Please bare with me on this one. I'm planning to purchase a C-Dory 16'
or 19' in the near future (a used one). I don't have much boating
experience so my decision is not firm. For the money it sounds like
it's what I'm looking for but if there are other makes and models (used
under 10K) that I should be looking at please let me know. The C-Dory
has a classic trawler look above the hull line and I'm assuming
(there's that word) that it can handle rough water much better than
most boats in it's size due to the cabin and light weight. I asked a
sales rep if the 16' can take the rough water as much as the 19' model
and he told me that some people take it out the SF Golden Gate bridge
with waves crashing over the windshield with no problem. I may have
limited boating experience but that was a bit hard to swallow.

My question is, how seaworthy is the 16'? Is it really for protected
areas or are they correct in suggesting that C-Dorys really are rough
water boats including the 16' model?

I plan to use it in the SF Bay and hope to take it outside the Golden
Gate bridge, weather permitting. For those of you who are not familiar
with the SF coastal waters the wind and waves can get hairy. I'd go
out from time to time on a fishing boat and they turn back when it
get's too rough. Anyways, if I get caught with my pants down I'd like
to know that I can get back without any problem. A rough ride I can
deal with but I'd like to know that I'm not chancing it with this boat.

Has anyone had any experience in the 16' or 19' in 2,3,4,5,6+ waves???

Any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated it. If you have a suggestion
for a different make/model please let me know.

On 9 Feb 2005 15:35:15 -0800, "louis" wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

Has anyone had any experience in the 16' or 19' in 2,3,4,5,6+ waves???

BBAAWWWAAAHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!

Oh wait - your serious.

Any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated it. If you have a suggestion
for a different make/model please let me know.

These are flat bottomed boats. Like most dory style boats, they are a
bit skittish in heavy water - in particular when dealing with wind and
waves at the same time. I have used powered dorys when I was much
younger and they can be a handful.

The big advantage to these type of boats is that they have little or
no bow lift and plane at much lower speeds - they can be very
efficient. The disadvantages are that they don't track very well and
docking one in a wind can be problematic along with the effects of a
cross wind at speed. Another disadvantage is that in moderate seas
you have little to no trim to keep the bow up to maintain some kind of
speed. Last, in turns it will skip somewhat and I've experienced what
can only be called a spin out in one.

You may want to look around for something with some V and dead rise.
Older Makos, Aqua Sports, Hydra Sports, etc would be much better
suited hull styles for heavier weather.

Last, go up in size - at least 18/19'. You will be much happier.

Later,

Tom

Here's a good tip for you:

Check out the site at www.c-brat.com

It's a C-Dory owner's group. You should find some contacts and comments
there that will help you in your deliberations, and everybody is an
experieced C-Dory owner. If Brock Arnold has an email address on the
website, he'll be happy to put you in touch with folks who have
extensive experience in 16-foot C-Dory boats.

(At the recent Seattle Boat Show, I met a couple who say they *live
aboard* (!) a 22-footer)

If Jehovah designed a 16-foot boat, St Joseph the carpenter built it,
and John the Baptist christened it, I'd still personally be really
reluctant to take it out in serious chop. (Rollers are one thing, chop
is another, both are technically "waves"). 4-foot, 5-foot, 6-foot chop?
That falls under my definition of "serious".

It sounds like your salesperson was putting a serious spin on things.
Spray flying over the windshield is tough enough to deal with, nobody
routinely boats in conditions where waves are "crashing" (or breaking)
over the windshield........they get a bigger boat.

Look at the deadrise. The flatter the dead rise, the rougher the ride.
Also,flat deadrise leads to sliding down rollers/waves sideways. Very
dangerous.
I had an older 22' C-Dory with a completely flat bottom (made prior to
1986) that was downright scary in the ocean!
G
"louis" wrote in message
oups.com...
Please bare with me on this one. I'm planning to purchase a C-Dory 16'
or 19' in the near future (a used one). I don't have much boating
experience so my decision is not firm. For the money it sounds like
it's what I'm looking for but if there are other makes and models (used
under 10K) that I should be looking at please let me know. The C-Dory
has a classic trawler look above the hull line and I'm assuming
(there's that word) that it can handle rough water much better than
most boats in it's size due to the cabin and light weight. I asked a
sales rep if the 16' can take the rough water as much as the 19' model
and he told me that some people take it out the SF Golden Gate bridge
with waves crashing over the windshield with no problem. I may have
limited boating experience but that was a bit hard to swallow.

