c-dory 22 Center Console

T

toliver

New member
So I moved from Alaska to Florida.

I had to sell my 22 Cruiser with 115 Yamaha in the process. My family and I loved the boat.

I am looking for a good boat for the NE Florida waters for that I will use for nature tours (I have 6-pack) and (most importantly) a boat I will love.

I have come across a c-dory 22 Center Console.

I have never had the chance to board or drive one so I'm looking to open this can of worms :)

Who has experience with this 22 Center Console and if you have owned this boat how does the "pound in the chop" translate to the center console. I would imagine that the hull performs exactly the same as the Cruiser but the effects on the passengers would be minimized due to the lack of cabin (the loud slapping noise) and that the the raised floor of the Center Console would take some of the slap vibration away from the passengers. Finally as the captain I would be standing which helps.

My Cruiser handled rolling swell well but a wind chop would quickly bring us down to about a 14-15 knot cruising speed. Which was fine, and the comprise to have everything else the boat provides. I'm just looking for feedback from those with experience on this 22 set-up.

Thanks in advance,
Thomas
 
I have never ridden in a C-Dory Center Console, but have seen a couple. They are pretty rare. One here in Hansport that is a working crabber, and one I saw up in Desolation Sound, came out of Campbell River, and was a family fishing boat. They were on opposite ends of the "beauty" spectrum, but both owners had nothing but good things to say about the boats. The hull is, as you say, the same as the 22 Cruiser.

I don't believe it has any raised floor. It is a flat bottom boat, and the space between your feet and the water is about 1-2 inches of cored fiberglass. I would think the CC would be a lighter weight packaged, due to the lack of the Cabin structure. The one I saw in Canada had a T-Top, the local one lacks any cover. The lighter weight might mean you would have to adjust speed earlier in the "chop" to avoid as much bounce.

If you have a picture of the one you are looking at it would be fun to see it here. Any other details on it that you can provide would help in locating the previous owner or others who might know about the boat.

Good Luck in your persuit.

Here is a picture of the local "full time crabber"
January_2010_1035.sized.jpg

And one of the boat in John Wayne Marina
2_C_Dory_Hull_at_JWM_2009_722.sized.jpg

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
 
ZoeB and Hardee,

thanks :) look at the pictures in the ad Hardee posted. the floor is raised off of the hull and has self bailing....from what I can tell. I'm talking about a late 2000's hull Center Console so there is more than the old skiffs in ZoeB's pictures.

Hardee,

I live in Fernandina Beach and am running tours from there

-Thomas [/img]
 
Toiler, I think you have the photos in ZoeB and Hardee's ads reversed. In any case, the ride in the CC is not going to be much different than the 22 cruiser. Where are you going to seat the 6 passengers? That alone becomes an issue. Maybe two in the seat forward of the console--maybe two in the extreme bow--and perhaps another next to you on the leaning post?

My personal choice for a boat would be something which could handle some rough water, and have a smooth ride. Some the cats score highly there. A dual console often has more seating options. Cats are also better for shoal draft running than one of the more extreme deep V's. I would choose the Carolina Cat 23 in Dual console. Enclosed head, which is usable, good seating for up to 8, far better ride than the c Dory CC. Glacier Bay is a semi displacement, 27 footer which has ever more room, but can have similar seating. There is also an older Glacier Bay 22 Dual Console (as well as the CC) World Cat has both CC and DC models in the 25 foot range. Americats, or the Calcutta 263 are options. My Caracal Cat 18 (same as Carolina Cats now), has as much room as the C Dory 22 (because of the beam, and design of the hull--rides very well--(as well as a Contender 26 in 2 to 3 foot chop). I have taken 6, and the boat is rated for 8, but seating is an issue. Bean bags aft is a possibility (and what many of the charter boats use) for fishing; Bean bags are put on top of the "T" Top when fishing...

If you were just going to be on the St. John's upper (Southern) and narrow back bays, and some of the ICW, then I think that the C Dory CC would work OK--as far as the ride. Just my opinion...
 
Thanks Bob,

Yes, everything you say is swimming around in my head. I have a proline 20 center console with hard t-top now that I really like. Very comfortable for six since the front cushion and high gunnels on up to the bow act as a couch (4 people) with wind block. Two seat in-front of console. Then one more with me at helm.

Can only use limited for tours as it is owned with a partner.

I have that "I'm going to buy a new to me boat soon!!!!" thing going on so I'm trying to circle in on best design for my needs.

Alaska was a bit easier to decide, full cabin needed. Here in Florida there are so many options. I personally would like even a cubby cabin for overnight trips with family but I really like driving tours around with customer on bow so they see where we're headed, not looking out back. I'm also not a chart fisherman.....

