I have an O'Day 22 and I'd like to know what type of small craft I should look into that is light enough to take with us? What do most of you do? Tow it? Or latch it aboard somewhere? Is an inflatable recommended?
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I have the same question, I was thinking of a cheap inflatable $300-400 from westmarine and tow when cruising, any other ideas?
Kind of expensive but I really like the Folbot kayaks. Beauty is that they will go in a locker. Downside is the assembly/disassembly time. Still thinking but would be great for exploring back in the creeks. And I need a way to exercise when sailing.
http://www.folbot.com/kayaks/
We still have three of the original rigid Folbots that we built in the 1970's. They were fast, nearly indestructible, but a little on the heavy side.
http://www.folbot.com/kayaks/
We still have three of the original rigid Folbots that we built in the 1970's. They were fast, nearly indestructible, but a little on the heavy side.
The best solution is a small kayak. I have one that is 9'2" long and weighs 38 lbs. It fits in the bed of my pickup truck under the cap and I leave it in there all year round. I used it last week on one of those mild days we had.
I have a 1/4" X 15' braid line attached to the bow of the kayak and this is the secret to getting in and out of the kayak either from a dock or your boat. You only need to pass the line behind the first lifeline rail and pull the slack out and tie it to your Gennie winch or a cleat. As long as you can hold on to your boat and keep the kayak close to the hull or a dock, you shouldn't have a problem getting in or out of the kayak. I usually pull up to my sailboat on the Port side, tie off, grab on to my stern rail with my left hand, place my right forearm in the center of the back of the kayak, and twist around and come up with my knee in the seat of the kayak. There are other ways, but this way works for me.
The kayak will tow behind the boat a lot better than a rubber inflatable and it won't slow you down. You may experience a problem towing the kayak while going down wind when the wind and seas are kicking up. The kayak has a tendency to turn sideways and capsize while you're on a run if you have wind and waves building up. The only solution is to bring the kayak right up along side of the sloop. You can insert a fender between the hulls.
My Aqua-Terra Keowii Kayak has a detachable child's seat and it works out great for getting my 40 lbs Pit Bull/ Greyhound dog Penelope to and from the boat.
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A good, old-fashioned 8' to 9' dinghy would be my choice. There are plenty out there, used. Price may be very close if not less than the cost of a kayak, and the dinghy will be a lot more stable than a kayak plus will carry more weight. I'd tow the dinghy if I was planning to go ashore on my trip, or would be overnighting in a harbor that I might want to explore small-boat style (or if you have kids who could enjoy rowing/sailing/motoring the dinghy). Towing a typical fberglass or plywood dink will maybe cut less than a knot off your top speed. We towed an 8' ELI LAMINATES "Scout 8" behind out old CAL 21 and she handled it fine. Ours was the sailing model, if you do get a sailing dinghy be sure there is a plug for the daggerboard slot to prevent water from sloshing in while rowing/motoring or while towing.
I now use that dinghy for my DS II and she works well, although I haven't tried towing the dink yet (don't really need to with a centerboard boat, draft is less than 12" with CB up).
The WALKER BAY dinghies are pretty good, they also have rigid-hull inflatables (really just an inflatable collar around one of their standard dinghies). A soft-bottom inflatable will not work well for towing (too much drag, and prone to flip over) not do they row well, so an outboard is usual propulsion.
I now use that dinghy for my DS II and she works well, although I haven't tried towing the dink yet (don't really need to with a centerboard boat, draft is less than 12" with CB up).
The WALKER BAY dinghies are pretty good, they also have rigid-hull inflatables (really just an inflatable collar around one of their standard dinghies). A soft-bottom inflatable will not work well for towing (too much drag, and prone to flip over) not do they row well, so an outboard is usual propulsion.
If you don't have access to a dock for loading gear and guests, you're better off getting a dinghy or an inflatable. On the other hand, if you do have access to a dock and most clubs have a live 20 minute tie up time, the kayak is the way to go. A small kayak towed behind your boat will have a whole lot less effect on your speed than a dinghy or an inflatable. It's really a trade off. Years ago when we sailed to Martha's Vineyard, I carried a toy three man inflatable on board and I tried towing it. It cut my speed down drastically and I had to deflate it each time we set sail to a new location on the Cape.
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