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Dinghy fantasy


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Since we moved aboard I have spent 3 years fantasizing about a hard dinghy for rowing and sailing. If it would take the 4hp outboard that would be a bonus but is not mission critical. Sailing and rowing is.

The inflatable can travel in the davitts for short trips. So the new dinghy would be upside down  between the masts. Room there for 10ft ( I have reverted to imperial as so many of the dinghies are described that way)  . Another bonus point if the inflatable could stow deflated inside the upside down hard dinghy for ocean passages. 

More bonus points if the rig and oars fit inside.

I also looked at nesting and having a longer one. Longer dinghies sail and row better. But i want to be able to manhandle it onto the deck singlehanded.  Decided a max length of about 14ft was about right. Then I thought instead of splitting it in the middle just chop a bit off the bow and nest that.

Or buy a sunburst and make it into a pram.

See why it's taken 3 years with so little progress?

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We brought a second hand Delta dingy earlier this year and they are great little dinghies that tick a lot of those boxes. 3m long so should fit within your spot. Rows well (even has foot braces) and sails nicely. 

They are pretty lite too and seem robust as there are heaps of them around once you start looking. Our was $850 and in great condition. 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Adrianp said:

We brought a second hand Delta dingy earlier this year and they are great little dinghies that tick a lot of those boxes. 3m long so should fit within your spot. Rows well (even has foot braces) and sails nicely. 

They are pretty lite too and seem robust as there are heaps of them around once you start looking. Our was $850 and in great condition. 

 

 

 

I concur with Adrianp.  I've owned one of these for about four years.  I use it as a tender for my yacht and also for sailing off the beach up north over summer.

I keep my yacht on a mooring and wanted something that had enough weight and steerage to work in about 20 knots of wind and Tamaki river chop.  I also wanted one that I could launch by myself in those on-shore type conditions without any risk or difficulty.  It has enough freeboard to handle adverse weather or to be loaded with sailing gear (not both).

It's quite heavy, so if you wanted to lift it up onto the deck of your yacht, you'd need some method of doing this - particularly by itself.  I usually leave mine attached to the mooring when we go sailing.

It sails quite well - given that it doesn't have a headsail.

Cheers,

Justin

 

 

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I've got a 9 ish foot one BP, with a little bow sprit, has a main and little headsail. You can have it if you want, it is currently occupying space I have been filling with other toys. The spars are wooden, so don't stow easily like some of these two part alloy ones. Has a beach trailer as well, but I'm guessing you wont need one of those ;-)

If you don't want that, what about the nutshell pram? there are a couple of examples at the club. I can tell you which locker they are in if you're interested. 9'6 is the long version. I have the book on how to build them (not the plans though). I'm sure BP is big enough you could build one in the saloon...

I was dead keen on one of these but got a new deflatable at the price of the materials...

The plans don't come nesting, but I can't see a problem with making one nest. Just chop it in half at the centre thwart.

 

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Agreed. That PT11 would be the ultimate.

Re the sunburst.  If I got an old ply one i thought could double up the forward bulkhead and run a saw blade between the two. Then adjust the rear seating to accommodate the bow.  Maybe not as silly as it sounds?

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1 hour ago, Black Panther said:

Agreed. That PT11 would be the ultimate.

Re the sunburst.  If I got an old ply one i thought could double up the forward bulkhead and run a saw blade between the two. Then adjust the rear seating to accommodate the bow.  Maybe not as silly as it sounds?

Sounds worth a shot!

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4 minutes ago, chippie said:

Plus 1 for the Delta, way under rated.  3m long and I could just haul it up on a halyard on my own.  I think the Sunburst would be a lot heavier.

77kg min class weight,  so any existing hull about double what you could build a similar sized ply row boat.

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