Dinghy Equipment?

[Kings Gambit]

We recently were moored in the lee of Catalina Island (White Cove) in relatively high wind, but we have anchored in similar conditions many times at other sites.

Notes on White Cove, and Yesterday’s Channel Crossing

Hi. This thread follows one I began a few weeks ago on a pending cruise to Santa Barbara Island, but which has a new focus, so I’ve started it fresh. White Cove is a recessed area, hence a “cove“, along the north coast of Santa Catalina Island just SE of Long Point, which itself is a feature...

forums.sailboatowners.com

I’ve frequently considered what I would do if the dinghy outboard conked out while exploring the area. The winds would blow us offshore, away from the anchorage. Rowing back against strong wind would be a futile effort in a small inflatable (e.g., 8.6 ft) loaded with, say, two “passengers.” There may be other yachts there, but you might not be companion boating.

I always take with me the hand-held VHF which has a GPS and the distress key function. But I’ve never tested it, the distress function. The thing does not have much voice broadcast range as far as I can tell. If we where anchored 45 n.mi.offshore but in the dinghy where the outboard quit, and we began blowing offshore, would anyone receive a distress broadcast? Most recreational yachts have the VHF turned off at anchor. By the way, it’s after dark. What now? Punch the PLB for Coast Guard Rescue?

Many of us have expired flares that can still fire off. What do we do with ‘em? Does anyone repurpose them for the dink? Put a few flares in a watertight ammo box (or other rectangular container), so you at least have that avenue. How many dinks carry anchors? If still in shallow enough water, deploy the anchor while trying to restart the engine. We use a 2.2# claw anchor with 90 ft of nylon rode; no chain. Claws set quickly, and reliably. The are heavy enough to drop and set w/o the need for chain. Just keep it all in a small bag aboard.

Here’s our new dinghy equipment list when we are anchored at the offshore islands: anchor, flares, GPS/DSC VHF w/spare battery set, strong flashlight, PVC patch kit, air pump, oars, inflatable life jackets, whistles, all-round white running light, one-gallon spare fuel (gas) container with gasoline in it, and two pints of water. Perhaps soon to add—PLBs.

Space issues. Wear the inflatable jackets with whistles attached. Mount the VHF on your belt, stow the flares in the water-tight container with flashlight, spare batteries, and patch kit. Bag the anchor and rode and set next to main fuel container on one side, spare fuel on other side. Oars stowed along the tubes. Pump in fishnet bag under the seat. Running light stuck to top of outboard. Of course, if your dink has a forward locker as ours does, can load stuff in there. Pints wherever convenient.

Comments?

 

[sail sfbay]

Excellent list for dinghy safety preparedness and where to stow/mount these items!! Do you also carry portable LED boat lights for inflatable (I carry these but will need to add additional items)?

 

[Kings Gambit]

Excellent list for dinghy safety preparedness and where to stow/mount these items!! Do you also carry portable LED boat lights for inflatable (I carry these but will need to add additional items)?

Hi. Thanks for your comment. If you’re referring to the RG bow-mounted running lights, no, do I not carry a set. I don’t think one is required for the vessels under 23 ft unless making more than 7 knots, which is about the threshold speed for planing a dink; whereas, the all-around white light is required for all if motoring. If we’re going to be planing out there at night, then yes I’d need to mount a set.

I’ve found that planing the size of dink that we can conveniently carry with us is a tough challenge. I’m barely able to do it in my 8.6-ft Achilles, air-floor, inflatable with the 5-HP Tohatsu 4-stoke with me only in the dink. Admiral and me both, forget it. Maybe get a bigger engine?, but also heavier to move around, etc. The 9.5-ft inflatable aluminum rib I bought in 2018 will plane the both of us with a Evinrude 9.9 HP 2-stroke in flat or downwind seas. It really has trouble hopping the both of us over the waves going into them, etc. So, we don’t do much planing at all. The 9.9 HP is the greatest HP recommended for the rib. The Evinrude is still about 18# heavier than the Tohatsu. I imagine the Evinrude on the Achilles would plan the both of us, but that would be much above the maximum recommended HP for the Achilles, which is 6 HP.

