Help for a newbie to Doryland

C

colebob@bellsouth.net

New member
Hello out there. I am in S. Fla/ Jupiter, new to the C-Dory and in love with the boat, but have never been on one. I have questions for anyone with the patience to answer them.

Is the ICW here in the Jupiter/ Stuart, area a good place for a 22 foot C-Dory cruiser given the chop and waves from mega cruisers?

Is it true, as someone told me, that the chop in a C-Dory will be painful and noisy?

Is it too hot here for the enclosed pilot house?

Can an adult skier be pulled? If so, what horsepower would be needed?

Thank you to anybody who can help me decide.
 
Bob, I won't attempt to answer those, poke around on the site and you'll find answers to all of them. Go to "The Brat Map" at the top of the page and you'll see all of the registered CDs in the FLA area. You can make it show just 22's also.

Welcome to the C-Brats!

Charlie
 
Colebob,
I can assure you the 22 ft. C-Dory will handle all of what you asked. Been there, done that. Yes, when that big sports fishing cruiser goes by and leaves you a 5 ft wake, be sure to hang on as you would in any boat, Even my 45 ft Chris could pitch the tv off the shelve. I have had lots of boats, the 22 ft. C-Dory (jeep) was one of my favorites. It crossed the Gulf Stream twice to the Abacos. My wife felt safer on that boat than any we have ever owned. It took me fishing 50 miles off shore in the Pacific, the Gulf, Sea of Cortez and the Atlantic. Been caught out in plenty of rough water, the boat took it better than I did.
Painful and noisy? Engines of today can be so quite they have a ignition safety so you won't hit the starter when it is already running. ( like Verado) Mine had twin Honda 40's, Very quite. If it is rough and becomes Painful, slow down.

Is it hot in the cabin? Open front window, side windows and leave the door open. Much cooler than setting out in the sun in an open boat. I also had a 12 volt fan. The front hatch in the v-berth will scoop more air than you want.
Buy one and enjoy.
Hope that answers your questions
Captd
 
If you can, come to the C Dory gathering in Apalachicola in about 3 weeks. That way you can talk to a number of owners and ride on private boats.

I would slow down when you come to a big wake--you do that in any boat. The 22 will handle the chop in the ICW and most bays, but since it is a flatter bottom boat you have to drive it a bit differently than a deep V. Engine noise is less than in an open boat. With the door closed even at speed, you will find little noise.

You want trim tabs, and probably a Permatrim (plate which bolts on the cavitation plate) to get the bow down when going into chop.

I find that the boats are cooler than an open boat. Many of us put an RV air conditioner on the top. Or you can use a cheap WalMart 5000 BTU AC in the front window at anchor--powered by a Honda i1000.

Welcome aboard.
 
You also wanted to know about skiing. There are some threads about that on the site but basically the answer is no. I'm sure there are people who do but the majority of boats we have don't have the hole shot to pull up a skier. There are people who do ski on the site who can give you the more definitive word.

Warren
 
Hey Bob! Like others, the CD22 warrants some serious consideration when looking into a 22' boat with a cabin. Many, many...stories and postings on here about them. Bob is right on target (again) and go to a C-Brats gathering too. You get to see some "owners ideas" which really make the boat your own, and I think some of the older versions lend themselves to these "ideas" a bit better than the new hulls being produced today.

Some changes in the boats in the last few years, some like those changes, some do not. You need to avail yourself to more than just the new ones....and in fact... looking at the ones for sale in FL now, about 200 miles from you, just cross the state from you a is a CD22 in New Port Richie, a 2002 year (I think they still had all wood cabinets in them then...which I like better) for less than $36,000 for boat, motor, trailer and some canvas work which we all end up getting too.

If you are not familar with this site, just from the home page, scroll down to the bottom right hand side, and the pre-loved boats are sorted by year...

Happy Boat Shopping.

Byrdman
 
If I was going to pull an adult water skiier, I would opt for the 115 Yahama engine (I have that engine on an 18 foot Center console, moderate V, which weighs the same as a C Dory 22, and it works fine pulling a skiier.

You might drop the prop diameter a couple of inches to give a better hole shot, and lower lop end, keep the boat light. You can ski nicely in the 22 to 23 mile an hour range, and the boat should give both enough acceloration and high end speed for that. I would suggest that it would take an experienced skiier to get up on a single, but there is always the option of getting up on two and dropping one. But a good skiier should have no problem getting up if you have the 115 (Suzuki would also be good for that function)
 
I just want to thank Thataway, Byrdman, Warren, Captd and Charlie for your kind responses. Your suggestions really helped me. Maybe I will see some of you in N. Florida at the Doryland convention.
 
Lane,

Welcome to the Site. Here you will find better answers to your questions than I could ever give you because they come from the people that own and love their C-Dory boats.

We are again hosting the 3rd Annual Southeast Gathering of the C-Brats the weekend of the 17th-19th of October. New and used C-Dorys in every size, shape and color will be represented along with some great folks that are only too happy to tell you about their boats, how they use them and where they have taken them. We have 6 rooms blocked out in the Water Street Hotel in Apalachicola. Let me know if you are planning to attend and I'll put you name on one of them.

There is a very nicely equipped 22 for sale in the Maryland area (listed in the "C-Dorys for Sale" area at a great price) but the seller has taken a deposit to hold the boat for a week while another buyer decides to either buy it or another make of boat. The price is very reasonable but you would have to buy a trailer and pay to get it to Jupiter from there. There are a couple of others available down south that you could probably buy from private sellers for less than I could wrangle up for you on short notice.

