Hard Dinghy

[william24424]

I bought a Fatty Knees from local (Cape Cod) builder David Foynes, it's a stable designed, rowing & sailing 9' heavy built dinghy. Last week I rowed it around my brothers secret spot we filled up a 5 gallon bucket with bay scallops. The inflatable and sailboat are put away until May, but I'm going to keep using this like Sir Earnest Shackleton and the James Caird.....ok....feel free to comment, post a photo of your dinghy, or just enjoy the view.

 

[druid]

Once you row a decent rowing skiff you'll never go back an inflatable! I have a 9ft rowing/sailing dinghy I call "Julie" (from "la Jolie Bateau" cuz it's basically a bateauboats.com design). I use it for fishing and rowing around lakes as well as currently the dinghy for Wind Drift (until I get around to building a "hard inflatable"...). I've blown past quite a few inflatables on that boat...
When I added a sail, it was blowing 10-15 on Cultus Lake and a guy in a powerboat came alongside and said "you got an engine in that thing???"

druid

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

View attachment 119593 View attachment 119594 Once you row a decent rowing skiff you'll never go back an inflatable!
druid

Depends on usage. I've had both. If you are cruising, the inflatable, with small outboard, is WAY better. In many anchorages, it's a LONG row to a dock from the anchored boat.

Having said that, I now tow a hard dink, cause that's what I have. Horses for courses, so to speak

 

[THECUSCUS]

A friend designed this little gem, and we built 2 of them to tow behind our Macgregors. It is extremely stable, you can stand almost anywhere in it without capsizing her, which makes it easy to climb in and out of.

 

[Ken Cross]

We've got an older Avon inflatable. I also have an old 8' Livingston. I'm thinking of trying the Livingston next summer. I have 2hp Honda to push them around. The issue is the Admiral's knees make it hard for her to get up and down in the low inflatable.
Ken

 

[pateco]

Here is mine. I don't know who made it, but it is really similar to the one from West marine, but not exact. I got it with the 1953 Evinrude 3 at a yard sale for $100. Getting ready to rebuild the carb on the outboard as it has a leak at the float bowl.

 

[druid]

Depends on usage. I've had both. If you are cruising, the inflatable, with small outboard, is WAY better. In many anchorages, it's a LONG row to a dock from the anchored boat.

Yeah but rowing a nice dinghy is SO much more fun! (and better exercise). If I have to "motor" I use an electric trolling motor: silent, no smell, no gas to store... and if I charge the battery from the solar panel, it's pretty "green". It is fun to sneak up on folks with the electric, but not as much fun as rowing (or even better, sailing! Ever tried to sail an inflatable? )

druid

 

[MrBill_FLL]

View attachment 119604 View attachment 119603 A friend designed this little gem, and we built 2 of them to tow behind our Macgregors. It is extremely stable, you can stand almost anywhere in it without capsizing her, which makes it easy to climb in and out of.

why do you have 2 sets of oar locks?

I like the design. any flotation?

 

[Daveinet]

Time to go on Ebay and get yourself a 86 lbs thrust trolling motor. They were down to 100 bucks, but now back up to 144 bucks. Still not a bad deal. Mine pushes my 24 ft sailboat just fine, so no doubt would push the dingy great.

 

[Ken Cross]

If you are going electric in salt water, make sure the motor is built for the salt.
Ken

 

[druid]

If you are going electric in salt water, make sure the motor is built for the salt.
Ken

Mine wasn't - still going strong after 10 years of abuse (some of the paint flaked off and I sprayed on more)

druid

 

[william24424]

Dual oar locks are for speed mode or provision mode, if you need more room for stuff.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Here's why you need two sets of rowlocks That's a 6'6''dinghy, me rowing and my passenger weighs around 250

 

[THECUSCUS]

Two sets of oar locks, for two rowing positions. One for just one person and the other if you have a passenger, so you don't keep hitting them. The bow and stern have watertight compartments, which provide enough buoyancy to keep her from sinking.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

One point- in many states (Texas is one, Florida also) there is no registration requirement on a rowing dink, and there is if you put ANY kind of power on it, gas or electric. With an inflatable, I just accepted that. NOT putting an electric on my dinghy, just because don't want to pay the state

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Two sets of oar locks, for two rowing positions. One for just one person and the other if you have a passenger, so you don't keep hitting them. The bow and stern have watertight compartments, which provide enough buoyancy to keep her from sinking.

Sorry, but the watertight compartments do nothing to keep her from sinking, until the gunnels go under. They don't come into play til the boat is full of water.

The two sets of row locks are so you can balance the boat with varying loads

 

[pateco]

I have a quick question. My dinghy has never been titled or registered. Florida does not require it for un-powered vessels less than 16 feet. However, now that I am putting an engine on her, FL requires registration. How would I go about getting FL Registration with no previous documentation. both boat and engine were purchased years ago at random yard sales cash without bill of sale.

 

[Siamese]

Sorry, but the watertight compartments do nothing to keep her from sinking, until the gunnels go under. They don't come into play til the boat is full of water.

The two sets of row locks are so you can balance the boat with varying loads

Bobbing around full of water at the surface is not sinking. Lying on the bottom is sinking.

 

[pateco]

Newer picture of her with the 1973 Evinrude Fisherman 6hp.

 

[Sailm8]

I tried to find some info on the Florida Dept of Revenue website but it does not address your issue other than you seem to need a titleand bill of sale. It does imply that they might be able to gin one up if the boat has a hin number. You might also try telling them it is home built and you need to title it. (That might be dicey since it's not really true) I would guess that you will have very little trouble since you want to give them money. Florida is very receptive to money.