CDory in wood

[neilm]

There is a popular fiberglass boat company called CDory (http://www.c-dory.com/). I was curious if wooden boat plans for something similar to their 22ft model exist or if that model would easily convert and perform well in wood? What construction technique would be best? The CDory has a fake lapstrake look which would be nice to retain so I was thinking Glued Lapstrake might be nice. My biggest concern is the flat bottom. Does fiberglass do a better job of handling the pounding than wood?

Neil

[kenjamin]

Hello neilm,

So you like dories?
I've got six recommendations for you:
1) Buy John Gardner's book, "The Dory"
2) Use 10mm 7 ply Sapelle for the bottom and protect it with glued on mahogany outer keel and oiled up, replaceable, (screwed into the mahogany) white oak to take the wear of beaching.
3) Build the Beachcomer Alpha dory described in Gardner's book.
4) Take lots of pictures of the build and post them on this forum.
5) Celebrate the completion of the build by trailering your Alpha to Florida (where it's warm!!!)
6) Take me fishin' in the thing.

[Thorne]

Well, I certainly wouldn't go for recommendations 3-5 -- the Alpha dory is a lean mean racin' machine, whereas the CDory (and similar designs in wood) is a wide, stable, seaworthy fishin' machine.

Sam Devlin has some similar designs for wood, as do other designers, but I doubt if the CDory itself can be made from anything but glass...

http://www.c-dory.com/22CsideTo.jpg

Devlin's Surf Scooter -
http://www.devlinboat.com/surfscoter3.jpg

Tolman Skiff -
http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/articles/design/tolman/Cys_skiff.jpeg

[neilm]

The Devlin's Surf Scooter and Tolman skiffs are very nice indeed but the big advantage with the CDory is a comfortable all day cruising speed of 18knots with a 90hp motor. Neither can do that. I find the lack of deadrise an interesting feature of the CDory. It allows for a smaller engine. I've asked several of my friends about the ride they say you have to slow down a bit in a chop but it's not bad. John Gardner refers flat bottomed powerboats as Semi Dories. I wonder how they compare to the CDory for handling and ride?

Neil

[dirtsailor]

How about a Calkins Bartender? The 19' footer achieves 30 knots with a 40 horse and could comfortably cruise at 18 knots all day.

http://www.bartenderboats.com/19-foot-bartender.html

While fishing off the Oregon Coast, I've seen the Cdory and the 19' Bartender side by side and I would have to say that I'd have preferred to be in the Bartender.

Dirtsailor

[gary porter]

Neil, I'd go visit Neil at Skiffkits there in Anchorage and have a look at his 22' Tolman. The Tolman can run at the speed you want and probably a bit more comfortable as they have a better dead rise than the Cdory. By the way , I can run 30mph with a 70hp in my 21+ Tolman. Have a look at www.skiffkits.com or checkout www.fishyfish.com and go to the Tolman link. There are a lot of good boats out there but don't be too quick to discount the Tolman.
Good Luck
Gary

[Dave Wright]

If you can manage to get a look at one of the very early C-Dory's you'll see how the original bottom was absolutely flat, not at all like the current versions. In fact, it looks as if it's a thick flat sheet of ply glassed over.

I don't know whether they used ply in the first bottoms or balsa core as in their current models. In any case, it's wood that provides the stiffness. If you could see one of their first boats you'd see that it could be easily recreated in ply with a flat bottom sheet and clinker ply side panels.

I pass one of these old C-Dories that's been sitting on a covered boat lift on Lake Washington every time I take my Tolman Skiff out. I'll snap a picture next time before eveyone forgets how the C-Dory has evolved.

The Tolman I think, would serve you better than the old style C-Dory. You could also look at some of Merten's C-Dory like boat plans.

Dave Wright

[RonW]

You can do a whole lot better then that c-dory.
Build a lobster boat with the same cabin and outboard arrangement. A lot smoother ride.
And for a plank on frame boat instead of a stitch and tape.

