C-Dory vs Cruisers

D

DuckDogTitus

New member
Sorry if this is the wrong forum category, but I'd love to hear feedback from C-dory owners.

My wife and I are torn between a cabin cruiser like a Sundancer, and a newer fishing machine like the Dorys.

It seems like we are balancing the living quarters of the sundancer vs the fuel economy of both vessels, vs the fishing nature of the dory.

Would you guys be willing to pitch your input on any of those topics my way? we'd probably be looking at a CD22.

the irony in the larger cruisers is I find that I can afford to buy and moor it no problem, but the fuel economy makes me sick.
:thdown

I'm the type who likes to get the boat out about 2 dozen times per year on average (mostly fishing), and as many overnight trips as possible are on the agenda. my last vessel was a 20ft lund fisherman, very nice, loaded boat, but now we are shopping our first cabin/cruiser. fuel economy didn't really matter when our largest body of water or travel was 8-16 miles. but now I'm looking at 100-200 mile trips.

(i've never slept/camped on a boat, so we're really excited about new adventures)
 
Oh my thoughts:
Sundancer moored in Tacoma, but north sound is deal for fishing so thats 100 miles.
Cdory could be trailerd (although moorage appeals to me) and be taken to the Columbia. Sundancer can't be trailered. the one i'm looking at is a 12ft beam. its older though, so I can afford the moorage. the newer CD I wouldn't want to moor.
 
You asked about C-Dorys vs cruisers. That stumps me a little as my C-Dory is a 22 cruiser and is used as a cruiser. We are often out on multi-day trips and thus far have been on the boat for one trip of more than 5 straight weeks. This summer's plans are for a 3 month cruise to Eastern Canada and New York. That said, the C-Dory as a cruiser is not for everyone, especially the 22-no shower or built in head. The 25 has those amenities and folks often migrate from a 22 to the 25 to obtain them. There are some good 25's available now. Alternatively you might want to look at a Ranger Tug 25 as it is luxurious compared to either C-Dory and is trailerable. I guess it depends on your "lifestyle" needs while cruising, that's not a jab just a recognition of something that has been a decisionmaker for others.
 
colobear":2abqtgjs said:
You asked about C-Dorys vs cruisers. That stumps me a little as my C-Dory is a 22 cruiser and is used as a cruiser. We are often out on multi-day trips and thus far have been on the boat for one trip of more than 5 straight weeks. This summer's plans are for a 3 month cruise to Eastern Canada and New York. That said, the C-Dory as a cruiser is not for everyone, especially the 22-no shower or built in head. The 25 has those amenities and folks often migrate from a 22 to the 25 to obtain them. There are some good 25's available now. Alternatively you might want to look at a Ranger Tug 25 as it is luxurious compared to either C-Dory and is trailerable. I guess it depends on your "lifestyle" needs while cruising, that's not a jab just a recognition of something that has been a decisionmaker for others.
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yeah I've been wanting to post on forums with some of these types of questions for a few weeks but unable to get thoughts from my mind to words, haha.

Luxury cruiser vs camp cruiser? I dont know exactly how you differentiate but If you compare something of a Regal, Sea Ray Sundancer, etc type cruiser to something like the CD22, they are seemingly quite different in their price ranges. the CD to me seems to come with more fuel economy, lighter and easy to trailer, and less living quarters, whereas the other boats as you mentioned have certain creature comforts like showers and head, and much more sleeping room.

no offense taken, I appreciate the info and suggestions, I'm going to give the ranger a look as well- thanks!
 
If by Sundancer, you mean an express type by Sea Ray, then the C Dory has it all over. A bit confusing to me, is that you think the Sundancer is a cabin cruiser, and the C Dory is not. For many of us the C Dory is a pilot house cabin cruiser. I have owned a number of boats of all types, and perhaps the worse type was the express cruiser. You are down in a hole in the galley and dinette. The V Bunk serves as both dinette and bunk. They are about half as efficient as the C Dory. They are not as comfortable at displacement speeds.

The C Dory is a good boat to cruise to Alaska or Baja or the Bahamas, etc--the Sundancer is not. The C Dory holds its value far better than the Sundancer.

I think that you will find that the C Dory is both an excellent cruiser and fishing boat.

Look at the C Brat map and find some one near you who will show you a boat--and even get a ride on one. I think you will find that the C Dory would work well for your needs.

Also many of us "Camp" in the C Dory along the way in RV parks or even truck stops/Walmarts when necessary.

