can a c-dory accomodate more than 3 overnight?

R

Ron Bennie

New member
Hi to all the C-Brats! I'm Ron Bennie, new to this site, and I live in Calgary, Alberta. I've been entertained, educated and thoroughly addicted to this site for the past few months. My wife Maureen and I lately sold our beloved Catalina 22. We are raising two autistic children and found the challenge of handling the high demands of sailing and our son and daughter's ambivilence to danger too challenging. After spending part of last summer at my parent's house in Union Bay on Vancouver Island we know that power boating is very pleasurable for the kids and us as a family. As a couple, we did enjoy many wonderful weekend cruises around our area on various lakes and still plan to get back into boating. After much research, I think the C-Dory is the perfect boat for our style of trailer cruising. My question is, has anyone made modifications to increase the sleeping accomodations onboard? I've looked carefully through the discussions and can't find anything on this topic. The 22 does seem a little cramped for 4 (I would be willing to sleep in the cockpit if it meant getting into boating again).The average owners do seem to be empty-nesters, but I see there are families with children too. To close, I just want to say how much I appreciate all the good will on this site. Thanks of sharing your passion because for those of us not living the dream right now, this is the next best thing. I have found new heroes in all of you. Thanks, and long live the C-Brats!! Ron.
 
if the weather is good you could use a blow up mat on the back deck for the two kids and put the port a pot by the table that way both groups can us it in the middle of the night. the table/bed is not big enough for two kids.
 
We put one on the floor and the pot outside. It's a bit airy out there, but up here you usually don't have a privacy problem.
 
Ron Bennie":16e9shd7 said:
My question is, has anyone made modifications to increase the sleeping accomodations onboard? I've looked carefully through the discussions and can't find anything on this topic. The 22 does seem a little cramped for 4 (I would be willing to sleep in the cockpit if it meant getting into boating again).The average owners do seem to be empty-nesters, but I see there are families with children too. \Ron.
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Ron,

In the 22', you are correct that the cabin is very cramped for more than 3 overnight and in the std. configuration, I don't think trying to sleep 3 onboard overnight is a good plan. It is possible to sleep in the cockpit (Brock on Bambina does this) but IMHO, on the water in the NW is a bit chilly/damp for this. So suggestions:

1) See the photo album of the Luna C - on page 1 they show a mod with a lowered and hidden galley with a cushion across the top. This kind of arrangement, with perhaps a different healm seat, could be configured to sleep another person on the starboard side. I'm thinking of a helm seat back on two posts and a cushion bottom similar to that on the dinette. That would allow one to remove the helm seat back and have one long starboard side sleeping cushion. The downside would be that if you have a Wallas and want to use it for heat at night (when you usually need it the most), this configuration won't allow it as the Wallas is under the cushion. You might even want to put a plastic cover over the ON switch or, better yet, a micro-switch under the cushion, to assure that the Wallas can't be accidentally turned on when the cushion is over it. If you plan to overnight in marinas with shore power, the loss of the Wallas for heat at night is not a big deal as you can have a small space heater on board. Even with the Wallas exposed, we usually use a space heater at night in those situations.

2) There are lots of places/ways to overnight from the boat that don't require everyone to sleep on the boat. Many marinas have adjacent camping areas and there are numerous marine parks that are boat in camping places. I don't know what the options are in this regard near Alberta, but near Seattle one can overnight a lot of places without sleeping on the boat.

3) Buy the CD 25 or the cat..

Roger on the SeaDNA
 
The CD22 is really perfect for two adults. It is difficult to overnight with three on a CD22 let alone four. The third person can sleep on the dinette berth or course, but that dinette only seats two when the table is up, so there is really no place for the third person to sit to eat meals. If we are talking kids, then get a camperback, a couple of good pads and mummy bags and sleep them on the cockpit, and let them eat in the cockpit with folding chairs and a folding table or the cooler top or whatever. But the CD 22, especially if you have any gear on board, is just really tight for more than two adults. Just my $0.02 worth...


Ron Bennie":2xp7klz1 said:
Hi to all the C-Brats! I'm Ron Bennie, new to this site, and I live in Calgary, Alberta. I've been entertained, educated and thoroughly addicted to this site for the past few months. My wife Maureen and I lately sold our beloved Catalina 22. We are raising two autistic children and found the challenge of handling the high demands of sailing and our son and daughter's ambivilence to danger too challenging. After spending part of last summer at my parent's house in Union Bay on Vancouver Island we know that power boating is very pleasurable for the kids and us as a family. As a couple, we did enjoy many wonderful weekend cruises around our area on various lakes and still plan to get back into boating. After much research, I think the C-Dory is the perfect boat for our style of trailer cruising. My question is, has anyone made modifications to increase the sleeping accomodations onboard? I've looked carefully through the discussions and can't find anything on this topic. The 22 does seem a little cramped for 4 (I would be willing to sleep in the cockpit if it meant getting into boating again).The average owners do seem to be empty-nesters, but I see there are families with children too. To close, I just want to say how much I appreciate all the good will on this site. Thanks of sharing your passion because for those of us not living the dream right now, this is the next best thing. I have found new heroes in all of you. Thanks, and long live the C-Brats!! Ron.
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Ron,
I just had a custom bench seat made that stretches across the entire transom. It's about 70 inches wide by 18 inches deep with 3 inch foam cushioning. Depending on the size of the person, this could be used as a berth at night. Would probably want to have a camperback enclosure around it to keep you dry/warm, etc. I don't have pictures of the seat yet as it's still at the canvas/upholstery shop. I'll post pictures of it as soon as I get it back, though, so you can get an idea of what I did.

