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retnavyencm

New member
I stumbled across C-Dory's at a dealer website in Florida and I am very interested in the 22'. I may have found the wrong manufacturers website or one that hasn't been updated but I am looking for more detailed specs and any advice any of you have on the C-Dory 22 as well as advice on towing like what kind of truck do I need to tow it with etc.

Any help is greatly appreciatted.

Mike
 
We towed the C Dory 22 on a two axle trailer with a Honda Pilot, a Dodge 3500 Van conversion Road Trek and a 30 foot Class A motor home, with the Ford V 10 engine. Any pickup, the larger SUV's (Durango, Suburban, Explorer--I have a Excursion for the Tom Cat 255, way more than you need for the 22) I suspect that some of the smaller SUV's will also will tow the C Dory 22 easily. The Pilot was with in its weight range, and we towed the C Dory up and down the Cajon pass several times--much more than you will ever see in the flat lands of Florida.

Come on up to Apalachacola for the Gulf Coast Gathering. There will be all of the C Dory family there--and it is a great way to see the boats and meet the people. I have followed the C Dory line since the late 70's vowing I woud own one some day, when I got thru long distance cruising. I am on my second one now! The 22 is an excellent boat--probably one of the best built for all purposes.
 
Thanks for the info so far. I am not in Florida. I live in Virginia and am looking at the 22 for overnights on a couple of very large lakes here with a LITTLE bit of Striped Bass fishing. I could actually go with a smaller boat if it wern't for the love of my life's requirement for a toilet and somewhere inside to sleep. I really like the look of the boat and the forum has been very informative. Thanks also for the right web link to the factory site.
 
If you can handle no galley amenities, the 19' angler has both toilet facilities & sleeping quarters for 2 - no aft bulkhead on cabin tho (although I believe member R-Matey has done a great job adding one =)
 
Squarehead":2vuuai89 said:
If you can handle no galley amenities, the 19' angler has both toilet facilities & sleeping quarters for 2 - no aft bulkhead on cabin tho (although I believe member R-Matey has done a great job adding one =)
Click to expand...

To Squarehead, Thank you for the compliment.

To retnavyencm:

Prior to Joe building the bulkhead (2005) we spent many nights (winters included) on R-Matey with just the zippered canvas. It is my understanding that the V-berth on the 22CD is the same as the V-berth on the 19CD. The potty is the same, too.

The 22CD is more spacious (we had a 22 Angler) but the 19CD is more convenient for us at this time.

We just love our R-Matey and if you decide to purchase a C-Dory (whatever length you choose) you will have made a great purchase which includes hours of fun and all of the C-Brats, too.

Ruth and Joe
R-Matey
 
Welcome to the C-Brats Chief.

All the info you need can be found through the links on this site.
We towed our 22' cruiser on a single axel trailer with a Ford Ranger 4.0 six cylinder.
 
I'll also echo the welcome, Mike. We've towed our 22 adequately with a 6 cylinder Toyota 4runner, more than adequately with a 23 1/2 ft. Lazy Daze V10 powered class C RV and absolutely effortlessly with a Chevy Duramax diesel powered pickup. I would probably be happy with a 6 cylinder long bed Ranger/Tacoma type truck for 90% of our towing requirements and it's on our "future" replacement vehicle list. The 4Runner gets my feet wet during solo launch/recovery :smiled otherwise it works fine as long as I stay away from things like the Grapevine Grade north of Los Angeles.

Lots of links here, tons of info.

Don
ETCM (SS) USN ret
 
Welcome Mike! :smile

We're in VA also, near where the Ches Bay and the Potomac meet. Where, exactly are you?

We tow, when we do, with a single axle Load-Rite trailer using a Dodge RAM 2500 with a V-10. Have to keep looking back to make it's still there, hard to tell!! :D

Don, might have known you were a bubblehead.... They wouldn't let me on them due to my propensity to sleep with the windows open... :shock:

Charlie
 
Wow! Thanks for all the great info. Charlie I am in Nathalie Virginia, about four hours due west of Norfolk. We live way out in the boonies on 27 acres smack dab in the middle of nowhere. We are about 45 minutes from Smith Mountain Lake in one direction and the same distance from Buggs Island lake in the other direction. I have pretty much made up my mind on the C-dory, just have to decide whether to get the 19 or the 22 and convince the love of my life that she would be very happy with it also. All of you folks have been great and I really appreciatte it.
 
