Factory option suggestions for new boats

W

Wefings

New member
This is a general question about things that the factory could practically install that would entice folks to consider new C Dorys over used models . Its meant to be an idea exchange that might kick start more interest in new boat purchases .
Ill start with some options we find popular ;
Teak and holly floor treatments,
Air Conditioning options
Memory Foam Mattress
Sofa option instead of dinette .
Solar Options .
I know you clever C Brats can add anything , but if you were at a a boat show, what would be things that would get you excited to purchase new ?
Marc
 
I would consider factory options as items which I might have to change--for example the memory foam, or sofa (neither are things I personally want)--over something which the person could have installed at the local dealer.

Examples I might want would be extra water (asked for on the Tom Cat and not given), extra fuel tanks, items which need to be put in at the time the boat is built.

One of the problems of installation of even a windlass, is that the factory in the past has not properly sealed the core with epoxy. If the factory were to properly re-enforce the roof for RV type of air conditioning, then that would be a good option.

Other items--spreader lights in the cockpit, or on the sides for docking.
Docking lights in the hull forward.
Instant hot water heater under the galley, I(vs the 6 gallon water heater which often is on the other side of the boat, wasting water and space.
 
Maybe it has already been addressed in newer boats but a better step system for getting into and out of the cockpit.

An opening window in the door.

Slightly taller bow rail.
 
Ergonomic seating, at least as an option. It is "marketing" that drives the desire for a larger number to the question: How many does it sleep? I would venture that most of our boats that are used for cruising are used by a couple. Make the seating at the dinette two comfortable chairs, with some adjustability for back support/lean and swivel. Arm rests for the helm seat.

For the 25/26 that come with pressure hot/cold water, put the water pump switch where you use the water (having the switch for that at the helm makes no sense for usability).

LED lights inside and out.

A switch at the co-pilot side for the windshield wiper.

An option for built-in seating, with storage under, for the cockpit. (Note the word "option" to also give options for those who fish these boats.)

I like your suggestions, Marc. Of course, as a leading dealer for these and other brands, you get to see (and implement) changes that would best benefit your customer. As boat owners, these are changes we have suggested for years... great to see a dealer encouraging updating, too. :thup

Thanks for this thread, Marc.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Intermittent windshield wipers.
Windshield washers with tank
Solar panels with and inverter
Heaters other than Wallas
Newer style shore power receptacle i.e. Smart Plug
Put Venture Style steps/boxes in the cockpit all the boats
Also the Venture style on demand water heaters
more fuel capacity and getting some of a little more forward. I.E. Marinaut
two more cleats aft
D.D.
 
Good idea Marc. For the 22 We'd like: an electric center window wiper, intermittent wipers, heat ducts to forward windows from Webasto, Saddle fuel tanks a la "Marinaut" in addition to or in lieu of the standard tanks, better helm seat, improved reversible seating for forward dinette seat, improved access to lazarettes, open access to the vee berth, i.e. a cutout like Anna Leigh or something similar, ideally one that could be swung closed or open.

I'm sure I'll think of others.

Barry
 
Some of my list:

-Insulation in cabin
-More fuel capacity...saddle tanks?
-Forced air diesel heat
-Properly designed propane system and propane stove
-Windshield wipers with multiple speeds
-Comfortable seating
 
I'd second a few of the options above - in particular heat vents to the front windows and alternate fuel tank arrangements. The window fogging is an issue that is probably way more important up here than it is in your neck of the woods.

For both the 25 and the Tomcat, I'd like to see an option that makes the fuel tanks more accessible for future maintenance/replacement if needed. Ditto for the bilge pumps and water tank.

A customized or customizable roof rack and radar arch would be nice for all the boats. The Ranger Tugs always seem to attract more people at the boat shows and they almost always have a kyak or two or a bicycle or something similar on the roof top.

A Davit for getting the dinghy to the roof would be nice.

For the high end side of the scale, the cabinetry could be improved considerably. Almost all here have added shelving or similar to the cabinets so it would be nice if that could be built in. I'd like the option of nice wood doors and a nicely made wood table top (coated with clear epoxy). If I was going to pay for teak and holly floors, I'd want a nice wood table. I'd also like to see the push button latch/handles on the drawer and cabin doors (similar to what SeaSport typically installs). A couple of cup holders in the table-top are also handy.