 

[capta]

On our Zodiac Mark I classic (11.6') we only carry a set of Zodiac collapsible paddles and a small Danforth w/about 60' of 3/8th" polypro and no chain, which works just fine for our anchoring needs.
The very few times we've had to paddle it, even in squally conditions, It wasn't easy or fun, but it was possible to get where we needed to go. With two people, perhaps you would do better w/canoe style paddles rather than dinghy oars.

 

[sail sfbay]

Whenever we motor our dinghy at night in Sausalito we carry front navigation lights to meet the USCG requirements attached that I understood. Maybe I misread.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Here's one place I've seen what I mentioned above. See under #4 Nav Lights. I don't find a regulation saying as much, however.

BoatUS Expert Advice

BoatUS Magazine, the largest boating magazine in the US, provides boating skills, DIY maintenance, safety and news from top experts.

www.boatus.com

I only assume the author is talking about powered dinghies b/c she mentions traveling at 7 knots, etc.

 

[Kings Gambit]

It's in here as well; page 28. Note, there is some discretion regarding the sidelights.

https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF

 

[capta]

Whenever we motor our dinghy at night in Sausalito we carry front navigation lights to meet the USCG requirements attached that I understood. Maybe I misread.

Fortunately, we live well beyond the USCG's reach, in a country that allows us to use our own discretion about things like PFD's and lights. It may be a double edged sword because when someone slams into an unlit mark or another dinghy after a night at the pub, there is no hullabaloo about it, but nobody's ticketing us either.

 

[Rick D]

Good check list. There have been several instances of people in dinks being blown offshore in Catalina and some unfortunate endings.

 

[jeepbluetj]

I like to have a handheld VHF on the dink for the same reason when I'm on the island. You could easily get blown off at the isthmus too. But there's so much traffic there, that if you have a VHF you'd get somebody to help.

Santa Barbara island? Maybe not so much...

Lights are required, so I have some sort of all-round-white light.

I also am one of the seemingly few that _always_ keeps the oars in the dink.

 

[NYSail]

Engine cuts out and you’re having issue rowing drop the anchor and call for help. just don’t drift.... isn’t there a harbor master there? Some places the tower will be manned 24 hrs a day.

 

[Sailm8]

When our motor gave up the ghost we used our beach sportbrella as a sail. It was slow going but worked to get us close enough to the anchorage to be towed by a passing boat. Got a new motor.

 

[jssailem]

I like the list. Treating the dinghy as a sustainable boat is a sensible idea. Good seamanship.

Getting on the radio with a PAN PAN call would be good seamanship if such a scenario developed.

Perhaps understanding the Coast Guards VHF radio listening areas for the Rescue 21 Distress System would help.

Here is a chart of the Sector LA coverage.

This system covers both coasts of the USA.
Check out this link for more info. Rescue 21 Distress System Coverage

Note that the system is designed to work with a call at 1 watt low power. If in distress I am making the call at the radio’s high power setting. Most radios automatically change to HiPower setting when you access channel 16.

 

[kappykaplan]

This system covers boats coasts of the USA

@jssailem surely you meant "both" coasts!

 

[jssailem]

Why yes I did.

 

[seadaddler]

Try adding sea foam in every time adding gas and entanol free gas mine been running great

 

[thinwater]

With my last boat we occasionally explored areas with similar exposure; if the dinghy conked it could get weird.

Obviously, you try to avoid the situation. You try to stay near the down-wind line from dinghy-to-yacht by motoring to the line rather than straigh to the yacht.