I would love to go shallow and sip fuel with the c-dory. There is a panga at our marina who runs nature trips and it does seem like a great tour boat.

-thomas
 
Panga is a great boat--do a little looking on The Hull Truth,--there have been a series of threads, about them.--too much to repeat here.

The only negative is that the Panga can be wet if you get in some chop.

Of course there are some good buys in some older Cats which have the cuddy cabin and walk around configuration--

On the other hand I once had 12 on a Grady White 20 Adventurer...so you can set people anywhere!

If you are just going displacement speed, or smooth water the C Dory CC would do.
 
toliver":1hn95yp9 said:
ZoeB and Hardee,

thanks :) look at the pictures in the ad Hardee posted. the floor is raised off of the hull and has self bailing....from what I can tell. I'm talking about a late 2000's hull Center Console so there is more than the old skiffs in ZoeB's pictures.

Hardee,

I live in Fernandina Beach and am running tours from there

-Thomas [/img]
Click to expand...

From looking at those pix, I can't tell for sure but I don't see enough to make me thing that the sole is anywhere near "self bailing". I know for sure that the "nearly new" looking C-Dory CC I saw up in Campbell River did not have a self bailing hull.

The seating was 2 in front of the console, a 2 wide "leaning post" at the helm and temporary seating aft in the corners.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
 
No experience on the boat you described, but IMHO if you're just looking at eco-tours on sheltered water then a pontoon boat should be in the mix.

Huge platform, plenty of seating, can customize easily, can get shade...and they come in a variety of sizes. I think the biggest I've seen was over 30'.

I see them used for dolphin tours all the time. I've seen them in a heavy chop fishing the Skyway Bridge (family of 6 and had plenty of room). Sometimes I admire them for their fishing platform and simplicity.

BTW - you can get some crazy fancy ones, so don't just think these are the run of the mill cheapo boats. They can be, but go to a couple boat shows and you'll see what I mean.

Just "getting outside the box".
 
Yes, Pontoon very versatile and practical.

Emotionally does nothing for me.

This had steered me toward a Hurricane. But again does not excite me.

But as a second boat I would look at pontoon.....
 
In 2008, Marc from Wefings gave us the keys to a C-Dory center console and said to take the boat out and see what we think...

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?p=123176#123176

CCforwardE.jpg

There are some photos and observations on that link. We really enjoyed the boat; certainly a different experience from a 22 Cruiser. I recall discussions about it with other Brats... running southern waters, it was a fine open boat experience; did remind me of a Panga.

As a six-pac boat for dolphin watching, it would certainly work. Like others have discussed here, I would also lean towards a pontoon if that would be the main use of the boat in protected waters. Something to be said for a full bimini when the sun is blazing.

A couple of dolphin watch operators in our home waters use pontoons for six-pac tours for birding and dolphin watching. The rest (majority) are using much larger boats (up to 100 passenger). Realistically, around here you don't have to travel far for that experience. A pontoon tends to be more stable than a typical small monohull as people move around the deck. One operator is using a 30' pontoon with a small cabin that does allow people to get out of the weather and have an enclosed head.

Jim
 
hardee":3l3qg5xk said:
I have never ridden in a C-Dory Center Console, but have seen a couple. They are pretty rare. One here in Hansport that is a working crabber... The hull is, as you say, the same as the 22 Cruiser.


Here is a picture of the local "full time crabber"
January_2010_1035.sized.jpg

And one of the boat in John Wayne Marina
2_C_Dory_Hull_at_JWM_2009_722.sized.jpg

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
Click to expand...

Harvey, This looks like it's a 23 venture hulled center console maybe?? I don't think that's a 22 hull, too rounded on the bottom and the revers chines are less pronounced. I'm also not seeing that rounded middle and there is some flare to the bow that a 22 does not share.

If not a 23 Venture, is it maybe an old pro angler hull?

It looks really cool. I want one now.
 
It is an old C-Dory hull, although, it may very well be one of the hulls pulled from the molds that went to making the "Cape Cruiser" before it was called that and they eventually became the venture. You are right about the rounded hull on the bottom, and the flare maybe too, although I have not compared it to my boat side by side.

I know the owner somewhat, and we always (2 or 3 times a year -- when he is over this way with his crabbing), talk at the dock. Nice guy, and always says how nice my boat looks. :lol:

He does say it is a pretty dry ride, even in the chop and slop.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
 
So I made trip to check out boat. I really like it.

Basically exact same hull as my 22. But.....and this is huge....raised floor.

There is a good 12 inches of bilge space under molded in floor above the bottom of the hull.

