Advice on what tender (row boat?)

[ProDave]

I don't normally need a tender as our boat lives in a harbour.

But last weekend we went on a club outing and anchored in a nice bay for lunch. One of the club rib's was there to ferry us ashore.

But this has whetted our appetite for doing this sort of thing solo.

So at the moment if we anchor, we have no way to get ashore.

So I'm thinking of getting some form of tender to facilitate this. Question, what to get.

We only have an 18ft boat, so I can't see where to keep a tender on the boat. I don't want the faff of inflating and deflating an inflatable each time.

So I'm thinking along the lines of a small rigid rowing boat and towing it behind. I want to row, I don't want the complication of a second outboard, or transferring the main outboard to a tender.

So questions:

What sort of size row boat would I need for 2 adults and a child? Better to size that for 3 adults to allow some gear as well.

Storage is not an issue, I should be able to keep it in the dinghy park at the club, and bring it home for winter.

Is towing a row boat with an 18 ft sailing boat feasible or am I just being silly?

And what about the practicalities of towing? I'm thinking my only motor is an outboard, so towing under motor seems a little risky. What precautions, like should I use a floating tow line to keep it out of the prop?

How long should the tow line be?

 

[prv]

It is a tricky one. The smaller your boat the harder it is to manage a tender that's big enough to be useful. If you're determined to have a rigid tender then the choice is probably between 6 feet and 8 feet. Not sure I'd want to take three in a 6-footer.

Towing will slow you down (less so with a decent rigid than an inflatable though). Couldn't guess how much of an effect this will have on your little boat.

As long as you're going forward there should be no trouble with the rope in the prop. For maneouvering, you can pull the dinghy up very close so there's no slack rope, or indeed switch it to a bow cleat and tow alongside.

Pete

 

[VicS]

This is mine.



It made from two sheets of WBP ply so a bit less than 8ft.

Light enough to pick up and carry. Big enough for 2 adults but not for 3.

I have towed it behind a Sea Wych.

I normally use a Seagull Featherweight but it can be rowed from either of 2 positions.

For the use you describe my preference is an inflatable.
BUT
It is difficult to find the right sort of thing now. I used to have an old Achilles ( actually its still in the cockpit locker but I doubt if it is serviceable) I bought a 2.4m Avon Typhoon but it is too heavy and too big to stow anywhere sensible on board.

Before you dismiss the inflatable idea take a look at the Intex range, at least the "Excursion" and "Seahawk" ones.
A far cry from Avons and other well known brands of "proper" inflatable boats, but a bit better than "beach toys".

http://www.outdoorleisuredirect.co.uk/products.php?category=144

 

[Seajet]

Towing a dinghy will crucify your speed; I'm not talking as a racing nut, I'm talking about going anywhere !

The Frolic hasn't got the weight to tow a decent dinghy, also in any waves you'd have the worry of the tender getting swamped or overturned.

It may be OK for short, sheltered trips inside a harbour but that's it.

Tenders are hassle, full stop, but very useful and of course may become Plan B if something nasty happens to the cruiser.

The type of inflatable to go for is a 'round tail', whatever you do avoid the common solid transom type at all costs, they're MUCH bigger to stow; I can stow a round tail under the cockpit of my 22', but not a solid transom job.

Plastimo do a lightweight round tail inflatable, would probably fit rolled up under the boom just behind the mast or on the foredeck, well lashed down, or carried inside say in the forepeak and moved to the cockpit overnight.

An LVM high-speed inflator takes a lot of the hassle out of it; beware these must be clipped directly to the battery as the current draw will melt normal wiring to 12v sockets etc; it will also deflate the boat and make it smaller to stow.

 

[prv]

Plastimo do a lightweight round tail inflatable

They do, but if it's the 1.8m one I'm thinking of, I wouldn't want to put more than one person in it, let alone three. My dad bought one for KS; we've never used it and I bought a proper sized dinghy earlier this year.

Pete

 

[Seajet]

No, I wouldn't bother with something that size, I thought there was one around 2.2m ? Thought it was Plastimo...

 

[aquaplane]

Both with our First 18 and the current 20' Copland Harrier I always stow the inflatable under the cockpit sole. I have a Bombard AX2.
It's a pain to tow and slows us down, half a knot when you are only doing 3 or 4 makes a hell of a difference.
The Bombard is a solid transom and slatted floor type. Both boats were too small to have an extra outboard stowed so I always row. The Bombard rows pants, especially since I removed the slats when they cracked and broke.
I'm thinking about replacing it with another inflatable, probably about the same size as it's big enough to get 2 ashore, 3 if they are light and it's calm, and still small enough to stow.
Much bigger to give increased capacity and it will not fit under the cockpit. Towing isn't an option.

 

[gull1066]

Tender

Hi VicS,

Very nice little tender. Do you have any plan for it? wouldnt mind try to make one myself.