The seat was designed to be easily removed so if you wanted to do fishing off the back you could get it out of the way. Once the boat is back and I can get pictures, check the "Aft Deck" photo album of my boat and I'll have all the pictures of it and all the details of how I did it.

Happy boat hunting.

Jack
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I think Jack has the ticket and modification I've been thinking about but not seen. Back in the inboard/outboard days there was always that big padded engine cover that functioned as a berth. I'm drawn to the C-Dory for many reasons but a major one is the ease of maintenance and economy of the outboard engine(s). I don't plan to do much fishing except when visiting the folks in Union Bay so taking up room in the cockpit with bench seating seems a better use of space than chairs and folding tables etc. I look forward to the pictures, thanks. My boat hunting days are really a few years off yet unless our business does more than expected, however with the information here, I'll be ready when the time comes. Too bad I had to watch all those 22s get sold off with the oncoming 25s. Look forward to reading about the construction of the 25s and the Desolation Sound trip. Ron.
 
Jack, you might ask C-Dory if they still offer the full width fold down seat that goes across at the stern of the cockpit. My 22 had this seat. Pat on Daydream had one but he removed it because he wanted better access to the space between the gas tanks. It had a removable cushion on it also. I don't remember if there are any pictures in the Anna Leigh 22 album or not showing it. You might look.
 
It seems we have two ovelapping threads running concurrently! Here's some thoughts I offered on the other one regarding sleeping a couple of kids and two adults:

The v-berth could actually handle an adult and two smaller kids, if their sleep patterns are not difficult ones to intertwine......

The dinette berth is 6' 3" and plenty big for most adults. Two really small children might be able to sleep there, one at each end. One can roll off this "shelf", so you'd be advised to add a lip or safety line to the edge next to the aisle.

You could devise a shelf to fit on the opposite side over the galley and folded down helm seat, providing your heater is somewhere other than under that shelf. I use an electric on the floor place in front of the helm when I have shore power, which would work with the hot air blowing out into the aisle space.

Another place would be to have one person sleep in the aisle itself. A bit inconvenient, and perhaps colder, but with a good air or foam mattress, sleeping bag, and a very small (computer, perhaps) fan to mix up the cold air off the floor, you'd be in business.

Going a bit further, build a second removable berth over the dinette, "Bunk Bed" style, suspending it from the roof. Some C-Dory owners have added inside rails from which this could be suspended, but to keep the pendulum effect under control (might be an interesting ride (!), I'd suspend it on stainless cables or chain with sailboat hardware. You could use hinges to allow the removable berth to fold into three or four parts (like a screen room divider) with a cross-lock on the center joint if you use four. The kids would probably fight over the "Swinging Berth"!

Another option is to enclose the entire cockpit in canvas and sleep out there, but only in moderate weather. Two can enjoy the weather out in the cockpit easily if they're not over six feet.

Let's see...two or three in the v-berth, one on the dinette berth, one over the galley/berth, one in the Swinging Berth, and two in the converted cockpit equals 7-8 "Happy Campers" !!! Porta Potti goes up on the foredeck just ahead of the hatch, now the "head" is where the "head" ought to be! No liquids after 7 pm, please! Bring on the Scout Troop! We're going to practice submarine sleeping drills!

Hope this helps. Joe.
 
Wonderful ideas from all...what a great resource! I love the adaptibility of these boats. This boat is the closest to anything I've ever conceived of for what I need for my family's use. I'll stay tuned, you're generous people. We had planned to go to the Seattle Boat Show but got as far as Vancouver and then were snowed in. We'll try again next year. I'm a big fan of this site and all the C-Brat people. I hope to chime in on occasion but I realise this is an owners site.

Ron B.
 
David,
I saw the factory seat on somebody's boat, but I can't remember whose. I checked the pictures of Anna Leigh as a 22 and see the base of it in one of them without the cushion. My concern with the factory set up was that to get it out of they way it would probably swing down which would then be in the way of accessing gear in between the fuel tanks. I didn't figure it would swing up as that would get in the way of accessing the transom area. Plus, I thought I remembered reading somewhere that there's a bunch of rivets or something like that which hold it in place. Didn't want to deal with that. So, I decided to design my own idea and have the seat custom made. I'll post some pictures when I get the boat back of what I came up with. Hopefully it will work out well.