My question is, how seaworthy is the 16'? Is it really for protected
areas or are they correct in suggesting that C-Dorys really are rough
water boats including the 16' model?

I plan to use it in the SF Bay and hope to take it outside the Golden
Gate bridge, weather permitting. For those of you who are not familiar
with the SF coastal waters the wind and waves can get hairy. I'd go
out from time to time on a fishing boat and they turn back when it
get's too rough. Anyways, if I get caught with my pants down I'd like
to know that I can get back without any problem. A rough ride I can
deal with but I'd like to know that I'm not chancing it with this boat.

Has anyone had any experience in the 16' or 19' in 2,3,4,5,6+ waves???

Any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated it. If you have a suggestion
for a different make/model please let me know.

A friend of mine in Alaska has a somewhat larger C-Dory. We went out into
some serious water with it. He launched, and recovered, into the largest
waves I've ever seen. Seemed tippy, but never any worry about it actually
rolling over.

Dorys are designed that way...I know, since I built a small one once.
Better be ready for the tippy feeling.

There is a MSN Group site of c-dory owners who share their experiences.
http://groups.msn.com/CDoryOwnersGroup

Best ask your questions there, too.....
--
RichG manager, Carolina Skiff Owners Group on MSN
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners
..

I really appreciate the responses so far. I have check out c-brats and
the MSN newsgroup prior to posting. I was looking for neutral opinions
as members of specific groups tend to give glowing reviews of what they
own. I can't blame them and I'd probably do the same.

On those board what I read are that they ARE rough water boats but the
size and balsa core below water line really makes me think twice (the
balsa is another issue but accoring to them there hasn't been a single
case with soaked balsa)

If someone else had some experience with these boats I'd really
appreicate some more feed back.

Louis wrote:

I really appreciate the responses so far. I have check out c-brats and

the MSN newsgroup prior to posting. I was looking for neutral opinions

as members of specific groups tend to give glowing reviews of what they

own. I can't blame them and I'd probably do the same.


On those board what I read are that they ARE rough water boats but the
size and balsa core below water line really makes me think twice (the
balsa is another issue but accoring to them there hasn't been a single
case with soaked balsa)


If someone else had some experience with these boats I'd really
appreicate some more feed back.

***************

Ok. Now I'm really confused.

You want to discount the C-Brats website because you suspect people
would not be candid about the boats they own, and then turn elsewhere
looking for opinions...... and only from people who have actual
experience with the boat.......

What am I missing? :-)

Doh! I lack finesse. Should I say "not so enthused about their boat
that they don't write about it"? But now I'm going to offend everyone
on both sites. I'll stop while I'm ahead.

***************

Ok. Now I'm really confused.

You want to discount the C-Brats website because you suspect people
would not be candid about the boats they own, and then turn elsewhere
looking for opinions...... and only from people who have actual
experience with the boat.......

What am I missing? :-)

On 10 Feb 2005 16:03:19 -0800, wrote:

Louis wrote:

I really appreciate the responses so far. I have check out c-brats and

the MSN newsgroup prior to posting. I was looking for neutral opinions

as members of specific groups tend to give glowing reviews of what they

own. I can't blame them and I'd probably do the same.


On those board what I read are that they ARE rough water boats but the
size and balsa core below water line really makes me think twice (the
balsa is another issue but accoring to them there hasn't been a single
case with soaked balsa)


If someone else had some experience with these boats I'd really
appreicate some more feed back.

***************

Ok. Now I'm really confused.

You want to discount the C-Brats website because you suspect people
would not be candid about the boats they own, and then turn elsewhere
looking for opinions...... and only from people who have actual
experience with the boat.......

What am I missing? :-)

Logical criteria for making a sound judgement based on a common sense
approach to gathering information? :)

Later,

Tom

On 10 Feb 2005 16:49:27 -0800, "louis" wrote:

Doh! I lack finesse. Should I say "not so enthused about their boat
that they don't write about it"? But now I'm going to offend everyone
on both sites. I'll stop while I'm ahead.

I understood what you thought you said but didn't say when you said
it. My mind works that way sometimes. :)

To be honest, this may not be the boat for you if you intend to do
what you said you wanted to do. In fact for the type of weather you
indicated, you might be better off with a Cabo or Ocean 50/60 footer
instead of a 16 foot dory.

The best weather for that C-dory you spoke of is light chop, little
wind and a relatively placid day.

Look around for something bigger with a V hull and moderate deadrise.

Good luck.

Tom