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jhspear

New member
After posting that I was interested in purchasing a 22 Cruiser I was contacted by an owner in northern Wisconsin. Amazingly enough, though the boat was a 2008, the engines were not mounted until 2012 and currently have only 6 (that is a six) hours on them. Essentially a brand new boat. I am ecstatic, but winter is going to seem very, very long until I can get it out on the water.
I have spent several sleepless nights perusing the C-Brat site...an incredible resource. I don't think I have searched a topic yet that did not have some comments. I am looking forward to meeting some of the members at the St. Louis gathering.
My new boat, as yet nameless, has a rudimentary electrical system (two starter batteries), two tachs for the two Honda 40's, and an indicator for the trim tabs. I plan to cruise in relatively protected waters...Mississippi River and the Green Bay area so I am thinking 65 ain't old and I don't need a windlass though my mate begs to differ.
I like the KISS principle, but some temperature and oil pressure gauges would be wise plus a 15 amp charger with isolators and an additional battery for the house. Any comments/suggestions? I would love the benefit of the experience this site clearly represents. The boat is quite bare so I will be purchasing a chartplotter, anchor, dock lines, fenders, safety gear, etc.
Many thanks.
 
jhspear":1g17fz3s said:
After posting that I was interested in purchasing a 22 Cruiser I was contacted by an owner in northern Wisconsin. Amazingly enough, though the boat was a 2008, the engines were not mounted until 2012 and currently have only 6 (that is a six) hours on them. Essentially a brand new boat. I am ecstatic, but winter is going to seem very, very long until I can get it out on the water.
I have spent several sleepless nights perusing the C-Brat site...an incredible resource. I don't think I have searched a topic yet that did not have some comments. I am looking forward to meeting some of the members at the St. Louis gathering.
My new boat, as yet nameless, has a rudimentary electrical system (two starter batteries), two tachs for the two Honda 40's, and an indicator for the trim tabs. I plan to cruise in relatively protected waters...Mississippi River and the Green Bay area so I am thinking 65 ain't old and I don't need a windlass though my mate begs to differ.
I like the KISS principle, but some temperature and oil pressure gauges would be wise plus a 15 amp charger with isolators and an additional battery for the house. Any comments/suggestions? I would love the benefit of the experience this site clearly represents. The boat is quite bare so I will be purchasing a chartplotter, anchor, dock lines, fenders, safety gear, etc.
Many thanks.
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Welcome. You are now an official C-Brat, have fun, and you got twins, you really lucked in first time around. Look forward to seeing some pics when you have time. If you are in the market for an anchor, consider the 15lb Manson Supreme. Great holding and fairly easy to haul in by hand. For a chartplotter, Garmin have a good name and are user friendly.

Martin.
 
Congrats on your CD22 purchase. Now there are 3 of us in the Madison area - even though our CD22 is in Blaine, WA waiting for us to return and cruise the San Juan's. Our normal cruising area was Door County as we own a slip in Sturgeon Bay.

Anyway, enjoy - you'll love it.
 
The Madison lakes offer a lot of opportunity also. Unless you have a radar or arch, you can fit under the bridges and locks going up the Yahara from Waubesa to Mendota. Colby
 
Sounds like you found a gem! I love my 22 with the twin 40's, It's a great combination. You have temp and oil pressure idiot lights on your motor controls.
I have found them to sufficient.
We cruised for 2 yrs. using my now 65 yrs old first mate as our anchor "wench". Last year I installed a Lewmar 700 " winch" and it was one of the best improvements I have made to the boat. On our first cruise with the windlass, at the end of a long cold rainy day, rather than clambering out on the foredeck to set the anchor, in the gloomy rain,we simply pushed the button in the warm dry cabin and we were set for the night. We had a toast to the windlass that night and have been enjoying it ever since.
I consider an onboard battery charger to be standard equipment.
Welcome to the C-brats. It's a wonderful source of boating information. Lots of good boating in Madison and nearby. We hope to see you in Alton next year.

Bruce & Joyce
Carpy
 
jhspear..
Congratulations on a great find. You will like that boat and have good fun with it for a long time.
I had a 83 Classic for 26 yrs but upgraded to a 26' ProAngler.
As a former (50 yrs. ago )Watertown guy I know where you will be boating.
Good luck
 
Welcome aboard - and to a great new experience. Our only suggestion (as given to us by a son when we bought our CD-22) - "a windlass is a darn site cheaper than a back doctor!"

