And for my next trick....I will saw this dinghy in half!!

[melandnick]

Hah!!!!
Lakesailor, you got there before me

 

[Lakesailor]

I have almost been Lakesailored by the Original Poster. I don't think there are rules to cover this. Thankfully he acknowledged my post.

There could have been questions in The House!


BTW That is a seriously pretty dinghy. You'd better not mess it up

 

[melandnick]

Thanks Lakesailor
I should also explain that I bought my yacht "Borne" as a basket case and have done most of the work on her myself ( except where work, real paid work I mean, got in the way ). So cutting a small boat in half with a hand saw should be easy!
I will try to put some pics on Flickr tomorrow to show Borne during my ownership....
From wreck ( saved from being broken up and burnt ) to shell ( left the UK weighed down with wood and tools ) to house ( living on board in Canaries )....slowly degenerating back to wreck ( no time ) and now trying to get her back up to scratch again..........
Ahhh, the joys of a wooden boat!
Nick

 

[Euphonyx]

Euphonyx - yes I already have an inflatable...and a 12V speed pump.
Don't know if you have ever done any long term cruising abroad but inflatable dinghies are pretty much worse than useless in this scenario for so many reasons. Try rowing one in any wind, dragging one up on the rocks, laying an anchor with one, sailing one, individualising one so it doesn’t get nicked etc, etc....

Morgana – thanks, I will post some pics once I get the boat back home and start the operation!.

That answers my question then!.... My next silly question is: Is there any way that you can make a male/female join between the two sections? Make one section slot down into the other? I suppose the join would have to be very beefy but it would be sweet if you could do this without the need for full rise bulkheads. Perhaps you could even eliminate the need for bolts if the design tapered as they slotted in. Impossible???

 

[DownWest]

Ah, when the OP said 9ish ft, I assumed the 9ft6" version of Joel White´s Nutshell pram. Plans from Wooden Boat.
That one in the pic is lovely.
How about some ss over centre clamps, recessed into into the planks with blocks inside to allow for the recess?
A

 

[snowleopard]

The problem with stacking is that the back end of the bow section is the same width as the front end of the stern. Unless there is a wider part further aft in the stern section it won't go. If you do a scale plan ofthe hull shape you can test it by cutting at the planned point then see if you can fit the bow within the stern with enough room all round for hull thickness & rubbing strips.

To hold the sections together a thwart with two fore-and-aft vertical slotted boards underneath will fit over the two centre 'transoms'.

 

[electrosys]

If you can't easily figure out the best option of a male and female sliding gizmo and decide to go for bolts below the water line (numerous dinghies have centreboard bolts thus), I'd suggest a bloody big rubber washer between the two halves - say ex-wet suit - plus rubber washers either side of the joining bolts. Lorry/tractor inner-tube is good for making same.

 

[melandnick]

The problem with stacking is that the back end of the bow section is the same width as the front end of the stern. Unless there is a wider part further aft in the stern section it won't go. If you do a scale plan ofthe hull shape you can test it by cutting at the planned point then see if you can fit the bow within the stern with enough room all round for hull thickness & rubbing strips.

To hold the sections together a thwart with two fore-and-aft vertical slotted boards underneath will fit over the two centre 'transoms'.

Hi
Please note my original post.
I plan to split it 1/3 - 2/3 so that the bow is smaller and will fit in the stern.
Nick

 

[melandnick]

If you can't easily figure out the best option of a male and female sliding gizmo and decide to go for bolts below the water line (numerous dinghies have centreboard bolts thus), I'd suggest a bloody big rubber washer between the two halves - say ex-wet suit - plus rubber washers either side of the joining bolts. Lorry/tractor inner-tube is good for making same.

Thanks for that, makes sense though a couple of earlier posters have come up with perfect ideas for clamping together and this is the way I will be going.

 

[Salty John]

I've assembled a Danny Greene split dinghy in the water, while underway. Its quite easy because of the simple three bolt connection system. I wouldn't want any system that required accurate lining up if the intention is to assemble it in the water.

Actually, I wouldn't even consider a rigid dinghy for long term cruising. I did my first three year cruise with a rigid dinghy and my second with an inflatable. No contest to my mind, but different people have different priorities.

