Dinghy for cruising

[Refueler]

An enterprise is MUCH more tender than a wayfarer.

So much as sneeze and an enterprise will almost capsize.

A wayfarer is far stiffer by a nautical mile.

I gave my enterprise away.

First boat I ever went in was an Enterprise ...... given that they were designed for a Class Race Division - it is not surprising they would be more tender than a Wayfarer. But I disagree that they are as bad as you suggest ....
What we found was like many dinghys of that era - they were quick to heel but once reaching a point - they hardened up.

If I was looking in that sort of size / range - I would consider upping slightly to a GP14. Many have camped sailed those ... as it was designed to be General Purpose ... hence the GP.

 

[rotrax]

I am intrgued by 'Cruising' in a dinghy.

Dinghy's, no doubt CAN be cruised, but the level of seaworthyness and comfort gives them severe limitations.

To plagarise Star Trek :- "It's Cruising Jim - but not as we know it!"

IMHO, of course

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I am intrgued by 'Cruising' in a dinghy.

Dinghy's, no doubt CAN be cruised, but the level of seaworthyness and comfort gives them severe limitations.

To plagarise Star Trek :- "It's Cruising Jim - but not as we know it!"

IMHO, of course

Frank Dye sailed a Wayfarer to Iceland, there have been circumnavigations of the UK and crossing of the North Sea but yes it's not cruising as most think of it.

 

[B27]

Frank Dye sailed a Wayfarer to Iceland, there have been circumnavigations of the UK and crossing of the North Sea but yes it's not cruising as most think of it.

I think that says more about Mr and Mrs Dye than it does about the Wayfarer, which is really just A. N. Other general purpose dinghy design from the 50s and 60s.
Their main advantage over say an Enterprise or GP14 is that they are a bit longer.

A few people have got it into their heads that Wayfs are ultra-seaworthy and come horribly unstuck.

 

[rotrax]

Frank Dye sailed a Wayfarer to Iceland, there have been circumnavigations of the UK and crossing of the North Sea but yes it's not cruising as most think of it.

I know. Read all about it.

Robert Manry sailed his 14 foot 'Tinkerbelle' across the North Atlantic, Falmouth to Falmouth. Both were endurance tests of crew and boat.

As you say, Cruising it aint...................................

 

[nevis768]

I trailer sailed for 15 years, but I only day sailed. My wife refused to join me any time I was overnighting. I have recently bought a 2 cabin yacht, and wish I had bought one before, I wouldn't put up with the trailer hassle again, but each to his own.

 

[RupertW]

The Devon Yawl is, as Doug said, a grp version of the Salcombe Yawl. Its a good sea boat, sails well (more or less same yardstick as a Solo). But it is heavy ,400kg or so, and with 2 Bermudan masts not quick to rig or simple.
My comment on the Scaffie may have been taken as harsh, but it is true. Doesn't mean that you shouldn't buy one, just be realistic in your expectations of what it will do.
My main advice would be to buy something that you can easily sell as it may well take several goes to end up with what is right for you. E.g. if you buy a Wayfarer you will be able to quickly sell it for no loss, but a Bloggs Blowfly that no one has heard of will be yours for life

That takes me back. I used to know Mick Quick who designed and built the Devon Yawls. Had a bit of a tough youth as he was a young conscientious objector in the war but stayed local and was fascinated by fibreglass when it appeared.

 

[ylop]

I think that says more about Mr and Mrs Dye than it does about the Wayfarer, which is really just A. N. Other general purpose dinghy design from the 50s and 60s.

Without doubt - I think there's probably a massive survivor bias that Frank Dye has gone on to be almost worshipped in the dinghy cruising world. Hundreds of people have tried to follow in this footsteps, had a miserable experience and either given up or traded up. Yet any conversation about "ideal cruising dinghy" almost always include "Wayfarer - Frank sailed one to Norway / Iceland".

A few people have got it into their heads that Wayfs are ultra-seaworthy and come horribly unstuck.

