22 Center Console Photos & 29 C-Dory Venture Update

T

Tom Latham

New member
Greetings Everyone!

I hope this post finds all of you well. I am pleased to inform you that the 22 Center Console is in production, with water tests completed on the first boat. You will find pictures of this boat, minus decals, in the C-Dory Factory Album. Here's the link:

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _album.php

The boat performed exceptionally well and is now on it's way South Carolina for a boat show. We are very pleased with how the boat turned out and are confident in it's success. The full-deck liner, the quality of the finish, and the significant amount of freeboard really makes the boat stand out, along with a host of standard features. As an FYI, the 19CC hull mold is complete and we expect production to start in June.

Now, with regard to the 29 Venture, the hull has completed lamination, while the deck and liner tools will be arriving in stages over the next 2-3 weeks. I suspect next week we will begin the process of installing the stringers and pop the hull from the mold. The Yanmar diesel engine will be installed, along with most other systems, after that. The interiors have been selected and we're striving for a June 1 completion. I'll let you all know as soon as the boats is ready for debut at Lake Union Sea Ray; probably, on the water at their Seattle store.

All the Best,

Tom
 
Got to admit am not much for center console boats, I like to be able to get in out of the weather and cold, but that is a neat looking boat. What are the preformance specs on it? lso what is the wet weight with the power you have on it?
 
Tom,

More than the boat info itself, I appreciate seeing your posts and participation.

As for the center console boat, how are you pricing it and what boats do you see as its immediate competition?

I'm waiting for the 30' Tom Cat! :lol:

Warren
 
This defeats the whole purpose of a c-dory..protection from the elements....It just doesnt jive for me...Not a fan @ all of center console boats... good luck in selling it though!!
 
Tom,

Thanks for the updates on your three new boats. The 22CC looks great except the windshield looks a little boxy to me. A southern venue should be a good choice for the debut; an airy boat for the warm south. I am happy to report that up north here I am still very happy (and warm and dry) with my 22CD cruiser. Keep the updates coming.

Jay
 
Interestingly enough my first impression of the center console CD 22 is that it looks like a Panga. The Panga style is a semi dory with perhaps a little less beam than the C D dory. There was a new nicely finished Panga next to the Wefing's display at the Pensacola Boat show.

It will be interesting to see how it sells in the Gulf area. Generally the fishermen in the East like boats which will go fast in the heavy chop--the narrow Pangas do well, the very deep V's, like Regulators and Contenders and the Center Console Cats sell well. All of these come with T tops or at least a Bimini. Generally the T tops are easier to fish from.

The beauty of the Center Console is its Walk around for fish fighting. Although T tops can be purchased locally, it might be a good idea for the factory to consider a T Top factory option. In the South one has to have sun protection. I own a Century 18 foot CC for bay and near shore fishing with a Bimini top--and the top bows do get in the way as one walks around the deck when working a fish. Actually for hard core fishermen pilot house boats are popular because of the sun protuction--Parker is a favorite.
 
My take is similar to Dr. Bob's: looks Panga-ish. For you folks in the frozen northland, the boat may look limited, but in the Tropical Tip, boats like ours (with a cabin) are definitely the minority. Most of the boats we see on a day-to-day basis are center console walk-arounds. With our shallow bays, the most popular boats can run at speed in 6-8" of water. Many have no freeboard at all. A local dealer sells the Panga brand, and I sure see a resemblence. If C-Dory markets these boats on the Gulf, there will be an audience. I also agree that the boat could use a t-top instead of a bimini for its intended purpose. With the liner, it should be a much faster build than a CD-22 Cruiser.

While it lacks the "character" of the boats we here enjoy, it does seem like an easy, natural market growth for the factory folks.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
CD-22CC

It's an interesting idea, but the CC guys usually want speed and a semi-v planning hull. Will work for some though.

Makes you realize how much of the C-Dory's patent look is attributable to the cabin.

Next time a C-Dory looses it's cabin in a beaching and roll-over, the new salvage owner will have the option of creating a Center Console instead of doing a total restoration, a-la' Chris Bulovsky and Scout!

I told the prospective C-Dory owner in Florida to buy a used Cruiser if he couldn't decide between a new Cruiser and the new Cd-22 Sport, because he could either keep the boat as a Cruiser or cut out the bulkhead and make it into a Sport style boat. Now he would have a 3rd option: make it into a Center Console.

Pass the chain saw, Buzz!!!

Joe.
 
Thanks Tom for the update:

Panga Like??? Well if Panga put a cabin on then they would be C-Dorish I guess.

The dory hull as a center console is not very far out there folks. There have been many built in the past and I am sure if
C-Dory Marine prices the boat right, it will do well in many markets.

As for T-Tops, most of the West Coast boats shipped to Florida waters will come in with no top and the local dealer will have the T-Top faberacated on site....Glacer Bay as an example ships bare.


Good luck and post more pictures....more details.
 
Pat Anderson":39q7qkh8 said:
Obviously a boat that makes NO sense for the Upper Left Coast - but hey, good luck selling them in Florida I guess...
Click to expand...

Sleds must not be as popular in your area as they are here...they far outnumber the cabin fiberglass boats...and fish just fine...(from my experience with my ol Duckworth) -- it's all in a person's individual needs...top, no top, cabin, no cabin, fiberglass or aluminum..they all sell.
 
I can see it now.... Byrdman Pat will be cutting the cabin off his 18 footer!

JJ.... Prob' not.... esp since there's no room for a stove on this new model.

While high speed in chop may not be in the works here, these hulls should do very well in the shallow flats... go places the deep V's cannot.

John
 
Very interesting!! I will disagree since I see a fair amount of center consoles here in the PNW. I personally like a cabin,especially when it get real rough, but I see CC's and open boats all the time. I wouldn't be surprised if this boat does very well, especially in the warmer climates. You have to take into account the fuel E~Fishin~C :wink: of the Cdory hull, and the price of gas during the summer. Plus I think there are some boats that have somewhat flat hulls and are open such as a carolina skiff that do quite well.

Sark
 
Good point, Sark. I wonder what the hull weight and power to pounds ratio is on this unit. It should outshine the 22 cabin models on fuel efficiency.

John
 
Agree with a lot of the comments above. I think a lot will depend on the pricing. There are some Pangas (which I see as the greatest competition on our area) which are very cheap--and very rough) There are also some really nice ones, which price out in the 40K range. If you look at the CD 22 CC as a bay boat with runs offshore in calm seas, it would do fine--if priced correctly. However there is huge competition in the 20 to 23 foot market for CC in the SE.

Certainly will be interesting to see how this works out and sells.
 
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