The fuel tank is under there. Aluminum. In the stern under the live wells (where my batteries lived in old cruiser), where my gas tanks were just in front of my transom is closed off and on the lower left and right there are self bailing thru holes running to pipe connecting to scupper holes...

Would be sweet to have on cruiser and raise cabin height 12 inches to compensate....i digresssssssss......

Very sweet boat. Different set of compromises with center console than with Crusier....but the fuel efficient design and low draft on a very sea worth hull is still there.....
 
You may want to check out the aluminum fuel tank--how is it bedded in place. Common issues are foaming in place--and salt water is trapped next to the tank. Putting the tank on carbon containing 'rubber" mounts--can cause corrosion.

Is there a panel on the floor you can lift out, so that the tank can be replaced?

Sounds like a nice boat...Did you buy it?
 
There is a port to get to sending unit. Not sure about seating on tank. you may be able to get to it through the bilge from the stern but did not look that far up.

For the hull it would be nice to have the fuel tank weight more centered on the boat. The tank port is just under the leaning post.

Have not pulled trigger... price is at the high end of the market. Means there are a lot of boat options at price point. If I felt I was getting fair price I could pass along to the next guy I would buy. Trying not to over spend and lose $ just for towing it home :)

There is a nice Mako swimming around out there that has my eye as well.
 
Im in a very similar position, although not running a business. We sold our 22' cruiser, recently moved to the coast of Georgia and now shopping around here for something to get back into boating and fishing.

One really popular boat around here is the Carolina C-Skiff, Ive been seeing these everywhere in a variety of sizes but most common seems to be around 19-20 foot. Seems to be a pretty wide stable boat.

We are seriously considering a Parker or Boston Whaler center console in the 20-25 range. The fit and finish of these brands seems high quality. Unfortunately I can't pull the trigger until im totally sure I don't want another cabin boat. We love to camp on the boat, but im just not sure we'll be comfortable inside that cabin in the heat. What Id really like is a 255 TomCat with a AC unit on top but I've got a feeling my wife would not go for that kind of expense.
 
Where in Georgia?

So Yes, you know what your doing but my advise to anyone looking to fish, play and have fun on South East coast is to get a 17" Boston Whaler Montauk.

Our water is shallow here. Fishing for reds with 2-3 guys up skinny marsh on 17 is very doable.

And having a manageable boat to pull up onto a sand bar and play for the day is a lot of fun. And you can get one for a great price. Plenty to choose from too.

East coast has good deals on c-dory 22 cruiser. I would like one but "Boat camping" is different for us here in Florida. Much different than Pacific Northwest or Alaska :) C-dorys here have AC units on roof. Picture c-dory cabin in 97+ degree summer months.... it is not un-doable, but I know It would not be as practical for me as it was in Alaska.


So if I was not looking for a personal boat I can also run customers with the Carolina skiff .... of any size 16-21 is a great buy. It is about the "most boat" for the money you can get around here while still being very versatile while being a great fishing boat and family fun boat. As you look around at the boat ramps you will see these boats going in and out all day long. If you are looking in the $15k-$20K range it is hard to beat. There are solid clean newer hulls with lower hours motors out there.
 
We're in Richmond Hill. There's water everywhere and it's hard not having a boat.

We came down here thinking we would do a similar kind of lifestyle in our boat, staying for days at a time on it, exploring and fishing. People tell me you don't do that kindof a thing here, the sand gnats will eat you alive while your sleeping.

We're still trying to learn what the perfect boat for us will be. A pilothouse boat will have to have a big A/C unit on top, running a generator. It all sounds complicated. The simplicity of a center console is making sense down here. Its a different world. We are loving it but, we sill have a lot to learn.
 
There are plenty of C Dory 22's on the East and Gulf Coast. We do year around boating, During the day, the C Dory gives great sun protection, and as long as you are moving, or there is wind, it is as cool as an CC (I own a CC 18 foot Caracal-- Carolina Cat we use for fishing and running around day trips. The reason for the cat is that we can have some considerable chop in Perdido Bay, and runs faster than the c Dory),

For "Cruising" most of the year it is fine at night, but as summer comes around, we use the 5,000 BTU "Aire King" from Wal Mart in the front cabin window, and the EU 1000I Honda generator, at night. (Unless there is substantial breeze--then we use a "Wind scoop", as we used all thru the Caribbean and Mexico for years (no AC) in the sailboats.i)

Our own Marc Grove at Wefings is the Feature article in Soundings Trade Only:
Dealer finds success with Pilothouse boats
Unfortunately the Rosborough boats are featured, with only a mention of C Dory, but the tag line was Pilot house boats successful
 
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