Show us your dinghy

[Hermit Scott]

Most of us have pics of our sailboats. But I rarely see pictures of dinghies.
I was just wondering what everyone uses when cruising or on the hook.
Please post a pic.
I would like to set the example but alas I am dinghyless.

 

[sailingdog]

I don't have photos of my dinghies specifically, but the two I use are:

Achilles LS2-RU

Porta-Bote 12' 6"

The smaller inflatable is used when I have to go in and out of marina slips, mainly daysailing... the larger is used when I'm travelling longer distances or in areas which might damage the inflatable.

 

[Maine Sail]

An AB 8VL RIB

And a Whitehall sailing dinghy which we just bought this fall.

And a Walker Bay (I don't recommend these as a safe dinghy). I mostly let my neighbors use it.

We will still use the inflatable 95% of the time and the sailing dink is mostly for sailing around harbors and anchorages when we get there.

 

[sailingdog]

And a Walker Bay (I don't recommend these as a safe dinghy). I mostly let my neighbors use it.

Don't like your neighbors much, huh??

 

[cbsailor]

You're right, we don't have many pics of the dink. Did find one complete with crew.

 

[Tim R.]

Previous tender was a 196? Cape Dory 10 sailing dinghy. Towed great rowed and sailed very nicely. I then moved to a Mercury 290 rib that makes it so much easier to load the dog for shore trips. I still have the CD10 and love to sail it. I may do a complete restoration on it this winter.

Note the waterline inside the rib. That was after bailing about half of Hanna's deposits while holed up in Bucks Harbor.

 

[Phil9039]

The pic with the bonfire is at Battle Island on Lake Superior's north shore.
The other pic is Sinclair Cove on Lake Superior about 45 miles north of Sault Ste Marie. We tow it all the time about two waves back. Last summer was a test- 5' following seas and 30 mph winds. The Dinghy is like a cork on a string. It will surf behind and out to the side of us and it has only ramed us once. Makes quite a thud.

 

[Rick I]

Here's mine and my friends'. AB, Caribe, AB, Caribe all with 15hp Yamaha 2 strokes.

 

[tcbro]

Child's Play

I built her in my garage from a kit made by Chesapeake Light Craft www.clcboats.com The kit was precut from okume (mahogany) plywood and required final fitting adjustments, assembly and, of course, finishing. I have about 50 hours of build time and almost as much in finishing. She is 7'9" loa and weighs about 56lbs. I can easily handle her by myself, I carry her on my back like a turtle shell. She rows and tows like a dream. There is a sailing kit option that I have not yet completed. She is 6 years old now and is still in great shape. I love wooden boats but do not have the time for a 33' one, this is my concession. Yes, there's some sanding and varnishing in the spring but it's worth it to me. She attracts attention and get compliments where ever we go. Chesapeake Light Craft is in Annapolis and offers a variety of kits or materials and plans. The kit was complete and the build instructions were very clear (or became clear when you reached that particular part of the build). They are available by email or phone for help during construction. I only had to email a question or 2 during the build but they were incredibly supportive with some issues I had with the state when I decided to register it so I could put a small outboard on it. I usually row it, the outboard has only been on her twice.

I'd like to build a new dink from scratch, slightly larger than this one. I thought I could entice CharlieCobra to buy this one. She would be the perfect compliment to his beautiful yawl. Are you listening Charlie???

 

[Tom S]

My Inflatable (Paneled Floor Westmarine Zodiac with 5hp Merc) and an Eastport Pram - my home built wood sailing dinghy (I 2nd 'tcbro' feelings on this dinghy).

Notice the Pirate theme "Arghhhhhhh":hijacked:

 

[Bob V]

My dinghy is a Gig Harbor Boatworks Whitehall (14 ft long). I was only interested in a boat to sail off the dock but the builder talked me into ordering the sliding seat rowboat option. We added the electric motor and a couple of Optima batteries a couple of years later after we had gotten hooked on taking it with us when we cruise We started towing it behind our 30 ft Hunter, then a Catalina 350 and finally (I think) a Catalina 42 MkII.

