I have been speaking with Les regarding the new 25 ft marinaut boat construction and it looks mighty good to me. He has sent me plans and construction details and I can tell from the internet that the 21 ft boat has a good reputation. My question is whether it is wise to buy from the first series of any boat? Does anyone have experience with marinaut and would you recommend purchasing a new model of boat from them (that has not been tested over time)? Thanks for any advice you can give. Bill J
marinaut boats
- Thread starter bill j
- Start date
A similar question came up about the
21.5 Marinaut. The bottom line is that there's a ton of experience with boats of VERY similar design and Les knows what he's doing. That's not to say that he'll not find something that he wants to do differently after building the first 25 (or the 2nd or 3rd for that matter). However, the first one will be a fine boat and Les will make it right.
21.5 Marinaut. The bottom line is that there's a ton of experience with boats of VERY similar design and Les knows what he's doing. That's not to say that he'll not find something that he wants to do differently after building the first 25 (or the 2nd or 3rd for that matter). However, the first one will be a fine boat and Les will make it right.
I agree totally. The Mainaut has a well-known pedigree. But to me the clincher is Les. As Roger says, he will make it right. I'm sure in your conversations with him you have come to respect how much he knows about boats. The rest of us c-brats can tell you about his drive to produce a top quality product. I would have no problem buying hull #1 from Les.
Sam Walker
New member
Hi Bill. I met Les back in 2003 when he was a C-Dory Dealer. I drove all the way to Washington to see if the hype that was being put forth on this site was accurate. While I was there, I spent an entire afternoon w/ Les talking C-Dorys. He never once made me feel like anything less than the only customer he had. I determined that what was being said was not hype, but it was the truth. He is a class guy trying to do the right thing for his customers every day. Unfortunately, I have not had an opportunity to return since to buy my boat.
I have been monitoring the process that has been Marinaut. I think that Marinaut is everything that is great about C-Dory plus some really cool things that the C-Dory is naut. (Pardon the pun)
I have been watching this site since about the same time as I listed above. This group can be a critical lot when they get a hold of something negative. I have never seen one negative issue raised here that was not addressed the customer's satisfaction.
Given these three thoughts, I would totally echo Marty's statement. If I had the money, I would not hesitate for one minute to call Les and put myself in the first 25 or the whatever number is next of the 215. I know that it would be right and that I would not go away disappointed.
I have been monitoring the process that has been Marinaut. I think that Marinaut is everything that is great about C-Dory plus some really cool things that the C-Dory is naut. (Pardon the pun)
I have been watching this site since about the same time as I listed above. This group can be a critical lot when they get a hold of something negative. I have never seen one negative issue raised here that was not addressed the customer's satisfaction.
Given these three thoughts, I would totally echo Marty's statement. If I had the money, I would not hesitate for one minute to call Les and put myself in the first 25 or the whatever number is next of the 215. I know that it would be right and that I would not go away disappointed.
Ditto. Les is a class act, and one of a rare breed anymore. With Dave as the developer and Les as the dealer the M boats are going to do well. Not sure how the 25 is going to go but that was the story for the 215. If I had the $$$ and was in that market, I would have no (Zero) hesitation in getting hull #1. In Fact, I'd have them sign it.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Bill,
My wife and I agree with the others. As buyers of the 21.5-foot Marinaut Hull #1, we can relate first hand that Les and Kathy have high integrity with a keen eye toward detail, and not once have we regretted our decision. The quality of the boat is outstanding. We should also say that being the first had its benefits in that we had the opportunity to provide our feedback in many details, although minor, which have added greatly to our enjoyment of the boat. The entire process was great fun, and we look forward to going back to Oak Harbor, and seeing Les and Kathy one more time later this year -- to take one final cruise before shipping the Betty Ann back to the Northeast.
Rich
My wife and I agree with the others. As buyers of the 21.5-foot Marinaut Hull #1, we can relate first hand that Les and Kathy have high integrity with a keen eye toward detail, and not once have we regretted our decision. The quality of the boat is outstanding. We should also say that being the first had its benefits in that we had the opportunity to provide our feedback in many details, although minor, which have added greatly to our enjoyment of the boat. The entire process was great fun, and we look forward to going back to Oak Harbor, and seeing Les and Kathy one more time later this year -- to take one final cruise before shipping the Betty Ann back to the Northeast.
