Arcady
Well-Known Member
Precisely the sort of childhood memory I have too of old family boats. A decent shape helps both rowing and towing.
Aluminium dinghy
- Thread starter Arcady
- Start date
Precisely the sort of childhood memory I have too of old family boats. A decent shape helps both rowing and towing.
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
This is a lovely wee dinghy:
Our Dinghy
Has its limitations, though. Whilst I would really like to build something like that, it would be a squeeze for the three of us and I've become convinced that in some parts of the world it's highly desirable to have a fast planing dinghy.
Our Dinghy
Has its limitations, though. Whilst I would really like to build something like that, it would be a squeeze for the three of us and I've become convinced that in some parts of the world it's highly desirable to have a fast planing dinghy.
Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
Kelpie, the designers do have bigger versions of the Spindrift up to 12' long (although the largest nesting version is 11').
Spindrift | B&B Yacht Designs
You only 'need' a fast planing dinghy if you have to travel a very long distance regularly - even if you have to travel half a mile to the dock from your yacht at anchor off the beach, how much longer is it going to take if you are planing 'fast' at perhaps 15 knots, versus pootling 'slowly' at 4 knots?
The stereotypical tender for yachts out here in the Caribbean seems to be a small RHIB with an outboard - perhaps this is why they are very popular amongst dinghy thieves. The odds are that most aspiring thieves would prefer to nick a RHIB rather than a Spindrift as it would be easier to flog on later.
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
Hmmm now I'm coming round to the idea of a nesting dinghy... I was set on the idea of a RIB+10hp...
When you look at the price of proper Robbins boatbuilding ply, it makes you want to cry. So how about a composite panel instead?
When you look at the price of proper Robbins boatbuilding ply, it makes you want to cry. So how about a composite panel instead?
Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
Building a dinghy from composite panels instead of plywood is very sensible - no chance of it rotting.
I am in the process of building a two part nesting dinghy (it started a long time ago, I might even finish it one day) - rather than using plywood, I laid up fibreglass sheets on a 12' x 4' sheet of galvanised steel (used for making corrugated roofing panels - I bought it from the suppliers before they put the corrugations in).
These panels can be very thin - I used a couple of layers of standard CSM for mine, but next time around I would make them using one layer of stitched mat instead. You then cut out the shapes and stitch the panels together in the same fashion as with plywood construction.
And then overlaminate the joints. Maybe add additional fibreglass on the inside to build up any areas that need it.
By laying up on a steel sheet, the outer surface of the fibreglass sheet is nice and smooth, so minimal fairing required at the end.
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
Interesting option. I was looking in to various different composite panels such as Nidaplast or one of the high density foams. Hadn't considered just laying up something myself. How do you expect this to work out weight-wise, relative to ply?
Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
I am hoping that it will not be any heavier than a plywood boat, and hopefully lighter, as I am planning on building it to minimum scantlings, much less than what a 'conventional single skin fibreglass dinghy might be.
OK, I will need to treat it more carefully, but I can live with that.
By starting off with very thin panels to start with, then it should be possible to add foam strips as stiffeners as required underneath the next layer of fibreglass.
It also has two chines on each side, rather than one, hence the width of the panels is much less than with a single chine, and the panels are stiffer as a result.
It is a 2 part nesting dinghy, about 6' long nested, and a bit under 12' when bolted together, with pram shaped bow and stern sections.
Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
Re RHIB's with outboards being attractive to thieves - I just saw this post on the St Lucia Cruisers Group on FB. They say it is a public group, so hopefully everybody can see the post.
It is regarding a 13' aluminium hull AB RHIB with a 40 hp O/B motor and a centre helm console - it was chained to the Owner's yacht, but thieves came along last night, cut the chain and stole the dinghy.
www.facebook.com/groups/727887270663251/permalink/2631997030252256/
Usually the smaller RHIBs are more attractive to thieves, but all are at risk, as this post shows.
In contrast, the odds of having a nice rowing tender stolen should be much less, especially if there is no O/B motor on it.
It is regarding a 13' aluminium hull AB RHIB with a 40 hp O/B motor and a centre helm console - it was chained to the Owner's yacht, but thieves came along last night, cut the chain and stole the dinghy.
www.facebook.com/groups/727887270663251/permalink/2631997030252256/
Usually the smaller RHIBs are more attractive to thieves, but all are at risk, as this post shows.
In contrast, the odds of having a nice rowing tender stolen should be much less, especially if there is no O/B motor on it.