Lack of Dealers

T

teflonmom

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May 16, 2004
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C Dory Year
2005
C Dory Model
22 Cruiser
Vessel Name
Snickers AUG 08
We were away most of the winter and did not keep up with all the C-Brat news. Today I clicked on the factory web site and was shocked to learn that there are "0" dealers in Maryland.

We purchased our C-Dory from Cutter Marine and were unhappy when C-Dory pulled the dealership and gave it to Annapolis Sail. Now yet another dealer gone.

What's up? Not that I am in the market or looking to buy, but it looks like NC is my closest dealer.

Fred, Pat, and Mr. Grey(the cat)
 
I dealt with Ruthie and Gary at Cutter Marine too. If anyone from the factory is watching this thread - please do what you can to bring Cutter back as a dealer. They are great people to deal with and they know these boats inside and out. It's a hardship for those of us in the Cheasapeake area not to have Cutter on the team.
 
Look around and you will see less dealers all over. Dealers have to keep boats in stock. Keeping boats in stock means often borrowing money or "flooring". Sometimes factories supply the flooring--and sometimes GE credit supplied the flooring. Factories are pressed by the reception--Credit is tight. There are other reasons, I'll not go into.

These are tough times for the marine industry--there are also a number of builders who are out of business. Recently on another forum, there was a complaint that a C Dory Tom cat dealer didn't seem to care--and wouldn't "deal"--the buyer was also looking at a Glacier Bay (out of business and molds purchased by TP, and Twin Vee--out of business and molds may be purchased by World Cat...This person was bragging about the great deal he got on a 29 foot express Twin Vee--on the internet. No dealer support. Had to ship the boat to AK, and no warantee...Was it a bargin? Don't know...
 
It is indeed tough times.

Bob makes a good point about the "deals" out there. I am glad we don't deal in a line of sunbridge express boats, because the local Bayliner dealer went out of business, and left hundreds of new, left over 2007 and 2008 boats that have been dumped on the market.

Boats that were selling for $100,000 in January 2008 as new 2008 models are being dumped at $65K as new left over 2008's. A failed C-Dory dealer had a 25 Cruiser that the factory had to buy back, and the gentleman who bought that boat probably saved close to $20,000 over the price of a new 2009.

So buyers can find some good deals right now, but as noted, some of this product is from builders who are no longer in business. How good a buy is that product? Maybe very good, but the buyer is taking the chance that there will be no major problems with the boat.
 
Hello,
Given the current economic climate I wonder if Cutter Marine is even remotely interested in becoming a C-Dory dealer. I wouldn't think given the dealer hole in the mid atlantic Fluid Marine would have a problem selling to them.
D.D.
 
I recall Cuttter coming to some of our CBGTs at Langford. Their complaint at the time was that the old management wouldn't give them enough boats. They dropped the line, I believe, not the other way around.

Charlie
 
I was told by Ruthie that Cutter Marine dropped C-Dory because the old management was slow paying on warranty work, etc. and that they were being forced to take on models that did not sell well for the area.

They are good people and were a pleasure to deal with. Any boat maker would be lucky to have them represent their boats.

I bought the Jeanie P from them, had all service done by them and stored it over the winter with them.

Allan
Jeanie P
 
I don't know anything specific about the issues between Cutter and C-Dory. But I do know this:

1. Cutter was a great dealer to work with from a customer perspective. They were thoroughly knowledgable about the boats and they matched customers with the right boat - they didn't push people to buy unsuitable equipment. They were/are authorized Honda sales and service. And they knew how to rig the boats.

And . . .

2. C-Dorys are great boats for this area - and Fluid seems to be doing things right.

It would be great to have the two matched up again.
 
I kinda think this may evolve into the Mobile Dealer arrangement where you buy your new boat from a Broker who oversee's the delivery, the custom rigging and the warrantee.... kinda like what Birdman is doing with his Canadian boats.... I don't see any problems with a Mobile Dealer arrangement as long as you have someone quality (like Birdman) as the broker.

Joel
SEA3PO
 
Times change even with fine niche boats like our C-Dory boats. I can recall part of the fun of finding my first C-Dory, was the fact that there were so few of them, they were built slowly, few at a time, and just reflecting for a minute...thinking back into the mid to late 90s... I can think of the folks at Cutter, where I saw my first CD22 on a raining, foggy day on the way up to Ft. Monroe, VA, Kathy & Les....then called the Honda Guy or something like that,...out up in the Oak Harbor, WA area, and Mike Shotwell and his team down in the Crystal River, FL area.

I had a Sergeant Major who told me one day, from a cell phone...about the size of a small brick-o-block.... "Byrdman...ya gotta come back down to FL with me next weekend to help me pick up this awesome damn tuff little boat....called a C-Dory"... He was on Shotwells lot...and towed home a CD-16. Wonderful. Simple. Tuff. and not the clorox blow and go boats that are so plentiful and pumped out (or use to be) like some company named Carter or something pumped out liver pills.

Days gone bye...but fun to reflect on. Driving about 350-500 miles was the norm for folks in my area to see one of these neat boats. I made it a point after meeting a few of the owners to travel America to meet as many of them as I could. Again...some of the best days...and nights...and trips....and travels of my life.