Rich
I see more questions arising on the new Marinaut. Maybe we need to be proactive and change our website to include the Marinautites: How about: c-bratnaut? Being from Wisconsin, I prefer: c-mbrat which I could remember with a pneumonic crutch:m=milwaukee and brat are those big weiners we eat at picnics and tailgate parties. Play scrabble with the letters and come up with a catchy title. Doug
dmengland":3ghcj8ew said:
While I don't run the site - $'s to donuts my money says a name change ain't never gonna happen. With the Ranger Tug, what eventually happened when enough were sold (and when the Ranger Tug company wanted it and helped support it), a new site was created for the TugNuts. Maybe the Marinaut will eventually have it's own site but regardless, Marinaut owners (and Ranger Tug owners and anyone who just nice) are welcome here.
In the SleepyC photo albums there are a couple of sub albums, called "C-Dory's I've Seen" and "Other Boats I've Seen" and I have been trying to decide where to put the pictures or the M-Boats. Maybe I need an album called "Cousin Boats" for teh M-boats and the Tolands.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Harvey Et. Al.,
When Charlie of the "My Lee" looked at our Marinaut, he said that he could tell it was a Ben Toland-designed boat. He would not have said that if our boat was an Osprey, Parker or any other boat. Interestingly, when my wife and I visited Charlie and Melelee on their boat, we thought at first it was a CD 22 Cruiser. Actually, his boat is a 23 Cape Cruiser (now called a C-Dory Venture 23.) All three boats: the Venture 23, CD 22 and Marinaut 21.5 are all Ben Toland designed, and are very similar in general layout, albeit the Marinaut is more radical in its exterior design. One could also present the case that the interior layout of Marinaut is very similar to the C-Dorys, and is as much a product of the imagination of the C-Brat community -- Dave Thompson in particular. I know where Dave was thinking, because having had a CD 16 Cruiser myself that was very much sensitive to weight in the stern, it made sense to put in those saddle tanks. I'm sure we both loved the CD 16 Cruiser's open berth, so it was no surprise to me that the berth is open in a Marinaut. This underscores, in my opinion, that the Marinaut deserves to be on the C-Brats website with its sister boats: the C-Dory's.
There is one thing that I would like to bring up to the group in general, and that is whether or not allowing Ventures, Cape Cruisers and Marinauts their own classifications on "The Brat Map." Is there any chance that this could happen?
When Charlie of the "My Lee" looked at our Marinaut, he said that he could tell it was a Ben Toland-designed boat. He would not have said that if our boat was an Osprey, Parker or any other boat. Interestingly, when my wife and I visited Charlie and Melelee on their boat, we thought at first it was a CD 22 Cruiser. Actually, his boat is a 23 Cape Cruiser (now called a C-Dory Venture 23.) All three boats: the Venture 23, CD 22 and Marinaut 21.5 are all Ben Toland designed, and are very similar in general layout, albeit the Marinaut is more radical in its exterior design. One could also present the case that the interior layout of Marinaut is very similar to the C-Dorys, and is as much a product of the imagination of the C-Brat community -- Dave Thompson in particular. I know where Dave was thinking, because having had a CD 16 Cruiser myself that was very much sensitive to weight in the stern, it made sense to put in those saddle tanks. I'm sure we both loved the CD 16 Cruiser's open berth, so it was no surprise to me that the berth is open in a Marinaut. This underscores, in my opinion, that the Marinaut deserves to be on the C-Brats website with its sister boats: the C-Dory's.
There is one thing that I would like to bring up to the group in general, and that is whether or not allowing Ventures, Cape Cruisers and Marinauts their own classifications on "The Brat Map." Is there any chance that this could happen?
Rich,
I agree that they are certainly related, however, I think there is a definition of a sister ship, which states it is similar in design and manufacture, thus occasionally you see a "sistership" label used in a sales ad. That is why I used the term "cousin boat" which would include the Cape Cruiser with the Tolands and Marinauts. Slightly different boats and all good people.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
I agree that they are certainly related, however, I think there is a definition of a sister ship, which states it is similar in design and manufacture, thus occasionally you see a "sistership" label used in a sales ad. That is why I used the term "cousin boat" which would include the Cape Cruiser with the Tolands and Marinauts. Slightly different boats and all good people.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Thank you, Bill, for pointing out that Ben did not design the CD 22, and I stand corrected. It still remains true, I believe, that the spirit that gave berth to the CD 22 has woven itself like threads into the fabric of designs of succeeding boats, including the Venture and Marinaut. This spirit was not only born from its designers, but also from the creative recommendations on this wonderful forum.
Thanks!
Rich
Thanks!
Rich