Welcome aboard.
 
great point on the galley and dinette being down in a hole. I've heard others mention the "cave" as well. exactly the kind of thoughts and brainstorming I was hoping to hear.

we are also headed to the boat show all day saturday and I'm hoping to climb into more boats as well. still in the 'collecting info and ideas' phase.
 
I doubt anyone on this site will recommend you choose the Sundancer over a C-Dory. ;)

Fuel economy was one of the significant decision points that led me to my 22 Cruiser, as was the ability to tow with a 1/2 Ton pickup. Because of the hull design, you sacrifice a little speed compared to a deep-V, but at the end of the day, I've got more money left over for beers, while the other guys are sticking that money back in their fuel tanks.

A major advantage to me with the cruiser is the ability to sleep on the boat. I hate sitting in line at the launch on a busy fishing morning. Instead of leaving my house at oh-my-gawd-thirty in the morning, I prefer to travel the afternoon before and sleep on the boat at the marina. I get a couple of hours extra rest and avoid the launch circus in the morning.

The 22 Cruiser is really a multi-functional craft. I can change mine from a serious hardcore fishing machine to a creature comfort cruising platform in a matter of minutes.

You said you will use it mostly for fishing with plans for overnighters. With a trailerable boat your opportunities are nearly unlimited. From Columbia Springers to Westport kings to Neah Bay lings and halibut. Oh, and then there's the occasional trip across the Straits to fish Canadian halibut as salmon, as well. And that's not even mentioning the shrimping and crabbing and clamming and...
 
We agree with Patti and Barry. The C-Dory is a cruiser. We sold our home and lived aboard a CD-22 for many years. We trailered and cruised her all over the US and Canada. Showers are available at marinas or with a solar shower. Built-in heads we had experienced (on a previously owned sailboat) can be a pain to maintain -- a porta-potty was simple.

The smaller size of the boat was an advantage to us-- easy to store, launch, anchor in shallow water coves, trailer. We saw the problems with larger size and believed the extra 'room' in a larger boat did not compensate for the disadvantages of the bigger size.

As Patti and Barry said, every couple makes their own choices depending on their needs, and we don't judge folks by those decisions. We lived on our CD cruiser for many years, had wonderful experiences, and now looking backward believe it was exactly the right choice for us to share some wonderful times with each other, family, and friends and now retain fine memories.

Contrary to a common thread in our culture, we don't necessarily believe bigger is better -- consider the plus and minus, and decide what is right for you. Perhaps visit with a C-Brat and maybe spend a weekend on their boat -- see how it feels for you.
 
C-Dawg":1llhcbc7 said:
I doubt anyone on this site will recommend you choose the Sundancer over a C-Dory. ;)

.
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honestly that's why I'm here, I'm already 90% sold on the CD, I watch Craigslist daily in a few different cities to get an idea of costs, its just a matter of that little extra push. The biggest 'plus' I find to some certain other vessels is the price. CD as pointed out, hold their value. I CAN trailer a CD which is good, but I will probably HAVE to trailer a CD as well because the $300+ marina slip would just be a silly excess. moorage, if affordable, appeals to me for the 'second home' aspect.

thanks a ton for the feedback great stuff
 
@EL and Bill,
what is the process with a porta-potti? the head is a selling point to my wife. less important to me, but one of those creature comforts I understand.
 
C-Dawg":3f69xz12 said:
You said you will use it mostly for fishing with plans for overnighters. With a trailerable boat your opportunities are nearly unlimited. From Columbia Springers to Westport kings to Neah Bay lings and halibut. Oh, and then there's the occasional trip across the Straits to fish Canadian halibut as salmon, as well. And that's not even mentioning the shrimping and crabbing and clamming and...
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everything you just listed is on my agenda. the sundancer i'm looking at, 12ft beam. I cant' trailer that. Its stuck in the south sound. the CD, I can take to the columbia (how about sturgeon?) or san juans. Definitely sold on the fishing aspect of the dory. just working on the living quarters aspect.
 
Not all of us use our C-Dory's as fishing machines. We have never fished and use ours exclusively for cruising. We have gone crabbing but that's as close as we have come to using our boat as a fishing machine.

We have been down in the South sound, across the Straits numerous times and up into the San Juans and Gulf Islands. With the addition of the Camperback its been an exceedingly comfortable cruiser for my wife, myself, and our 55 pound Husky even in bad weather.

Though we haven't done so, many other C-Brats take their boats to Lake Powell, or many other great cruising areas across the U.S.

