New C-Dory 29'

It's coming... the incomplete vessel (still needed interior) was at the Bellingham C-Brat Gathering. Check the photos in that folder to see a shot of it. Certainly a different hull form from what we're used to - deeper-V. BIG.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Thanks Jim.

It looks good for the West Coast.

I noticed the one for sale is an inboard.

Is it also expected to available for outboard power?

Also, any idea when C-Dory will make these available?
 
I sure can't speak for the factory folks - drop them a note. I would think a person would want an inboard diesel with a boat that size (well, I sure would). The question about outboards was asked while we were aboard (not by me); you could hang a bracket (well, somebody could :wink: ), but that would certainly be a LOT of weight off that aft end. Did I mention it was BIG?

It appears that there is a lot of work to go before this boat is finished. The factory folks brought it up on a triple axle trailer (wide load)... other than the fact that it looks like a C-Dory on steroids, I don't think this is going to be the same type of boat we're used to.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
The factory guy toldme that if you want outboards they will put a bracket on the hull like on the Tom Cat. If they did that, you would have an absolutely enormous storage area under the cockpit sole.

He also said they "might" be working on a larger Tom Cat. I think he said that to get rid of me, though. :mrgreen:

Warren
 
I guess it would not be so unusual to have o/b on a boat of this size. Larger Grady White etc. are often configured this way. Also that storage really would add to the cruising capacity of the boat. This looks like a really exciting boat. I am still confused as to how it sleeps 6 though (as published by C-Dory). I can only see the forward berth and convertible table.
 
The sleeping 6 is by having a "coffin" bunk under the dinette--this is similar to what is in the C Ranger 24. It is a technique used by many boat builders for a long time in boats from 26 to 35 feet. Some of these bunks are adequate in size, others are tight. Few of them are for the clostophobic. The problem is when the inside person needs to get out of the bunk. Many of these bunks end up being used for storage space.

I personally would find 6 on a 29 foot boat too many for "comfort" .

But one could have a perment bunk for a child or two, plus leaving the dinette "up".

There are boats up two 36 feet which use outboards--often 3 300 hp engines.

The drawings show a tunnel drive.--not sure if that is what is being done or not. It will be interesting to see how this performs. The tunnel is usually to decrease draft. Pen Yan, Sea Ray, Shamrock have all used tunnel drives at one time or another.
 
I took these photos at the Bellingham CBGT.
Click on the thumb nail for a larger view.

As Jim (Wild Blue) said “It is BIG”

29_C_Dory_1.thumb.jpg 29_C_Dory_2.thumb.jpg 29_C_Dory_3.thumb.jpg

29_C_Dory_4.thumb.jpg 29_C_Dory_5.thumb.jpg 29_C_Dory_6.thumb.jpg

________
Dave dlt.gif
 

Attachments

  • 29_C_Dory_1.thumb.jpg
    29_C_Dory_1.thumb.jpg
    10.4 KB · Views: 0
  • 29_C_Dory_2.thumb.jpg
    29_C_Dory_2.thumb.jpg
    9.4 KB · Views: 0
  • 29_C_Dory_4.thumb.jpg
    29_C_Dory_4.thumb.jpg
    8.9 KB · Views: 0
  • 29_C_Dory_5.thumb.jpg
    29_C_Dory_5.thumb.jpg
    8.3 KB · Views: 0
Patti and I had a chance to get on the 29' at Bellingham and were both, shall we say, underwhelmed. It'll be the first C-dory that is not trailerable (just "transportable"). The factory guys had to leave early because one needs a special permit to transport this wide load vehicle and they had to be off the roads before dark. So...a 29 owner will be keeping that plump boat in the water wherever they are located. No Lake Powell adventures for them I guess, but then Lake Powell wouldn't be the same without being able to go up all the little fingers anyway. Ah well, they can always moor out with the houseboats.

I wonder what market they are hoping to penetrate with this boat? Seems to me they are trying to go up against Bayliners, etc. without having the boat jewelry, fit and finish, and so on. I guess their market research showed a gap in the 29'-32' not-a-trawler-not-a-bayliner market. Must be the same market research that showed a gap in the 22' center console boat market not already filled by Boston Whaler, Grady-White, Blue Wave, Cape Craft, Baja, Albemarle, Cobia, Contender, etc., etc.

It'll be interesting to see what happens.
 
We shall see. The Peter Principle of C-Dory may have been attained, or this is the most brilliant thing to come along. I would much rather see C-Dory resurect something like the old Nordic 26 (which is shallow draft and has a livable layout) than the present offering, but that's different strokes.

1747328_1.jpg
 
Thanks for posting the pictures - WOW, that is one huge boat! I have a question one of you can probably answer: What makes a boat a C-Dory - is it the cute lines of the cabin or the flat bottom hull? Or both? And can a 27 foot boat have a dory hull? Or is there some length of boat that means a deeper V is needed?

As you can probably guess, this is the Janet half of....
 
I saw the new '29 post Bellingham when I stopped by the factory on the way to SeaTac. Yes, it's the only one in existence, yes it's big, the ads by dealerships is more like overexuberant hyperbole than realistic. There's not a whole lot of room for more than two factory guys working at once on the interior, and C-Dory isn't a 24 hour operation yet. Everything at this point is one-off and that depends on outsourced parts availability. Methinks it's gonna be quite a while before they actually deliver hull #1.

