C-Brat Wannabe

H

Hooked on Powell

New member
C-Brats:

Alas, Debatable is no more. The old Bayliner has gone to the great pond in the sky and we need to have, have to have, must have, a new boat.

We're almost positively certain (recall: Debatable) that new boat will be a C-Dory 25' Cruiser.

I ran into some of you folks last fall at Lake Powell. I saw some of your boats on the lake around the Rock Creeks and spoke to one of your Powell Party on the dock one day at Wahweap while admiring several C-Dory boats moored there.

While I'm sure I will have many more questions for you, the most pressing is that we have never set foot on one of these boats while we're 'this close' to buying one. I see from your map that there may be one 'Brat in the Tucson area and another critter that may home in Mexico.

Anybody out there in this area that might be willing to show off their boat?

The other question that we would like to get out there right off the bat is about the desert summer temperature thing. How hot is the house in the middle of summer? It really gets hot down here. We're used to "jumpin' in the lake" to cool off but are wondering what you warm weather 'Brats do about generator / A/C modifications.

...Hooked on Powell and hoping to C-Dory
 
oh man, Lake Powell & C-Dory, what a combo, welcome to pub. While we don't boat much in the sweltering heat, I have noticed on hot days with the windows open you have a nice breeze and shade, quite enjoyable. I see some folks in the deep south will run a air conditioner, I'm sure they'll chime in.
 
We live in Naples fl.we have a cc-23 (venture) when we stay at a marina we plug in and put the a/c unit through the front window . Or you can get the 25 and put a r/v unit 1300btu and run it with a generator We have a yamaha 2400 watts most run on the honda 2000 Look up c-pearl they have a nice set up good luck in your quest
 
Welcome, we too had a Bayliner :oops: (I try and keep that a secret). Lake Powell is just a little far for us on the Right Coast but they had a great gathering there last fall. You can see 137 pictures HERE

Here's the DISCUSSION THREAD TOO

Good luck with your search and once again, welcome to the site!!

Charlie
 
The neatest setup I've seen was at Oriental gathering last year. Gene the owner of Mobile East Marine and the owner of the boat pictured below fabricated a generator mount that bolted to the transom. I wish I had gotten better pictures and can't remeber the owners name. Under the custom cover is a Honda 2000 to power a roof top air and other things. Personally after boating two summers in Florida I haven't felt it was necessary to have AC but certainly a nice option. I question Gene about the bracket and he said if there was enough interest he would have some fabbed up to sell.

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Hooked on Powell...why not swing by Lake Mohave weekend after next? There will be a whole mess of C-Dorys there...some you probably saw at Powell in September. Bet you could get a tour or two!
 
Welcome Hooked on Powell,

We have a CD-25, and I think our home in the Tropical Tip of Texas qualifies us as "warm weather folks". We are very happy with the boat and have cruised her quite a bit. We did not put air conditioning in. If you will be overnighting frequently in warm weather and have access to shore power, I can see where it would be useful. We try to follow the birds... north in the summer and south in the winter to stay in a comfortable climate. However, we have used our C-Dory in the Tropical Tip in the summer; open the hatch and windows and it's very comfortable while running. Turn on a fan for overnighting.

As far as the heat in the house - the shade the pilothouse provides makes the living comfortable. We have a full camperback, but only use the bimini when it's warm... and it's plenty comfortable out in the cockpit in the shade, as well. We also use window covers on the sunny side of the boat when it's hot.

The PNW in the summer... Lake Powell spring and fall... and head for the warmth in the winter. Nice way to go. Like many of the Brats here, Lake Powell is one of our favorites. The CD-25 makes a great mobile cabin on the lake. When we've been there when it's hot (September), we find a place to beach that gives us shade from the west in the afternoon. The temperature differential from day to night in the desert makes for comfortable sleeping onboard.