Let me know if I can be of any assistance at all!

Charlie Holtom
 
Lane I can't add anything to what has already been said but you will know you made the right decision when you are a few miles offshore or from shelter and that blinding rain squal comes up. I too find the enclosed cabin cooler that being in the direct sun in and open boat plus the flat bottom is a plus in the shallow waters of your area. I took a wave over my bow yesterday that would have swamped any other open 22' boat but the C-Dory just kept on trucking. I bought my boat from Charlie at Wefings and he's a great guy to deal with and will go out of his way to help you.
 
Lane, Charlie, Bob and others: Had a blast at the first and last gathering down in East Point to include the times helping set it up and taking it down and getting other C-Brats from the NE corner down.

I will not make the 3rd year.

Going to be "around the corner & up river" a bit, up on the TN river in Rogersville, AL at Joe Wheeler State Park. The American Great Loop Cruisers Association's Rendezvous, (we call them gatherings) is taking place 20-23Oct and I always like to go in early, come out late. Will be hauling south from the Nashville area on Sunday.

Yall have a good time, toss a few fresh oysters for me...and Lane...good luck on your hunt.

Byrdman
 
Hi Colebob,

We have a 22' Cruiser (Comfy Dory) with a 75 hp Honda. We are located on the ICW on Merritt Island which is about 100 or so miles north of you. We have found the ICW to be a wonderful place for cruising/camping. There are literally dozens of "Spoils Islands" that were created when a channel in the Indian River was dredged during the mid 50's to make it part of the ICW. The islands are public and are great for picnicing, fishing, camping or just using for shields from the winds when they pick up. We have spent many nights on the lee side of the islands just hanging out on the Comfy Dory, listening to music, sipping wine and even doing some night fishing. The shallow draft of the Dory makes it easy just to ease up to the islands or fish the flats.

Any chop or wake that you encounter while cruising is easily handled with adjustments to the Permatrim to drop the bow into the chop or waves and as others have said, you are always adjusting to the conditions that are present and sometimes just slowing down minimizes any pounding.

My wife would not be out on the boat for long without the cabin. Rather than making it hotter, we find that just having a place out of the sun keeps us from being so worn out at the end of the day and of course, we keep cruising when it rains while others pull over looking for cover. We have decided to add a small AC window unit for the front window powered by a Honda 2000 for those summer nights when there is no wind to keep things cool. Shouldn't even need the AC from this time of the year until about May or June...just those "Dog Days of Summer". Check out our album for pictures of a trip we took in May. Launched on the St. John's River on Lake Harney and headed north up to Jacksonville, explored the ICW north up to Jekyl Island and then back down the ICW to our home on Merritt Island. We dropped the hook every night, cooked our meals on board and showered on board for 11 days. There aren't many open boats that you would do that on.

I haven't tried to pull a skier with the 75HP since our kids have been out of the house for awhile, but with the addition of the Permatrim, we got a whole lot more "hole shot" power, so I don't see why you couldn't. Top end speed with the 75 is about 24-26 mph loaded for cruising, but is 2-3 mph more if we are not carrying all the gear.

If you are going to be up in our area, Toby and I would be glad to take you out for a cruise. Just give us a heads up so that we can make sure we will be available. It doesn't take much encouragement for us to launch the boat and get out on the water. Unfortunately, we don't have a lift on our small dock, but it is only about 2 miles from our house to the boat ramp over in Cocoa on the mainland. We can actually see the ramp area from our dock. You can PM me or call me on my cell phone @ 321-432-5071 if you are planning to come up this way.
 
Charlie, Marvin, Byrdman and Tad and Toby, I just now got back to my email after a few days of moving, and I am overwhelmed by the helpful advice everybody has given me. It really has helped tremendously. Now I am a little worried about the low number of post 2000 22' C-Dorys that appear to be for sale. I think the 22 is right for me, and I would think that for the tubing skiing thing, the more horsepower the better.

Charlie, you have blown my cover, and now I cannot pretend to be Farah Fawcett. Thanks for turning me on to the glory of the dory. I will check out the boat you cited. Please keep looking for me?

Marvin, thanks for the word about the shallow waters. I can wade off my dock at low tide without getting my feet wet.

Byrdman, so sorry will not get to see you at the event. Maybe next year!

Tad and Toby, What a kind and generous offer you have made! When I and if I am headed your way, you will be the very first call I make. I have never been on a C-Dory, so it would be a thrill for me to meet you and to be floating around in your boat with you.

Well, tomorrow is a work day, so I will check back ASAP. I will keep you all advised about my progress. Thanks, Lane
 
I just checked out the drive time. Ooooo, its a long, long way to Doryland. 7.5 hours. I would only drive that far for a boat. I am going to be there. Hope to meet all of you! Emailing you separately, Charlie, yes to the room! Thanks, Lane.
 
Colebob if you get over to Naples fl. I would be happy to take you out on our cape cruiser 23 with a f-115 yamaha . I've owned the cd-22 (Duck) We never water skiied with it but I think we could have . Tubing with kids no problem . The cc-23 does take the choppy water a lot better then the cd-22's. If you have any questions feel free to pm me or send me e-mail Jim on Jennykatz
 
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