Otter-BelleHavenMarina
Moderator
There have been a number of recent posts from new and prospective C-Dory owners with general questions about hull design, safety in open water, etc. When I was thinking about buying a boat, I came across two websites authored by Florida yacht surveyor David Pascoe that I found extremely informative. They are www.docksidereports.com and www.yachtsurvey.com
Pascoe's focus is more on big cruising and fishing yachts, and most of the specific boat reviews he provides are of boats in those categories. (Even though I was not shopping in that category, I found his reviews interesting because, unlike boating magazine writers, he has no editors with an eye on advertising revenue to soften any negative observations.) However, he has also written a number of useful general articles that may be of interest to C-Brats. In Dockside Reports, for example, there is an article called "Boat Safety at Sea - Part I" that discusses some of the inherent limitations of a small (20' to 30') outboard boat in ocean conditions. In Yacht Survey, there is an entertaining article he titled (tongue-in-cheek) "The Perfect Boat" that any prospective boat buyer should read before plunking down his hard-earned dinero.
I have the sites bookmarked and find myself rereading his articles from time to time. The more time I spend on the water, the more some of his observations make sense to me. Hope you find them useful as well.
Best wishes,
Pascoe's focus is more on big cruising and fishing yachts, and most of the specific boat reviews he provides are of boats in those categories. (Even though I was not shopping in that category, I found his reviews interesting because, unlike boating magazine writers, he has no editors with an eye on advertising revenue to soften any negative observations.) However, he has also written a number of useful general articles that may be of interest to C-Brats. In Dockside Reports, for example, there is an article called "Boat Safety at Sea - Part I" that discusses some of the inherent limitations of a small (20' to 30') outboard boat in ocean conditions. In Yacht Survey, there is an entertaining article he titled (tongue-in-cheek) "The Perfect Boat" that any prospective boat buyer should read before plunking down his hard-earned dinero.
I have the sites bookmarked and find myself rereading his articles from time to time. The more time I spend on the water, the more some of his observations make sense to me. Hope you find them useful as well.
Best wishes,