Good luck with your search. We went through the same thing, trying to find a C-Dory to look at in south Texas. You may have to drive to get to experience one, but it will be worth it.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

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We've spend countless weeks cruising Lake Powell, in our CD-22 and more recently in our 26-footer, neither with AC. Though we are usually there in April, May, September, or October, even in the summer we find the cabin boats without AC very comfortable. Unless there is no wind at all, with no humidity, and hatch and windows open, the shady cabin is way better than being in the broiling sun all day. In morning or evening it's delightful inside or out. When it's really warm we try to anchor in a shady canyon that doesn't face west. When it's cool we try to anchor where there will be sun later in the day. For us, AC would be no benefit.
 
We have the C Dory 25 and have used the King Air 5000 BTU AC unit in the front window. We carried it on the C Dory on the 2007 C Brat gathering there, and never used it. It will run on the Honda EU 1000. That generator will fit on the swim step (on a crate) or on a bracket we have in the splash well. We also used the AC when sleeping in the boat trailering it across the US in Sept (Texas, Arizona)--and it cooled the boat reasonably well. Same in Patulema where it was 100 degrees. We also used bubble foil insullation over the windows when there was direct sunlight. If you want more, AC, the 8300 Coleman Polar Cub will work vine on the EU 2000i and fits on the roof of a C Dory (needs some bracing --see the "thataway" album.

We decided to keep our boat last year, but there is a pretty good chance we will sell out C Dory 25 after this summer's trip.
 
Thanks to all for your responses.

It looks like we may be able to get over to Lake Mohave and hope to run into some of you there for a little closer look at these great boats.

Dalton
 
We had our CD25 Daydream at the Lake Powell CBGT this past September, so maybe it was us you saw...being from the Upper Left Coast, I am unsure what this thing you call "air conditioning" is. But on Lake Powell we spent most of our time on the cockpit under the bimini anyway and lots of swimming! We had the doors and windows open in the cabin while running, and the air flow was certainly fine to keep us reasonably comfortable. I second the notion, go to Lake Mohave, check out the boats. We are headed back to Powell again this fall, we too are "hooked on Powell"!


Hooked on Powell":2t058f1r said:
Thanks to all for your responses.

It looks like we may be able to get over to Lake Mohave and hope to run into some of you there for a little closer look at these great boats.

Dalton
Click to expand...
 
What kind of luck have you'all had with the Suzuki outboards. The boat that Matt from Kitsap alerted us to has sparked an interest, even though it is a long way from Lake Powell.
 
If you go to sites like "The Hull Truth" you will find that there are very few problems with the Suzuki's. There are a number of reports of over 4,000 hours and some of over 7,000 hours in commercial use (daily use; charter or Law enforcement/military).

We love our Suzuki's.
 
In recent years I've owned Johnson, Mercury, Honda and Suzuki. Without a doubt I'm much happier with the Suzuki. Currently have 400 virtually trouble free hours on my 07 90 HP 90% salt water operation. Wish I could say that about the Mercury.
 
In our opinion an air conditioner is an expensive, noisy (generator noise), unnecessary item on a C-Dory on Powell - windows open, moving along, we have yet to get too hot on the lake. Anchored up the side canyons in the warm afternoon time we are in shade - cool and delightful. Overnight? No problem, with the boat cool in the shade all the late afternoon. In our view, an a.c. might be useful only for those who live in heat and high humidity - not the case with Powell, as you know.

Did you get to the Mojave Gathering?
 
Yes, we did get over to Mohave but were not able to get out on the lake so we didn't have the chance to meet anyone or look at any boats.

However, we are going over to Los Angeles today to have a look at a new 25. Wish us luck!

Thanks to you all for all of your help and interest. We're hoping to float a boat in the empty slip . . . soon!
 
To bring this back up to the top, and to explain the reason for the inquiry:

We travelled all the way to the coast look at a "new" CD-25 but were disappointed in it's condition. Evidence of hard use, lack of care. Surprised at no attempt to prep the boat to show to a prospective buyer.

Bottom line, looked like a terrific boat but no confidence in its condition or care and even less confidence in the dealer.

Feel free to PM reply or e-mail for more candid off-line commentary.

Thanks for your help. I'm really hoping for positive feed back on this dealer and that our experience was the exception and not the norm.
 
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