Due to efficient outboard power, the relative light weight of the boat itself (making it easy to tow), and the enclosed cabin perfect for boating in the Pacific Northwest, the C-Dorys are fairly inexpensive to own and operate (considering boat ownership is never cheap!) and great boats for this area.

We keep our Venture 23' on a trailer most of the year but have been keeping it in various marinas for a few months to maximize convenience and our usage the last few years.

Plus, having a C-Dory gives you an opportunity to meet and join in w/ lots of other wonderful C-Brats at the Gatherings. What more could somebody want out of a boat?

Take care,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity
 
ddenver":374zgqc3 said:
Plus, having a C-Dory gives you an opportunity to meet and join in w/ lots of other wonderful C-Brats at the Gatherings. What more could somebody want out of a boat?

Take care,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity
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i've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I will admit the c-brat community is a big selling point on the boats!

thanks for the feedback. would love to see pictures of your vessel, especially interior setup, etc. if you have any.
 
To me it seems a bit like choosing a rig for land travel. Not that you need to compare it to something else, but just in case it's a helpful thinking exercise. For the moment, I'm ignoring one big factor, which is the extreme highway mobility of a 22 vs. the very difficult highway mobility of a larger cruiser.

But say you were going to choose an RV for some long trips. Are you the type that would love a camper van? Some plusses to those are that they are almost like driving a car, so you don't hesitate to poke down forest roads that might not have a turnaround, you get much better fuel economy, and you can tuck into some small places. On the other hand, some folks would call it glorified camping, there's often not a "real" bathroom, you don't have a plethora of "rooms," and you have to be very careful to keep your stuff to a minimum (or else you are just moving piles of stuff all the time, which is aggravating).

Then there is a 40+ Class A rig. Still not hard to drive, once you are used to it, but there is a certain different feel to it. Most people would not just poke that sort of rig down single-land forest roads, for example. You have to plan ahead a bit more. Does that parking lot have a pull-through? It costs more to buy and more to run. It's more of a luxurious feel and less of a "jack knife" (i.e. small but capable) feel. But, you can bring along tons of stuff, the comforts will be "just like a [land] home," and there is plenty of space (rooms! with doors!). Even though fuel and running expenses are higher, maybe with a more luxurious unit you don't (feel the need to) move around as much, so there is that.

Of course with boats or RV's, there is no perfect one - just the best compromise for you and your current use (and of course that's why you are posting). Sometimes it's hard to know how you would like or use a boat until you try it, but sometimes you might just know you fit better into one end of the spectrum than the other, once you think about how you like to do other activities (i.e. the style you like to be accustomed to :D).

Sunbeam
 
DuckDogTitus,

Three years ago I was in same position as you are right now…
I was looking for an 80% cruising and 20% fishing boat.

It took me about 120 seconds to eliminate the Regal, Sea Ray and Sundancer which seemed like the whole insides were made out of recycled Clorax bottles. J No offense…

However, with extensive research online, dealer visit, boat show and C-Brats forum reading I took me almost a year to decide between the C-Dory cruiser 22, C-Dory cruiser 25 and Ranger 25. On the end, with my wife insisting on a build in head and the Ranger 25 being out of our price range we have decided on a C-Dory 25, and we love it…

Great fuel economy
Exceptional good performance for a pocket cruiser
Easy to tow with a ¾ ton pick up
Very stable, does not bob on the water like the Regal, Sea Ray and Sundancer
Dining table and galley above with all around view
Deck large enough for fishing
Great cruising range
Simple technology with easy access for maintenance
No need for a gas vapor fan
Only one through hull fitting below the water line
Easy to customize if desired
Retains value better than most boats

However, that is just my opinion…

I wish you the best of luck with your decision.

Heinz
 
well shoot, sunbeam. I guess the answer is that I just need two boats. :lol:

lol good metaphor though, I definitely see what you are saying and of the 20+ times per year that I boat, most are probably more of the adventure/exploring/fishing nature....
 
Lots of very truthful, valid ideas presented here!

I happen to own BOTH a CD-22 Cruiser AND a Sea Ray 265 Sedan Cruiser.

My Sedan Bridge has a flying bridge, so the bridge does not interfere with the interior arrangements, making a "tunnel" or "cave", nor does it shorten the rear cockpit, all of which occur in the express cruiser style Sundancer.

The express cruiser is the most useless and poorly designed group of boats out there! Easy to sell to novice boaters, but compromised totally in design trade-offs!

