How Far Did You Travel To Buy Your C-Dory?

D

Desert Dory

New member
Having just replied to @amvoboril thread about picking up their new to them 22 cruiser, Just Ducky, I got to thinking about how many obsessed C-Dory owners were willing to travel a fair distance to buy/pick-up the boat they may have been dreaming about for years.

In our case, we traveled from Tucson AZ to Waynesville OH to get our boat. Never even thought twice about it. No hesitation at all. Made some wonderful new friends too.

Google maps says 1,825 miles one way for our little foray. Our trip actually ended up being just a tick under 4,000 miles as we diverted off our route to a few different lakes to spend the night on our way home.

Soooo, how far did you travel to make your dream happen?
 
I didn’t travel for my boat. However, I bought it sight unseen about 2000 miles away, hired a marine surveyor to look at the boat, and then had it shipped to my home. I was going to go there myself, but family things made that impossible, so I had it shipped from Portland, OR to Central Texas...
 
I got lucky. Ours was the only one available in Southern California. The shop we bought it from has two locations, one 12 miles away and another about 80 miles away. We couldn't afford it when it was close, but gladly drove an hour and a half to test drive it and make an offer. They didn't accept our offer so we had to scramble to come up with more money.

We've had the boat for eleven years now and still love it.
 
I travelled 2058 miles, round-trip, Anderson island to Bakersfield CA. More than I hoped for, but no big deal in hindsight.

I had tried for two years to buy one, and had made an offer on PaulNBriannaLynn's CD-22 as they moved east, but was second-in-line. I was new to the list, and instead of a personal message, I posted that I wanted their boat to the regular list.

I had already been too late several times, saying "I'd like to see your boat", for relatively good prices, but someone buying ahead of me, usually sight unseen. I thought I knew boats. My father was a waterman on the Chesapeake Bay.

I got an email from a CA gentleman, saying they saw my post wanting to buy, that they were getting old and hadn't managed to get their's out for a couple of years, and would I be interested?

My response this time "I want to buy your boat". His response was "don't you want to see it first". My reply "I will buy it if it is as you say. How do you want to be paid?".

Basically the next day, I left. I took a set of tools, first to test the hull, and second to look at the wheel bearings. The owner, a machinist, had taken fantastic care of everything, as it turned out. I ran the motor, but decided even if I needed to replace it, I was ahead, at $27K with a 9.9 kicker and an Avon tender.

I remembered that tow, since I was nervous about it. In the CA and OR mountains, it was incredibly windy. The tow with my Dodge 1/2 ton pickup was easy. I remember passing one Grady White pulled with a Ford F350 dually that wasn't able to keep in his lane, and motorhomes all over the road. Some people were stopping.

Though I didn't want to make that long trip without knowing the rig, I'm awfully glad I did.
 
We traveled twice to see and buy Journey On.

The first time we flew from San Diego to Seattle to see the C-Dory line at the boat show. I wanted an Osprey, Judy wanted the C-Dory 25. She won, and we ordered the boat. That's 4800 miles round trip.

Next, we picked the boat up at the factory, south of Seattle. Spent a couple of weeks christening the boat and touring the San Juans. That's another 4800 miles round trip.

So if there's a message here, that works out to 533 miles/year of ownership, just to buy. Not counting any trips. Well worth it, it's been a great boat to travel in, both on the road and in the water. Though we ended up buying a new truck.

Boris
Wiring_Brakes.sized.jpg
 
robhwa":2hdjgtaq said:
I had tried for two years to buy one, and had made an offer on PaulNBriannaLynn's CD-22 as they moved east, but was second-in-line. I was new to the list, and instead of a personal message, I posted that I wanted their boat to the regular list.
Click to expand...

Rob I wish we would have known you wanted it back then. It was a pleasure meeting you and your wife. The buyers that bought that boat have never been heard from again after watching the trailer drive off. Its like adopting out a beloved pet you cant have anymore, but I still want to know its doing good :lol:

The first time, we were discussing a purchase of a 22 in Maryland with the owner, and I was trying to determine the feasibility of picking it up and driving it back to Washington state. The problem was it was February and the drive seemed like a bad idea. I'd been searching pretty seriously for 6 months at this time. That's when DuckDogTitus made a post on here about a nice boat being advertised at EQ marine. EQ marine was like 10 miles from the house! But I didn't want to snake ol DuckDog, so I gave it a week or so before going over there. I talked with Les, and asked if there was any offers. He said yes a contingent offer, but financing hadn't materialized yet and the consigner hadn't accepted it. So I said well I have cash, and made an offer on the spot.

Second time was easy. I'd found Tom's boat for sale in North Carolina, made the drive up from Savannah and brought her home. I had my pick of all the boats for sale in the Southeast so I picked the cleanest, best maintained one. Anyone struggling to find a boat in the northwest should consider buying down here and towing it or shipping it back. That premium your saving by buying out of state will probably pay for the trip and than some.
 
