Marinaut Update

O

oldgrowth

New member
I have entered into an agreement with Madison Bay Holding for the production of the Marinaut pilot house boat. The company is owned and operated by Ricardo Ruelos who was Executive Vice President and a shareholder of C-Dory Marine during a successful and productive period from 2000-2005. Ricardo exited the company in 2005 and was hired back in 2007 to assist with a restructure that managed to save the C-Dory brand. Ricardo and I have been working together over the past years to move the Marinaut molds to Florida where he has established an infrastructure and manufacturing base to begin producing the Marinaut 215 (now branded as the 220). He has added additional models of 25 ft, 33 ft and 36 ft Cruisers to his line of boats.

The Marinaut and all boats will be marketed under the Cape Dory Cruisers brand as Ricardo acquired the trademarks for Cape Dory after completing his involvement with C-Dory and the investors at the time, Fluid Marine. The new website is capedorycruisers.com
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This is a very interesting development! Thanks for the update Dave. I'd wondered if production was still going on. I've always been a fan of these, after crawling all over these at EQ. Hope to see more of them down here in the Southeast.
 
Very interesting development. The Cape Dory line has been a long standing trawler and sailboat design line, and now adding the Marinaut, as well as larger boats, including cats.

It sounds like a large undertaking. Hopefully it will be successful.

Marc--are you going to be a dealer?
 
Ill need to do more due diligence on the matter, Bob . I have been aware of it for a while. Lots of "vapor" on the website so far.........
Marc
 
"No, mine is a C-Dory! Cape Dorys are built on the East Coast and mine is built on the left coast!!" I've said that more than once.
 
Where the boats are made matters not; what’s great is that more of this type of boat be made. Simple, practical, fuel efficient and offering weather protection. Sensible craft that are good looking too, although that’s secondary in my opinion. As fuel prices keep climbing, I suspect and hope that both companies will do well.
 
oldgrowth":jvx7ndkf said:

The Marinaut and all boats will be marketed under the Cape Dory Cruisers brand as Ricardo acquired the trademarks for Cape Dory after completing his involvement with C-Dory and the investors at the time, Fluid Marine. The new website is capedorycruisers.com
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Dave dlt.gif
Click to expand...

None of this really has to do with C Dory or Cape Cruiser--Cape Dory was a well established brand from 1963 to 1991 (1996 when finally abandoned). What it means is that the new production, when and if it occurs, the Marinaut, which was never a C Dory or Cape Cruiser, will now be known as a Cape Dory Marinaut 220....

Yep, I hear you Marc. Not much of substance so far on the site, as to what exactly will be built. Right now the economy is in a very robust cycle. Another recession will occur, and boat builders will be hanging on by the skin of their teeth...to survive.

There is a building suitable to build fiberglass boats at the address in Sarasota. I had looked up this address in ref. to the 25 CC earlier this year. What it appears is that the name has been acquired, as well as a number of hull and parts molds. Not sure how many of these really represent the original Cape Dory line, but perhaps several models. Molds will deteriorate when left in the weather--I am sure the Marinaut molds were well preserved.

The same thing has been successfully implemented in catamarans, when the name and some molds for World Cat, Caracal Cat, and Glacier Bay were acquired, and then the Caracal, Glacier Bay and World Cat are all produced under the name of World Cat... (along with some innovation and change of the designs.

I wish Dave and Mr Ruelos the best of luck in getting the new business and boats produced.
 
Dave, you just blew my dream right out of the water! For the last few years I have "planned" on winning the lottery, buying the Marinaut molds, moving them to Ontario, and beginning production here.

NOW what am I going to do with all that money when I win the lottery?

Anyway I'm not one to hold a grudge so I'll just sit here and eat popcorn with South of Heaven and see how the new builds take shape!

Regards,

Rob
 
Robert H. Wilkinson":3a6np1dj said:
Dave, you just blew my dream right out of the water! For the last few years I have "planned" on winning the lottery, buying the Marinaut molds, moving them to Ontario, and beginning production here.

NOW what am I going to do with all that money when I win the lottery?

Anyway I'm not one to hold a grudge so I'll just sit here and eat popcorn with South of Heaven and see how the new builds take shape!

Regards,

Rob
Click to expand...