It went nameless until we added the electric motor. As I was taking the motorboat out for her shakedown cruise she spoke her name to me. Clear as a bell the old tounge-twister "toyboattoyboattoyboat" came into my brain and I couldn't shake it. I've gotten better a pronouncing her name up to speed over the years but it does sound strange on the radio if the mothership hails me with "toyboattoyboattoyboat, toyboattoyboattoyboat, toyboattoyboattoyboat, Lucy hailing.

 

[Rick D]

Strictly Utility

Our little Watertender (LeisureLife) is nothing to look at but has been dragged all over SoCal for ten years and she just keeps delivering the goods. She has a little 3.5 HP Merc (Tohatsu) that pushes her just fine and is plently light enough to move around. We had cushions made for her which cost more than the boat but were a good investment. I swore off inflatables after having the third PVC one start losing her seams. We still have an inflatable, but she stays rolled up in the garage for all but one or two times a year. The nice thing about this little plastic boat is that I can beach her on a rocky beach without worry to take the dog out, I don't worry about her tied next to the work boats at the dinghy dock and she takes about two minutes to rig for towing. Only down side is that she'll only handle three (big) adults. I have had four but the freeboard gets a bit low for comfort.

 

[Hermit Scott]

Rick D, Will your leisurelife get up on plane with the 3.5 hp? I think I would like one like you have. I weigh 140 my wife weighs 105 and my dog weighs 15.
There is a sportyak for sale in my area pretty cheap. It appears similar to yours. I think 8'.
I read on another forum you can stand on the gunwales and it won't tip. I will be towing it at first, but I plan on building divits and a better more permanent bimini frame that is all one piece. After I get a solid model drafted I will post it.
The inflatable ribs look pretty cool, but I like the idea of buying something I don't have to worry about. I can just see my dog sticking a claw through a tube.
Actually I guess I do have a dinghy. I cansidered it too big to be tender for my sailboat though. IT's a hand made, probably from a kit, 10' wood sailboat with a gaff rig I believe it's called. I will find a pic and post it in a minute.

 

[ITMaster]

Sure Thing

Here are a couple of my favorite friends and the dink. We were out headed to this sand bar just enjoying the afternoon and each others company Life is good, until it gets better
310 Zodiac with a WM label on it, 4 horse 4 stroke Merc.

My Walker Bay does what Maine Sail's does also, hang out upside down in the yard for someone else to use and flip over in. The only good thing about it is that it won't sink, no matter how much water you put in it.

 

[shemandr]

Here's our "Pup" helping to take out the trash at Essex Island Marina. She rows, she tows and she's been trying to escape to the south seas for years.

 

[Hermit Scott]

dinghy

This is a 10' boat. It seams too heavy for me to handle it alone on my sailboat. IT's probably 200 lbs. I want one under 100.

 

[Tom23352]

We Like

our Walker Bay 8 with the tube kit and a 3 hp o/b or oars.

 

[Rick D]

Hermit: no, it won't plane with the 3.5. It probably needs a 5. I think I got it up once, but it won't sustain it. It is really nice to just keep in the slip with no worries. I have bottom paint on it, but my diver started cleaning the bottom, so I don't bother with that anymore. Cheap and durable. I can stand on the bow or on the side, but not actually on the gunnel itself. It's still comparatively cheap. Here is the URL to the West Marine site. Boatersworld also carries it:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...true&storeNum=5005&subdeptNum=10&classNum=854

 

[RobG]

Funny, I never tried to take a pic of it

So this is one where it got in the shot, sort of..
It's a Mercury hypalon slat floor with a Honda BF2 ob.

 

[Swandriver]

West Marine Zodiac RU3

I use a West Marine Zodiac Roll Up (RU) 3. It is 7'10" in length, 4'11" beam, 75 pounds with a capacity of 552 lbs and three adults.

It handles well in waves and surf and beaches like a charm. I sport a 2.5 hp Mercury (27.5 lbs) that can push the dink up to 5kts.

Inflates in a couple of minutes with an air pump and under 10 minutes with a foot pump.

Tows well with or without engine attached and in calm and wavy seas.

Good boat.