Some great stories! Once bitten by the C-Dory bug a little road trip means nothing.

robhwa":7csonrdd said:
I travelled 2058 miles, round-trip, Anderson island to Bakersfield CA. More than I hoped for, but no big deal in hindsight.

I had tried for two years to buy one, and had made an offer on PaulNBriannaLynn's CD-22 as they moved east, but was second-in-line. I was new to the list, and instead of a personal message, I posted that I wanted their boat to the regular list.

I had already been too late several times, saying "I'd like to see your boat", for relatively good prices, but someone buying ahead of me, usually sight unseen. I thought I knew boats. My father was a waterman on the Chesapeake Bay.

I got an email from a CA gentleman, saying they saw my post wanting to buy, that they were getting old and hadn't managed to get their's out for a couple of years, and would I be interested?

My response this time "I want to buy your boat". His response was "don't you want to see it first". My reply "I will buy it if it is as you say. How do you want to be paid?".

Basically the next day, I left. I took a set of tools, first to test the hull, and second to look at the wheel bearings. The owner, a machinist, had taken fantastic care of everything, as it turned out. I ran the motor, but decided even if I needed to replace it, I was ahead, at $27K with a 9.9 kicker and an Avon tender.

I remembered that tow, since I was nervous about it. In the CA and OR mountains, it was incredibly windy. The tow with my Dodge 1/2 ton pickup was easy. I remember passing one Grady White pulled with a Ford F350 dually that wasn't able to keep in his lane, and motorhomes all over the road. Some people were stopping.

Though I didn't want to make that long trip without knowing the rig, I'm awfully glad I did.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you definitely have to be quick when one shows up, or so I've heard.

We weren't actively looking for one when ours popped up on here. Our plan was to wait until I retired in a couple of years. I just happened to look one night after a trip to the lake and there it was. I had noticed the ad had been posted for about for about a day and a half and said to myself, "well, that one's gone". I sent an email anyway and much to my astonishment got a reply with some pics, and I started throwing money at him to get the deal done. A month later we were on our way to pick her up.

$15K out the door!


journey on":7csonrdd said:
We traveled twice to see and buy Journey On.

The first time we flew from San Diego to Seattle to see the C-Dory line at the boat show. I wanted an Osprey, Judy wanted the C-Dory 25. She won, and we ordered the boat. That's 4800 miles round trip.

Next, we picked the boat up at the factory, south of Seattle. Spent a couple of weeks christening the boat and touring the San Juans. That's another 4800 miles round trip.

So if there's a message here, that works out to 533 miles/year of ownership, just to buy. Not counting any trips. Well worth it, it's been a great boat to travel in, both on the road and in the water. Though we ended up buying a new truck.

Boris
Wiring_Brakes.sized.jpg
Click to expand...

Did you really tow that 25 with that Tri-Five Chevy pickup Boris?!!? WOW!

I had a hot rodded '56 Chevy PU for a few years and I couldn't imagine pulling a 22, much less a 25, with that thing. Although the suspension was bone stock to include the straight axle front with ball-bearing hubs (not roller bearings). Mine used to chew thru some front wheel bearing like it was possessed.
 
We bought our boat in Whitehorse, Yukon. I bought the boat sight unseen and had it put into storage for the winter, so that we could make a holiday out of the trip to retrieve it. We did our first trip on Tagish Lake and the drove down to Atlin Lake where we did an 8 day voyage. It was a wonderful trip and great introduction to C-Dory cruising. Whitehorse is 2,400 Kms from my ranch in central Alberta.
 
1st CD. 22'....purchased at the factory in 1983. 5100 r/t miles from Anchorage.Alaska to Kent, Wash and return.
2nd CD.26'...purchased in W. Palm Beach, Fl..in 2007, 11,000 r/t miles returning to Anchorage.

Also towed 6 more CD's to Alaska for $$$$$ from Idaho, and 5 from Wash. State.

No problems with any trip or equipment. All fun trips.

My wife and I have 40 r/t's on the Alaska highway, 3 to southern Mexico.

Jack & Carolyn Rathert
 
We've been lucky.

First the 2000 22 Cruiser in Chambers Bay, south of Tacoma. 170 miles round trip! Had lurked on the C-Brats site for a few years and finally joined. Within 3 days Robbi pmed us and said a friend there was thinking of selling and would we like her to have him contact us. YES! Sea Trial within a week and our first
C-Dory in about 5 weeks.

A few years later getting the need to move to a 25 after numerous fishing and cruising trips. EQ had a 25 up on consignment. Back from a 10 day San Juan Island cruise, that afternoon, after price dropped we drove up, 40 miles, to take a look. Deposit and sea trial and 4 weeks later in our back yard.

A few more years down the line and needing a fishing boat, started looking for a 22 Angler. Found a 22 Classic in Port Townsend, with the help of Harvey in Sequim. Drove over, met Harvey at Westside Marine and we were all over that boat checking it out. A few weeks later and 240 miles and two round trips and ferry rides and it was in the backyard with the 25 Cruiser.