It depends what your benchmark is. Compared to a yacht - probably not. Compared to a dinghy of similar vintage without proper bouyancy compartments, floorboards, even side benches, then yes. But you can take a seaworthy boat and make it dodgy with the kit you load into it (including the skipper!). Compared to many a modern dinghy with self draining cockpit - a wayfarer is not a panacea - although I'd not want to be camping on something with an open transom. Compared to a rotomolded plastic lump a wayfarer is probably fragile! I think there's a niche waiting to be tackled for an affordable, robust, cruising boat - primarily for day trips and the odd weekend. Topper were close with the Cruz. A modern take on a Dracombe (probably a bit lighter) with no wood to varnish would surely have appeal especially if the price was closer to that of a top-end bicycle than a family car! If electric outboards come down in price someone is bound to get creative...

 

[B27]

Without doubt - I think there's probably a massive survivor bias that Frank Dye has gone on to be almost worshipped in the dinghy cruising world. Hundreds of people have tried to follow in this footsteps, had a miserable experience and either given up or traded up. Yet any conversation about "ideal cruising dinghy" almost always include "Wayfarer - Frank sailed one to Norway / Iceland".


It depends what your benchmark is. Compared to a yacht - probably not. Compared to a dinghy of similar vintage without proper bouyancy compartments, floorboards, even side benches, then yes. But you can take a seaworthy boat and make it dodgy with the kit you load into it (including the skipper!). Compared to many a modern dinghy with self draining cockpit - a wayfarer is not a panacea - although I'd not want to be camping on something with an open transom. Compared to a rotomolded plastic lump a wayfarer is probably fragile! I think there's a niche waiting to be tackled for an affordable, robust, cruising boat - primarily for day trips and the odd weekend. Topper were close with the Cruz. A modern take on a Dracombe (probably a bit lighter) with no wood to varnish would surely have appeal especially if the price was closer to that of a top-end bicycle than a family car! If electric outboards come down in price someone is bound to get creative...

What's your definition of seaworthy for a dinghy?
When it's windy and rough, I'd rather be in a Laser or a 505 than a Wayfarer.
I've known people who sailed to Scilly in Fireballs and I'd do that far sooner than take a Drascombe.

Some people's concepts of 'dinghy cruising' do not require high levels of seaworthiness, they are looking to camp up some creek in benign weather. Which is a fine thing to do, but the boats which are good for that can actually be demanding in the rougher stuff. Once you start getting above 14ft LOA, a lot of boats become difficult for two people to right other than in flat water. So for passage making there is a case for either a boat which is small enough to right, or a boat which is not going to capsize.

Some modern versions of old designs like the Wayf can actually be harder to right than the originals, because they have buoyancy tanks and float high on their sides, making them tend to invert.

I'm not sure what the market is for a 'modern cruising dinghy'.
There is a market for training boats.
People with racing boats use them most weekends so can get value out of them.

The market for privately-owned, non-racing dinghies is probably mostly people who want something to varnish? I don't believe there's a whole crowd of people who would go passage making or camping in an open boat, if only a certain product came on the market.

 

[dunedin]

Whilst there is a lot of truth in the above posts, there clearly are quite a number of people who successfully go cruising in Wayfarers - and Drascombes. It is quite common on the West coast of Scotland to see a cluster of Wayfarers and/or Drascombes tucked in the corner of a harbour with their cockpit tents up, and speaking to them they have often done some great voyages around the islands in waters that need respect and skill.

 

[B27]

Whilst there is a lot of truth in the above posts, there clearly are quite a number of people who successfully go cruising in Wayfarers - and Drascombes. It is quite common on the West coast of Scotland to see a cluster of Wayfarers and/or Drascombes tucked in the corner of a harbour with their cockpit tents up, and speaking to them they have often done some great voyages around the islands in waters that need respect and skill.

I would not say it's common down here.
Could be that Scotland is a better place for it, more small harbours closer together, less hassle launching?
The only serious passage making dinghy I met this year was the Laser which sailed around GB.

