The Ultimate Dinghy
First, thank you all for your ideas and input. I hope more dribble in as
people get to places where they can hook up. For me, the list has added
some valuable necessary capabilities that escaped my thinking. And, as I
expected, many people have conflicting requirements that cannot be resolved
in one design. Many also jumped directly to solutions. As I said at the
start, I have not seen a single solution that really addresses all my core
needs and constraints.
Constraints:
* Maximum LOA 12 feet
* Maximum boat weight 160 lbs
* Only one dinghy, not multiple
That is all we and Jenny can handle. I have not seen or been on any 11-12
ft inflatable that keeps its cargo dry in the choppy conditions that are
common in anchorages. That seems to be an unsolvable problem. The biggest
challenge to hard dinghies is meeting capability #1 - do no harm to the
mother ship. That seems to me to be a solvable problem. At the top of my
Off-The-Shelf solutions is the Portland Pudgy. However it is too small, and
in spite of repeated requests over the years, the manufacturer does not seem
to have any intent on building an 11-12 ft one. So, it is not an option.
I also have come to realize there is a tradeoff between boat weight and
motor weight. Our current dinghy is 85 kg and our motor is 85 kg. I find
that very light boats are uncomfortable and the wettest. They tip and flip
easily. So, this time I am changing the balance to keep the boat weight,
but drastically drop the motor weight.
That all said, does anyone have an off-the-shelf solution that addresses my
needs?
Thanks again.
David A Schramm
M/V Jenny
Current Location (blue pin)
Jenny Journey Log
For some reason most seem to have higher horsepower motors and dingy's that
fill every potential requirement. Let's look at an "Old saw" the "80/20
rule". What I am about not say is not meant to brag about experience but to
state a reasonable position. I am now 70 years of age and have operated
dinghy's since I was 10. I have operated my own trawler from Greenland
to Alaska by Canal and back by the Horn. The tropics to the Arctic; anchored
in and out; deep and shallow; calm and not so; and never felt the need of
more than an 11' dinghy with no more than a 9.9 2cycle motor. Well, a couple
of times when I wanted to get away from a couple of loud neighbors or get to
a good "watering Hole" it would have been nice. More than 10' to 12' they
get heavy; more than 10hp they get heavy and 4 cycle really heavy per hp.
Now at 30 years not a problem dragging ashore or putting aboard but at 70
and a few to many watering holes these are factors to contend with. As far
as keeping dry - for Pete's sake we are on the water and it blows, rains,
snows and all hell can break loose when least expected that's why we all
carry foul weather gear and dry bags. Also why I like RIB's but understand
why others might not. The one dinghy I got rid of very quickly when I owned
a 49 Grand Banks was the Boston Whaler, fast yes but a real kidney killer
and frankly difficult to get in and out of with aging knees. I don't plan to
cut it in half and return to harbor on the remaining half that floats, as
one sees in the commercials, so I went to the RIB. God Bless - Ross 10&2
On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 8:14 AM, David Schramm David@schramm-family.netwrote:
First, thank you all for your ideas and input. I hope more dribble in as
people get to places where they can hook up. For me, the list has added
some valuable necessary capabilities that escaped my thinking. And, as I
expected, many people have conflicting requirements that cannot be resolved
in one design. Many also jumped directly to solutions. As I said at the
start, I have not seen a single solution that really addresses all my core
needs and constraints.
Constraints:
* Maximum LOA 12 feet
* Maximum boat weight 160 lbs
* Only one dinghy, not multiple
That is all we and Jenny can handle. I have not seen or been on any 11-12
ft inflatable that keeps its cargo dry in the choppy conditions that are
common in anchorages. That seems to be an unsolvable problem. The biggest
challenge to hard dinghies is meeting capability #1 - do no harm to the
mother ship. That seems to me to be a solvable problem. At the top of my
Off-The-Shelf solutions is the Portland Pudgy. However it is too small,
and
in spite of repeated requests over the years, the manufacturer does not
seem
to have any intent on building an 11-12 ft one. So, it is not an option.
I also have come to realize there is a tradeoff between boat weight and
motor weight. Our current dinghy is 85 kg and our motor is 85 kg. I find
that very light boats are uncomfortable and the wettest. They tip and flip
easily. So, this time I am changing the balance to keep the boat weight,
but drastically drop the motor weight.
That all said, does anyone have an off-the-shelf solution that addresses my
needs?
Thanks again.
David A Schramm
M/V Jenny
Current Location (blue pin)
Jenny Journey Log
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You can reduce the potential for damage from hard sided dinks by using a row of fenders mounted horizontally, see the photos at the bottom of:
http://www.setsail.com/s_logs/dashew/dashew318.html Also note the forward boarding railing.
Alternatively, you you could use a smaller solid rubber surround if wanted to keep the distance between boat and dinghy interior down.
A Linvingston 12 is 160 lbs, or you can get more freeboard for a extra weight.
http://www.chesapeakelivingstonsales.com/12c12t.html
if you wanted a little spray protection, you could add hand rails like on the 14 (http://www.chesapeakelivingstonsales.com/14.html) and add some canvas under the rails to block the spray.
I have seen ribs with a much sharper & higher entry to the hull that would keep spray down, but can't find a link just now. I'd imagine they'd be bigger / heavier than you are looking for unless you had one custom made.
Mark
Mark Long
Marina del Rey, CA