single handing 22' C Dory

D

donner lake

New member
Hello C brats,
I have enjoyed your photos and stories of these fun looking boats. I had some questions for you C dory owners, I'm thinking at getting a 22 foot cruiser and was wondering how they are to handle with one person. I often go fishing alone and would like to be able to launch and recover on my own. Also how would it be cruising the San Juan's and single handing the boat. Thanks Steve
 
I live just up the road from you... and have had my 22' for several years now....and have about 300 hours on it...mostly alone (or with the dog)
and I can tell you it is the nicest boat I have ever handled ...easy to steer and launch...in a current or in rough water...it is really a joy.. I trailer alot alone and it is perfect at that also... You couldent pick a better boat for any price. GET ONE and join us....
You should think about attending the Seattle Boat Show if you really want to be sold on the boat.... I don't think I have ever met a C-Dory owner that did not love their boat... they are super !

Joel
SEA3PO
Chester Cal.
 
Hello Steve,

I am a first-time boat owner and it is a 22' C-Dory. I bought it this summer, used. I have launched and retrieved it by myself many times successfully.
I have also fished in the ocean and lakes with it solo, with success.
I have no other comparisons with other boats but I do not think you will have a problem.

My only problems have been other "yahoo's" at the docks who run into me! So I try to launch, park my car very fast and get the heck away from the launch asap!

Jeff
 
A C-Dory 22 Cruiser is an ideal single-handed fishing and cruising boat.

Easy to launch and retrieve, it also serves admirable as a camping trailer "Boaterhome" as well.

Towing is easy with a reasonable vehicle, and you also have the room for others when necessary, and the room for all the supplies needed for a spartan camping or fishing adventure.

Joe.
 
Although my wife was with me most of the time we launched our 22, I did all of the "work"--she backed the trailer down a bit further a couple of times and parked the car and trailer--but the CD 22 is a very good boat to single hand.

I perticularly like docking--just drive up, put a spring line on a cleat thru the window and you are set to tie up bow and stern.
 
C-Sick":20gzq41p said:
It would be great to hear a few other single tricks for docking.
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I noticed that you have twin Hondas on your vessel. Use those twins to your advantage when docking. With practice you can dock without turning the wheel by having your engines in line straight then by running one engine in reverse and the other in forward you can "walk" your vessel right next the dock. (Just takes a bit of practice to make the engines work for you).

(Seeing as how you are a Lutheran Pastor, all you have to remember is that God is your co-pilot, and you should have no problems!) :wink
 
Nine out of ten launches and recoveries are single handed here. I did add a removable ladder to the bow area which helps tremendously in both launch and recovery since my trailer doesn't have one. It's the same as Sea Wolf Joe's ladder for boarding from the bow while beached except I removed the swivel bolts and replaced them with removeable pins so the ladder's stowed when not in use.

I usually rig bow, stern, and spring line just before reaching the slip. In my case, I drive in, walk back and tie the stern then take the spring line up onto the dock unless the breeze is pushing me away. If it is, then I do it "Thataway."

Don
 
Having single-handed many boats in the 21-30 foot range, I 'd say you will have a hard time finding a boat more easily "de-trailered" and "re-loaded" than the CD22. Only the CD 16. Deep Draft is a big problem for most boats , but the CD's shallow draft just floats off and on for the most part from what I've seen.

John
 
Steve,

I have owned a 22' 1983 Classic Angler for over 5 years and single hand it most of the time. I sleep on it, eat on it, and do what ever else one does on it.

I have run it in smooth weather, rough weather, in rain, and on good days. I find it to be a very good single hander.

Just a few comments on boating alone.

1. If you ever troll, ie: run your boat while leaving the steering station, attach the lanyard to you that is connected to your controls. One yank, and the engine and boat stops. Make sure it reaches the end of the cockpit. You never know when a wave might hit and knock you Overboard.

2. Make sure you have some way of getting aboard if you fall overboard.

3. Buy a good inflatable life jacket that is comfortable, and wear it all the time when you are running the boat, especially alone.

4. Try and find someone who loves boating as much as you do. To me, it would be one of the opposite sex. ( Fishing buddies and cruising buddies are good when you can not get the other.)

Good luck, and buy a 22' C-Dory. You will love it.

Fred
 
C-Sick":2g35kqmh said:
The spring line out the window is an excellent idea
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It took me a while to figure out how much could be done by simply reaching out the window. I put a hook out there from which I hang a bumper. At one slip I rigged up a line with a loop that was on a 3 foot pole just waiting for me when I pulled in. I carried a little pole with a hook and didnt even have to lean out the window to grab the line. Then I simply dropped the loop onto the midship boat cleat beneath the window, and I was in. Not elegant but it worked like a charm.
 
All the above is great advise. After you get the boat spend a day in the middle of the week when the rest of us are working and go to the ramp. Pratice backing in and out o f the water manytimes until you have it down. Pratice launch and retrieve until you have that down. Find what works to you best. some like to walk over the bow and hook up other like wearing waders or hip boots to hook up. summer time does not matter cause I dont need a good reason to get wet.

Also pratice in bad weather. wind and waves can work aginist you or work for you while docking. I always look at which way the wind and tide are going before I get to the dock. figure out which is more powerful and then dock so that the wind or current hold you to the dock not away from it. after you get that down dock so the wind and wave are working against you. You will not always be able to dock with the wind and tide so you better know how before you hit some mega yacht. I find that in windy conditions I have a eazier time in reverse then in forward if I have to dock in the wind, the wind will slide the bow of a c-dory around and no amount of forward gas will stop it, but full over and revese will pull the bow straight again. Just pratice and if you need help call me or some one here and I know i an find time to help. I hope this helps.

p.s. after you get good train the other half to do if because some day you will be out cold and the florr and she had better know how to get you back.
 