Sea Ray is, however, a very well built boat. Mine serves as a first-class floating apartment and houseboat, and lives at displacement speeds when out on the lake. Twin V-6's can do a lot of damage to the 120 gallon gas tank quickly, running well under 2 miles per gallon at close to 40 mph. A full fill-up at Shasta Lake can run as much as $600, depending on the price of gas at the moment.

The CD-22 is indeed the most versatile boat, being both a cruiser, a fishing boat, and a trailerable boat that can be used as a "boaterhome" when traveling on land. I keep both boats under covered moorage at Shasta Lake for about $500/mo.

I fish and stay out over night in the CD and trailer it wherever I want. The Sea Ray, in contrast, is an affordable apartment on the lake that can be moved about as needed, but not an efficient runabout or fishing boat.

We happen to have our slips at the lake close to the bathrooms and shower facilities, which removes a lot of the issues with having to use those facilities onboard. The plumbing issues onboard a boat can be a major PITA, so my advice is KISS, as the more complex systems are, the more problems you have (MC=MPITA).

We also have a pontoon boat for the summer, but that's another story. Great swim/party platform.

If I had to choose just one to keep, the C-Dory would be the one, due to its wide spectrum of utility. It will also hold its value over the years as good as any boat you can buy in this price range and size.

I hope this, by illustration, adds some understanding to your thinking!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
DuckDogTitus":3uxgfjj8 said:
well shoot, sunbeam. I guess the answer is that I just need two boats.
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Just two?! I always say they are like golf clubs; you really need a whole set :shock: :wink

On perhaps a more realistic note, maybe another way to think about it is "what is the 'least amount' of boat that can serve my needs?" "Least" could have a few different meanings, here: Size, complication, expense, luxuries (usually related, it seems!); but one thing that seems all too easy to do with boats is to inch - or foot - them up until you end up with more boat than you need, and then the expense, complication, or size take some of the fun out of it. So maybe think about what is the "least" that will do what you want it to, and in a comfort-level you can be happy with. It doesn't sound like you plan to live aboard, so you'll be heading home and back to your land comforts between jaunts. What's the simplest tool that will do the job for you?

Another mental game I play with myself when making decisions like this is to just briefly/quickly imagine that I already have "X" boat [insert the various options here, one at a time], and that I'm about to leave the house for a day/week/month of boating. Before I can start to think of "logical facts," I try to capture my fleeting thoughts. Am I excited? Does it seem like fun? How much trepidation do I feel? Does it feel complicated? Primitive? Adventurous? Burdensome? Relaxing? Which of these feelings do I want the boat to engender? If something happened to this boat (it was stolen or etc.) how would I feel? Relieved? Bummed? Would I get the same boat again? Which boat would I choose if no-one but me was going to see it? (i.e. nothing in there about what my "public image" would be.) Sometimes I can access more subconscious (but useful and important) thoughts, ideas, and feelings this way - things which my beloved, logical lists and checklists don't always capture.

Sunbeam :hot
 
I am loving this community more and more. all your points and thoughts are fantastic and very helpful.

as far as the 'just two boats?' comment... in WA state? no. lol. come summer time I'd also like a bass boat and a kayak. come duck season, I'd like a duck boat, as well as a duck layout boat (fancy kayak). When I learn, a sailboat too. so what am I up to, a need... for 7 or so? oh that doesn't include any waterskiing does it... add one the list :lol:
 
DuckDogTitus":3hvy7ebx said:
ddenver":3hvy7ebx said:
Plus, having a C-Dory gives you an opportunity to meet and join in w/ lots of other wonderful C-Brats at the Gatherings. What more could somebody want out of a boat?

Take care,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity
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i've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I will admit the c-brat community is a big selling point on the boats!

thanks for the feedback. would love to see pictures of your vessel, especially interior setup, etc. if you have any.
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Regrettably, we have not setup a Photo Album (see the link on the far left titled "Photos:" under the posting user's name, boat info. etc.) such as you can see for Colobear, Thataway, C-Dawg, and most other posters.

Even if we did have a photo album, my lack of mechanical skills means our boat is relatively factory stock aside from some changes I have hired others to perform. Many of the C-Brats are extremely talented in their mechanical abilities and have performed many interesting modifications to their boats to customize them to better suit their needs.

You can check other's Photo links to investigate the variety of customizations as well as seeing interior and exterior boat photos.

Perhaps you and your wife should plan to attend the upcoming May Friday Harbor CBGT. This would give you a great opportunity to see the boats up close, likely get a few rides, and also meet other C-Brats which might help your wife be more comfortable with the choice. After all, your happiness will be directly tied to her satisfaction in the outcome of this decision.

Take care,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity
 
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