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/workboat/doubleeagle.html

[Paul Pless]

...but the big advantage with the CDory is a comfortable all day cruising speed of 18knots with a 90hp motor. Neither can do that. I find the lack of deadrise an interesting feature of the CDory. It allows for a smaller engine.


http://www.nexusmarine.com/images/23%27dory/exteriors/scherzo_abeam.jpg

http://www.nexusmarine.com/images/23%27dory/interiors/profile_&_plan_no_bowrail.gif




Length overall. . . . . . . . . . . .
Beam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Draft (engine up) . . . . . . . . .
Cabin headroom. . . . . . . . . .
Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weight (w/o engine). . . . . . .
Speed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
Range. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23'
7'8"
6"
4'10"
50-100HP
30 gal.
1900 lbs.
15-30 kts.
100-150 n.m.



much more here: http://www.nexusmarine.com/index.html

[cmorse]

Having had a Surf Scoter in Alaska, and Resurrection Bay in particular, it can do 19 kts. all day with a 90 HP Yamaha. And last weekend, in the usual afternoon 3-4 foot chop in Resurrection Bay, a C-Dory heading into the chop was going slower than my current boat, a 34 foot converted fishing troller; I only go 7.7 kts. I take it they didn't want to experience any pounding and were thus going at displacement speeds.

[neilm]

Those are some cool boat ideas. Thanks. I suppose the Tolman does make the most sense being that I live here in Anchorage. It's fun to dream. I need to finish my Gunning Dory first.

Neil

[landlocked sailor]

Do yourself a favor and look at Tom Lathrop's Bluejacket boats at http://bluejacketboats.com/index.htm They run fast & slow with low HP and are pretty boats to boot. Tom is a forum member and, even were he not cruising the canals in Britain right now, would not toot his own horn. Not listed is the new B28. I commisioned this design from Tom and plan to start building in the fall. Rick

[Andrew]

Here's another possibility:
http://egyptian.net/~raymacke/

[Spokaloo]

Jacques Mertens put together a boat specifically due to people requesting something like the C-dory. Here is what he came up with:

Harbor Master 19:

http://www.bateau2.com/gallery/HM19/photos/HM19_onwater1.jpg

http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=HM19

Pilot 19:
http://www.bateau2.com/gallery/P19/photos/P19_pr.jpg

http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=P19

The forum over at his site was swamped with interest in a low powered planing hull with a cabin. He penned the HM19 (flat bottomed planing), the HMD19 (displacement V), and the P19 (planing V) all to suit that desire.

E

[Paul H]

Another vote for the Tolman skiff, of course I'm biased ;) A 90 horse on a widebody would be perfect, I planned to run heavy so went overkill with a 140 horse suzuki. I cruise @ 22 knots, and wot is 33 knots. There actually are times when it's calm enough to run 33 knots, and it has come in handy to get around larger boats and avoid their wakes.

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee_files/photo_albums/4/8/1/481101382/986108796_8EA4D43EFAB7F9901E597B1C20B87C11.JPG

[neilm]

Nice boat Paul. Is that Knight Island?

[Paul H]

It's Deepwater Bay in Port Nellie Juan.

The boat shouldn't be sitting so low in the back, as I had way too much stuff aft on it's maiden voyage.

[Dick Wynne]

In passing, a C-Dory was used by William Least Heat-Moon (né Bill Trogdon!) for the voyage across the US described in his book River Horse (http://www.amazon.com/River-Horse-William-Least-Heat-Moon/dp/0395636264), which I have read 2 or 3 times and thoroughly enjoyed.

[holzbt]

I think Dave Gerr designed something similar. I remember the plans being published in Boatbuilder magazine quite a while ago. Maybe someone can find the specifics. I saw one in action in South Carolina about 6-8 years ago and was impressed with how well it went with a relatively small outboard.

[jlapratt]

Try Tad Robert's Down East 26 from the "perfect powerboat design thread." I think it is heads and tails beyond a CDory. http://www.tadroberts.ca

My current boat is a San Juan Dory from David Roberts of Nexus Marine (I wonder if they're related?). A fine little boat, great plans and great support form David, but the flat bottom in a chop means slowing way down.

Jeff

[Tar Devil]

Ray Macke's Cabin Skiff. Somewhere in his web site he mentioned being inspired by the CDory...

http://egyptian.net/~raymacke/w001.jpg

[Spokaloo]

That would be Gerr's Offshore Skiff:

http://www.gerrmarine.com/images/boat_images/power/gerr28skiff/gerr28skiffA.JPG

Its a little bigger boat at 28', but same concept.

E

[Pericles]

The range of boats mentioned just goes to show how fortunate we all are to have such a choice to build from. Any of them are a better choice than a CDory, because, well, because the self builder will be expressing his own personality and creativity.

Neilm, start cutting.

Pericles