Favorite Dinghy Accessories

[MicHughV]

Once you get out there, you'll have an opportunity to see what other people do to their dinks and get some ideas.
I've seen some interesting and creative stuff.

[grantmc]

Reading through this thread has been very interesting and I'm grateful to Ben for raising the issue. I have a hard dinghy with quite a large water proof locker at the bow. Very handy.

But the point of my post is to raise awareness to another use of your dinghy. Several times I've been asked to tow (usually by way of rafting up) mother yachts that have experienced issues with engines (sometimes my own!). And I've watched many tows from afar often in frustration. Typically dinghys don't have anywhere to lash a tow line. And so I've repeatedly seen some poor person in a dinghy trying to manage the outboard and hold a tow line. Seldom a good outcome.

So a couple of cleats affixed at the stern and a small but strong samson post forward is really useful.

Just as an aside I read through this thread a couple of days ago and was just reminded to make this post when, a few moments ago I watched this video from Emily & Clark. Even if you're not interested in his views, I would encourage you to skip to the 10 minute mark and watch the next 3 minutes if nothing else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQMtw8E8dp4

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by grantmc

But the point of my post is to raise awareness to another use of your dinghy. Several times I've been asked to tow (usually by way of rafting up) mother yachts that have experienced issues with engines (sometimes my own!). And I've watched many tows from afar often in frustration. Typically dinghys don't have anywhere to lash a tow line. And so I've repeatedly seen some poor person in a dinghy trying to manage the outboard and hold a tow line. Seldom a good outcome.

So a couple of cleats affixed at the stern and a small but strong samson post forward is really useful.

On our dinghy we have a bow eye, sturdy handles at the stern corners, and the seats are quite solidly attached to the hull. So the one time I towed a boat with the dinghy, I used a couple of lines looped around the seats at the edge (where they mount to the hull) and to the stern handles. Worked just fine to move an 11k lb sailboat (slowly), as our dinghy outboard doesn't produce enough thrust to really test any of those attachment points.

[Hudson Force]

'might of looked silly, but I always favored wearing my bicycle helmet while operating my dinghy at night. I had a 360* white light on the top of this helmet and my head was always at the highest point in my dinghy. ...and this white light was always out of my vision.

[MicHughV]

I've moved boats with my dink using a " hip tow" where the dink is tied alongside the boat by the stern. This gives much better steerage and better propulsion than trying to tow from the bow. It also allows me to talk with the skipper who will be manning the helm of the boat.

[Jim Cate]

Lots of good ideas here, but one comment: the OP mentioned carrying a paddle for emergency propulsion. My experience is that a single paddle does not work very well in a beamy dink and that oars, even the crappy alloy ones that are usually supplied by the OEM, are a far better solution.

If you are amongst the magicians that can scull with a single oar from the stern... that too is a good method... and allows you to carry a drink in the other hand whilst meandering about.

Jim

[Kettlewell]

My experience is that a single paddle does not work very well in a beamy dink and that oars, even the crappy alloy ones that are usually supplied by the OEM, are a far better solution.

If you do have to carry a paddle, make it a double-ended kayak paddle. You can kneel in the bow and paddle reasonably well, but I agree that oars are better.

[neworleansrich]

Compared to safety and required stuff this is rather minor, but I find good utility in mounting one of this type of cup holder basket thing on the inside transom.

https://www.amazon.com/kemimoto-Orga...sEALw_wcB&th=1

Good place for the misc stuff you don't want in the bilge. Also it can hold a beverage (sometimes a Diet Coke). I also have a bottle opener and a dive knife tied onto it. We once broke the rim of a Kalik bottle trying to open beers using another bottle cap. Sometimes I learn from my mistakes.

[BenBowSirocco]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Lots of good ideas here, but one comment: the OP mentioned carrying a paddle for emergency propulsion. My experience is that a single paddle does not work very well in a beamy dink and that oars, even the crappy alloy ones that are usually supplied by the OEM, are a far better solution.