The hull in this form is suitable for a single Yanmar and a bow thruster. Twin diesels and/or outboards could be fitted but they definitely wouldn't be stylistic or practical given the same "tunnel drive" plug they use to form the hull. At least from my uneducated eye.

The only real issue that jumped out at me was the bow thruster itself. Even a factory guy commented that replacing it could be a nightmare. What are the reliability/maintenance issues on a bow thruster in a boat that obviously would be in seawater 90% of the time? That goes for the C-Rangers as well, though I think fewer Rangers will be marina docked.

Anybody really familiar with bow thrusters in the long term? I'd love to hear comments. My bow thruster is like Bill's on the Halcyon but Mary gets tired of crawling up on the bow and fending off disaster....

Don
 
Don - Bowthrusters have been used on huge craft which remain in saltwater for decades. I guess the "nightmare" has to do with how it is installed. the big ones are installed in a heavy duty "tunnel" and you just remove the drive or the prop. Some drives are inside the hull.

Dave - thanks for the photos. It does look huge and very tall. The most striking thing to me is the position of the upward tilted steering wheel relative the the driver's knees/crotch area. It looks to me like you'd have to bend over, reaching below 'butt' level while seated, in order grab that wheel. I wonder what type of ergonometric study has resulted in that arrangement?

The roominess is inviting, though I'd hate to be restricted on moving the boat due to the width.

Thanks for all the info!
John
 
I'm sorry but that is NOT A C-DORY.
How many of you would be here if that was your first introduction to C-Dorys?

Signed - a 19' Angler Owner - who likes the affordable, dependable, seaworthy, trailerable, Pacific NW styled, customizable, economical, REAL C-DORYS.
 
I think what defines a C-Dory is salty good looks. My 22 is often admired for this, and not the fact that it has a flat bottom of fits on a trailer. I was so smitten with these good looks that I bought one before fully considering that the shallow v and flat bottom made it not so good in the Vancouver area perpetual 2 foot chop.

For this reason, and the fact that it may be better for my family of four. I think the 29' looks very interesting. No doubt its chubby appearance on the trailer is not a fair a assessment of how it will look in the water. I am looking forward to seeing it.

The Dealer that has it out east (see first post on this topic) says it will be in their yard on 2 weeks.
 
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This boat doesn't resemble a Toland design except for the pilothouse and the hull graphics. This boat looks more like the first cousin of a 30 foot Osprey. The plan appears to be well thought-out. This boat will provide a level of creature comforts that will appeal to a wider segment of boat buyers beyond the traditional C-Dory owner.

Leo
 
I remain pessimestic. I have not seen the boat so I am probably missing a lot. The small prop in the very significant tunnel, will restrict manueverability and I suspect will not be as fast as they advertise. (Especially if the boat is loaded--the dealer is giving performance numbers--based on no sea trials) The engine and genset access looks difficult--I sure hope that there is an engine box, where you can get to the injectors and front end of the engine and generator from inside of the boat. So far, the lips on the C Dory hatches have not been at all water proof--the 25 the TC 255 have all had a major issue with water getting thru even the gasketed hatches.

Then there is the head "dome"--where apparently the step down into the head, with what appears to be some obstruction to seeing out of the window and windshield.

I hope I am very wrong on all of these issues.

Remember that we were told that the first TC 255 was going to N. Carolilna and it ended up in the Houston area--difficult to know what and where.

Agree trailering and launching will be difficult. I am not a fan for "Starboard" transom doors--they are too flimsy. I noted the same thing in the photo with the wheel--space, and even with a flip up bolster on the seat, it looks awkward.

As for bow thrusters. They are well proven. I put a thruster on a 30 footer 6 years ago. A friend now owns that boat, it is used regularly and there have been no problems with the thruster--I put on an over sized thruster--if you want one, it needs to be sized to really push the boat.
One of the problems with electric thrusters (if that is what this has), is that they "time out" in 4 to 5 minutes of use, because of over heating. Best to size the thruster to give short bursts which are adequate to really move the bow.
 
drjohn71a":j4ekkr5q said:
The most striking thing to me is the position of the upward tilted steering wheel relative the driver's knees/crotch area. It looks to me like you'd have to bend over, reaching below 'butt' level while seated, in order grab that wheel. I wonder what type of ergonometric study has resulted in that arrangement?
Click to expand...
Dr John – you are right about the steering wheel. When you bend over to grab the wheel you can not see out of the windshield. You have to get out of the seat to reach the engine control.

They hired an engineer to design the captains chair and control pane. The molds have been built and can not be changed. As of the BH CBGT they had not come up with a solution to the problem. It is something they are still trying to correct.

JonS":j4ekkr5q said:
The Dealer that has it out east (see first post on this topic) says it will be in their yard on 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
This boat is not going anywhere in two weeks.
________
Dave dlt.gif
 
So, Dave - ready to convert the 29' to a 31'? :lol: I saw this boat, stood in the cockpit (I went over before Scott decided to let people go in the cabin) - it is built by C-Dory, so it must be a C-Dory - but that is about where the relationship to our boat ends. Not sure WHO the target market is for this boat any more than I can understand the 22' Center Console (those of you who were at the B'ham CBGT will immediately understand my skepticism for a CC being a "hot seller" in Western Washington!). If I were going to spend that much money on a boat that big, I would be looking for a good used 32' Nordic...
 
Back
Top