Jack
 
I bought 2 black plastic storage boxes at Home Depot (also have seen them at Walmart), brand name Costco (I believe, the boat is not in accessible storage) that fit perfectly (very snugly) across the stern. I added a plywood lid due to the weak plastic tops. Results: 1) lots of storage 2) a seat for 3-4 s 3) a sleep bench off the sole (I have a full camperback plus a warm sleeping bag 4) loss of visual fuel gage (can't see the tanks anymore) and 5) of course, a smaller pit. Cheap solution (approx. $45/box or $35/box without lock) and easily removed to regain pit space for whatever. p.s. This idea was borrowed from another Lake Superior CD22 owner.
 
Ron Bennie":2iuyuro1 said:
I hope to chime in on occasion but I realise this is an owners site.

Ron B.
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Naw, this is a "Choir" site with plenty of preachers willing to sing C-Dory praises. Feel free to chime in even if you're well out of tune. This site doesn't have a member nicknamed Simon Cowell.... :shock:
 
Ron B,

What Sneaks said! :teeth

Some of our best discussions have started with questions by newbies or want-to-be-a-C-Dory-owner. :wink

Anyway, welcome to the pub!
 
Joe on C-Wolf is spot-on. We routinely sleep three adults and two kids on our 22' cruiser with a minimum of fuss. Mom and two kids in the V-berth, another adult on the very comfortable dinette, that makes up or down simply and quickly, and one on a foam pad on the cabin sole. Our camper-back over the cockpit gives another 'room,' that older kids prefer. A comfy ground pad and sleeping bags makes the cockpit suitable in virtually any weather, since folks there are protected from wind or precip.
Don't worry about a bigger boat -- try the configurations suggested on this thread, or the simple adaptation that Joe and we use and see if it will work for you.
 
Ron,
Hello and welcome. The transom seat option has been a useful addition to my boat. It serves as a table, seat, boarding step and work bench. I believe it could serve as a child's bed also. The bench would need a rail or some means of preventing the child from falling off but it is long and wide enough to serve. 'Levity' photo album page 3 has a photo including the bench and cushion. Happy boat hunting.
Mike 'Levity'
 
I've come to prefer sleeping on the "dinette bed" and having wife and 15 yr. old daughter sleep in the v-berth. The reason that I prefer this arrangement is that I usually stay awake until midnight and awaken around 0500 - 0630 HRS. (Way earlier than the "girls" wish to awaken). That way, upon awakening, I can reconfigure the "dinette bunk" back into a dinette, get the cabin back in to some semblance of order and get the coffee pot brewing.....(not necessarily in that order). I've also been able to cruise out early in the morning leaving the girls in the v-berth sleeping.
(Almost forgot.....dog sleeps on cabin floor). For added sleeping space a good pad in the cockpit under an enclosed camperback makes a dandy "bedroom".
About three years ago one of the Canadian C-Dory enthusiast joined us at the Lopez Island gathering in their 22' cruiser and if my memory serves me right they had 3 children and a dog plus the two of them sleeping on their vessel. (I'm thinking that the skipper slept on the cabin floor....but not sure about that).
 
I am becoming very encouraged with this info. As I've mentioned my cruising has been done mainly in the area around Calgary. There are so many great areas to explore between here and Vancouver Island. Just have to get the boat. El and Bill, you have been such an inspiration to me with your website. I hope you have a book in the works. I believe I can make this boat work for us. Our season is short here and the investment in a boat like the 22 seems reasonable, even for 5 months. What am I talking about, I'd be tinkering the whole year through anyway. I regularily slept 4 on the Catalina very comfortably even if the condensation was horrendous (no windows to open). So that settles that...I'm so glad I asked.

Thanks again everyone,

Ron.
 
Let's show Ron a pic of the transom seat...this came from the factory, but we removed it, as David said, because when folded down it was too difficult to get to the drain plug, see the level of the gas in the tanks, etc...BTW, Ron, the lady is our friend Lynzie, who now lives in Calgary, we will be visiting her for her birthday in April.

ynzie_on_Daydream_Squalicum_Harbor_2_6_28_03.sized.jpg




Levity":28smpnyi said:
Ron,
Hello and welcome. The transom seat option has been a useful addition to my boat. It serves as a table, seat, boarding step and work bench. I believe it could serve as a child's bed also. The bench would need a rail or some means of preventing the child from falling off but it is long and wide enough to serve. 'Levity' photo album page 3 has a photo including the bench and cushion. Happy boat hunting.
Mike 'Levity'
Click to expand...
 
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