I have a S2 8.0c and am starting to look for a dinghy. I am new to sailing.
In my research, I came across a nesting dinghy. Does anyone have any thoughts, recommendations, or information I can use in regards to a nesting dinghy?
I also would appreciate any suggestions you might have for a dinghy for me.
I think I want a sailing dinghy that I can row or use a small motor if need be.
My plan is to sail the Great Lakes for a while and then head to Florida. There will be two of us sailing.
We towed one from Lake Champlain to the Bahamas behind a 28'er. In fact, we've done it twice and still tow our dinghy coastal sailing New England. We have a larger pram these days, a 9'6" Nutshell sailing/rowing dinghy. We love rowing and sailing that boat all through New England. We've liked prams for tenders because we've had to haul some large loads over the years with a family of 4.
This larger pram we've used for the last 18 years(I built it), can fit on deck of our 38'er, but I've never done it(not an easy thing). The coastal sailing we do, even with an occasional overnight across the Gulf of Maine, I feel confident I can get a safe weather forecast. After 25+ years of towing, that's been the case. But prams tow like corks, many vee bowed tenders would not behave as well.
Remember, that tender, be it a hard dinghy or inflatable, has to be safe and seaworthy. The dinghy that fits on deck for safety purposes, may in fact be dangerous if you need to overload it in order to use it.
Nesters are a great idea for deck stowage but I've been told actual use is not as easy as the concept sounds. But I don't have experience.
I would only say you can do what you're planning, even going down south, with a simple hard dinghy. We've been all through the Bahamas with one. Rowing is fun in the right boat.
I've seen some people wait until they have the right boat and all the "stuff" before they do what you're planning. Sometimes, it doesn't all come together, and they don't go. Our son sailing our dinghy in Cuttyhunk.
