Will I Regret Buying a Rowing Dinghy ?

[KEG]

I decided a dink came first in my sailing plans. I looked at RIB's, wherry's, skiffs, etc. I came to the conclusion I wanted a light, hard shell row boat that could take a small motor. After searching I decided to build this; Ray Klebba White Salmon Boat Works. 509-493-4766. A full service boat building boatworks shop in White Salmon, WA. Build your own dream boat, dreamboat, Raysdreamboats, Do it yourself. Build or learn to build Wood Strip canoes, kayaks, woodstrip sea


It's my winter project this year.

Matthew

[barnakiel]

A rowing thing like that discussed catamaran exists and sits at a dock or two away from ours. It does not seem to row well.

I think the ultimate would be a carbo rowing 'skiff' with an inflatable michelin all around - I think I have seen a skirt like that on a Walker once.

A carbo skiff will be light and fast, while the michelin will be an all round fender and the extra buoyancy necessary to board from the water. Such a skiff will take an outboard easily too-

b.

[CDunc]

I use a 10' AB rigid hull inflatable, I dont use a motor and row it everywere. It rows just fine and have rowed in 40 mph winds and choppy seas. the only issue I have with it is the oars that came with it are aluminum and I have bent one slightly pulling too hard on one blustery day. I have been looking at replacing it with a Portland Pudgy, they appeal to me because they row, sail, and if needed you can fit an outboard to it. Ohh and did I mention they are unsinkable and according to the manufaturer could be used as a lift raft..except you can sail it to safety. Is there anyone who has such a dink and how do you like it?

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by CDunc

I have been looking at replacing it with a Portland Pudgy, they appeal to me because they row, sail, and if needed you can fit an outboard to it. Ohh and did I mention they are unsinkable and according to the manufaturer could be used as a lift raft..except you can sail it to safety. Is there anyone who has such a dink and how do you like it?

Go here.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...dgy-17192.html

[CDunc]

Thanks Minggat,

I have admired them at Hamilton Marine in Portland and they seem to be the ticket but I dont know of anyone who actually owns one, the link was a great help.

[tager]

I think a hard rowing dink is the way to go. Inflatables are loud toys that throw wake and burn gasoline. Sailing rigs are a lot of trouble to go 3 knots. Rowing is my preference. I also enjoy kayaking, though, so I must be a weirdo.

[READY2GO]

We have a 25' boat, and a 10' nesting dink. Nested it fits on the foredeck. We use a 2hp Johnson on it. Can also be sailed or rowed.

http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/spin.htm

[roverhi]

We rowed our Avon Redcrest all over French Polynesia. It really was no problem and I never had a weight problem. Didn't intend to row it but outboards are not my friend. Rowed a lot of miles often with three people aboard. Not a great issue but I looked longingly at the midget hard dinghy we had as a back up and wished for a sailing rig on that. Didn't use that hard dinghy much as it's overwhelming design feature was it fit on the limited space on the foredeck.

On my new old boat, have an 8' Montgomery hard dinghy with sail rig. It's a joy to row and goes really long distances without much effort under the sail rig. I struggled getting it launched and back on board solo at first. Finally rigged a tackle on the spinnaker pole which solved the issue. I hoist it back on board each night because it's so easy to do it. That keeps it from banging into the boat and safe from going walkabout. I'm looking for some rubber rub rail material to make it kinder to the topside though it really hasn't been that much of an issue. Still carry an inflatable but don't use it much.

[boatman61]

You guys should come to Poole and enter the annual fishermens rowing race in traditional dinghys.... Poole Quay to Old Harry Rocks and back... not that far really... about 10 miles fighting wind and tides....

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by READY2GO

We have a 25' boat, and a 10' nesting dink. Nested it fits on the foredeck. We use a 2hp Johnson on it. Can also be sailed or rowed.

spindrift

We built the same dinghy, but the 9' version. I use it with a 3.3hp Mercury 2 stroke. I like it, it's stable and rows well, but the inflatable sure is nice when you need to go further.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by READY2GO

We have a 25' boat, and a 10' nesting dink. Nested it fits on the foredeck. We use a 2hp Johnson on it. Can also be sailed or rowed.

spindrift

That's quite similar to my Nicholls NN-10:



Here's a picture of mine assembled with the rig up. She sails quite well, and according to my nine-year-old, is "way better than an Opti". Please ignore the garbage bin...

[Charlie]

I wanted a dinghy that would row, sail or use a 15hp outboard. All that and I wanted it to nest as well. I spoke to this guy and he designed it for me Wave Dancer Yacht Design - wholesale plan sales I plan on using the rig from a sunfish.