Better and better

T

tparrent

New member
I've had my new CD 16 out three times now and the C Dory experience just keeps getting better.

Yesterday I was returning from fishing after dark and the lake was smooth as silk. I had to run under a bridge that was clogged with both fishing boats and the lighted bobbers of shore fisherman. I went through at idle speed so as to avoid disturbing anyone. The boat felt so good at slow speed that I barely revved up after I got out of the fishing zone. What a sweet, quiet ride! As a sailor, even poking along in the C Dory is fast relatively speaking so the added bonus of quiet and smoothness was great. Don't get me wrong, I love blasting along at full speed too but I will be spending more time at displacement speeds in the future.

That's a roundabout way of getting to my point. The boat is so much fun and so easy to trailer and launch that I've...um...well...

Anyway, I decided to give up fishing because I hate being laughed at by fish and the whole activity was adding stress to my boating and I go boating to de-stress! So that started me thinking that ... um...

My home waters are only 12 minutes from my driveway and I keep the boat in storage halfway to the lake so that really breaks up the long drive. Of course I can get back home just as quickly so I never really have the NEED to overnight on the water but I sure do like swinging on the hook. That's made me consider...well...

You see, I got the 16 so I could quickly get on local waters and still have the option of trailering to other places. I was skeptical of my ability to launch singlehanded but that has gone fine. Never really thought I would use the boat for extended voyages but I do really want to cruise the canals of Canada, the North Channel, Les Cheneaux, the Mississippi and St Croix rivers and about a zillion other places. I'm not a real camper type and I'm a big guy to boot so staying on the 16 isn't much of an option even if I canvas it all out and everything.

FINE! So maybe I got the wrong boat! Or... :twisted: maybe I haven't yet got the right NUMBER of boats!

I have looked at the 25 several times and it is just too big for me to trailer but that 22 is looking awfully sweet :mrgreen: Seems like it would make a great canal boat and the accomodations are a step above camping because the cabin is at least enclosed. Also, the 22 seems to be even more all weather than the 16 and the bugs were starting to come out. I just have to think it would be quieter inside the cabin too.

I don't want you all to think I'm impulsive. I actually plan things out reasonably well. After all, I did arrange to rent TWO spots side by side in the storage yard :D

So, I know that some of you own both 22s and 16s. Why? Did you just end up with an extra or do you use the 16 in some way that does not work as well for the 22? Does the 22 launch as easily as the 16?

Jim - I know you told me so. Stop gloating :wink
 
Tom, I never said "I told you so." Nor am I gloating. I'm just thrilled that another sailing buddy has discovered this other "option." :wink

I gotta say that the 16 is just a nifty little boat... not even close to what you and I talked about before you bought it, but nifty just the same. There are quite a few folks here who have moved up, down, and sideways with boat sizes. I think the enclosed cabin makes the boat more functional... if the cabin is something that fits your needs.

In our other "meeting place", I said, "Tom sees a boat. If he likes it, he buys it." I don't think I'm out of line by saying that you have bought a LOT of boats over the years. Not that that's a bad thing. You banker types got your bailout, I say: put it to good use. Others (me, for instance) will dream about how they will use a boat and then go find the boat that fits that need. Different strokes.

Before you go buy a 22, go sit in one. Lay down in the v-berth... not just for 10 seconds... lay there long enough to determine if you will fit and sleep comfortably in there. See how your head height works for the cabin height (there are two different height options on the 22 cabin).

What's the tow rating on your new Frontier? I'm guessing it will handle the weight of a 22 (generally around 4,000-4,800 all up on the trailer).

There's no rule that you can't have a 16, a 22, and your Hunter. Spend some time poking around here and you will read about Bill and El, who have traveled all over the place on their 22. This place is full of adventures of folks who have taken C-Dorys of every size and model on some great travels. Heck, Tom, if you want, you could have a C-Dory up north, one where you are, and a couple more on each coast. 8)

Still not gloating. Just seeing in you what many of us discovered when we checked into these C-Dorys.

Keep us posted. You know where to get ahold of me if you want to talk.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Jim - Since you aren't a lady, I can ask this question. Your a big guy. How big?

Back in the spring of 1998, my brother, 6'5", 275 lbs and I, 6'3" 225 lbs took my 22' for a run on Lake Powell. We did the complete tour from end to end and back. My brother slept in the forward berth and I on the table. We were comfortable. .

John
 
To set the record straight - I am no longer a banker (I'm in insurance) and we decidely did NOT accept any bailout money. We receovered by our own blood, sweat and wits.

All of which is important because I can swing on the hook completely free of any societal guilt. Which means, I think, that there are now NO REASONS AT ALL to stand in the way of my next boat purchase :D
 
I measure in just shy of 6'1" and around 215.

I have sat briefly in a 22 and a little longer in a 25. The 25 was fine for sitting and walking. The v berth would take a little getting used to. I'll have to take a nap in a 22 next week when I am down at the dealer for my first round of enchancements on my 16.

The one thing that makes me slightly less than enthusiastic about the 22 and 25 is the settee seating. One side was comfortable while the other needed an extra cushio for the back. not a big deal but the seats really don't seem suitable for "slouch lounging". Heck, on my 16 I carry a fold up canvas chair for just that purpose - fits perfectly in the cockpit. I have an oversized one from the days when *I* was oversized so it's real roomy.

On the other hand, sitting in that cabin in ANY chair with a mug of hot cocoa on a cold winter's day would be extraordinary.
 
Tom, you can use that same fold-up chair in the cockpit of a 22...we spend plenty of time lounging in the cockpit of our 25. Frankly, I thought you'd like the bigger table in a 22 or 25 to do some writing.

