Danny green chameleon nesting dinghy

[Delancey]

Nice paint job. I notice the blocks for the oarlocks added for the forward rowing position. Have seen this on a couple others. Does raise them up a bit.

[Delancey]

Same boat sailing with a friend.

[Delancey]

Another one. Looks like some attempt to add a bouyancy collar. Not sure about that. I do sort of wish the boat had a littl more freeboard but you can't have it all when you are building a nesting dinghy out of a minimum number of sheets of plywood.

[Delancey]

On the subject of bouyancy, take a look at the aft bouyancy tanks on this "professionally" built one from england. I didn't notice this until after mine were installed but the ones on this boat look bigger.

In fact they can be bigger than the design calls for while still allowing for nesting, however I believe they are designed as big as the designer could make them while optimizing his use of the plywood, something you refer to in the design business as how your parts are "nested" in your sheet.

As it was I bought the extra sheet of plywood required for the sailing version then decided to use 3/4" thick material for the daggerboard and rudder so would have had plenty of 1/4" material to build bigger aft tanks. If only I could go back in time!

if I could I would have messed around with pieces of carboard to make a pattern for the biggest aft tanks that would fit.

[Delancey]

Here's another shot of the "pro" built boat. We did a similar thing with contratsing paint on the interior. In our case it is non-skid which I think this looks like also. I would redommend this.

I used the Interlux powder you mix in with the paint. It had been awhile since I used that stuff and had forgotten about what a bitch it can be to get a uniform application with that stuff. Dont paint with polarized sunglasses!

[Delancey]

Got a kick out of this one listed years ago on CF for sale.

[Delancey]

"Needs work" the add said.

[Delancey]

The goat seemed to like it though, wonder if he chewed the gunwale off?

[Snowpetrel]

Looks like a very nice job Delancy. Well done, I like the boats are built by sanding bit, so true!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Delancey]

Notice the larger aft bouyancy tank.

[Delancey]

Here's one with a sculling notch. I decided not to cut one in my boat and was instead thinking of just adding another oarlock back there.

After seeing the video of the guy sailing his Chameleon around the Keys using one of his oars as a rudder I think I will give it a try before I adtually build the rudder.

Using an oar to steer instead of a purpose built rudder might not work as well but if it works good enough it might work for me. Sort of like the idea of multifunction and not having to make/store and extra component.

Any feedback/thoughts on steering the sailing version with one of the oars would be welcome. Worked for the vikings I suppose.

Also in the photo below, not so sure about the reiforcment for the towing eye. Should be a backer plate on the inside instead. Although I do like that they put nice curves on the doublers for the mating transom bolts and back by the sculling notch. Nice touch.

[Delancey]

Okay, here's something kind of interesting on the subjuct of freeboard. Look in the photo and see how it looks like a strake was added above the originally designed gunwale. Can't see it so well from the outside beacuse of the fender added around it. Thought that was interesting.

[Delancey]

Also from the same guy, his aft rowing seat.

I like this because it flips down for nesting but always stays attached to the boat. I didn't build the seat as originally designed thinking I would do something like this.

Seems like a nice solution, since it is not a separate piece you have to remove from the boat for nesting which is good for me beause I lose stuff.

[Delancey]

Here are some interesting handles cut into the skegs. Not really sure what for.

BTW I built just a single skeg, works just fine although I will add that the double skeg does reduce the size of the largest unsupported panels, being the bottom aft panels. That said I observe no deficiency.

[Delancey]

Here's one nested on a boat. Doesn't take up much space.