C-Dory Convertible

W

Wavetimer

New member
Thought you might want to see a C-Dory convertible for Sale on E-Bay.

I have the time to fix it but probably not the money and effort. Would be fun to try. C-Dory factory thought the windows alone would run $3k from them. What are your thoughts on what it would take to rebuild?

Ron
C-Dory Dreamer
Lake Geneva WI
 
Alright, Chris! Welcome to the site.

A bunch of us saw that boat listed at eBay. Looks like you've got a bit of work cut out for you. Want me to set up a photo album for you? I think it would be great to watch your progress.

Are you planning on getting it back to more or less stock configuration, or do you have other plans?
 
Please set up a album for me! I really do have the mother of all C-Dory prodjects. Im starting with the hull after the weather warms up a bit.....We still have ice on Chequamegon Bay. Im gunning for stock configuration but was thinking of beefing up the corners a bit with extra glass to avoid stress cracks.

Chris
 
Chris, way to go!! I bid against you with two different IDs but, thank the good Lord, didn't get it. I DONT have the time now but will retire in two years and then will. I already have a CD22 tho and didn't really need a project boat. I looked long and hard about it, there are some really good possibilities.

I thought about building a mahogany trunk cabin for it, using marine windows (even thought about the CD ones), they shouldn't be too expensive. The mahogany, or even teak would look great.

Please set up an album and let us see your progress. If you havent made any in 2 years, please consider selling ME the boat!

Good luck!!
Charlie

P.S. The Admiral, my wife, says get hot and fix that boat, one is enough for us.
 
Charlie -I'll hold you to your offer to buy this thing If its not in the water in two years. Im hoping to have it floating by fall. Im not sure if any boat is ever "done".
As for the top Im planning on plywood rear with 1/4 inch sides all reinforced with glass inside and out. Factory Windows......not cheap....and a factory rear door. Provided the windows can fit on a 1/4 inch thick frame. Then Paint to match the hull from the rub rail up. Epoxy based resin for under the water line and polyester based above.
This is my plan of attack. God willing it will float again!!!

Chris
 
Way to go, Chris! There will be some in this group (like Charlie) who can provide excellent advice and others (like me) who will just provide encouragement! Looking forward to seeing your project afloat. Have you thought about a name? "Phoenix" might be a good one!
 
Thanks for the kind words Tom, don't know about "excellent" advice but I've got a bunch and it's free. There are lots of others here too that have done a bunch of boat building, much of it on C-Dorys. Mine has been on Destroyers and Amphibious Ships...

Chris, I'd roll that puppy upside down on the lawn or some forgiving surface to work on the bottom now while the topside is still a mess. It's much easier to work down on a horizontal surface than laying on your back with epoxy dripping in your hair. (If you got hair, I just end up looking like a bowling ball with strange holes in it). Pay lots of attention to the areas where the glass is broken out and worn away and the balsa is exposed. It looks (from the pix) like it wasn't soaked for a long time which is good. I might pump some "Git-Rot" in there just for grins before I sealed it up with heavy woven roving and cloth.

I've done a lot of fiberglassing of plywood boxes and stuff, be sure to use epoxy and not polyester. The latter is cheaper but a lot softer and not nearly as durable.

Good luck and keep us in pictures!!

Charlie
 
Ron, is there some place on the web where we can see the 'project boat' you spoke about. I don't have the time myself... like Charlie, yet, but I am set up for it!
I built a stone faced block garage (like the block you see on WalMart except its reddish). By the time I stopped fiddling with the mason's twine trying to figure how big to build it by just eye balling it and parking vehicles within the string boundary.... it turned out to be 42' wide and 32' deep all under an attic truss roof :oops: . No support columns. Oh Yes! it has a 10' ceiling with two 10' wide x 9' high doors in the front with one door the same size in the back so I can drive straight through. The floor is 8" 3500# concrete with laced 1/2" rebar. I connected it to the house with a breezeway so I wouldn't get damp on rainy days. Also, over the years I have managed to collect enough tools and machinery to outfit a really nice boat repair station, fiberglass or wood. Check this out, I upper the electric service to the house to 320 AMP. The house and garage panels are fed off a buss bar within the meter base on the side of the house. The power company really balked at doing this for a domestic property, but the had to once the breezeway connected the two buildings, making it one dwelling to be serviced.

See.... in the next few years a project boat will keep me occupied in the five months when my boat won't be in the water and at the same time I can park my Dory in the same shop out of the elements and tinker with it also.
As you can see i am planning for an interesting retirement at home, but out of the house (if you know what I mean). Later all, Butch
 
Pix, yes! We want pix! I am the most un-craftsmanlike person in the world, so I have to see somebody who can actually do stuff like this. I am sort from the Red Green School of Construction ("Today we are going to make a surfboard from an inexpensive plastic table and a roll of duct tape - the Handyman's Toolkit")
 
Hey Chris,

Album has been set up, I PM'ed you with the details.

Hmmm...a name....

Kojak (he had nuttin' on top either)
C-Bay (eBay boat)
C-Scalped
Topless (easy, guys...)
Itchy (after all that fiberglass work...)
Scratchy (see above)

:mrgreen:
 
Thanks! I have not received a PM, I tried to e-mail you back as well as this post. Boat name is coming, what will the photo album be under for now?
 
Chris & Janet":qibovnie said:
Thanks! I have not received a PM, I tried to e-mail you back as well as this post. Boat name is coming, what will the photo album be under for now?
Click to expand...
Just sent you an email - album is set up. Link is here - fill 'er up!

If you decide on a vessel name, I'll change the link text under your posts. Currently, it just says "click here"...
 
Chris Bulovsky":12v2ht1l said:
I really do have the mother of all C-Dory prodjects. Im starting with the hull after the weather warms up a bit.....We still have ice on Chequamegon Bay. Im gunning for stock configuration but was thinking of beefing up the corners a bit with extra glass to avoid stress cracks.
Click to expand...

Hey Chris,

I just uploaded the rest of the supersize eBay pics to your album.

Just curious - do you know more about what happened to the boat? The eBay ad only stated "storm damage".

Enquiring minds, you know...
 
It si clear now - two Chris' and two new photo albums! The convertable is quite a bit cooler. Thanks professor De Nerd, on behalf of all of us named Chris.
 
Aha, got it now. Chris and Janet weighed in on the Project Boat topic and confused this old man. Welcome Chris and Janet. The project boat lives on under that name, I think Phoenix is very appropriate! Would also like to know what happened to it if Chris(1) can tell us.

charlie
 
My boat was only topless for a day or two - while in production! Try the "click here" to see our average run of the ocean (left side) CD22)
 
Chris, nice project boat! What's the condition of the hull? Transom seemed redoable. That would fit nicely in my garage... I think I could even hide it in there from my wife :roll: . It will make you a nice boat some day... Oh yes... me too. Someone said something about storm damage... care to pop a cold one and elaborate on what you know about it? later, all, Butch.
 
Butch, if you've got the Mrs. talked into a 25, don't push it. You're looking to overtake victory with defeat!! I speak from experience :crook

Talked to Cutter Marine today myself about floorboards for my 22. Couldn't get Ruth on the phone tho, she apparently is the expert. Did you deal with her?

Charlie
 
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