I've always advocated for a standardized wiring harness to be factory installed. My guess is that the overall cost would be less if a well thought out harness was installed at the time of construction. Said harness would include wiring for all the typical needs + a range of possible future additions. Wires would be color coded and well documented as to their intended use. If properly designed and documented, such a harness could be documented in the owners manual and would save a lot trouble down the road. Ditto for a fuse box that would be large enough to accommodate most likely future expansions.

On the Tomcat (and perhaps other boats too), I'd like the seating at the table to be more ergonomically designed. In particular, the depth of the cushion on the port side forward, is much too deep for a standard human. We almost always put another cushion behind the back of whoever is seated there.

On the 22's (and 25's?) a storage option for the space under the v-berths would be useful. Many add that later.

LED cockpit lighting.

On the Tomcat - underwater lighting on the bracket.

A docking light/search light/headlight option.

A standard option for stowage behind the stove and sink. Almost everyone builds something there, it would be nice if you could get something that was designed up front to fit that space.

Factory installed Airhead in the 25 and Tomcat. I know the factory has done these but it's not generally something I see on an options list.

Larger bilge pump capacity and a bilge alarm in the 25's and Tomcats.

Better ventilation of the sponsons on the Tomcats to limit moisture and the concomitant mold growth.
 
My humbled opinion for things that the factory could practically install for very little additional moneys or labor that possibly could entice folks to consider new C-Dorys over used models:

o Standard, larger water tank(s) in forward berth for better weight distribution, perhaps 30 gallons total for a 25’ or larger model
o Standard, sealed batteries being inside the cabin, perhaps one on each side below the forward facing drive and passenger side seats for better weight distribution
o Standard, transparent UV protection diamond sea glaze
o Standard, pre-plumbing and wiring for optional Wallas or similar auxiliary heater in a designated protect cockpit area for easy maintenance, low noise and to preserve space in the cabin.
o Standard, removable/fold down railing for the back splash well allowing for mounting of pole holders, BBQ, fish cleaning tray, securing generator, fall protection etc.
o Standard, LED lights throughout the boat
o Standard, additional cleats along the port and starboard sides
o Standard, quick disconnect or screw-on option on the over board sewer drain where applicable allowing to connect a ¾ “ or 1” hose for the purpose of sanitary discharge at camp sites
o Standard, sealed shower sump pump reservoir where applicable to prevent the occasional overflow of shower water into the cabin area
o Standard, intermittent windshield wiper setting
o Standard, locker allowing for 300’ of rode for 25’ or larger C-Dorys
o Standard, runner baskets with glides in under seat storage cabinet
o Standard, removable fiberglass section on passenger side berth to allow for easier access to get in and out and for better heat transfer
Standard, insulated berth
 
An improved instrument panel and possibly a side panel (to the right of the driver). With all the electronics and systems displays and controls there is a shortage of space on the (for lack of a better term) main console. Some of the switch placement is poor and that can make it difficult to see/read the switch captions.

A medium size chartplotter will take up all the space at the top of the panel. Some people end up putting stuff on the overhead shelf (mostly radios). Personally I would like it on the main panel.

On my boat (it came this way) the shore power panel, indicators, CBs, and 120 outlets are on the face of the sink cabinet behind the (fixed) driver's seat. This makes them hard to see/use. The 120 outlet is unusable in its present location.

I would also like to see an improvement to the wiring and dressing on the back of the panel (in the berth). Mine is pretty much a rat's nest of unmarked wires. Any labeling is written on the FG with black marker. The cover on this side of the panel should be improved. A hard cover of some sort would be better protection of the panel and wires (IMO). I would also suggest that some of the wiring, fuse blocks, and "black boxes" be moved somewhere else to declutter the back on the main panel where ever possible. Some of these could be moved to the small storage space at the foot of the driver or into the V-berth compartment on that side of the boat. There could be a separate section to separate the wiring stuff from the storage space (I'm trying to figure out how to do something like this with my boat).

