Open Ocean Suitability

How's this for open ocean...our boat's original owner lives in San Diego and took her 60 miles offshore many times fishing for tuna. He's big into the charity tuna events.
 
I used to go out in a friends Arima--- as long as we were trolling, I was ok. If we stopped to drift, I would feed the fish--- yep, had my own special fish call going.
I have had the CD22 for five years and 700+ running hours, several more at anchor or drifting. Only been sick once, when I was under the counter tracing down a loose connection for the windless.
I cross up to 60 mile open ocean as I go over to the islands for fishing or just cruising.
I have been in 9 foot swells at 8 seconds with 20+ winds---- the CD is like a Jeep going up and over the swells. PJ was sitting in the back and was dry the whole trip.
 
drjohn71a":176axzo3 said:
I think he is saying that the scuppers are not large enough to drain a cockpit fast enough IF a huge wave dumped over the stern. That is true of most boats. I noticed some sportfishers have big, one way, fiberglass flaps that open up should a huge wave "poop" over the cockpit.

With the handling characteristics of C-Dories, I think it is unlikely a wave will break over the stern. The C-Dory generally rides high in the water, reducing the chances of getting pooped.

John
Click to expand...

Yes that's basically what I was saying. Anoother point was that people can get a false sense of security because they have a so called self bailing deck. Again some of the better designed sport boats work well but if the scuppers sit too low to waterline to start with then they are not that functional. Too small of diameter is an issue too.
 
My personal rule of thumb, when I throw myself out of the seat, it's time to turn around or at least change directions. It generally only happens in following seas with a swell going one way and wind waves on top going another. Once this summer I was responding to a call from a boat out of gas, and was only about 2 miles from making a turn into the protected water where he was. The waves were 4-6 feet some bigger but generally confused due to southeasterly swell, easterly winds, reflections off the island to the northwest, and the water was getting shallow rising up from 900 feet to 180 feet. It's not the size of the sea, but how organized or disorganized it is. In a disorganized sea like this, you feel like you are in a powered cork. The good news it is a cork and it is powered. I never felt unsafe, but I decided enough was enough and made my way to the northeast at 6 mph. 20 minutes later we were cruising at 18 mph in 2 foot seas.
 
pcguy2u,

I have had my 22 cruiser at Spud Point Marina in Bodega Bay for the last three and a half years. I have been out in a variety of conditions (some when I wished I wasn't!), and the C-Dory has performed well in all circumstances.

I regulary run up to Timber Cove (about 20-25 miles of open ocean from the Marina) for rock fishing or down to Point Reyes (about the same) for salmon, and I've never felt in danger. I also crab during the winter months when the seas can get pretty big.

Proably the hairiest ride I ve had in the Bodega area was when we had to return to port after spending a night in Tomales Bay. It was very foggy, with about 30 knot winds, which produced about 7 foot wind waves on 5 second intervals over top of 6 foot swell. We whiteknuckled it for the six mile crossing to Bodega Head at about 6-7 knots, but the boat felt safe.

No question you have to slow down in chop compared to the deep vees, but for all purpose ocean use, shoal draft, and fuel economy, it's hard to beat the C-Dory.

If you have any questions about local conditions or would like to go out in my boat just let me know.

Gary
 
TyBoo":20pqf8it said:
AstoriaDave":20pqf8it said:
Yo! Where did you get that photo, and where was it taken?
Click to expand...

Look familiar, Dave? It's just downstream a ways from you. Here's the album.
Click to expand...
I remember those photos. Somehow, seen alone, that one is even more impressive.

Thanks, Mike.

PS: we also scored some early crab the other day. I can't remember when they have been this full and this firm this early. I think this is shaping up as a heck of a crab season, down here.
 
Hey Dan- I was crossing the Atlantic (on a heavy cruiser) the day the Andrea Doria went down in '56. In '58 I rode out a winter storm between Davisville, RI and the West Indies in the flattest bottom ship ever built, an LST. Nobody died, but a lot of us wished we did. I love my C-Dory and even though it can, I won't.
 
We picked up our 22 Cruiser Saturday morning in Oriental NC. We launched there and immediately encountered bad conditions in the Neuse river with 25+mph winds blowing from the NW. Conditions were 3-4ft very sloppy seas for a 10mile crossing, ending at the the IC channel with an outgoing tide rip that built the sea to 4+ft. Seas were quartering slightly astern on the starboard side. We struggled some with when and how much power to apply. But we never felt unsafe or in danger. The boat responded very rapidly and adjusted quickly to rapidly changing wave directions, heights and speeds.

All of this during the first 30 minutes of owning the boat. So I give the C-Dory a big thumbs up for seaworthiness and abilities.
 
Great now I have to quit going out to the Barron Islands & the Gulf of Alaska! Not enough boat? :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :beer :moon
 
Having sat here in Sequim listening to several days worth of NOAA's reports of 4'-6' wind waves on top of 13' / 10sec swells at the West Entrance to the Strait I have to say that I think some representative numbers and corresponding maneuvers would be very useful.
Also any suggestions on "reading" the conditions when on the water and assigning values to them would likewise be useful.

Awhile back Hardee and I took the J.C.Lately out beyond Dungeness onto the Strait and sampled some rollers I estimated (using Chapman's reference of waterline to eye-level baseline measurement) at about 4' maximum because when in the troughs the horizon just disappeared. The ride was quite smooth since the surface remained glassy so, presumably, the value for wind waves was about zero; neither of us had a good idea for how to determine the period of the waves. The ride was comfortable at about 10 kt although a little disconcerting since the traffic periodically disappeared with the horizon.

On the other hand I drove out to Sequim Bay yesterday to have a look at things during the time when the folks on Puget Sound were experiencing gusts to 60 kt. The waves were, of course, all wind waves and were (judging from their intersection with some pilings) probably not much over 2'-3' but many were breaking and somewhat disorderly. So I'd have to guess that the ride would not have been pleasant and, with a quartering wind, that threading the needle through the breakwater into the harbor would have been a challenge.

I would think that it's possible to build a matrix of sea characteristics (swell, chop, period, heading vs direction of sea) within which we could each determine our own comfort zone. And, now that I read this, I might as well wish for an advanced degree in statistical analysis, too.

Paul Priest
Sequim
 
Paul-reading your post I would think you should be awarded the PhC-D with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. Congratulations.
 
Hi brats

Pcguy2u what are your intended uses in the ocean?

Cdorys are great small boats for near shore ocean use. Bodega Bay often has conditions like Crescent City. We need to check the offshore forecast before we get underway.

If you want to cross the pond in a cdory - no way, if you want to go out cause you have to - then this is the wrong boat, if you go out and happen to get caught in bad conditions, I would rather be in this boat than most others. Assess your use before you buy, then if the cdory fits it is a good choice.

Good luck and safe boating

1tuberider
Jeff
 
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