Okay now I would like to get you folks recommendation on Horsepower and whether to go twin OB or single with a kicker. Do most of you use Honda power or something else? What kind of range are you getting out of your yachts and MPG too if you don't mind and do any of you use any kind of transom mount electric trolling motor or know if anyone is using a bow mount trolling motor, maybe one of the remote control ones?? Hope this isn't too much of a bother for you folks. You have all been fantastic?
 
Is that a honda 90? I have been hearing good things about the Nissans, bad things about the suzukis. Is there a reason you would not do dual outboards and do you know if anyone offers small outboards (40 HP) that have counter revolution?
 
The reasons I chose (the boat had no power when I bought it) this particular maker were multiple:

I'd already had two of them in the past and they were both bullletproof in commercal operation. (although to be fair, so was the OMC product (Johnson 90 2 stroke).

The Mercury trim system trims higher (I frequently dismay the flats boat guys by running in water they can't get to). I'm in an extremely shallow area (named "the Devil's Rock Garden" on charts) if you're in deep water, might not be a concern.

Mercury delivers a full 90 hp at the prop (some don't) and I can use that and the trim to power over shallow sand bars.

The alternator delivered more power than the Honda.

Single because when you lose one engine, it's most likely due to a submerged object which takes out the other, or a fuel issue, which again takes out both.

I can keep up with maintenance (which with the Merc is about 0) of a single much easier than twins (twin connecting rods, twin everything).

I have no twin cavitation issues so get full efficiency from the prop.

Negatives with the Mercury:

They weigh more.

They're not supported well by C-Dory dealers (most it seems are Honda dealers).

Negative of single:

You'll give up space somewhere to carry a kicker -- inside, or on a transom bracket.

Slower to get in on a kicker than with a twin or manuever in a swift river with it (a low hp kicker can be overcome by current).
 
The opinion on twins vs singles with a kicker is about equally divided. We had a single 90 plus a 3.5 kicker (dinghy motor also)--We also had a 15 Honda, if we really needed a kicker. The reason I liked a single is that it is easier to put on a kicker, which allows for very slow trolling speeds. The single also allows a swim step and boaring ladder, which we consider very desirable--if for nothing else than getting a person overboard back on the boat....

I don't know where you are getting the information on Suzuki's. There are less dealers and thus less service available (but maybe they need less service?). I have owned all makes of outboards thru the years, and they all have pluses. Right now I would wait for the new series of Honda's due out in November. I persoanlly feel that in the 90 range that Yamaha makes a good motor (I have a 115 Yamaha on another boat and it is one of the best motors I have ever owned). For the Cat we have Suzuki's and of the motors in this size, it was about the only one we could not find some negative reviews on--plus it had a timing chain, not a belt. I cannot speak personally about the 90 hp Suzuki's but I would hesitate to buy one.

Trolling motors--not really practical for the C D 22. I am sure that someone has one or two. I use one on a 12 foot aluminum fishing skiff--but the C Dory has quite a bit of windage, and would not be suitable for bow mounting--I think a stern gas kicker would serve you better. A lot depends on what type of fishing you do.
 
thataway":1e6x5cux said:
The opinion on twins vs singles with a kicker is about equally divided. The single also allows a swim step and boaring ladder
Click to expand...


If you "click" on the "search" menu above, you can locate volumes of information in several threads on this site about the "single vs. twin" subject.

It is possible to mount a swim step with a twin set-up, however the factory (to my knowledge) has not done it yet. Les, at EQ Marine "fabbed" up a swim step with boarding ladder and mounted it next to my twin Johnsons. (There are several pictures of this in my "Sea Shift" album.) Several months ago a couple of other 22' owners were inquiring about and considering adding a swim step on their twin engined 22's.......don't know if they've done so yet.

