Want To Buy: Looking for Hard Dinghy

[3reefs]

I'm looking for a hard dinghy that can sail. Up to 9 feet. Ideal would be a Dyer Dhow, preferably with sail rig. Am in NY area.

[MichaelC]

Build the 9'6" Nutshell pram. Excellent boat.

[3reefs]

Thanks Michael. I wish I had the time to build my own dink. Not just a cheaper way of getting there but fantastic experience that no doubt would apply to other areas. But I've barely the time to keep on top of my 'big' boat's demands. I am, however, really keen to try the hard dinghy route. I know there are long threads on the merits/cons of this, but I'd like to try. Our boat came with a 9' Caribe rib and I hated it. Heavy, cumbersome. Great if you are motoring, but awful otherwise. We like rowing. Plus I have two small children that I want to learn to sail. If I can get a hard dink that can carry two adults, two children under oars, and is no heavier than the Caribe (or lighter), I will be very happy.

[D.D.]

Bauer boats seem to fill your need.......

[3reefs]

That's a fine looking little boat. Just haven't found anything of that nature for sale (used). So if anyone's thinking of selling....

[Unicorn Dreams]

Walker Bay makes some really good sailing dinks you might be interested in.

[MichaelC]

Try craigslist for your area. There are usually a few there. If you keep your boat in a marina, check the bulletin boards around the marina. There has to be a decent sailing pram about somewhere there. Dyer, Nutshells [Joel White], Payson/Bolger, CLC. Got to be something local. You might have to go to a couple of thousand to get what you want, tho they show up sometimes for under a thou that need only paint. Don't worry about the sail, you can cut a flat sprit sail out of white polytarp if need be [they work just fine, but look a little hokey].

[MichaelC]

After posting that I checked my local craigslist and there was nothing. BTW, if you are at anchor and the kids go sailing in the tender, what do you do? We kept a folding inflatable [no hard floor] which was [as you know] just a raft, not a boat, but it was great backup if Megan got into trouble, which she never did. You can get a cheap inflatable for just a few bucks - not Zodiac or Avon, but serviceable for this purpose.

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by MichaelC

After posting that I checked my local craigslist and there was nothing.

Patience. You will find one for as little as about $500 on up with full sail rig. Look at other areas on Craigslist just to get a feel.

Here's one in SF. Not suggesting you go there.
Walker Bay 8 with sail kit

They are great fun with the sail kit. your kids can terrorize any anchorage. I sail mine and get many thumbs up for it as I pass by people cockpits.

[sbrin]

We love our Cape Dory 10 with sailing rig - not inexpensive used but a great and pretty boat which rows very well, too.

[3reefs]

That's a couple shout outs for Walker Bays. They're really good price-wise but I've heard less than complimentary things about their tippiness and load carrying compared, say, to a Dyer. Eventually something should turn up in the under 1,000 range, you are right. A less good option might be not to hold out for a 9 footer serving as the main dinghy, but to get something smaller, even an Optimist, that would be purely for sailing about in, and a larger inflatable as the main tender.
On our previous boat, we had a roll-up Avon Redcrest that carried the four of us (children very small then) plus a bag or two. With proper wooden oars we rowed through all kinds of stuff in that. A great back-up and I think you can get something similar, used, for a few hundred bucks.

[Al Lorman]

I have a little-used 9' Dyer Dhow with sailing rig and like-new trailer that I'm simply not using. You can email me at f30abinitio at yahoo.

Al

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by 3reefs

That's a couple shout outs for Walker Bays. They're really good price-wise but I've heard less than complimentary things about their tippiness and load carrying

I tried a search here to the Practical Salior review that compared the
Walker Bay favorably. Sorry, couldn't find the link. But yes, there will always be somebody with a negative opinion whos "extensive comparisons" are......best compared with other extensive comparisons.

Did I overuse the word "comparisons"?