11ft C-Craft by Dunlop

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Seaduck

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Hi

I have lived on the Medway since 1989 and have been pootleing around in dinghies ever since I was 5...

I've been given a dark grey, 11ft inflatable dinghy for FREE :eek:,

The bag with the wooden floor boards says 'C-Craft 11foot' and the dinghy itself is labeled 'C-Craft by Dunlop'

Apart from the missing rubbing strip and lack of thwart it appears intact and leak free... I have no idea of age or construction.

Does any one have experience with these dinghies?

I know they're no longer made, but how old is it?

Is it Hypalon or PVC?

The transom is made from two layers of varnished ply bolted together (my Suzumar is bonded) :confused: is this normal or has it been modified?

Thanks in advance for any information

Neal
 
I know this well - my (my Dad's) first boat was the 12'6" version and it got me/us into boats

Made by Dunlop at their C Craft factory near Wigan. Made between about 1970 and 1975. Good quality. The transom (2 layers) sounds original. I vaguely remeber Dunlop did something clever by clamping a rubber leaf in the gap, to help with the job of attaching transom to boat, but I don't remember well and could be wrong. The two-layers is definitely an original feature. Trnasom probably has a hardwood wedge on it as well? Transom and floor were marine ply, somewhat dark woodstain, gloss varnished.

You should have two long triangle section battens, like toblerones, to lock the edges of the floor. You have to insert these before fully inflating the tubes. When you fully inflate, they lock in. Good system

I seem to remeber it was hypalon, or at least the 1970s version of hypalon. The name "hypalon" existed then (DuPont product iirc) and top inflatables including Avon used it. C Crafts were not pvc and of course Dunlop's engineers were for heritage reasons very into rubber rather than pvc (oooer!)

Post some pics if you can
 
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Cheers... I'll post pictures if I can find my camera. Our house boat is only 58foot long so it can't have gone far :rolleyes:

I need find a pump aswell :o
Although the previous owner did say it holds air, asking for proof seemed a bit cherlish seeing as she was giving it away :cool:

Do you rekon it'll be able to handle my old 9.9 Evinrude Sport Twin, I think its the same age as the boat :D

Neal
 
Seaduck said:
Cheers... I'll post pictures if I can find my camera. Our house boat is only 58foot long so it can't have gone far :rolleyes:

I need find a pump aswell :o
Although the previous owner did say it holds air, asking for proof seemed a bit cherlish seeing as she was giving it away :cool:

Do you rekon it'll be able to handle my old 9.9 Evinrude Sport Twin, I think its the same age as the boat :D

Neal
Click to expand...

Does it not have a plate with max hp etc? Should imagin something that size with solid floor would be capable of 9.9 no probs
 
Yep, I've got the floor boards and the triangular runner 'toblerones' all in their original C-Craft marked heavy canvas bags

My Suzumar goes: partially inflate tubes, tuck the air floor in, 3/4 inflate the floor, fully inflate tubes, fully inflate floor and leave the keel till last

Is it similar for this C-Craft? ie; Partially inflate it, put the floor in, put the toblerones on top of the floor under the tubes and then fully inflate it? leaving the keel till last?

Neal
 
Seaduck said:
C-Craft marked heavy canvas bags

Is it similar for this C-Craft? ie; Partially inflate it, put the floor in, put the toblerones on top of the floor under the tubes and then fully inflate it? leaving the keel till last?

Neal
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Exactly, 100% correct. Getting the toblerones in is quite a job. It's best to swear quite a lot and use talc to lube them. Also the floorboards can be tight lengthwise. You need to take the 2nd and 3rd from transom and insert them as a V, like a house roof. Then push down on the apex to flatten them and stretch the boat lengthways. Again, talc helps. Then put the toblerones in

The bags should be lime green canvas if they're proper original
 
jfm said:
Exactly, 100% correct. Getting the toblerones in is quite a job. It's best to swear quite a lot and use talc to lube them. Also the floorboards can be tight lengthwise. You need to take the 2nd and 3rd from transom and insert them as a V, like a house roof. Then push down on the apex to flatten them and stretch the boat lengthways. Again, talc helps. Then put the toblerones in

The bags should be lime green canvas if they're proper original
Click to expand...

Great... glad I can get something right now and again ;) Swearing helps when fixing alot of things... like the Land Rover :)

Yes the bags are lime green with brass eyelet 'tie off's' around the openings, so it looks to be all original :D

A good clean should bring it back nicely :cool:

If only I could remember where I left that bleedin' air pump...:(

Neal
 
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Ah yes. The air pump fitting was a nice bayonet job that is long since obsolete. You need to find the pump. It was handmade by dunlop, in varnished plywood, much nicer than today's plastic stuff.

Else you will need to fit 3 new modern valves (use the 2 part neoprene glue), or an inflatable boat service shop can do it for you. But then it would no longer be a councours condition all original classic, which would be a little tragedy :D
 
I'm going to send it to inflatable boat specialist to get the seams checked and fit a new rubbing strip anyway.
The old one has been pealed off leaving the glue behind and I'm not even going to try getting that off as a DIY job :eek:
I'll get them fit new valves at the same time...

This 'free' boat is starting to cost money already... still better to spend a couple of hundred on sorting this one than slinging it and spending nearer a grand on a new one :cool:

Neal
 
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