We side with your mate - get a good windlass, and you will be thankful many times over- we were.

Enjoy your great boat!! El and Bill :disgust
 
Congratulations on finding your boat! A relatively "bare canvas" means lots of options to make it just to your liking... not always the case with a used boat (although this one barely qualifies as "used").

Regarding a windlass: I consider the windlass on our boat one of the best accessories, making anchoring (even for a short lunch stop) a breeze.

Have fun making the boat yours... and if the winter gets too long for you, put the trailer to good use and haul it south. :hot

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
age is a state of mind, but I'll tell you at the ripe of age of 31 I am "pro" windlass if the budget allows ;) hey, I'm even starting to think a davit for the dinghy may be wise. and a crab pot puller. may have to see about getting an escalator installed as well. and a maid. :cigar
 
Welcome aboard. Enjoy the boat. The windlass is used daily or several times daily. Like El and Bill said cheaper than the chiropractor. I put on a Lewmar H700 and it is a great unit. George
 
I'll second the Windlass suggestion and add one more. Get a horizontal style windlass like the Lewmar 700H. Some vertical models have had seal leakage and ingested water. Come Spring, the unit is frozen up solid and ruined. BTDT!

Have fun with your "blank canvas" as Jim says.
 
Here are my thoughts on a windlass - we NEVER enjoy being in a marina (except for Fisherman's Wharf in Vancouver, BC and Victoria) even though sometimes we have no choice. In our Sundowner Tug we always would anchor out for the night. For 4 years use of our CD22 we only needed the anchor once, all other times we just put the bow of the boat on the shore and enjoyed the evening. This includes Lake Michigan, North Channel, Erie Canal, Trent-Severn, and Rideau Canal. All non-tide areas.

Then on our trip to the PNW, we used the anchor almost daily as you can't just put the bow on the shore. Still pretty easy pulling the anchor without a windlass, but if I was always in tidal waters - I'd buy one.
 
Welcome! I always suggest people sit down and make a "master to-do list" for EVERYTHING you'd like to do to the boat before you start drilling holes and mounting stuff. That way one project doesn't interfere with another one later on down the road.

Enjoy!

Rick
 
If you cruise over to Sawyer Harbor say hi to the Pesheks -- last house on the right before wetlands leading to the point. Duck blind is at the edge of the big lawn.

We have killed lots of ducks from that blind.

Bill Uffelman
Ocean View DE
 
Welcome aboard. I would not worry too much about the water temp and oil pressure gauges for the 40 hp outboards. Many folks run them even without tachs in the tiller steer version. They have alarms which will let you know if there is a problem--and in some ways there are better than the gauges. I am not certain, but it is possible that the engines are NMEA 2000 compatible, and may be able to have numbers displayed on most brands of chart plotters, or a separate NMEA 2000 gauge, such as the Lowrance Lmf display.
 
Congrats on your "new boat". You will love it and hyou will really love the twins. Engine gauges, maybe maybe not. Windlass, depending on your style and location of boating. If you go that way, go horizontal as Roger and George have mentioned.

Learn to use those twins like twins (steering with power varied to each side), instead of singles and you will even enjoy close in, low speed, maneuvering like you never thought possible with a boat.

Welcome, and enjoy the Brat site.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

JC_Lately_SleepyC_Flat_Blue_055.highlight.jpg
 
Welcome to the world of the C-Brats. My first mate will tell you that the best modification we have done to our 22 cruiser, and there have been many, is the addition of a windlass.
As a host of the upcoming C-Brat gathering at the Alton Marina, my best advise is to come to the event and see first hand all the amazing modifications instituted by the owners. From adding all new instrumentation, installing air conditioning, complete furniture replacement, generator installation, inverter installation and much more. These people are amazing.
Best of luck & hope to see you in Alton in September.
 
Many thanks for your comments and suggestions and welcomes. The windlass has won out and one is on order.
I am busy making a list and plans, plans, plans. I used to love snow and winter until I got this boat. Now...not so much. No...not at all.
I look forward to meeting at least some of you at the gathering in St. Louis.
 
As a host of the Mississippi River "Meet In The Middle" C-Brats gathering, I would like to extend a personal invitation to you to join us in Alton, Illinois.

The C-Brats that attend these events are among some of the most inventive people you could want. You will meet people who have done all manner of modifications and additions to their C-Dories and are always ready to share their knowledge. Any gathering is a great source of ideas.

Congratulations on your purchase and hope to see you in Alton.

Ken and Pat (Pelican)
 
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