Seating and sleeping for 4/5 (C-22)?

M

maryvmcclain

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C Dory Year
2006
C Dory Model
23 Venture
Vessel Name
Freedom
Hi, I was looking at Tortuga's photos and was intrigued about how to do seating over the engine well, or even on top of the lazerettes. On our sailboat we had these raised seats in the back (with rails for back support) that were fun to sit on if the weather was nice. And on Tortuga's he has made some kind of shelf and back support with a seat. I'm wondering if these are usable with the outboards running/boat is moving?

I'm not sure the engine well seat would be supported. Has anyone done either of these ideas and could the support system be explained so that I could have rails made and installed properly?

Can a full size adult sleep in the cockpit (with camper enclosure) comfortably?

Thanks for all your help.
Mary
 
We have occasionally slept 4 in our 22; 2 in vee berth, one on dinette bed and one on the floor. I am 6'2 and have slept in all those places. On our boat the cockpit usually has a lot of stuff, coolers, etc. in it so space is limited but if it is not too loaded down and you have a flat floorboard 1-2 adults could sleep there. Its great for kids.
 
I believe that OG Dave had a bed frame that spanned the cockpit on C-Voyager. Seems it folded during the day and then opened to span from gunnel to gunnel. If I remember, it folded something like a folding camp cot.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

IMGP3343.thumb.jpg
 
I've said this before but the 22 is ideal for a couple or a couple + 1. It's marginally workable for a couple + 2 but it can be (and has been) done. Two SMALL kids can sleep on the dinette when converted to a bed but it's tight. One can put two small kids and a parent in the V-berth and one parent on the dinette. Typically, sleeping 4 means that one sleeps in the cockpit. That can be done with a camper canvas and a cot and in theory one can even get two in the cockpit. BUT when you're done sleeping, you have to store the bedding/cots someplace and there really isn't the room to do that comfortably on the 22 - especially if you're easily annoyed at the constant game of shifting stuff around to find what you need at any given time. Also, if you fish, it's difficult (but not impossible) to get the cockpit clean and dry enough for people to camp in after a day on the water (especially in the rain).

The table is marginal for seating more than 2 but works OK for two seated and one standing. With additional seating in the cockpit one can feed 4-6 on board without much effort - you just want to make sure they have someplace else to sleep. If you really want to sleep 4 comfortably, you need a CD-25 or a Tomcat and even those boats are better for 3 people sleeping. Sleeping 5 comfortably is better done in a different boat.

However, many anchorages or even marinas have camping nearby so one can sleep in a tent on shore and expand the number of people on a trip. Also, staying in a hotel or cabin on shore is an option at most marinas in our area. It really depends on how claustrophobic people are, how comfortable they are camping and whether they'd rather exchange $'s for additional sleeping comfort or save them for other things.
 
I would not want to be sitting in front of the outboard (even 4 stroke) if the boat is going at any speed over a fast idle. Too much noise.

I slept on a cockpit floor about the size of the C Dory from age 10 until age 18 about half the weekends at Catalina Island. I had an air mattress and sleeping bag, with a "canvas boom tent" for canvas cover over the cockpit. It was not a major problem to put the air mattress on one of the cabin bunks and roll the sleeping bag up during the day. So it would be doable.

I agree that the C dory 22 is pretty much a two adult and perhaps children boat for sleeping--I have slept on the 22 dinette, but the 25 or Tom Cat is much better for an adult.
 
We sleep 4 inside without problems. Usually I sleep on the dinette, wife in v-berth, 18yr old in v-berth, and 13yr old on floor. Works great for us - probably around 5 Weeks each summer.

Key is - if you think it is crowded, it'll be crowded...
 
Time for Bill and El to check in here. Seems I remember them with kids, grand kids, the neighbors and their kids and a visiting C-Brat to be or 2 on board :) :D :lol: always room for "Just one more". For a day trip, (one time) we had six adults on board, but we were all friends.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
 
I've had 7 on the boat for day trips in the San Juan's and if the weather is nice it's fine. Some people hang out outside, some inside, some even nap in the V berth. Cooking and eating a real meal would be tough with that many people, snacks and premise food work better in my experience. A few weeks ago I took 4 others out for an evening cruise around Elliott Bay. It was cold and dark and the cabin was pretty crowded with 5 of us in there and that was just for a few hours.

I've also had up to 5 for overnight trips. 3 sleep on the boat (2 in berth, 1 on dinette) and two others sleep in a tent on shore. This works fine if there is a place to pitch a tent. 3 family members on the boat for overnights works fine too.

Overnighting with 4 or 5 on the boat would be tight and it would be best if they were family. I don't think 2 couples would be very comfortable overnighting on a 22 (or probably a 25 for that matter). I'm one of 4 brothers in my family and we figured it was cheaper and easier to get a smaller boat for day use and a cabin on land for overnighting when everyone was together.
 
Check out my album...I made a bench seat/table that fits over the well. It makes the cockpit very usable for 4.
 
Thanks... I get it... other couple camps in a pup tent on the beach. The kids are in the AirForce, so if they can't deal with camping, we're ALL in trouble.

I appreciate the bench pictures, I think that would also be handy for climbing over the well to get to the swim ladder (I'm having a hard time picturing getting to that ladder).

The imagery of moving everything out of the cockpit to make room for sleeping etc is what convinces me.

Now, all I gotta do is find THE boat.

Thanks everyone!
 
