C-Dory 22 boat building history when buying a used boat

[RICK57]

Hello
This is my first time on C-Brats. I am looking at several C-Dory 22 boats and want to buy one soon. Used boats 20 + years old are selling around $35K, some more or less when I find one.
My question is are there any years of production in the history of building the C-Dory 22 cruiser that workmanship was not so good OR are most all of the older boats from 1995 on up a good soundly built boat. Just looking at the outside do not always tell the whole story.
Thanks for any information about the history of building these fine little boats.
Rick57

 

[-Waypoint-]

I believe in my opinion, that the boats built before 1998 are the best value for the money. Even if it needs a trailer and a new engine. I like the real fiberglass aft hatch covers over the battery compartments and the plywood interior that can be modified very easily. Unlike the molded newer models. Not a spider crack to be found anywhere on the boat. The C-Dory is the best vessel I have ever owned and operated. (I am a professional Mariner, operated ships over 800 ft., and have owned much larger boats) Just go get one and it will be a very fun seaworthy vessel. Don’t over think it and enjoy!

 

[thataway]

Welcome aboard! This has been answered in multiple times in the past, but is hard to find in the search engine. Generally all of the boats are equal. I say that with a minor caveat. The Reynolds family bought C Dory in about 2002. Most of the C Dory crew continued to build the 22's so they were not affected. Some of the other models had more minor factory issues at the time of commissioning. However, those would have or should have been fixed by the first owners.

Basically look for any core penetrations, and damage to the balsa core. Not a thing wrong with balsa, but if water gets into it, and then freeze and thaw cycles, there is a chance of core delimitation and rot. There have been several examples of this recently, with well documented repairs. All cored boats are subject to this, and almost all boats have some core--in the deck or sides if not in the bottom of the hull. We have seen 50 year old core which was in perfect condition, and we have seen 5 year old boat with damaged core. The latter was a boat in AK, or a place where there was a lot of snow and freezing without protection. The first 25 I owned had a cockpit floor which needed to be replaced. I knew it at the time I bought the boat, and the price was adjusted to account for this.

Any cored areas should be sealed, and any screws should go into epoxy plug rather than into balsa core. But many boats have not been retrofitted, and have no problems.

If you are not familiar with cored hulls, get a good marine survey. Be sure the he or she understand what you are concerned about.

Good hunting. Good boats sell quickly--often at a premium in the PNW. Often the better deals are in the SE, but that puts the boat thousands of miles away. I have bought all but one of my C Dory's over 1200 miles from my home.