The other thing we would do is toss the ditch bag into the dinghy, JUST for those trips. It was easier than trying to figure out what we might need. We didn't do this often, but it was simple.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Frankly, it’s hard for me to imagine having to summon the USCG via Rescue21 because I’m blowing to sea in my dink, outboard conked out or out of fuel. That would be embarrassing. I occasionally hear powerboaters calling the USCG for rescue having run out of fuel. Of course, they are referred to Vessel Assist. Nearshore, using Vessel Assist for a dinghy rescue would be as appropriate as calling for rescue/assist of any disabled vessel.

My chief concerns stem from risks at offshore locations. The northern Channel Islands and Santa Barbara Island are National Parks with no shoreside boating services. A ranger is infrequently present at SBI. The western 2/3 of Santa Cruz Island is effectively a wilderness area, owned by the Nature Conservancy. Strong winds from the west and northwest occur almost daily. The heights of the islands sometimes block VHF reception, such as weather, when inside coves. In White Cove we could not raise Harbor Masters at Two Harbors or Avalon even, only 4.5 n.mi. distant, using the yacht’s VHF. Shore towers of the Rescue21system more than 20 n.mi. distant may or may not be able to receive a 1-watt transmission that depends on “line of sight.” The dink might have to blow nearly a mile away from a location before any distress call might be received. Calling for help on Rescue21may be the fail-safe solution; but then again, maybe not. You don’t want to find this out while blowing to sea at > one knot.

The best time to go exploring is in the morning when there are typically light easterly winds, or even calm wind. This requires a bit of discipline, however. We sailors tend to wish to do things spontaneously. Not everyone along on a cruise may share the same understanding of the risks attached to various activities in areas where 911 is not the “go to” answer, etc.

The first thing to do in my opinion if the outboard conks out and cannot be restarted in 3 or 4 pulls, would be to anchor—if you can and while you can. After that, work on the restart. If that does not resolve and you cannot row or paddle to where you need to be, then yes, make your VHF hail. You’re still in close so you might get picked up by another vessel. Failing there, shoot off one of those “expired” repurposed flares, etc.

 

[jssailem]

First step in dealing with a nightmare is to have plan. Step two: execute the plan.

KG it sounds to me that you have a sound plan. I like it and it gives me ideas to address before going Off shore.

 

[Kings Gambit]

With my last boat we occasionally explored areas with similar exposure; if the dinghy conked it could get weird.

Obviously, you try to avoid the situation. You try to stay near the down-wind line from dinghy-to-yacht by motoring to the line rather than straigh to the yacht.

The other thing we would do is toss the ditch bag into the dinghy, JUST for those trips. It was easier than trying to figure out what we might need. We didn't do this often, but it was simple.

Yeah, I nearly always head off up-wind from my anchored vessel when there is shoreline in that direction. After some exploring, I often pull up the outboard and blow back using me oars to steer. One’d be surprised at how fast the dink moves down wind. If we wish to stop and “soak up some of the pristine world” I deploy the anchor. I like to see how fast it will set, and how well it will hold.

Which brings to mind trying to set an anchor from a boat that is on the move, especially an anchor w/o chain. Capta (post #4) mentioned having a Danforth. Fine anchors if they make it to the bottom and dig in. I don’t trust ‘em if trying to use them when the vessel is making drift way. I’ve heard more than one report of vessels being blown, no power, trying to set a Danforth but could not. The most famous recent example is of the vessel Ucontrollable Urge that lost its rudder during a race and blew ashore at San Clemente Island. The crew made several unsuccessful last ditch attempts to anchor the vessel using, I believe, Fortress, but if not, Danforth, anchors. Having lived around Tampa Bay we saw one or two examples of sailboats out of control in a thunderstorm trying unsuccessfully to anchor with the Danforth. (The boats had outboard auxiliaries.) Evidently, it “flies.” One of those boats actually blew into the mud shoals before stopping.

So as I noted above, I put my money on the 2.2# claw. It drops fast and sets fast, even if the dink is on the move. It stows better on the dink than a Danforth as it is more “compact”, has no moving parts, and lacks “pointy” tips.