 

[Kelpie]

In a decade or so of cruising the northern half of the west coast, I don't think I ever encountered anybody cruising or doing long passages in a dinghy- unless you count trips that I was personally involved in.
I did once meet a guy traversing the length of the coast in a Hawk 20. I invited him aboard my Vega and I thought he was going to have an attack of agarophobia.

 

[NealB]

I run by this lovely looking boat several times a week.

If she were a quarter of the price, I'd buy her in an instant (which is a comment about my own 'meanness' rather than about the asking price).

No ........ she's absolutely nothing to do with me, and I don't know who owns her: she just gets my pulse racing.

2022 Swallow Yachts Bay Raider Expedition Levington, United Kingdom - Clarke and Carter

 

[doug748]

An enterprise is MUCH more tender than a wayfarer.

So much as sneeze and an enterprise will almost capsize.

A wayfarer is far stiffer by a nautical mile.

I gave my enterprise away.

Indeed.

Some misleading stuff on this thread. Anyone who has sailed the two boats will know the Enterprise is a very sporty proposition, of it's type. Totally unsuited to for a beginner to cruising

The Wayfarer is a good stable load carrier and well suited to rough work. They sail very well, but are bloody heavy, particularly some of the early wooden ones.
PS. As Refueler says the GP14 would be a handy alternative.
.

 

[dunedin]

Indeed.

Some misleading stuff on this thread. Anyone who has sailed the two boats will know the Enterprise is a very sporty proposition, of it's type. Totally unsuited to for a beginner to cruising

The Wayfarer is a good stable load carrier and well suited to rough work. They sail very well, but are bloody heavy, particularly some of the early wooden ones.
PS. As Refueler says the GP14 would be a handy alternative.
.

Don’t agree - the Enterprise hull is basically pretty stable. It’s just that it has a big rig for its size. As posted further up, when launched the Enterprise had a set of cruising sails which were smaller than the racing sails. Hence as posted about 60:items back, an Enterprise with smaller sails could be a decent option.
PS. Many years ago used to race Enterprise under full rig with about 16 stone total crew weight. Needed centreboard part up going upwind in a breeze, but plenty of prize trophies.

 

[davidej]

I run by this lovely looking boat several times a week.

If she were a quarter of the price, I'd buy her in an instant (which is a comment about my own 'meanness' rather than about the asking price).

No ........ she's absolutely nothing to do with me, and I don't know who owns her: she just gets my pulse racing.

2022 Swallow Yachts Bay Raider Expedition Levington, United Kingdom - Clarke and Carter

I’d love to know how they keep the batteries charged while cruising.

 

[B27]

Don’t agree - the Enterprise hull is basically pretty stable. It’s just that it has a big rig for its size. As posted further up, when launched the Enterprise had a set of cruising sails which were smaller than the racing sails. Hence as posted about 60:items back, an Enterprise with smaller sails could be a decent option.
PS. Many years ago used to race Enterprise under full rig with about 16 stone total crew weight. Needed centreboard part up going upwind in a breeze, but plenty of prize trophies.

The ent and wayf are very similar double chine hulls.
Badly set up, with old-style rigs, the Ent had a reputation for rolling downwind in a blow.
Whereas the Wayfarer has a spinnaker.

 

[NealB]

I’d love to know how they keep the batteries charged while cruising.

Good question, to which I don't know the answer.

I've never seen anyone poking around, but I'll nip in and see if the broker knows.

 

[NealB]

I didn't launch my Osprey dinghy after I bought a yacht. Two years after selling the yacht, I still haven't relaunched the Osprey.

I love that boat, but it's now too much effort. I managed for six years because I was obsessed with stories about the Osprey being a thrill to singlehand, and it lived up to that; but it's also heavy on the physical requirement, even when you have a keen other-half to help.



But, if you're really set on getting a big dinghy, you can have mine. Not kidding at all, you can take it. You'll only need a trailer.

She's VERY beautiful, and, I could be oh so temptied. and she'd be really at home up at Creeksea SC ..........but, no, (note to self) I'm sure my back would be complaining.

Oh to be forty years younger!

 

[westernman]

National 18 anyone?