That's right Rob! Eating popcorn is much cheaper than buying a new 36' Cruiser or a 42' Cat. I'm gonna put a blindfold over my eyes.
 
thataway":mh85yhrd said:
oldgrowth":mh85yhrd said:

The Marinaut and all boats will be marketed under the Cape Dory Cruisers brand as Ricardo acquired the trademarks for Cape Dory after completing his involvement with C-Dory and the investors at the time, Fluid Marine. The new website is capedorycruisers.com
________
Dave dlt.gif
Click to expand...

None of this really has to do with C Dory or Cape Cruiser--Cape Dory was a well established brand from 1963 to 1991 (1996 when finally abandoned). What it means is that the new production, when and if it occurs, the Marinaut, which was never a C Dory or Cape Cruiser, will now be known as a Cape Dory Marinaut 220....

Yep, I hear you Marc. Not much of substance so far on the site, as to what exactly will be built. Right now the economy is in a very robust cycle. Another recession will occur, and boat builders will be hanging on by the skin of their teeth...to survive.

There is a building suitable to build fiberglass boats at the address in Sarasota. I had looked up this address in ref. to the 25 CC earlier this year. What it appears is that the name has been acquired, as well as a number of hull and parts molds. Not sure how many of these really represent the original Cape Dory line, but perhaps several models. Molds will deteriorate when left in the weather--I am sure the Marinaut molds were well preserved.

The same thing has been successfully implemented in catamarans, when the name and some molds for World Cat, Caracal Cat, and Glacier Bay were acquired, and then the Caracal, Glacier Bay and World Cat are all produced under the name of World Cat... (along with some innovation and change of the designs.

I wish Dave and Mr Ruelos the best of luck in getting the new business and boats produced.
Click to expand...

I agree with your outlook on the economic cycle. Discretionary expenditure is first to take a hit in a recession. So, perhaps the idea to consolidate manufacturing with a larger entity and take advantage of the cost reductions from an economy of scale is wise.
 
Glad to see that the this model will be resumed. Was quite disappointed when Les disappeared from the scene - would have been a success, but happy to see a new builder will be resuming the process. Would be a shame to have only a few of those beauties built.
 
Some intresting comments. All I ask is that you give us a chance to build a boat & earn your trust. I don't know the condition of all the molds but I can tell you the Marinaut molds are in excellent condition. When Les went to the Philippines I brought the molds here & they were stored in a barn covered with a tarp until shipped to Florida last year.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
I owned a Cape Dory 36 - it was Hull #1 and had a hand built interior that set the pattern of the final tooling. Andy V. was in charge in those days and she was built in Taunton, Mass. - we named her "Hotel California". Nice boat and I got to spec her out for use in SoCal - lots of water on board for the girls, CNG bottles for cooking (lighter than air), and the rest pretty much standard Alberg. My best wishes for this venture. Only thing I did not like about the Mariinaut was not having a place for a kicker or twins (I know they had good reasons) and the original round window just looked strange to me,
Bob
 
bobjarrard":1u898q1g said:
I owned a Cape Dory 36 - it was Hull #1 and had a hand built interior that set the pattern of the final tooling. Andy V. was in charge in those days and she was built in Taunton, Mass. - we named her "Hotel California". Nice boat and I got to spec her out for use in SoCal - lots of water on board for the girls, CNG bottles for cooking (lighter than air), and the rest pretty much standard Alberg. My best wishes for this venture. Only thing I did not like about the Mariinaut was not having a place for a kicker or twins (I know they had good reasons) and the original round window just looked strange to me,
Bob
Click to expand...

I don’t know the reasons, but I definitely agree that room for a kicker is really important. I hope that they can include that, at least as an option.
 
I always admired the Marinaut design and I do hope that it gets back into production.
I find using the Cape Dory name a bit disturbing, but I've never liked a new company using an old famous name when they have no relation to that prior history, but I understand that it's common practice these days and that name recognition is crucial. In this case it seems deliberately confusing, but I'm looking at it from a C-Dory perspective, and if the ambitious plans on their website come to pass then the Marinaut will only be a small part of the company's identity.
It will be most interesting to watch what develops.
 