We've slept 4 adults on our 22. Two in the V-Berth, one on the dinette bed and one on one of those air beds that when inflated are about 2 feet high and extremely comfortable in the cockpit (which is enclosed by the camperback). However, when using the air bed in the cockpit you need to keep the door either open or closed because as soon as the air bed is inflated the door isn't going to swing either way.
 
maryvmcclain":2i8ahc4l said:
The kids are in the AirForce, so if they can't deal with camping, we're ALL in trouble.
Click to expand...

Huh? The Air Force doesn't camp? :shock: Guess those of us that were in the Army and the Marines don't quite follow that logic. :lol:
 
You may wish to see my "mods."

The "Dinette to Sofa Conversion" facilitates seating 3 guests comfortably (4 in a squeeze!) plus the captain = 4/5. With an additional 4 folding "captain's chairs" in the cockpit, 8 people can be seated quite comfortably.

The so-called "backboard" can also be used to make bunk beds (illustrated in "Various Ideas"). Either 2 children can be accomodated here, or 1 adult on the lower "bunk" and 1 child on the upper. With a flat-folding helm seat, the Galley-top and Helm-seat can be converted into another child's bed. So, additional to 2 (adults) in the V-berth, the cabin can accomodate 3 more persons (either 1 more adult and 2 children. or 3 children). Another person could also sleep on the floor (bringing the total to 6), all inside the cabin.

Another arrangment, making a different use of the "backboard" (also illustrated in "Various Ideas"), results in a double bed in the cabin (additional to the V-berth). This provides fairly good accommodations for two couples (2+2=4). As noted in the comments on one photo, the double air mattress used for this bed fits the exact measurements of the cockpit in the CD-22 Cruiser, so another couple could sleep there.

As you can see, there are lots of possibilities here...to accomodate as many 8 people, for both seating and sleeping!!??
 
As far as getting to the swim ladder--we always put non skid strips in the splash well (white) and non skid strips on the black transom cap (both sides)--and just step onto the splash well, and walk down to the swim step and ladder. We are putting in a 6" handle on the pot side of the splash well, for an extra hand grip as we go up and down on the ladder--the first hand grip for us is the transom. Some boats have railing aft--and that acts as a hand grip.
 
Wayne,

I like the sofa conversion. I tried something similiar last season to haul around the inlaws. It was not as plush but was functional. The only problem was getting the boat to trim out when running. I was very port heavy, maxed out trim tabs did little to help. I shuffled the extra fuel and ice chest in the cockpit and burned up the port tank first. It was still listing more than I would like. Have you had a similiar problem?

I envision another summer of the same as the boss seems to forget how big the cabin really is....when she starts passing around invitations.

thanks,
Dave
 
KickerDRB":1hrr47yh said:
Wayne,

<Some deleted>

I envision another summer of the same as the boss seems to forget how big the cabin really is....when she starts passing around invitations.

thanks,
Dave
Click to expand...


Maybe she could be talked into a bigger boat? :lol:

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Our guideline for the boat is: drinks for 6, dinner for 4, sleeps 2. That said, I'm hoping to work out hammock hangers in the cockpit for those hot summer nights.
 
We Did Four people on our seaway 25 coastal cruiser this summer [which by the way is for sale 3 adults one child for three weeks last summer two in v birth one on the table child on the floor. It works ok some shifting and moving at bed time and first thing in the morning but very possible, that being said two is perfect. but it's worth it in order to have the grand kids along.
 
"Where are you going? It's 2 o'clock in the morning!"

"I have to pee."

"Can't you hold it 'till morning?"

"If I could I wouldn't be getting up now."

"Ow! Grandpa, you stepped on my hand!"

"Sorry. Go back to sleep."

"Ahhhhhhhh..." tinkle, tinkle, tinkle

"Oh, gross!"

"Since Grandpa is up, can I have a drink of water?"

"No, you'll just have to pee."

"Like Grandpa right now?"

"Go back to sleep."

"I can't. I'm wide awake now."

"We're ALL wide awake now."

And just 2 scant hours later...

"Grandpa is snoring. Can I play my Gameboy now?"

"No, we're still sleeping."

"Are you talking in your sleep?"

"Yes."

"Wish I could get some sleep."

"Goodnight, John-boy."

"I'm not eating on that table! Johnny farted in his sleep!"

There are the rare families that could co-exist with more than a couple on these boats. The cabin of a 22 Cruiser has somewhere in the neighborhood of 83 square feet, counting the v-berth. That is smaller than the average bathroom in your home. How many people could spend the night in your bathroom... comfortably? Oh, and you get to cook and eat in there, too.

These are amazingly versatile boats, but the family (or group) is going to be the determining factor. At home, you have a bathroom... with a door you can close. And a kitchen where, likely, more than one person can work at a counter or sink. And a table maybe 10 feet away that will seat at least 4 comfortably; put in the table leaf and make it 8. Then you can head to the living room or family room, stretch out on the couch and recliners and watch a movie on the big screen TV with surround sound, while the dishwasher takes care of what you dirtied for breakfast. A 30 or 50 gallon water heater when folks want to clean up (and you still run out of hot water for the 4 or 5th person).

I am certainly not trying to talk anyone out of this, just saying you want to fully consider how you will really use the boat, and then decide IF that boat fits those needs. The right boat is a pleasure... the wrong boat (for the way anyone intends to use it) is an endurance contest.

We really like our boat - it's a good size for the two of us and a snuggly cat. We can take our grown daugher and son-in-law out for a couple hours of dolphin watching, but none of us would be happy if we tried to overnight with that crowd.

Just putting a little food for thought out there.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
James Great story, You Have taken the grandchildren on a cruise because that IS word for word how it goes. goodnite John boy
 
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