C-Doryless now, but not boatless. Looking for a 22 Cruiser or Angler to take over as a fishing boat, again. Our 19 Arima is a fine fishing platform, but I need some creature comforts like the galley and v berth for extended trips.

Love the fellowship of like-minded-boat-crazy folks within the C-Brats Community. I'm sure I'll have to put some more miles on to get the next
C-Dory, but that's part of the fun! Helped a buddy score a fixer upper Arima 2 years ago and that was to Minneapolis and back. Now that was a flying trip in 5 days, lemme tell ya!

Fun reading about the adventures of fellow C-Brats in their quest for these really fine craft!
 
Like Boris, we flew to Seattle to see a C-Dory in the flesh at the Seattle Boat Show. Bought the boat there from the factory (factory did direct sales back then), then flew back home to south Texas. When the boat was ready, we drove the 2,800 miles to the factory to take delivery, got acquainted with the boat in southern Puget Sound, then went to the San Juans, to Bellingham where we loaded it on the trailer, went to Lake Tahoe, then Lake Powell, then back to south Texas.

And that was just the beginning of hauling that boat coast to coast to coast and all kinds of inland waters in between.

Back then (in 2006) C-Dory had a major presence at the Seattle Boat Show, with one of every model on display. Sure made that "22 or 25" decision easy when you could look them over closely while side-by-side.

We bought a 3/4 ton diesel pickup to haul the boat. When we first hooked the boat up to it, I remember thinking, "Shoulda got a bigger truck"...

CDNewABeGMC.jpg

The truck turned out to be a great match with the 25.
 
Buffalo, NY to Central Florida and back. Surveyor provided my assurance and went to fetch her without hesitation. Family stop in Mooresville, NC and a shrink wrap for the salt back my way. 2400 miles give or take a few. Now waiting out the winter to get her on the water. The C-dory desire is very powerful when it hits you!
 
Well, with all the towing travel I do of 10,000-12,000 miles a year for the past couple of years, farthest trip being about 6000 miles round trip to Prince Rupert, as for buying the boats, fairly short. Midnight Flyer was about 400 miles away, and C-Traveler was about 900 miles away.
 
I flew from the San Francisco Bay area up to Anchorage AK to meet the owner and check out his beautiful (like new) 22' Angler. I had arranged to have it checked out at a shop in Anchorage. The next day we launched it out of Whittier for a sea trial. Afterwards we worked out a deal and I had it shipped from Anchorage to Seattle. I drove up from the Bay Area to meet it when it arrived and trailer'd her the rest of the way home.

I thought I did some traveling to get mine until I read some of your journeys to get your C-Dory. Round-trip Anchorage to W.Palm Beach FL....WOW!
 
Two trips from Cokeville, Wyoming to Vancouver, Canada. First in Dec 2002, when upon arriving there, the owners bank told the seller not to accept our cashiers check. So back again in Jan 2003 with pre transfer of funds to an account set up in our name at the sellers bank. Our tow vehicle was a Astro Van & the motor blew on it between Ellenberg & Pasco, Washington coming back home, so ended up buying a new pickup in Pasco, Washington to tow it the rest of the way. Arrived home with the temperature -13 F in near blizzard conditions with the roads from Pocatello, Idaho to Cokevile, Wyoming snow & ice covered. Total miles driven about 4300 & those miles just starting the now over 80,000 more towing road miles & many more thousand adventure miles on the water from then to now. We had waited 21 years between seeing our first C-Dory with us agreeing we would own one some day to the road trip bringing it home.
 
Got tired of lurking here for six years. Decided to visit Marc at weffings. Looked at 3 Dorys 2 Rosbouroghs.
Dubuque to apalachcola had it shipped back re named the rambler, Laura J.
Would love to talk to anyone familiar with the provenance of the boat.
 
I drove from Bellingham WA to Edmonton Alberta , Canada
Going thru the boarder at Eastport Idaho was an experience. I don't know if they had never seen a C-Dory but I was detained for about 1 12 hours. Cars kept driving in and would get out and inspect the boat. After about 20 minutes of no one new driving in they gave my papers and thanked me for an interesting time and lots of approval of the boat.
 
When I sold the 25 we did a trade for a 23 Cruiser down in Southern California. We decided to meet at Grant's Pass Oregon and make the swap
 
You guys are making me feel bad. I drove a half hour down the road to buy our 22 Cruiser formerly known as "DANAG".
In the spring Susan and I had been discussing getting a C-Dory and had come to the conclusion that we would get our ducks all lined up and start looking for one in the fall. two days later I see the Danag on craigslist.
It had all the bells and whistles already on it. Always stored indoors with only 110 hours on it, and just a half hour down the road.
I showed the add to Susan and sighed because it was a bit more than we were planning to spend. The next day she says ""Are you going to go look at that C-Dory." I sad I didn't know if we were ready yet. Then she said "Well you better go look at it before somebody else buys it"
I took that for permission to buy it, so I went straight there and and bought it. We have never regretted it once, and I named the boat after my lovely wife for all her cooperation in the matter.
 
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