She doe not exist but I like the Marinaut's light weight cabin top. Montgomery's Sage has a very light top that takes away the need for a compression strut under the mast. For me today if I had the $$:
1 - Lots of stringers and a truss/matrix in the hull with the most water resistant core available all in many small compartments.
2 - Carbon fiber vac bag assemblies above the CG - for sure the cabin top
3 - Solid glass where there are holes in the boat
4 - Full height gunnels with single large motor, kicker, ladder and Honda gen set on a stern bracket. Gunnels and cabin top beefed up to take a pot puller/dinghy lift
5 - Four fuel tanks located not in the very stern. Battery bank forward and water tank also. I use a C-Head from Cap, no holding tank again as long as I live.
6 - Outside cooking station, two berth/cockpit seats, Bimini/camper back with factory attachment points (I like the baseball cap design but am open)
7 - Bow boarding ladder built in and stern ladder actually safe and easy to use. I would really like a stern door.
8 - Insulated paint on the entire inside of the boat and ducts for heat already in place. Additional insulation in the forecabin.
9 - Full length dinette for sleeping for normal adults.
10 - Two hi-capacity sump pumps in sumps, not bolted to the floor
11 - Ultra light C-Dory dingy (under 85 points is no issue -8' Naple Sabots all weigh in under 75 pounds) with storage ready rack on cabin top or camper top. Bracket on stern if kicker will not work on the dink.
12 - Raised platform for anchor winch so horizontal drop gets lots of chain and rope below decks. I prefer a sealed fore deck hatch that is in two parts like on the Swans, spare anchors and rode in one and rode only in the other. Bow roller to handle Mantus and similar anchors and self launch.
13 Massive tow eyes for bow bridle and same in the stern for dragging your friends home.
14 Stand up helm position with overhead hatch like on the Albins. I would raise the seat and deck under foot so that you can stand at the inside helm and see over the cabin top - poor man's fly bridge. More room for an roll out ARB or Engle cooler.
15 C-Head goes in the cockpit. I would consider having one cockpit seat drop down for fishing and the other fixed with storage. Overhead hospital curtain track for pull back privacy screen for C-Head when puled out. I favor sliding door then to starboard.
16 - Cockpit steering and shift throttle for both motors but that is a lot to work out on that side.
17 - Cabin top two way hatch sized for AC unit. Another power vent over the cooktop. Same large hatch at the v-birth with drop down ladder.
12- Sliding bug screens where possible, roll-up screens elsewhere. Black out insulated reflective outside, bright colored inside privacy curtains with pull back as well as the roll-up. Factory digital patterns for when they die.
13 - Electrical - you know, the works including two solar panels and LED everywhere. Plus ins all over the boat including tons of 12 volt and chagrer ports.
14 - Four fans in the main cabin, two in the forecabin, two on the front windows that do not open, and defrosters off the heater. Heater?? Dedicated heater and heat strip in the AC for at dock use. I would skip the Wallas for cooking. Lots of personal choices on that one.
15 - Shore power at 20/30/50 amps with the trick plugs - full GFI and surge and/or low voltage protection
16 - I got a long list on the trailer but it would have electric over hydraulic, a double spare on swing downs, tongue extension, built in rinse system, lots of locking options on all parts, power and manual winch, bunks but a roller or two to start, boarding ladder built in, and lights above the water line at launch depth with all wiring in duct.
17 - Power, lets not go there.
Bob
 
l will try & answer some of the questions & comments. Twins are not an option. The motor well was deliberately kept small as a safety item. If you get swamped in a following sea you have a better chance of surviving, half the water in the motor well & half the weight dragging you down. Most of the original Marinauts had knickers on them. They were mounted on brackets. If you don't like the round windows square ones are an option. I never saw the Marinaut with he head but I believe you would lose either the dinette or the galley.

To see many photos & comments from Les (which will answer many of your questions) go to facebook, then do a search for Marinaut Boat Company. Click Marinaut Boat Company, then scroll down to the first group of photos. At the bottom of that group click on SEE ALL. Then scroll to the bottom of that group & click on SEE ALL again. Now you can click on any photo for a fuller picture & Les's comments. It will give for an idea of the quality of components that went into the boat & the workmanship. This will continue with the Marinaut while it is being built in Florida.
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