 

[melandnick]

Hi Salty John

Very good point, I will be joining them in the water so will make sure that the system I use lines itself up ( maybe the system suggested but with angled sides to it lines up as it slots together )

I used a camel trophy inflatable white water raft/canoe as a tender last time out and it was great.
It paddled perfectly with 1 or 2 on board and I have surfed it with 5 persons on.
Unfortunately it was nicked and I now have a 240 standard Plastimo inflatable and it is all but impossible to row in anything but perfect conditions and I can think of many occasions with 15knts + and wanting to get to shore.( no problems with the canoe but just not possible with a normal inflatable )
And yes, I do have an outboard ( and a back up ) but we know how reliable they can be.
So I like the idea of a hard boat.
I already have a walker bay 8 which fits onboard my yacht and would be perfect but.......I do have a thing for wood.
Nick

 

[snowleopard]

I decided I have to have a rigid rowable dinghy after losing the prop from my outboard and being unable to row 1/4 mile against a fresh breeze (thanks to the RNLI for saving my bacon).

 

[melandnick]

It really would make an interesting thread - hard v inflatable tenders.

I think at the end of the day it depends on so many things:

type of cruising ( we will be avoiding marinas so the dinghy becomes our lifeline with the outside world, we also want to be able to explore the shallows under sail )

Budget ( I would idealy love an Avon )

Space ( I would love to have a 3m rib with a 15hp outboard but just don’t have that kind of room )

strength ( we will be pulling the dinghy over rocks etc and my inflatable has been ripped up just pulling up a sand beach )

resistance to damage ( sun and other stuff )

stealability ( everyone gets an inflatable nicked at some point but who will steal a wooden boat painted and badged to match my yacht? )
etc...etc

 

[Bajansailor]

"It really would make an interesting thread - hard v inflatable tenders".

To save on arguments, and ensure that you are prepared for all (ok, most) eventualities, it could be prudent to have an inflatable dinghy as well as that lovely Nutshell tender - there will always be conditions and circumstances where one dinghy will be more suitable than the other.

And then you never need to worry about anybody being stranded on the yacht at anchor while the other tender is (eg) ashore (eg at the rum shop......)

 

[snowleopard]

it could be prudent to have an inflatable dinghy as well

There's something to be said for having a second dinghy left trailing astern of the boat while you are ashore in the other. It gives the impression someone is aboard so makes it less likely you will be burgled in your absence. Not so important here but a significant factor in the Caribbean.

 

[melandnick]

Good points Guys

I will of course have the inflatable down below as a back up.
Have always been a firm believer in having two of everything and always have a back up plan!.....................apart from when it comes to Mel of course!

 

[moonxx]

So

Next fun job to do once I get it back home.
I have bought a nutshell 9' ish dinghy and I have 6-7' ish on my coachroof forward of my mast.
So I thought I would do the following:
glass in 2x bulkheads ( approx 3mm between ) approx 1/3 from front and cut it in half ( well 1/3 and 2/3 but you know what I mean )
I will then tidy up the edges, a bit more glass tape and epoxy and then they can be bolted together again with ss bolts and wing nuts.
I will work on the detail when I get the boat here as I may be able to extend the front buoyancy tank to become the front back ( if you see what I mean ).
and I may need to alter the main part of the boat so that the nose will fit into it but other than this I think it will work and allow me to take this boat with as a tender.

The usual intelligent comments are very much welcomed......as are the less intelligent ones if only for comedy value..

Thanks

Nick

Did you ever do this. I have a mirror gaff dinghy and thinking of doing this any feedback would be great

 

[SvenH]

From my experience 8' with fitting two halves together in the water I expect that slotting will be hard.

I use hinges at the top and double m6 wing nuts at the bottom.

Before these are in they leak a little (primarily the bottom one) but not a problem.

 

[Ribtecer]

Did you ever do this. I have a mirror gaff dinghy and thinking of doing this any feedback would be great

Just make sure the two surfaces are the same size.

They need to be mirror images of each other!!

 

[Goldie]

OP was a long time ago so I don’t know if this adds anything to the thought process?