Can an 8' fiberglass rowboat/dinghy be used as a tow behind Tender?

[tmcdonagh]

HI Snowdog, I ended up going with a skin on frame 8' dinghy. After 3 back surgeries, I needed something I could handle easily. The drawbacks include the fragile nature of the frame, skin and capacity. The pros include excellent rowing characteristics, 35lbs, and that it can be stored on the foredeck of my Tartan30 sloop. It's a compromise but as I sail single-handed or with reduced crew, something I can live with for now. I have considered standard inflatables but onboard stowage limitations and their poor rowing performance necessitates the use of an outboard, complicates life too much. Good luck with your search.


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[Don C L]

OK I have no stock in Sea Eagle but they do make a "paddleski" thing that takes a small mottor and in fact I can buy the mount for my kayak too in their accessories section. A friend of mine has a little electric motor on his kayak and he tools around all over the place with it. And a little sail too! He's a little lazy.

[Lodesman]

Have you considered a Portabote?

[knockabout]

if it is raining and the dinghy self drains so you can leave the bung out
it saves the dinghy filling up with water and becoming too heavy
for the towline if you take your eye off it you end up trailing a rope

in a heavy following sea a small styrene float on 3 metres or so of
rope towed behind the dinghy that you are towing stops the dinghy
from surfing down swells and trying to climb aboard

dinghy's are like pets they all have their own characters
you need to work out their habits in different situations
dinghy's are usually the most troublesome piece of sailing equipment
but necessary

good luck with your pet dinghy
hope it doesn't cause you too much trouble

[secrabtree]

I used a Walker Bay 10, with the inflatable flotation tube and the sailing kit, for a dinghy for the 4 years that we cruised in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, a few years before and a few years after until I swallowed the anchor and sold my Cal 39, including the dinghy. We also has a 5HP 4 stroke outboard. It was an ideal dinghy. I usually didn't even mout the outboard because it rowed so well - even in a wind. And if it was only me aboard I put on the sail kit as often as possible. I towed it behind or off the side in seas less than about 2', although for long passages or rough water I did put it on deck. It NEVER even came c;ose to turning over - the flotation tube stopped it. I loved it. And, compared to an inflatable, it rowed better, it had less windage and towed better, it could take dragging across a rocky shore no matter how sharp the rocks were. And it was fun to sail around the anchorage. I had a 10 foot inflatable prior. It was no easier to put on deck and it both towed and rowed poorly, especially in a wind. Most inflatables will carry more load and will take a larger outboard so you can get up on a plane and go faster. And they can be deflated. Those are the only pro's for an inflatable. But I was an old man of 70 and not in a hurry and inflatables are not light even when deflated.

[Snowdog2]

Originally Posted by tmcdonagh

HI Snowdog, I ended up going with a skin on frame 8' dinghy. After 3 back surgeries, I needed something I could handle easily. The drawbacks include the fragile nature of the frame, skin and capacity. The pros include excellent rowing characteristics, 35lbs, and that it can be stored on the foredeck of my Tartan30 sloop. It's a compromise but as I sail single-handed or with reduced crew, something I can live with for now. I have considered standard inflatables but onboard stowage limitations and their poor rowing performance necessitates the use of an outboard, complicates life too much. Good luck with your search.

Hi tmcdonagh,
Can you explain what you did please. I don't understand what you used for a frame, nor for a skin.

Thanks,
Snowdog2

[Snowdog2]

Originally Posted by secrabtree

I used a Walker Bay 10, with the inflatable flotation tube ....

Secrabtree,
I looked up the tube kits. There are a type of sponson, but larger, more boyancy and much more expensive. I am glad to hear you had success with it. It makes me rethink my original idea, but so hard to tell how it would all turn out. I would love to not need a motor - just another boat to register.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Snowdog2

Hi tmcdonagh,
Can you explain what you did please. I don't understand what you used for a frame, nor for a skin.

Thanks,
Snowdog2

Skin on frame boat building. Kayak and Ultralight boatbuilding

[tmcdonagh]

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[rbyham]

How's about a foldable? We enjoy ours. Tows fine in protected waters and breaks down to go right up on deck as needed. At like 50lbs and easy lift for halyard. And it has proven near indestructible. Ours is 8'