On the 22's move the water tank to one of the V-berth compartment spaces up front. This will free a big space in the cabin that is more convenient for storage than the v-berth compartments. Again, I am looking to do this in my boat.

The only other thing I would say is that while you will get a lot of suggestions on improvements, I don't know how this will translate to a lot of sales of new boats. Most of the suggested improvements come from things that people have already done to their boats. So the used market boats are already "improved" compared to the factory boats. Even if the factory added these improvements to the new boats, there will be a fair number of boats with similar features available at a lower pre-owned price.

One of the great things about the C-Dory boats is that they are simple and easy to modify. Anyone with a bit of home maintenance skill can modify their boat to pretty much whatever they want. I can't really think if anything that I've seen or heard that has been installed or changed on another boat, that I couldn't put on mine (pretty much by myself). Certainly I haven't seen anything that would make me choose to sell the one I have and buy a new one just to get some feature or other. Granted, there are some people without the skills or inclination to do some of these things themselves who might be interested in buying a new boat with improvements.
 
The thing I would want the most is a self bailing cockpit. This is the only boat that I have ever had that was not self bailing.

Alan
"Sweet c"
 
Like most owners it seems, I am pretty handy and not afraid to do the work on my own boat. I think some of the most complicated additions would make it more appealing to the current niche of buyer who are buying used.


A factory generator somehow installed in the 25 or Tomcat would be a start.

Also a simple, (no shower) small enclosed head option on the 22/23 would be very popular if done right in place of the dinette rear seat. The helm seat could swivel to face a swiveling front passenger seat and a small table could quickly mount between them off the top of the berth entrance.


Integrated 100+watt solar charging (to avoid a generator) and dual battery banks moved forward is a tough move for some to do on there own as well.

I could see real value in adding about 6 inches of width or an optional two feet of cockpit room to the 22 models for more elbow room and fishing space without loss of inside space. I agree that some kind of insulation choice would be a real boon but don't get too fancy there and a good heating system is at the top of most buys list.

Part of the real appeal of a C-dory is the simplicty of design and of appearance. They don't feel like yachts and we very much like it that way. But.... we still like our toys and clever modifications.

How about a DIY kit as an accessory including a box of factory paints, trim, stickers, and any other specialized parts that could be of assistance as we suit the boat to fit us in the first couple years of ownership.
 
Thanks all ,glad to see the responses ! Great ideas that will no doubt help direct some future standards and options . Keep em coming .
Marc
 
I'd like to see a heavy duty cargo rack on the roof as an option.

Saddle tanks like on the marinaut, to free up the back of the cockpit for storage.

Also, cabin insulation to prevent condensation.
 
lots of good ideas have been addressed already, a self bailing deck would make it worth it to upgrade to a new one. even with bilge pumps the cockpit once wet seems to always stay that way.

a cruiser with more cockpit space would be nice for fishing.

but really a self bailing deck would be ideal
 
I did a few upgrades on the 22, making entry into the bunk would be nice for ease of access, also air circulation.
Insulating the bunk

By the time we add up all these options we'll have a very heavy expensive boat, hence the move to the Ranger Tug.
 
A self bailing deck that actually works well on a 16 or 22 is a big ask IMHO. The primary problem is that we have a nearly flat bottom boat and unless you add a good bit of height to the cockpit floor, there simply isn't enough drop from the floor to the water line to get the boat to be self bailing. On the 25 and the Tomcat, the self-bailing cockpit is IMHO somewhat marginal since there's only a few inches of drop from the floor to the scuppers (4-6"). If you raise the floor in a 22 (or worse yet a 16) enough to get flow out through the scuppers, you need to either raise the sides of the hull or add some high railing to keep passengers in. Higher sides to the hull would detract from the looks/proportions of the boat.
 
These are just a few of the factory changes to our boat.

Interior colors: cushions, table and counter inserts.
Custom sized overhead shelf
Exterior color change on accent
Three pantographic wipers
Water tank location change
Sink location change
Tinted windows all around
washdown location and type change
changes to storage in transom and lockers

The factory was very receptive to customized changes to the interior and options when we ordered our boat last year. Use you imagination, have some good drawings (for modifications), and the willingness to pay (time and materials) for one-off-modifications.
 
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