Handling a C-Dory in Rough Seas

I know how to handle kayaks and sail boats but I've a lot to learn about power boats. Can anyone give me any tips on how to turn my C-dory around in rough water?
 
If it is really rough, with breaking waves close together, I head up the wave under pretty good power and as soon as I cross and start down I immediately turn and get on the back of the wave, just below the crest. Then you hope you have enough power to stay there. Another good reason to purchase near maximum allowable power.
 
As Jay wrote: "5' straight up and down waves we couldn't go slow enough not to have the bottom drop out from under us." Often its not the height of the wave but the frequency and angle of the swells, and even going sideways in theses conditions is hectic, time consuming and no fun; and that is what it's all about... right?

Besides, I have taken enough pounding in a lifetime and enough of my anatomy is already sagin, and the filling in my teeth are worth a fortune so I certainly don't want to put all that in jeopardy, so... find a nice cove and wait it out. Some of my most pleasurable moments have been tucked away in a cove while all the wind and fire demons are screaming about.

John
 
On Friday I ran out to the eastern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca for halibut but ran into a pretty strong west wind. The combined waves were around 5' but we ran out anyway and drifted through our fishing spot. It seemed a little too rough to fish with that up and down range of motion, but the boat kept the stern to the waves and at no time did the boat seem unsafe.

We decided to run down inside Admiralty Inlet and found some smoother water. While we were drifting through this new area, I noticed two other boats were doing the same but drifting parallel to the waves. It occurred to me that I would not want to be in either of these boat drifting in the seas we were experiencing earlier.

I assume that C-Dorys keep their sterns to the waves due to the flat stern transitioning to the angled bow acting as a rudder. Is this true or is it something else? Do most boats drift in the same behavior as a C-Dory? And is this something that hull designers care about?

By the way we got no fish. But hey, that's normal for me.
 
Chris,
In heavy wind/seas, that's the first thing I noticed about my CD-25 that was different than my other powerboats, it turns directly downwind and calmly lays down to the seas. I believe it's the forward placed cabin which weather-vanes downwind. It is a VERY good safety feature--even though probably unintentional in design.
 
I am shopping for a used C-22 and will be inspecting my first one next week. The deep V majority around the Florida Keys tell me I'm nuts to consider a flat bottom boat. The thing is, I already have a 26' Imemsa panga which has a flat delta pad running down the center of the bottom. It's only a few inches wide at the bow but 18" at the stern. I know that pangas, and I've read C-Dorys, don't like head seas. If I hit one two fast the panga goes airborne. The boat can take it but i can't. If where I want to go is up wind I either slow down or tack there with 45 degree course changes, going slow being the preferred option. Am I correct in assuming C-Dory owners do the same?

After reading every post on this subject I'm glad to read that 10 knots is doable in a 3' head sea. That's very acceptable to me. I am also pleased to read that C boats like to drift downwind. My panga does the same thing with its big bull bow. After a day of free dive spearfishing I often let the prevailing SE wind blow me toward home while I drift and chow down.

At 74, it's time to give up the hardships of a center console. I enjoyed reading your posts describing low fatigue factor, no pounding waves with cold salty spray in my eyes, just motoring along warm and dry, a cup of coffee and catching up on the news. Sounds wonderful.

Thanks for posting all this information. It is very helpful to prospective C-Dory buyers.

Jeff Kelly
Ramrod Key, FL
 
BobArrington":9v9ovbe1 said:
As I have mentioned in previous postings it is largly your groups experience that confirmed our decision to purchase this boat,
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You do know that most of us are a little crazy here, right?
 
Almas Only":2rhvqxx7 said:
Bob:

Listen to your dealer: he knows what he's talking about.

I've boated the waters you describe with our C-Dory 22 Cruiser for the last three years, including the Neuse river up to New Bern, the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, side creeks, Oriental (got to love that ice cream and free dingy dock tieup), Morehead City, Beaufort, Ocracoke, Lookout Bight, and some offshore. Although the right center console will cut through some rough water that makes the C-Dory slow way down, the last boat I would have wanted for these experiences is a center console. When's the last time you saw someone cook and eat a meal, sleep overnight in all weather, and enjoy a rain storm on a center console?

You made the right decision. Relax, and enjoy it.

david
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We really do need a like button! :thup
 
JeffK":tcd7kzb6 said:
I am shopping for a used C-22 and will be inspecting my first one next week. The deep V majority around the Florida Keys tell me I'm nuts to consider a flat bottom boat. The thing is, I already have a 26' Imemsa panga which has a flat delta pad running down the center of the bottom. It's only a few inches wide at the bow but 18" at the stern. I know that pangas, and I've read C-Dorys, don't like head seas. If I hit one two fast the panga goes airborne. The boat can take it but i can't. If where I want to go is up wind I either slow down or tack there with 45 degree course changes, going slow being the preferred option. Am I correct in assuming C-Dory owners do the same?

