Introduction... Hello one, hello all!

M

Murky Dregs

New member
My wife and I are retiring to Maine and I've actually somehow managed to pull off a miracle... she's agreeable regarding the idea of a boat!

A boat that we can have little adventures with.

Now, I have a tremendous amount of sea miles under my belt... the problem is I was an aircraft mechanic, on aircraft carriers; needless to say my seamanship is wanting and most of my salty crustiness revolved around liberty and bars all over the Pacific.

Anywho, I've bought some books... there's a text by the Auxiliary Coast Guard, and Chapman's Piloting & Seamanship so I plan to dig in. One of the first things I plan on getting involved with up in Maine is availing myself of some hands-on courses and such as well as hopefully making some friends...friends with boats. :) It doesn't hurt that my brother just screened for command of an SSN either so, great resource there right in the family.

I found this website because my search for what may be the ideal boat pointed to all things C-Dory.

I'm kind of shocked at how they're such a succinct expression of so many creature comforts in what seems to be a small and relatively affordable package.

It's easy to see why these boats generate such enthusiasm and loyalty among their operators.

Our new house will be less than 5 miles from one of the more popular marinas on the Maine coast, Buck's Harbor. There's also a plethora of maintenance services and such in the area not to mention the Maritime College in Castine.

We see us bopping up and down the Maine coast for some beach camping, some light fishing, I can get a recreational lobster license, we already have friends in Rockland & Belfast, etc.. So Daytrips, overnighters, and short multi-day excursions will be the order of things. Ideally, we'll be immersing ourselves in the lifestyle of the area, and who knows from there... these little boats can go anywhere, and I have a boating friend who owns a house in the Keys... but a jaunt of that nature is way down the line.

Still, it's extraordinary that such a seemingly humble vessel possesses the capability to enable such trips.

My thinking is the 23' will be ideal, as long as I can get one of those Airhead toilets installed on board- a definite requirement for the Missus. We could go bigger, possibly entertaining the idea of the 26' but that's a lot more dough to lay out for a toilet and shower.

Ultimately fuel efficiency and operating cost is a big driver for me and I've been wondering which hull offers the best.

This isn't going to be an impulse purchase. It is on the timeline potentially for 2023. A new build may be in the equation if I can't get lucky and score something used in ideal condition, so decision time would be late 2022 considering factory turnaround time.

In the meantime I have a lot to learn and hopefully I'll be getting some good experience during next year's boating season which will inform me even further.

I see a lot of talk about these boats and trim. Seems to be there's a very rewarding art in finding the right configuration for given conditions in order to maximize travel with these craft. It also strikes me that they punch well above their weight in terms of safety and potentially more adverse scenarios than many other boats of this size...

Nevertheless, I'm just a noob and I know it!

A pleasure to make your acquaintances,

Murky
 
I’ve owned a 25’ C-Dory for 6 years and have also owned a 22’ for 5 years previously. They are totally different boats and meet different needs. The 25 has more beam and more storage. It’s a lot more than the “head”. We have an airhead on our boat and love it but I think it would be difficult to install one on a 22 or 23. I suggest you get a ride on all before you buy. It’s a lot cheaper to buy the boat that fits your needs the first time. A good used 25 or 26 is usually far cheaper than a new 22 or 23.

We have a gathering scheduled for March in Florida. If you have some time come on down. There will be most every model to look at.

Welcome .....and remember......we were all new to this at one time and I’m forever learning!
 
Welcome!

This is a great place to learn about C-Dorys and boating in general.

It sounds like you've got a good start on preparing for boat ownership. I retired having never owned a boat. (Well, I owned half a canoe for six months when I was 20.) We had two C-Dory's, a 16 and a 23, and loved them both. We did things in ours and went places in them I never would have thought possible when I was younger. They are great boats.

Most of what I know about boating, I learned right here. Ask as many questions as you want. Somebody will take a stab at answering. Learn how to search the site, because almost anything you can think of has probably been discussed at least once.

