Hello C-brats

E

Explorer

New member
I am new to this group and hope I am posting this in the proper spot.
My wife and I completed the Great Loop on a 42 Present sundeck trawler a few years ago. Now that we are back, we really miss the cruising life style and adventure. To take our boat on big trips now would take too much time just to get to the cruising area and we don't have that kind of time. It was brought to our attention that a trailerable boat could be driven to any destination quickly and then cruise. We know it will be an adjustment going to a smaller boat, but we have also been camping for the past few summers in our slide on camper and have become used to the smaller space. After looking at a few boats, it seems that the C-dory 25 would be a good choice. The questions I have are; Can the 25 still be beached and do most of the things that the 22 can? How does the boat react when taking "green water" over the bow? With a 9.5 gallon black water tank, how well does that hold up for a couple do extended cruising in remote destinations? Since the hull is the floor of the cabin and, in a sense, the bilge, does it ever get water in it. Also, I have an F-350 diesel pickup which I know will have no problem towing, but what is the smallest vehicle that could tow this boat safely. And lastly, I spoke with the VP of C-dory and informed there are no dealers currently in my area. Does anyone know of anyone on Long Island, NY or in the surrounding area that might be willing to let us come and take a look at their boat?
Thanks for your time,
Matt & Joyce
 
Welcome Matt and Joyce! You've posted in the right place (there really is no wrong place, if you happen to do that, someone will move it for you!! :lol: ) I'll let others chime in on your questions about the 25, it's really the only CD model I've never owned.. :roll:

They are great boats, snoop around the site on your own, use the search box at the top LH corner of most pages and you'll find all you need to know, and more! If you're interested in looking/riding on a TC255, we're probably 5 hours away and a nice place to visit, be glad to take you for a ride in the Chesapeake. Coincidentally, I have a TC255 for sale! See lower RH corner of the home page, the Boats for Sale by Owner listings.

Welcome to the Brats! The Great Loop Rules!!

Charlie
 
Hi Matt and Joyce,

I am undoubtedly biased, but I think you will find the 25 will do all you are asking and more. We have cruised extensively on ours; the "we" being a couple and a cat. Since we bought our boat in 2006, we have used it just the way you are talking about: towing to our desired cruising area, then put the truck and trailer in storage, and head out on the water. Some of our favorite destinations: the Pacific Northwest (twice), the Florida Keys (for the winter), the Gulf Coast, Lake Powell, Yellowstone and the Tetons, Lake Tahoe, the Erie Canal/Hudson River/NYC, and Trent-Severn Waterway. No issue with the black holding tank capacity; but we did put a ball valve in the water line to the toilet to help conserve water usage. Under most circumstances, we need to pump out once every 5-7 days when cruising.

We tow with a GMC 2500 HD Duramax. The boat/trailer all up runs around 8,700 all up for towing with much of our gear in the bed of the truck (we have a solid fiberglass locking bed cover). I don't think I would care to tow with anything less.

We live differently when cruising with our CD-25 compared to previous sailboats or RVs. Comparing the C-Dory to a truck camper is pretty accurate, as far as living space. We generally "re-supply" once a week or so, and pick up groceries and produce as they are available; farmers markets are a treat.

You can check out our cruising thread here: http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=5212

Or, click on the link below my signature and you can order "Cat On A Leash" in paperback or eBook that is the story of our cruising on a CD-25 with our cat. I have often called Wild Blue our "just right" boat - big enough to be comfortable onboard, small enough to be towable to take to all the good places.

When cruising, we get lots of questions from big boat owners, intrigued about our mobility and flexibility.

Good luck with your decisions.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Matt and Joyce,

Welcome to the forum. We have a CD 26 Venture, which is similar to the CD 25, but has a slightly different hull shape and is a little larger. We haul it with a 1500 Suburban. We are very happy with the set up. We downsized from a large sailboat for much the same reason as you describe. The boat trails easily to our cruising destinations and is easy to launch and retrieve. It is a little spartan compared to our larger boats, but is luxurious compared to backpacking. It's all relative. I would recommend that you give Marc Grove, at Wefing's Marine in Apalachicola, FL, a call, and talk to him about the C-Dory line of boats. Good luck in your search.
 
Hi Folks,

We've had our 25 for about 16 months. We had a PDQ 32 sailing catamaran, which is a fabulous boat, but as you say, takes a long time to get to where you want to be. We did the west half of the great loop in the catamaran. Next year we will start on the east loop in the 25.