If you buy another boat with cruising in mind, consider how you will REALLY live... as in: cook, eat, sleep, store things, potty, shower,etc.

Putting a pillow behind your back isn't a big deal... as long as you can get comfortable.

Decisions, decisions.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Jim - At 6'1" you can stand errect in the standard 22' cabin. You have got it made. My favorite story about sleeping in the dory was in the summer of 1997 on Yellowstone Lake. Three retired buddies and I made do at Bridge Bay Marina - two in the forward berth, me on the table, and Dr. Schwidde on the floor. It was pouring rain or else someone would have been out in the cockpit, particularly Schwidde.

We were all at the age where we couldn't hold it all night, and since we had all made too many toasts, getting outside became a necessity. Schwidde looked like a red coccoon in his sleeping bag lying on the floor. He was a nortorious snorer. We called him Thunder Cheeks. To make matters worse, he always fell asleep quickly and was oblivious to our howls of protest. His specialty? Neuro-surgery. It was a long night!
John
 
Tom-

I do quite a bit of overnighting in my CD-22 Cruiser, but always sleep on the converted settee berth. The v-berth is used only for storage, basically. I'm just about your size, too.

In fact, I often don't even set the table back up during the day when I'n using the boat alone.

A big comfortable chair for the cockpit works fine for lounging.

The cabin on the 22 with all it's amenities can also be a good travel "home" on the road, and we call this "boaterhoming". The cockpit becomes your "patio" or deck.

Why have both a travel trailer, a motorhome, a boat (or two or three), and whatever else?

My wife prefers to go places in our 38 foot motorhome when we're together, but when I'm alone, I'd rather just tow the boat with my Durango, have the boat for a camper, and then have it there when I get to the water. The KISS Principle (or minimalism) wins again!

Lots to think about and consider, I know!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
One of the reasons I went from the 22 to the 25 (and Tom Cat--which is the ultimate bunk)--was the difficulty or ease of getting into the foreward berth. The 22 is a bit cramped (6'2" and about 190 lbs). My son at 6'4" and 240 (all muscle) was barely comfortable in the 25, and not at all comfortable in the 22.

As for launching--the 22 is easy--I have a couple of 18 foot boats and they are about the same as the C Dory 22. The 25 is slightly more difficult--but it may depend on the trailer and what bunk arrangement you have.

Definately more seaworthy in the 22 over the 16--and more conducive for long trips.
 
Note: Several CD-22 owners have converted the settee into a side lounge, including me. Check photos in my album. This arrangement works well for "slouch lounging," as well as elsewise.
 
Wayne, your conversion is a great idea, superbly executed and wonderfully documented.

I could never do that type of conversion myself but I could certainly have someone do it for me with the pictures you supplied as a guide. That really changes the character of that boat. Nice!
 
Yellowstone":3vupedgv said:
Three retired buddies and I made do at Bridge Bay Marina - two in the forward berth, me on the table, and Dr. Schwidde on the floor. John
Click to expand...

The above posting by John immediately peaked my interest as Dr. Schwidde was a neighbor of mine in Billings, Montana back in the late 50's and early 60's. He lived two blocks from us.

(I confirmed by PM with John that we were talking about the same man. Interestingly, when John ("Yellowstone") and I first met on our C-Dorys about 9 years ago, we realized that our paths nearly crossed in Montana years ago. There were a couple of folks that we realized that we both knew then).
 
I was taught that you shold always learn three 'pearls' from any educational seminar... SO, what did we learn from this discussion...

1. A 16 is easy to launch, and is really nice just loafing along above an idle.
2. A whole lotta guys can camp in a small boat if they really want to.
3. A bigger guy needs a bigger boat to be comfortable...
4. Doctors, and especially neurosurgeons, snore a lot (not much new there - you ought to hear some of my colleagues) //this is the bonus pearl//

SO, the bottom line is, you need more than one boat <yessss!>, and you need a really nice boat for taking the admiral on vacation (a DeFever 56' should about do the job), and a banker CAN learn new tricks...
 
I absolutely concur with your recommemdation Levitation. Another boat seems the safest option and us insurance types are all about safety :)

Hemlock, Michigan - now there's a town I haven't thought of since I moved out of Saginaw 30 years ago! I escaped...and all I want to do is go back. Well, not to Saginaw maybe but Michigan for sure. Although any of the C Dorys would be fine vessels for exploring the Saginaw River and its tributaries.
 
Levitation":3szxlsrk said:
I was taught that you shold always learn three 'pearls' from any educational seminar... SO, what did we learn from this discussion...

1. A 16 is easy to launch, and is really nice just loafing along above an idle.
2. A whole lotta guys can camp in a small boat if they really want to.
3. A bigger guy needs a bigger boat to be comfortable...
4. Doctors, and especially neurosurgeons, snore a lot (not much new there - you ought to hear some of my colleagues) //this is the bonus pearl//

SO, the bottom line is, you need more than one boat <yessss!>, and you need a really nice boat for taking the admiral on vacation (a DeFever 56' should about do the job), and a banker CAN learn new tricks...
Click to expand...

OR...

1. Tom may be involved in banking/risk management/insurance, but he REALLY likes boats.
2. He never met a boat he didn't like, but he has now transitioned into C-Dorydom. Good for Tom, good for us.
3. Instead of making one boat work for many purposes, some folks buy many boats. Boat dealers really like these folks.
4. (Bonus Pearl) Tom should use some of his frequent flier miles to attend a C-Brat gathering so he can see how the folks here have made adaptations to their boats.
 
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