You have identified the dilemma facing many prospective buyers. You really like the 23, for instance. You love its economy and ease of handling and trailering. Ah, but then you (or at least one of you) wants an airhead. As a practical matter, fitting a "real" head on a 23 foot boat is very difficult. It can be done, but you will give up considerable space. If you simply must have a real bathroom, look at the 25 or the 26 and decide if you can deal with the size and expense of a bigger boat.

All boating is a series of compromises. Good luck in you search for finding the right ones!
 
Some good stuff already. Pragmatism.

I've been wondering about how easy it is to fit an ideal head on the smaller boats.

I can massage the house build to make room for a potential 26'.

I'm not too worried about towing, we're on the waiting list for the Ford F150 Lightning...

Boatwise, what's the difference between the 25' and the 26'?

I'll search the forums as well.
 
Murky, WELCOME to the best C-Dory place on the planet. It sounds like you are well on your way to a successful acquisition --- the homework phase. And you do have a good family resource. Between him and your access to this site you have a gold mine of resource and it sounds like you have some great motivation. I'm going to stick my neck out here and say you are going to be successful in your finding the right boat and putting it tp the right use for you.

I started boating at 6 years old, paddle craft, rowing, then sailing and now for the last 15+ years, a C-Dory. We have all taken a different path to get here, but we are all here, and sharing our "here" keeps us going and keeps others going too.

Enjoy. Ask. Search. Ask some more, and share. Everything you could want to know about C-Dorys is right here at your fingertips.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Thanks Hardee!

My wife is already amenable to a 26'...as long as she gets her head. :)

I've been looking at alternative cruisers and such and it looks as if nobody packs this much boat into the package at the prices I've seen.
 
Murky Dregs":11zhmykx said:
Thanks Hardee!

My wife is already amenable to a 26'...as long as she gets her head. :)

I've been looking at alternative cruisers and such and it looks as if nobody packs this much boat into the package at the prices I've seen.
Click to expand...

Since I boat on a 22, the 26 seems like only one step down from an aircraft carrier, but it comes with a head and if that's what it takes - - enjoy. (Personally I would aim for an "AirHead" It will do the job, and you will be much happier.)

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

1_C_BRAT_Raft_up_Desolation.thumb.jpg
 
hardee":2hpown98 said:
Murky Dregs":2hpown98 said:
Thanks Hardee!

My wife is already amenable to a 26'...as long as she gets her head. :)

I've been looking at alternative cruisers and such and it looks as if nobody packs this much boat into the package at the prices I've seen.
Click to expand...

Since I boat on a 22, the 26 seems like only one step down from an aircraft carrier, ...
Harvey
SleepyC :moon



1_C_BRAT_Raft_up_Desolation.thumb.jpg
Click to expand...

I'd love to keep it at the 23' but an agreeable wife is priceless. :D
 
In my boating life I have owned (not counting dingy's, kyaks, etc) 6 sail boats and 5 power boats. Of the 11 boats, my favourite, hands down, was the C-Dory, no question.
I will probably never have another C-Dory as I have moved away from the coast and now have a lake day boat.
But should I ever find myself back on the Chuck, I would take a long hard look at a 25 C-Dory or a Tomcat. Think happy wife, happy life and you know why.

Martin.
 
I'd love to keep it at the 23' but an agreeable wife is priceless.
Click to expand...

When I was deciding between a 23 and 26, my daughter would grab my face and say, "Dad look me in the eyes, get the one with the bathroom". If I looked away she would say it again. Now that I'm seventy I'm sure glad she talked me into the 26.
 
I totally agree with Forrest, that the 26 is an excellent choice. We were aiming for a 25, but then we saw the 26 and my wife wrote a check immediately to purchase the boat and we truly enjoy it.
 
Welcome, we are glad you looked us up!

Not much I can add to what has already been shared. The CD25 or the CD26 look like the choices for you.

It sounds like you are in a wonderful boating area and in a very good place in your life for it all to come together. My guess it will be earlier rather than late 2022 if you are looking now and find the right boat. If you are looking at used you will find they don't stay on the market for long.

Best of luck and please keep in touch.
 
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