As to "Suzuki" consideration........I chose Johnson, which is merely a Suzuki with a Johnson cover. I've been very pleased with them and would go with them again. (I do know that one owner on this site had some problems with his Suzuki and was very frustrated.....I believe that his issues were eventually solved.....possibly he had the misfortune of getting a "lemon?")

Previously, I had a Honda on my former 16' C-Dory. Likewise, I had no problems with it. That being said, with the engines being produced today you most likely won't go wrong with what you end up deciding upon.

(As a side note..........Personally, I think those "White" Johnson's add to a pleasing appearance on a C-Dory... :lol: )
 
Well I have a pair of Honda 45s (50s now) on my 22 that I bought with the boat in 1993. I have never had to do a thing with them that wasn't my fault (like running gravel through the impellers etc). They just run and run and run. The only time they have been to the dealer is for the checkup and a recall for a warmer thermostat.

They troll exactly like I would want them to and give me the speed I need. I never run them over 5K rpms and with 4 people and gear I can get 22-23 mph.

Most of the fishing I do requires an 80 mile round trip (maybe 20 times a year) which I do consistently on 18 gallons of gas. Some times I go slow and sometimes fast depending on sea conditions, and sometimes with 3 people and some times 6. I always run out on the first tank (2-18 gal tanks) at the harbor or hit the dock on fumes and put in about 18 the next morning at the fuel dock.

With 13 years of use (my boat doesn't sit in the summer time) they seem to be as strong as ever.

I think its important in a big water situation to have something that will get you in if one fails. I can travel 12 knots per hour on one motor.

That said, there are lots of good motors out their now and I wouldn't feel bad about having any of them, even the etecs. Take your pick and I'll bet you will be giving testimonials some day.

Small water, I would go with a 90 and trolling motor, big water, twin 50s. But thats just me.
 
Nissan / Tohatsu, the most underrated motor on the planet ! We sell all of the brands except Merc. [ no demand in our area] Tohatsu and Suzuki are bulletproof . Suzuki is heavyweight [ 420 LBs ] in a 90 . Tohatsu TLDI 90 [ 315 LBS] has the best standard warranty in the business at 3+1 year on the fuel injection system . I wish more people knew about them . As I always say , they make one of the best motors but are one of the worst marketers in the marine industry. By the way , nobody really makes a "bad" motor anymore .........
Marc
 
Welcome. I just got my 22' cruiser earlier this year and this C-Brats group was a big factor in my decision to go with C-Dory. You can get great answers to just about any boating question here and the group is full of real people who are fun to be with.

I have twin Honda 40's and am very satisfied with the twin setup. Les at EQ put a swimstep and ladder on the port side transom so it can be done. I tow with either an elderly 1989 Chevy pickup (small Vee8) or a 2004 Chevy Blazer V6, both do an adequate job though if I were going over passes a lot I'd probably want a little bigger pickup. The trailer is a two axle EZ-Loader with bunks and is easy to use. The one downside is the surge brake system. I had problems with the actuator and it took a replacement from EZ-Loader to get things fixed. I would MUCH rather have the electronic brakes I can control from inside the cab. I am getting ready for a prop change (now have 3X11.4X12) and just did speed tests on flat Puget Sound waters. WOT with the boat not too heavily loaded and just me onboard is 5800RPM. 25.35 KTs top speed. 12KTs at 4000, 16KTs at 4500. I am looking into switching to a higher pitch prop to get a little faster cruise and that brings up one issue with twins. I have to buy two props and two of everything, fuel filters etc. I like the redundancy the twins offer, the maneuverability and the ability to shut one small engine down and troll on the other. On one engine I can troll at about 1.4-1.6 KTs. I sometimes wonder if I should have gotten 50's instead of 40's. I seem to cruise a little slower than some others at similar RPMs.

My wife and I can comfortably overnight in the 22'. I think the extra 2 feet in the cabin makes a big difference and would lean strongly towards a 22 iinstead of a 19.
 
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