John

 

[2700]

I am in the process of building a rigid dinghy at the moment for getting to and from the mooring. As others have said I don't see myself towing it very often if ever because the nuisance value would outweigh the benefits. Also the cost of building is quite high certainly greater than the cost of a inflatable.

Video if the build is here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSBVExjNJaE&feature=channel_video_title

Plans for it are here

http://www.bateau2.com/free/D5_free_m.PDF

 

[vyv_cox]

Have you considered a folding dinghy? Google those words for plenty of ideas, including building one, but Porta-bote is perhaps best known. I've never used one but my late ex-boss swore by his.

 

[exfinnsailor]

What about one of these

Just TOW the sailing boat

Available from DRUG-RUNNERS-ARE-US.COM

or in this case

The POLICE and COAST GUARD minus the 3 tons of drugs .....

 

[VicS]

Hi VicS,

Very nice little tender. Do you have any plan for it? wouldnt mind try to make one myself.

John

No No plans. Home designed and home built. Inspired by a Holt design that was around in the mid/late 70s. The "Jack Sprat"

The link in 2700's post looks like it'll produce something very similar. Rather more boxy looking but probably more stable. (I capsized mine last year)

 

[ProDave]

Thanks for all the replies.

Well that's rather knocked that idea on the head then. Yes I can see the issue with a row boat capsizing and can see it's not such a clever idea.

The thing I was trying to avoid with an inflatable was having the palava of inflating / deflating each time, particularly if the pump is heavy on battery power as I have no engine charging and just a solar panel that seems to be keeping up with the power needed for the VHF, GPS and depth sounder. But additional heavy drain for inflating a tender might force me to take it ashore for charging.

Is there any half way house? an inflatable that can be partly deflated? I'm thinking along the lines ot the main two tubes remaining up, and the transom tube and floor tubes being deflated. That might allow it into the cabin and into the forepeak. Or am I talking nonsense again.

I'll take a tape measure to the boat next time, but I really can't think on my little boat there is anywhere to transport an inflated inflatable.

The motivation for wanting a means to get ashore from an anchorage is we have been having issues with my 5 year old daughter not wanting to come on the boat. But as soon as she heard about the club trip and anchoring and going ashore she was really keen, and she by all accounts loved the day on the boat. We were out for about 8 hours in total. So finding a means to go ashore from an anchorage will provide more variety and interest.

 

[aquaplane]

I managed to stow ours under the cockpit here:



and that was before I scrapped the floor slats, it rolls up smaller now but rows worse than it did.

 

[Jamesuk]

A small inflatable dinghy would be most user friendly. Fold up inflatable. Pop it in the car when done.

OR

A wooden Dinghy like you get at yacht clubs problem is they sink when raining. They are also best for Rowing Rubber inflatables are the worst on earth.

A small inflatable would be the best you can get electric pump connected to one of those emergency car charging batteries.

Cheers

 

[Tranona]

For as long as I can remember we have used an Avon Redcrest round tail starting on a Seawych and now on a 37 footer. Really cannot beat them. Not very good to row or motor compared with a rigid transom (which we also have), but easy to stow and inflate and capable of carrying two adults and two children safely. The slightly smaller version, the Redstart is fine for two adults plus gear. However only really available now secondhand and tend to command high prices - but will last literally a lifetime. My current one was made in 1978 and has had one modest overhaul (nothing serious) in that time.

Nearest equivalent now are the basic 2.3m roundtails from people like Waveco, Waveline, Seago etc. Most of them have fore and aft divided tubes so can be half deflated and stowed on the coachroof. The Plastimo 1.8 is just too small to be of any serious use as a tender, although much better than the beach toy types.

 

[VicS]

For as long as I can remember we have used an Avon Redcrest round tail starting on a Seawych

Where on earth did you stow a Redcrest on a Sea Wych?

 

[RobF]

I've got a porta-bote that came with my 20foot trailer sailor. It's a lovely dinghy and looks very pretty in varnished plywood. It stows nicely on the port bow, but is a bit difficult to assemble in the cockpit. Would just about accommodate 2 adults + a child if you put the inflatable collar onto it.

Will be selling it shortly (to be replaced by an inflatable canoe) so let me know if you're interested (and apologies for the slight thread hijack).

Rob

 

[alahol2]

I think I would agree with the Avon Redstart idea. We have had one since we started in a Vivacity 20. They are certainly one of the smallest inflatables when rolled. Mine is still in the loft and gets put into service every few years. It really doesn't take that long to blow up with a foot pump, I think everyone must have become right wooses to need an electric pump.
We have had 2 adults and 2 kids in the Redstart as long as the water is calm. I think you are dead right about your youngster needing to go ashore, 8 hours on a small boat used to drive our kids to distraction. You also need the dinghy to teach them how to row.

 

[V1701]

Another vote for Avon Redcrest (or Redstart if big enough). I bought my Redcrest for £260 on ebay, it's in very good condition and will last a lot longer than a cheapy. Also folds smaller and inflates quicker. Here it is folded and stowed just in front of the mast...