We bought the 25 with the express purpose of going to Alaska last summer. It would have taken a couple of years to get to Alaska from Florida in the PDQ 32. Even though we picked it up on the way to Alaska, it worked great for us. It would do even better now as we have learned much and modified items as well.

We pulled the 25 over 10,000 miles on this trip. Spent every night in her on both land and sea I sold my truck camper while on the trip as we learned that the 25 was just as good. While on the trip, I replumbed the macerator pump so I could empty the holding tank at a dump station in an RV park.

After over 1000 miles on the inside passage and stops in the great lakes on the way home, we found ourselves back in FLorida. Here we can be in the Keys in about 6 hours, versus a week in the catamaran.

The 25 will be our boat for life. (Boy, have I said that a few times!) But this time I expect it is really true. I'm a fairly spry 70 and expect that the 25's ease of launch and retrieval and ease of operation will allow us to cruise for another decade.

Best of all, my lady is constantly asking, when are we going to take another trip in the boat. She really likes the cozy cabin!!

My only regret is not discovering the 25 sooner.

Much luck to you both.

Tom and Marlyn
 
Hi Mat and Joyce,
This has to be the best place to check out the C-Dory line, both pros and cons. The topics in the forum cover every aspect you can think of, I have never come across a question or situation concerning the C-Dory that someone before me has already brought up and others have joined in and discussed in detail.

Kathie and I tow our 2006 25 cruiser from our home in Central NY, like Jim on Wild Blue we use a 2500 GMC duramax crew cab which is more than sufficient. Last year we kept the boat at a marina on the canal but found it limited our cruising. This year we have kept it on the trailer at home and can be packed and ready to go where we want pretty quickly.

We live a bit south of Utica, a ways from the Long Island area but you are welcome to check our boat out if you can't find one closer and are willing to take a drive. Best of luck in your boat hunting!

Rich and Kathie
 
You are correct in your assumption that the C Dory will allow exploration of many places along the ICW/Loop--and many more destinations you might not have considered, such as Alaska. Many of us have taken the C Dory 25 to AK--both inland passage and upper West coast. The boats are beach-able--both bow and stern--we went stern two--and with a pet step even the dogs did not get feet wet at Lake Powell.

Many of us have had large sailboats and trawlers--and the C Dory is an excellent 'step down". The advantage is the speed on the water. For example in the PNW, we would have taken 3 days to do 3 sets of rapids/ pass in our Cal 46 at 7 to 8 knots. With the C Dory 25, we could do that same set of rapids i one day . Rather than the larger vessels being subject to the whirlpools and such, often the C Dory will just dance over the rapid an hour or so from slack water--whereas you had to time the passage precisely in the lower power, deeper draft vessel.

My son towed our C Dory 25 with a Ford Explorer--I think it was a little light. I also used a Road Trek camper (3500 chassis)--6800 lb towing capacity--and right at full capacity. I used the Ford Excursion, 7.3 L diesel, which is an excellent combination.
 
We have been cruising our CD-22 since 2000. Over 35,000 nmiles on her all over the country. Look over a 22 also, we suggest.

Check out our website (below) for some experiences on the 22. Welcome to the Brat site. El and Bill
 
Welcome Matt & Joyce,

I'd like to address a couple of the other questions you have about the CD25.
You can beach the CD25 just fine. We beach ours when we go to Lake Powell(as in the trip in a couple weeks ). You just have to take the usual precautions as beaching any boat, i.e. water level changes, type of bottom, rocks or sand or mud ,etc.
As for taking green water over the bow. We have done this in really rough conditions and if the cockpit isn't enclosed with a camperback,it will get wet back there but the drains take care of it just fine. However, you are in the right boat for security and safety in tough seas, a C-Dory trademark IMHO.
As for water in the cabin sole, we have never had that at all in our CD22 or our CD25.
In closing, we towed our CD25 with our VW Taureg for 4 years until we got a Tundra.
 
Something in your favor is the selection of used boats posted in the For Sale forums instead a new one is in the plains
There are great deals available

:P
 
Thanks for the warm welcome and all the information! We can tell from the response the kind of people who own these boats... our kind of people! :D

Rich & Kathie, thank you for your offer and if we don't find one closer, we will take you up on it.

Thanks again to Everyone.

Matt & Joyce
 
Explorer":1x9tdhcn said:
With a 9.5 gallon black water tank, how well does that hold up for a couple do extended cruising in remote destinations?
Click to expand...
If I were doing it all over again I would seriously consider installing an AirHead instead of the factory toilet. Pat and Patty did this on Daydream and have been very happy with it.

Warren
 
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