After reading every post on this subject I'm glad to read that 10 knots is doable in a 3' head sea. That's very acceptable to me. I am also pleased to read that C boats like to drift downwind. My panga does the same thing with its big bull bow. After a day of free dive spearfishing I often let the prevailing SE wind blow me toward home while I drift and chow down.

At 74, it's time to give up the hardships of a center console. I enjoyed reading your posts describing low fatigue factor, no pounding waves with cold salty spray in my eyes, just motoring along warm and dry, a cup of coffee and catching up on the news. Sounds wonderful.

Thanks for posting all this information. It is very helpful to prospective C-Dory buyers.

Jeff Kelly
Ramrod Key, FL
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There is a bit of difference between the Panga and the C Dory. The Panga has a little sharper entry, and is a narrower hull but certainly is a flat bottom boat. I believe it has a reverse chine as does the C Dory. We have seen Panga's over 50 miles off Mexico and Central American Coasts. They are very seaworthy boats...if you like that sort of getting wet!

The Panga is wetter, and probably will drive thru the chop a bit better than a C Dory 22. Best to get a ride in a 22 in the conditions you want to encounter. To me (with back problems) 10 knots into true 3 foot seas would be very uncomfortable. I would be tacking as you say, and going at slower speeds. The Tom Cat 24 or 255 will tackle the head seas up to about 3 feet. We actually ran ours into heavy short steep chop at faster speeds--to get more air cushion.

For the time we spent in the Keys, we choose to take our 18' Center Console, Caracal Cat, feeling that the ride was better than the C Dory 22. The Venture series will do slightly better than the C dory series in the chop. The 25 will do better than the 22.
 
Scheduling is a huge consideration.......if you're on a tight schedule, you're gonna pound.
 
BobArrington":265tpvj0 said:
He said the key is understanding the hull, learning how to trim it and managing the speed.
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This is going to be true on any boat - but it leaves out the fact that you need to know your local waters as well. When it gets ugly in Tampa Bay people will run the 6' markers versus being out and exposed in the middle of the bay. Wind direction, tide conditions, weight...all come into play and how you will trim and power through the waves. Only way to really find out is through trial and error.

I have a buddy who knows only one speed - fast. It was a bay boat without seats (you sat on the back raised deck - it was Pathfinder). So he had a steering wheel to hold - passengers didn't; you just used your fingers under the decking where it curved under. No fun...but we were in our 40's so doable (barely).

I had a sailfish 17' CC (Montauk knock off) - plenty of poundings in that boat for a decade. It was a modified trihull.

At 50 I'm done with the poundings...I slowed down, took whatever I could get from mother nature, and avoided going out in the nasty stuff.

Approaching my mid 50's I doubled down on not getting beat up any more by buying a cat (GB2670). That REALLY helped. She's a tank. FWIW - I took her out in 25-28 mph winds to see how she would do (it was supposed to be low 20's)...and she's a tank. Trim here, steer that way...all good. Bit of a cat sneeze. In FL after 3pm you're always 15 min away from a T storm. Better to know how she does than not.

I suspect in my 70's it'll be icw and nice weather only, until then...
 
Those who travel the furthest get the most out of the experience and our great little boats! There are a number who have done the long trips--including in those are Colby, Two Bears (Chuck and Penny), (and a bunch of others). It is not only the boats, but the people. We had the privilege of one Friday Harbor gathering--would love to have another some day...
 
The boat can take a lot more pounding than I can. My wife commented again this weekend about my new suspension seats being a great investment. It seems a little cruel to have suspension seats and put in ear plugs (or use my noise cancelling headphones) while the little CD hull gets slapped around, but it allows me to stay on plane a lot more often. Another benefit to the seats is the "unforeseen" wake that appears out of nowhere. I can feel the harmonics building, but before I can throttle back, wham, and I'm over the wake. It's just a loud noise instead of a butt/back pounding.

Mark
 
I've had more than enough rough days on the water. These days we stay in if the swells are over three feet with short intervals. The day Merry and I took our test drive in the Tomcat was the worst conditions we've been out in together. Merry drove the boat over eleven feet swells. I remember thinking that the boat can handle way more than I could.
 
thataway":3qy8y4mf said:
Those who travel the furthest get the most out of the experience and our great little boats! There are a number who have done the long trips--including in those are Colby, Two Bears (Chuck and Penny), (and a bunch of others). It is not only the boats, but the people. We had the privilege of one Friday Harbor gathering--would love to have another some day...
Click to expand...

Bob, You are right about those who travel getting the most out of their boats, and I'm pretty sure that the reason they do the traveling is becauze they love the boats. And brcause they love the boats, they travel and get more out of them. It is a fantastic cycle. The more it is loved, the more it is used, the more it travels to new adventures. I believed I am truely blessed to have found such a great boat and this (CBRAT) society.

I am still looking forward to my first Hontoon CBGT.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
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