C-Dory...pros and cons

[sisu]

I am looking for a nice salt water boat for Juneau waters. I've narrowed down the list of aluminum made boats running 20-22 ft in length. A buddy suddenly threw the C name at me. I know very little about C-Dory so maybe some one here can enlighten me on the pros and cons of them. The guy that popped this name at me swears by them.
Any input useful

[Machias]

No help, but C-Dorys are one of my favorite LOOKING Boat!  You sure 20-22 feet is long enough?  I was out halibut fishing in a 24 footer and man that felt tiny out there?

[sisu]

No help, but C-Dorys are one of my favorite LOOKING Boat!  You sure 20-22 feet is long enough?  I was out halibut fishing in a 24 footer and man that felt tiny out there?

I've been out in the Gulf of Alaska in smaller and larger but for the waters around Juneau 20-22 is just fine. The boats I've been in around Juneau have varied from 16!!!! to 22. The 20-22 seems just right for fishing and hunting.

[Machias]

THIS is what you should build.  It's 24 foot.  Someday I'm building this one myself!

http://www.glen-l.com/picboards/picboard1/pic11a.html

[Skillet]

Flat bottom boats.  Cult following among owners, high resale value.  Extremely fuel efficient when running vs a deep vee, as the go over the water rather than through it. Not as able to run through smallish chop as a deep vee.  

I've fished out of one, and was impressed with the fit and finish of the boat.  For me, it is too much of a tradeoff to go to a flatbottom in deepwater if you don't need the shallow draft.  I guess they have been owned by several different outfits over the last 5 or so years, and quality may have suffered.  New outfit that owns them is bringing back the brand, however.  

I wouldn't turn one down if someone gave it to me, though!

[Machias]

Boy that 25'5" tomcat is one tough looking boat.  You looking at the 20-22 foot Cruisers or the Angler?

[Skillet]

THIS is what you should build.  It's 24 foot.  Someday I'm building this one myself!

http://www.glen-l.com/picboards/picboard1/pic11a.html

If speed is not what you need, take a look at their Noyo Trawler... I've had that boat on my mind for years. 

[jackelope]

We just had these guys' truck in the shop  I think I'm in love.
http://www.rangertugs.com/r/r-21ec.cfm

[wildmanoutdoors]

The biggest difference that might make or break the deal for you is the Stability.
Aluminum, wider hulls will be more stable as in they wont lean as much when people go to the side to net and what not. You also don't have to load metal boats as evenly because of this. they just feel more stable.

C Dory's lean and bob like a cork as do many other deep V boats that arnt as wide as there metal counterparts. But there is a real plus side to this. Many folks mistake stability for seaworthiness and nothing is farther from the truth. A variable deep V will be much more apt to take heavy water as a metal boat in the same condition. Granted it will take some rough crab to see this difference.

C Dory's do have a flatter hull in the aft compared to allot of the other fiberglass boats so they plane easier with less power also. But not really any different than a metal boat which also plane easy because of the surface area being there typically wider and lighter than say full deep V glass boats.

Id say for a stable fishing machine Id go aluminum. For ride Its a toss up if you get something with a variable V in a Aluminum boat. But neither will ride as smooth as say a Grady, Trophy, ect in rough conditions or a bad chop. As the have a full deep V. Not a variable...hope this helps.

[Machias]

THIS is what you should build.  It's 24 foot.  Someday I'm building this one myself!

http://www.glen-l.com/picboards/picboard1/pic11a.html

If speed is not what you need, take a look at their Noyo Trawler... I've had that boat on my mind for years.  

   Love that, if I could have the one I really want it would be a 42 Devlin Oysta

http://store.devlinboat.com/oysta42_paper_construction_plans.aspx


Sorry for jacking your thread!!!  

[Machias]

Nice boat Jackelope!

[rasbo]

heres a boat I would like for up there,not a good river boat but great for what I would be doing there sisu

[Skillet]

We just had these guys' truck in the shop  I think I'm in love.
http://www.rangertugs.com/r/r-21ec.cfm

There's a great article somewhere about 3 guys that took their Ranger 21'ers up through the inside passage.  They're cool little boats.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I used to dream about owning one, but then I went to school with the son of Roy Toland (Mack) who owned the company used to spend hours at their shop in Des Moines, the whole family worked there, and Macks older brother took over operations.
We used to take prototypes out and play on the sound and Angle Lake.
Those were some fun days......

[sisu]

heres a boat I would like for up there,not a good river boat but great for what I would be doing there sisu

I have been spending a ton of time on the Net looking at aluminum salt boats (used). Wasn't even considering glass until this fella in Wasilla threw the C-dory out there.