If you're going to be a beginner it might help to hear some of the mistakes made by other beginners. When I first got my CD 22 Cruiser, the first time I launched from the trailer, I got everything ready; antenna up, fenders out, mooring lines bow and stern. Then I made the first big mistake: I unclipped the lines on the bow that hold the boat on the trailer. Fortunately, I wasn't alone; my wife was handling the mooring lines as I backed toward the water. Also fortunately, there wasn't much of an incline from level parking lot to the edge of the water, because as soon as the trailer began to tilt down the ramp, whoosh! Off went my boat into the water (I have rollers on the trailer bed). I think if I hadn't had the motors up, they would've struck bottom, but everything worked out OK, and I didn't have to pay any price for a beginner's mistake, except for being a little embarrassment.

Now, I often single-hand the boat off the trailer into the water, but I never undo either the safety chain, or the haul-up line from the bow before I back into the water. Then, with the parking break on, and a block behind the front wheel of the car if one's available, I get out and go to the trailer. I tense the haul-up line enough to release the safety chain, then ease the boat into the water with the hand crank. Works a lot better.
 
Another dock line option when you aren't coming back to your usual dock is to use one continuous dock line from the bow cleat, outside the bow rail stanchions to the aft cleat. When you get to the dock, you can drop the continuous line over any dock cleat and it will hold you until you can get breast lines and spring lines tied.

When backing down the ramp single handed, I tie a long dock line on the bow cleat and then to the dock or even long enough to hold it in the truck. Undo the strap to the trailer and safety chain as you back in (bunks, not rollers)... and you still have control of the boat.

I was also raised to not put fenders out before necessary, but when singlehanding, it is best to have that done well before you get to the dock (if you know which side you'll be docking on)... one less thing to deal with so you can concentrate on what the wind is doing to plan your maneuvers.

Best wishes,
Jim B (on the road again)
 
Some lessons learned when solo in a 22' Cruiser:

Don't tie the bow line line to a roof rack of your tow rig when launching :oops:

50' bow line is handy.

Filling your fishnet handle void with chunks of foam from kids swim noodle will make it float. :wink:..... Stuff happens

Have your lines and fenders (aka Orbs) clear and ready to deploy in open water. Avoid doing this in a busy marina when coming back in.

Latch the rear door open before you start docking. A clear path to the dock is desirable.

When fishing... go with the wind when fighting a fish if possible..... 15# test line in the prop. will stop a 9.9 cold after it winds 10 yards of line on it.. :( :amgry


Just some stuff I learned the hard way.

Chris Bulovsky
 
*** REPLYING TO AN OLD THREAD***

I did a fair amount of solo boating last year and will probably do the same amount this year (especially in spring). My old 16 was so easy to launch and retrieve. I never had any issues at all. I would even go to ramps where I'd never been before and it didn't phase me.

I must say though, I'm a little nervous about launching my new 19 solo! I'm sure everything will be fine but it's just the fear of the unknown I guess. My new trailer doesn't have guide posts either. The last one did. Should I invest in some? It made retrieval of my 16 easier but is it really that important? I'm hoping to get on the water in the next week or so.

Any other tips for solo launching/retrieving? I definitely agree with another poster when he said " go on a weekday when everyone is working." No rush.
 
There is a 6+ page thread on single handing that may be helpful. It is at this link:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... and+safety

This is the first post in the thread. I started this after single-handing for about 3 years, and began wondering if there were things I was missing and should be paying attention to. There was a good bit of helpful info added.

I have been single handing now for 8 years, and the 22 is easy, predictable and sound. One of the things I do to make it easy is to have my fenders rigged so I can deploy all three in about 30 seconds from the time I leave the wheel until I’m back at it. Lots of stuff there but there could always be more.

Here is a copy of the first post:

I am curious to know from those who single hand, or have, what are some of the safety practices that you use, or know of, to enhance the single hand experience and increase the safety issues.

I have been doing a fair amount of single handing and even though I think I am a pretty safety conscious boater, I am thinking there are things I could learn, and/or do that could improve my chances of avoiding an unintentional dunking….. or worse.

Here are some of my practices that have worked so far:

 PFD, ON always. PFD has a strobe and a handheld VHF attached.
 Radio Check when leaving the harbor. (Fortunately we have a robot radio in the area. VHF28, for a recorded check.) Done with both fixed mount VHF’s.
 Weather check prior to launch or leaving dock.
 Float plan, filed by phone with leaving from where and destination with an ETA.
 Fuel availability prior to leaving and in route and battery monitoring in route.
 Chart Plotter and stand-alone GPS for backup, on always.
 Radar, on always.
 AIS on always.
 With Auto Pilot running, stay out of the cockpit at anything above an idle, (for retrieving or deploying fenders.)
 Stay in the cabin or cockpit, out of the V-birth and off the bow deck or cabin side gunnels.
 Maintain station awareness, scan gauges and screens regularly and frequently, BUT maintain an eye out for floaters, (forward), and traffic, (all around).
 Do not be shy about using the VHF if there is a concern or confusion regarding other traffic.
 Rest when weary.


I would be happy to hear from any one regarding improvements or additions to this that could be helpful.
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Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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