If you are amongst the magicians that can scull with a single oar from the stern... that too is a good method... and allows you to carry a drink in the other hand whilst meandering about.

Jim

Jim,



This is interesting. I have gone over that same discussion a couple times with friends.



In our past RIBS, I found the oars pretty close to useless. The other thing is: we do not like the seat in the boat as its nothing but in the way to us. So even if we have the oars and locks, there is no-where to sit to row anyway and so we only ever really had paddles on any other RIB type dinghy.



I personally do not see oars or a paddle on a RIB style dinghy as any sort of efficient way to operate the boat, but as an emergency use device or a close quarters device only.

The paddle does a better job in close quarters, stores easier with the lifejackets and is arguably similar in use (without the seat anyway).



I consider the anchor the number one safety device in a loss of power situation: set it and fix the problem, then carry on.



We were camping in the new dink a couple weekends back and had to paddle through a "no motor zone" for at least a 1/4 mile each way. I found I could effectively command my direction and hold hull speed from both the very stern (seated against the motor cowling) or from sitting on the bow.

Sitting on the bow was certainly the easier answer, but both worked well.

The one time I did this paddle solo (out and back) the bow was extra sweet as it lifted the transom a bit and reduced my drag a little.

I usually had 2-3 people in the boat with me when paddling and didn't really notice a big difference in speed- but the weight kept the boat directionally more stable, and made tracking straight easier.



We used to have a Fatty Knees years ago and sculling was made much easier if you had a "cheater" line from the handle of the oar/paddle down the floor. Even if you just stood your foot on the line- it keeps the oar from lifting while sculling so you could focus on your "twist" and flutter motion.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

By the way, in my experience I have never (nearly 50 years of boating) been asked to show any equipment in the dinghy other than the registration and lifejackets, even in Florida. Once you're out of Florida you are unlikely to ever be stopped by law enforcement when in a dinghy.

They will stop people and ticket them in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

[BenBowSirocco]

Originally Posted by grantmc

But the point of my post is to raise awareness to another use of your dinghy. Several times I've been asked to tow (usually by way of rafting up) mother yachts that have experienced issues with engines (sometimes my own!). And I've watched many tows from afar often in frustration. Typically dinghys don't have anywhere to lash a tow line. And so I've repeatedly seen some poor person in a dinghy trying to manage the outboard and hold a tow line. Seldom a good outcome.

So a couple of cleats affixed at the stern and a small but strong samson post forward is really useful.

This is a great point: and we have already had to tow a Jet Ski! On our first time out actually.



Our new boat: the GoDu 10.5 came equipped with a pair of heavy duty davit lift points which are attached to the aluminum transom and the aluminum tube- so they seem pretty bombproof.

We tied the jetski's tow line to one of these and it worked a treat.



There are also some pretty tough looking stern handles on the ends of the tubes- but probably not where I would choose to tow from.

[Kettlewell]

I personally do not see oars or a paddle on a RIB style dinghy as any sort of efficient way to operate the boat, but as an emergency use device or a close quarters device only.

There have been many cases of dinghy motor failures that resulted in long unwanted downwind trips across the Caribbean.

[dlj]

I run an 8 foot rowing dingy - no registration requirements anywhere that I know of.

Accessories - I carry a small bailer, want a sponge and may put small fenders around it for added stability/side flotation. But haven't needed them yet.

I was in the Canaries in a port where the daytime dinghy dock closed at 7pm. So you would have to move your dinghy before than. I was across the harbor in a nice restaurant having dinner with a fellow sailor when I realized it was getting close to 7. I told the waiter I had to go move my dinghy and asked if I could just tie it up on their swim platform. It was right below our table - super convenient. At first he was like, no we can't have our swim lines cut by motors. Then he looked at me and said, Oh you are that guy with the little white dinghy that you row! No problem you can put your dinghy there! Hahahaha It was great!

dj

[Jammer]

My dinghy has Railblaza Starport sockets on it. I carry Navisafe lights that fit in the sockets, a red/green bow light, and a white all-around on a pole for the stern. These run on AAA and AA batteries, respectively, and I have them loaded with Eneloop batteries which I recharge seasonally or after extended use The lights store in a neoprene bag in the locker.

