angler will meet our needs for Tampa Bay inshore fun with a really calm day in the Gulf of Mexico thrown in and a reasonable chance of being useful at our next duty station should we not retire. Your thoughts?

I’ve never bought a boat in my life and am waiting to hear back from Wefing’s in NW FL. Any recommendations on buying? I assume it’s a bit like a car with profit margins variable. What should I expect for a 16’ Angler with a 40hp Honda?

We’re debating between buying and renting in and around Tampa. In any case, it appears many places don’t allow/accommodate boats at the house. If that turns out to be the case, what should we expect in the way of storage fees? If we rent, it’s an issue…but if we buy I figure I can modify the garage to accommodate.

Sorry if I rambled a bit. I’m kind of excited at the idea of buying a boat…and, maybe, just maybe, settling after 20-some-odd-years as a nomad.
 
After reading your post my first response was "Heck, get whatever you want, you earned it." You'll get a lot of good advice on this site, and certainly from Wefings. Just from reading their posts, I'm quite sure they won't steer you wrong. May you and your family have many more "good problems" like deciding what boat to buy.
 
Hello Matt.

Wefings...Great people you can trust.
C- Dory 16... A small boat with a great big heart. Absolutely love mine and it is boat # 12.
There are many C-Dory 16 owners active on this site. Look them up and read their post and you will have a wealth of information.
 
Badger Matt – first, let me welcome you aboard. Glad to have you as a member to this site. You will get lots of good advice from the members here.

Sounds like you are a family of four and the 16 is not a four person boat. You can cram four people into the boat if you do not take any gear with you and minimal gas. For a two person boat it is great.

If you plan on more than you and one other person on board, look at the 19 or a used 22 foot Angler. You probably will not pay much more for the used Angler than the new 16 and it will be less than a new 19 foot angler.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
Badger Matt I bought a 16 Crusier several months ago. I've had boats on one sort or another all my life and the little 16 is great. I've enjoyed it more than any other boat I've owned. As far a four people I've had four in my once and it was pretty crowded and with 15 gallons of fuel aboard it was hard pressed to get on a plane and I have a 50 Honda. The Angler may be a little better with the forward cabin and larger cockpit but if you plan on reguarly carry four I'd definately look at the 19. My daughter and her boyfriend go out with me sometimes and with both of them in the cabin it does pretty good. With two sitting in the cockpit on a cooler its doable but preformance really suffers. I'm perfectly happy with mine but I cruise alone or with my GF and it's fine. Anymore its really crowded. As far as price C-Dory's aren't cheap here in Florida. Expect to pay around $24,000 for a 16 crusier, 50 HP Honda and trailer new. There was a pretty good looking deal on a used 16 on Craigs list some where around the Tampa area. I think it was around $15,000 and had a lot of accessories. Picture looked real good.
 
Badger: Welcome aboard and Thanks for your service. 28 years of fun and going where they wanted me to go... tossed the towel in 14Jan05 at 1115 am and have not had a watch on since...and love it!! Got one of those offers where I got picked up for 05 and our General said..."Byrdman..take a year tour in the box and I will let you have that 05". Keeping my reply in some order that is acceptable for this family oriented forum... I said... "no thank-you"... :mrgreen: Better shared on the water some time the Andy Roonie version...

Don't get a new CD16 Angler with a family of 4. I had to get a kid to climb up into the forward hatch area due to them making the access to the space so small neither me...or my cooler for forward weight could fit thru there. I agree with others if you plan on having 4 folks on board. I could haul ....haul being the operative in that statement, haul 4 folks but no way could we fish. I had the cruiser version.

I also agree that for the money, Wefings had a boat show price of about $27,500 (ish) for 50 hp suzi, aluminum trailer and new hull for a cruiser. They also at times have CDA19s which are TRULY large enough for family of 4 to get on and use...fish...snorkle, dive a bit.... Sorry I can not give you a CDA19 price cause there was not one in Pensacola...but any other C-Dory boat made was there. Wefings had a great display and some other intersting pilot house boats too.

Go buy Wefings, and get on the boats. Slow down a bit...cause Marc and crew often get CD22s in on trade on folks moving to CD25, TC255s, or Tugs...or other boats... Let him know your price range. Find out from USAA how much they will loan over actual cash value if funds on hand are an issue. Often, just about every time, the C-Dory boats hold their value better than the bankers want to loan against. ..... Just safer for them to load you up on a new boat loan.

Also...look on the lower left corner of the home page for used boats from owners on this site. I think I see a CDA19 for less than what show price is on a CD16.... You have to work really hard to screw up one of these boats...other than some current blow and go ideas coming out of the factory now... but the 19 Angler is sweet and open.

Also... a CD22 I think (disclaimer) meet the needs for a second home tax decuction.... Treat it like a condo...camp, river home... and spend time with your family while you can now. They, nor you are getting younger.

What ever you do....slow down and get a boat right for your families uses, and start spending time with family!!

Welcome...and happy boating!

Byrdman :smiled
 
Welcome. I agree with Byrdman and others -- you're going a little (lot) small. If you're going to be fishing as you say, sooner or later you'll wind up at the Sunshine Skyway bridge (we all do) and there's pretty good rollers through there on the tide changes (you won't have time to react -- all of a sudden, it's really rolling where the moment before it was calm. You can see some of the water around it on the Tampa - Venice video (but it was relatively good that day). Bottom line -- go with a larger CD - used is fine in these boats (and can be a whole lot better - already modified).
 
Was aware of Bull Dog. Was not aware Mike Shotwell at 3 Rivers and Scot had put away their swords after the CC goat rope, hence the need on that side of FL for Wefings. Or... there may be more than one 3 Rivers?? Shotwell's shop is in Crystal River as I recall.

I did see Mike at the Miami boat show, but that was February 07, and he said nothing at all about picking the line back up, but he has sold several, also does great work, and for sure has other lines of boats that may also produce a used CD...
 
Byrdman

At Three Rivers, they have used C-Dory boats only. I think Cape Crusier boats that exist are orphans. Bulldog has new and used C-Dory, and a new 21EC Ranger tug,
 
Thanks for the welcome and the information. Lots to ponder on my end.

Took the missus to BassPro this weekend and she's in love with the little sport boats... :cry: Time will tell.
 
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