C-Dory 16 Cruiser

S

Stan Major

New member
For me the C-Dory 16 Cruiser seems to be the best fit. I know the vast majority out there own the 22. I would appreciate feedback on the pros and cons of the 16. I am looking at light weight, very shallow draft, easy to trailer. I'm sure the 22 is much more comfortable and if I were docking the boat I would want the 22 or even the 25 myself. Thanks
 
Hey,

I've had my CD 16 with a 50hp Suzuki for a few years now. My wife and I enjoy immensely. It is easy on gas, easy to launch and load, and will operate in shallow water.

We use it on a fresh water lake and there have been times we were about the only boat on the water due to wind. It handled the rough chop just fine.

Draw backs: It is crowded with anymore than two people, if one person moves to the same side of the boat it will heel quite a bite. While it is easy to handle, when approaching a dock in a stiff breeze it is nice to have another person handling lines.

If you carry a lot of gear you have to be aware of loading ie: I carry dive gear and sometimes have to shift the load back and forth,

A lesser problem, be prepared to have a lot of people admire your boat and want more info. :lol:
 
I appreciate the information. I currently have Duffy Electric 18 which also gets a lot of attention. Overall I think the C-Dory 16 can get me into more places and quicker than my current full speed of 6 MPH.
 
We had a 16 and loved it. We towed it with a Subaru Outback and it was easy to launch. The boat can be a bit stern heavy but that can be alleviated by carefully balancing weight when loading
 
We have found the 19 a pleasant compromise. Easy to launch, trailer and retrieve. Handles chop well but has minimum draft. A bit cramped for cruising but to paraphrase a former official one cruises with the boat one has, not the boat one wishes one had. We enjoy it a lot.
Roger
 
We really enjoyed our 16 it's an excellent boat. We spent about 20 nights on it one summer. It's a great compact cruiser, I would not be surprised if we own another one some day. Get the full camper back, it makes a 16 very liveable. See 16 pics in our album. Good luck with the search.

Kevin
 
Stan, we loved our 16' Cruiser and cruised all over Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, Lake Shasta, California, Lake Chelan in Eastern Washington, and several local lakes.
However, it didn't take long for us to drool over owning a 22', which we purchased four years later and have found it to be perfect for our needs.
Obviously, everyone's needs are different and some needs change over time. We have C-Brats that have started with 16's have moved to 19's, 22's and 25's and some that have moved back "down the ladder". Some who are unable to decide which best suits their needs own two C-Dory's of different sizes.....and then there is one member who had a 16' and decided he wanted a larger C-Dory so he cut the cockpit in half and added two feet to the vessel and now owns an extremely nice "one of a kind" 18 footer!

Good Luck in your decision as you "move up or down the ladder"...or perhaps be amongst those who are able to make the correct decision the first time. :smilep
 
Thanks for the information. I have been in touch with Marc Grove of Wefings Marine here in Eastpoint FL about ordering a new C-Dory. Still need to find a good home for my 2006 Duffy Balboa 18 which is on Craig's List for what I think is a reasonable price.
 
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