Thanks to the Toland Family...for kicking off such a wonderful hull. Look what has been created from that....

and of course...those were the days prior to GE credit wanting 14% for floor planing... Now, just how many dealerships in America regardless of type of boats and/or size can hold up to that for very long.

Byrdman
 
We lost the dealer in Palatka Florida "Big Boys Play Toys." It's a real shame as they were a great dealership and really good people. For some reason the C-Dory's just didn't catch on there as they concentrate more on smaller fishing skiffs. The owner once told me he could put together a 16' skiff for $13,000 and the 16's C-Dory was nearly twice that. They are still in business just not selling C-Dory.
 
Interesting comments. There sure is a large hole in coverage on the East coast. I has a conversation with Gary at Cutter after C-Dory pulled the dealership. I think C-Dory's reason was that Gary would not stock the entire line. He told me he really did not have any calls for sixteen footers.

I was sorry to see them loose the C-Dorys they were a good dealer and really took care in fitting out our boat and making sure we understood exactly how to trim work the tabs.

Fred, Pat, and Mr. Grey(the cat)
 
It's a new world out there, economically. Any discussions about whys or wherefores with dealers, several years ago, may be totally different today in this environment.
 
marvin4239":88aw10j5 said:
We lost the dealer in Palatka Florida "Big Boys Play Toys." It's a real shame as they were a great dealership and really good people. For some reason the C-Dory's just didn't catch on there as they concentrate more on smaller fishing skiffs. The owner once told me he could put together a 16' skiff for $13,000 and the 16's C-Dory was nearly twice that. They are still in business just not selling C-Dory.
Click to expand...

I live in Florida. Two years ago $26,000 would have been a good deal. I couldn't even get a sea trial from Wefings on a 16 cruiser when I was there for a C-Brat get tgether. I wound up spending that much on another 16 foot boat. I bought it from the closest dealer to me which was in Michigan.
 
Ya,

I don't have all the details but we lost our dealer up here as well.

The long time C-dory dealership, Northwest Outlet in Superior WI no longer sells or services C-dorys.

I don't even know where I'll have to go now.

Not a good thing!

CD
 
Hi,
There are going to be a lot less car dealers according to the news, maybe some of them would pickup the C-Dory Line. :twisted: I think there is going to be less retail outlets period. Allentown, Pa had four Chrysler dealers. Too many for that town. Story is if the dealer was selling less than a 100 cars a year Good Bye. Some in business for many years, got a UPS letter with the dear john letter saying it's over. How about E.Q. Marine he legend inhis own time, selling C-Dory's? Times change, sad for some, heartbreak for others, the beat goes on. Is Cher still alive?
D.D.
 
Pat it may be a distance for you to travel but you can not beat the sales and service you will get from Mobile East Marine in Alliance, North Carolina. I tow my 22 CDory back and forth between New Jersey and Florida and go out of my way any time to go to Mobile East Marine. Carrie and Gene the owners there will provide you with any thing you need and are great to deal with. I consider them to be the best CDory dealer on the East Coast. The dealers may be shrinking but you can't beat them.
Syd
 
Dave, I am not perticularily sticking up for Wefing's--but I have been at all of the Gulf Coast gatherings, and I don't perticularly remember any 16 footers at these gatherings. My experience has been that Wefing's has always provided boats for sea trials if they had a boat in stock.

I would say that the 16 is not popular in Florida for a number of reasons, but mostly because there is little call for this type of boat with a cabin. The 16 is too small for air conditioning (maybe could use a carry on)--and with the hot weather, the small cabin could be restrictive and hot. Most bays have substantial chop--and the 16 would not be a good boat for the ride in these conditions. For lakes and rivers, the open boats are much more popular.
 
Dave , if there was an opportunity for a sea trial we were not able to provide I apologize . The gatherings are labors of love and we do our best . I am glad you found something suitable to you . We try very hard to not be a "typical dealership" . It means a lot more than that to me .
Marc
 
A sea trial on a boat isn't the same thing as a test drive on a car. Obviously, you can't just pick up the keys and go. I can understand why C-Dory (the factory folks) prefer that a dealer handle/stock the whole line, but you have to be realistic. Even if a dealer has a particular boat in stock, it doesn't mean that it's rigged and ready to go. Should a dealer put a Honda on the boat... what if a perspective buyer prefers a Suzuki? Who has pockets deep enough to stock every boat/motor combination???

Four years ago, when we started our search for a C-Dory, the closest dealer was over 1,000 miles from us. This was at a time when the factory was still selling direct... and they (the factory) didn't have demo boats. If not for a considerate C-Brat, we might not have gotten a ride on one, after making the long trek to Seattle.

The way I see it, the dealers are our best friends... but sometimes we need another C-Dory owner who can also be an ambassador. The C-Brat gatherings are great for this, but so is this forum. I haven't racked up as many "sales" as my buddy Tom, but we've shown our boat plenty and taken folks out.

If someone is seriously interested in buying one of these boats, there is a way to get out on one... you may have to travel some. You may have to ask. I've seen Marc and Charlie from Wefings go above and beyond the call to get people out on boats.

We've bought boats in the past where we had to pay for a demo sail (with the charge to be applied if we bought the boat - and we did); bought from a broker where a deposit had to be made before a sea trial would be scheduled. Some people expect buying a boat to be like buying a car... not even close.

Just saying.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
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