A friend of mine in Alaska has a somewhat larger C-Dory. We went out into
some serious water with it. He launched, and recovered, into the largest
waves I've ever seen. Seemed tippy, but never any worry about it actually
rolling over.

Dorys are designed that way...I know, since I built a small one once.
Better be ready for the tippy feeling.

There is a MSN Group site of c-dory owners who share their experiences.
http://groups.msn.com/CDoryOwnersGroup

Best ask your questions there, too.....
--
RichG manager, Carolina Skiff Owners Group on MSN
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners
..