Dreaming of owning a C-Dory

G

GinnaP

New member
I currently own a Catalina 30. I love it. At 58 years of age, and feeling arthritis sneaking up on me, Sailing my 30 will one day be a bit too much. I originally dreamed of a Ranger Tug. I still like them, although ... the trouble with dreaming while looking at pictures doesn't really tell the whole story. I'll need to get to a boat show so I can board, sit and think. Then one day I saw a picture of a C-Dory. I immediately thought .... "that's it!"

Located in North Eastern NC ... sailing a couple times a year on the Pasquotank River .... dreaming of simpler times in the future. It's not so much that one boat or the other will be simple to handle ... but having a boat that is comfortable, and not have to pay a yard to haul out. Anyone want to trade for a Catalina 30 ... with the tall rig with bow sprit?
 
GinnaP,
Come and visit! I have a C-Dory 22 and several of my local boating buddies also have 22's and 25' (and also sailboats of various types and sizes). You can touch and feel the C-Dory's up close to decide which fits your needs best. Boat rides are always free.
I do still sail and know what you are talking about concerning arthritis... Now if wind is above 15 kts (like today as an example), I will use something on the dock other than a sailboat.
 
whereabouts in Portsouth? My sailboat came from Portsmouth. It was docked at the Portsmouth Yacht Club ... where the Portsmouth Boat Club hangs out.
 
I can see your line of thinking. I'm a sailor who now has a C-Dory 22 (lots of sailors here, you'll find). There are many things I like about the boat, but just to mention a few:

(And of course there are a number of boats that could do these things.)

This is a bit of a ramble, but maybe still interesting.

I can totally adjust the experience to my energy level, time, interest, etc. What I mean is that because it's on a trailer, I can transport it where and when I want. I can store it indoors, which really cuts down on maintenance. I can use it a lot, or I can leave it happily stored while I do other things, guilt-free. Sure, it's a boat and so it needs things, but it's not like a boat in a slip that if you're not keeping up on it is basically deteriorating by the minute. (Of course there are wonderful things about boats in slips, but I'm simply speaking from the other angle.)

There are enough projects (or potential customizations) to keep even the most devoted putterer happy and busy - and yet the boat can be used and enjoyed without doing any of that, if one prefers.

It sounds like you may not be planning on trailering (and trailers and trailering are a complication, although one many of us happily put up with), but if you do, there are a bunch of neat places you can go: Lake Powell, inland rivers and lakes, distant cruising such as the Inside Passage (distant from where you are anyway). These are all fun places that I either couldn't do on previous non-trailerable sailboats, or which I could get to but it took considerable time/effort.

The on-water experience can likewise be "adjusted" to suit. Feeling tired, gimpy, or just needing to relax? Then you can just motor (in enclosed comfort) to an anchorage or dock and relax. Miss sailing? I spent some time boating in tandem with a couple who had a Snark type sailboat along on their 22, and using it at the anchorages brought back all the fun parts of sailing a light boat, many of which I missed on a larger sailboat. Or, explore the nearby surroundings in a kayak or a powered dinghy, hike, swim, etc. as the mood strikes you.

As mentioned above, many of these things can also be done in other boats, some with a bit more luxury. Everyone has their own place on that scale (or chooses a particular place for a mission). The C-Dory 22 is a bit like a Volkswagen bus. By that I mean, does it "all" in a compact, multi-use space. Not the most luxurious, but sturdy and simple. Not super luxo, but has personality and gets thumbs ups. That kind of thing.

For me the 22 is right below the "tipping point" on a number of things:

1) I can tow it with a number of different vehicles, and being able to keep it near the 5,000# all-up range means I don't need to get into the next tier of tow rigs (I tow with a van/RV so this is key).

2) I can mentally afford to hang onto it even if I'm not using it 24/7/365. I don't know exactly where that "line" is, but I know I wouldn't feel the same with, say, a $50k+ boat. Different for everyone of course.

3) Since I can store it indoors (or alternatively under a fitted cover), I can leave it while I do other things and have it stay reasonably "the same." That didn't work with a slipped boat.

4) Simple systems are easy to winterize, etc.

5) And yet if I want to tart it up a bit, there is lots I can do.

Who knows what will end up being right for you, but I'm envying you being able to go meet srbaum and see his boat(s). He is a true boater and extremely knowledgeable. He has generously extended similar invitations to many of us, but I'm much too far away at the moment to take him up on it. You're practically next door :thup

Have fun with it all :D

Sunbeam
 
I think the key for me is like it is with many boat owners thinking of swtiching, moving up/down, etc... is I must first .... sell my existing boat. That may not be so easy with me living in a rural area here in North Eastern NC. The Pasquotank is a fantastic place to boat/sail, however on any given nice day, there's few if any boats out there simply because there's so few people here. But ... I'm being pessimistic ... since I've not really advertised it yet. I'm certain I'd be happy with a C-22. I was wondering if the 22 would be a bit too small for me, but your comments have helped me realize I'd be happy with a 22. After all, I was thinking of a Ranger 21 Tug ... and the C-22 seems MUCH bigger.
 
GinnaP,
I live on Carney Creek (called Carney on maps and Lilly Creek on charts). My address is 3628 Shoreline Drive.
Feel free to call at 757-477-1453.
 
GinnaP, I can vouch for Steve, when I first moved to the area, I wanted to see a C-Dory up close. He and his wife were great hosts. We came to see a boat and then stayed for great conversation. I'm not a C-Dory owner, I decided to put off any boat buying decisions until I retire in a few years, but I still look at this forum every few months. Good luck!
 
Something else to consider: because you are "down below" in a sailboat, you will find a 25 Cruiser has the same or more liveability as a 30' sailboat. Easier to singlehand. Great visibility from anywhere in the cabin (besides the v-berth). Trailerable, so you can haul it to the best cruising waters at the best time of the year.

There are a lot of owners here who have previously owned sailboats (us included), and some that still do. I have often described the C-Dory as a "powercruiser with a sailing sensibility." You can go at displacement speed, burning 1 gallon per hour or so, or put the throttle down and run at 20 knots... to get somewhere, or to stay ahead or away from weather. The sunsets are the same. That enclosed helm gets you out of the weather (heat, cold or rain), making it easy to stay out longer. Less issue getting under a bridge, where the fun stuff might be on the other side.

Don't get me wrong - I still enjoy sailing. On other people's boats. :wink: There is that occasional day (once or twice a year), where the weather is perfect, the wind is blowing just enough AND the right direction, that makes sailing a dream. You have so many more days like that with a C-Dory... not to mention: they go to weather really great!

Good luck with this "exploration." I think you will find C-Dorys have a lot going for them! :thup

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
GinnaP,

My wife and I have a 23' Venture model, which is very similar to the C22. We love the boat and have trailered it to many beautiful cruising grounds. Like you we are previous sailors, as are a large amount of C-Brats. What you are considering, including the various boat types, mirrors the processes many us have followed, so you are with an understanding group. I would encourage you to chat with Steve (srbaum). He has a great wealth of knowledge pertaining to all aspects you have mentioned, and he and his wife are truly nice people.

Rob
 
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