I carry a bow painter made of Samson MFP floatline with eyes spliced in both ends. I ordinarily keep it cow hitched on the dinghy's bow eye and cleated off inside. I also ordinarily also carry two lengths of 5/16 rope, about 15' each.

There's a square plastic bailing scoop that is cow-hitched to an eye that's part of the hull using a spliced loop of bungee material, and a car-wash sponge that usually lives inside the scoop.

I carry a collapsible emergency paddle that doubles as a boathook, in the locker.

For compliance, I carry an electronic flare, which is required at night. Mine is made by Sirus Signal. It runs on 3 C batteries. I use Tenga Centura batteries, because Eneloop batteries are not available in size C. The flare has a whistle attached to it. Also for compliance I have a PFD in the locker. If conditions warrant wearing a PFD I wear an inflatable one.

I nearly always bring a handheld VHF. I use a Standard Horizon HX380 with an aftermarket, longer antenna.

I keep spray sunscreen in the bow locker, people forget.

That's the basic load. The rest is situational.

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The dinghy can be rowed, sailed, or motored. If sailing, I bring the rudder, daggerboard, rig, and a boat cushion. If rowing I bring the rear seat and the oars. If motoring I bring the outboard motor, the rear seat, and extra fuel (my dinghy outboards have built-in fuel tanks). Depending on how far I'm going the extra fuel will either be a one-gallon safety can or a one-quart "Trufuel" can. I do not put fuel cans in the locker because that would trigger a requirement to carry a fire extinguisher.

Since the dinghy has skegs it tracks well enough that it can sort of be paddled, but not any distance. It's useful for pushing through a channel upwind, or getting out of a wind shadow, docking, beaching, getting to the closest bank of a river, or avoiding obstacles. I'll bring oars if circumstances call for more than that, particularly when motoring. The oars tend to get in the way while sailing.

I don't ordinarily carry the registration paperwork aboard. Under MN law it is technically not required to be aboard unless I'm going to be motoring. It serves no actual purpose since the registration sticker on the outside of the hull has the same information except owner name and address. I suppose I might carry it if I'm motoring and expect unusually high enforcement pressure for some reason.

I have a Guardian G-5 anchor with some lightweight stainless steel chain and nylon rope but I don't usually carry it for reasons of space and weight.

The same railblaza sockets that hold the nav lights also accept a phone holder, which I sometimes use if I'm running Navionics on my phone. They can also serve as camera mounts.

I've thought about adding a compass, either a compact handheld one, or one permanently installed.

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I also have a 14' aluminum boat with a 9.9 hp motor that is similar in performance to many RIBs which I occasionally use as a tender. I do not have davits so it must be towed, which is limiting but sometimes useful.

The 14' boat has an electrical system with a permanently installed VHF, nav lights, and a bilge pump. I have a set of 9' oars that stay with the boat and are bungeed in place. I usually keep the Guardian G-5 anchor on this. I carry a small first-aid kit that I replace every few years, a small tool kit, and the registration paperwork. It has a permanently mounted compass. It has a permanently installed depth finder that shoots through the aluminum hull.

[ChrisPuget]

What digny and what you carry in it will obviously depend on where you are. The "tow boat" option has been my reason for keeping a larger dingy with a 15hp outboard. It is a comforting layer of protection in addition to anchoring if you or another boat is disabled. I carry a handheld vhf. The 2.5 pound mantus digny anchor has worked well. Looks like you will not have to worry about a sharp pointy fish gaff on your GoDu!

https://www.mantusmarine.com/mantus-...onnect-anchor/