Dingy camping...

[firstascent2002]

Well...new baby means my hustler 30 has to go...

I am going to get a boat for dinghy camping swallows and amazons stlye up rivers from now on...

A wayfarer seems the most obvious choice, or maybe a dragscombe lugger.....or I came across this on the bay but it just too far from devon for a quick look!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

So...any thoughts on a boat, ideally under 20 foot which can be a day boat for the family that I can sleep in alone.

Lets set a budget of £5000 delivered to my driveway in devon (so yes...mush be trailerable behind a passat)


My internet searches for pictures of people camping in wayfarers have come up pretty thin...do poeple just put a mat down on the floor boards? Oh God I'm going to miss my boat......

j

 

[blackbeard]

Well; may be an unusual and unexpected reply to a post, but:
you could do this on a budget about one tenth of what you propose.

Old but serviceable dinghies are not necessarily expensive (but make sure it has a decent trailer).
Try googling "Dinghy Cruising Association".
Incidentally dinghy cruising can be quite a sociable occupation.

There are sailing clubs which do dinghy cruising - sometimes from a static camp site. You don't necessarily have to have a boat. There are crewing opportunities, and some clubs own boats.
Dinghies are fun, you are near the water and can go places that deep keel cruisers can't even imagine. If the seagulls are swimming you can sail there.

Why does your cruiser need to go? is it money, or time? as consumers of spare time, dinghies are not far behind cruisers; and dinghies and very small children don't mix.

Dinghies suitable for cruising are for the most part designed for 2 people and go better that way. Many single-handed boats are a bit skittish for cruising.

Remember that dinghies are un-ballasted and can therefore capsize, you MUST be able to sort this out. As opposed to ballasted boats, which can sink ...

Someone will be along in a moment to tell us that small tow-able lifting-keel cruisers are just what you need. Something like a Shrimper, for instance, but there are cheaper alternatives.

 

[William_H]

Well; may be an unusual and unexpected reply to a post, but:
you could do this on a budget about one tenth of what you propose.

Old but serviceable dinghies are not necessarily expensive (but make sure it has a decent trailer).
Try googling "Dinghy Cruising Association".
Incidentally dinghy cruising can be quite a sociable occupation.

There are sailing clubs which do dinghy cruising - sometimes from a static camp site. You don't necessarily have to have a boat. There are crewing opportunities, and some clubs own boats.
Dinghies are fun, you are near the water and can go places that deep keel cruisers can't even imagine. If the seagulls are swimming you can sail there.

Why does your cruiser need to go? is it money, or time? as consumers of spare time, dinghies are not far behind cruisers; and dinghies and very small children don't mix.

Dinghies suitable for cruising are for the most part designed for 2 people and go better that way. Many single-handed boats are a bit skittish for cruising.

Remember that dinghies are un-ballasted and can therefore capsize, you MUST be able to sort this out. As opposed to ballasted boats, which can sink ...

Someone will be along in a moment to tell us that small tow-able lifting-keel cruisers are just what you need. Something like a Shrimper, for instance, but there are cheaper alternatives.

Totally agree.You might find a cabin trailer sailer for not much more than a big dinghy and this will provide far more comfort and safety. self righting unsinkable self draining cockpit and dry space inside are all essential to my mind unless you are leaving the family behind. Mother will want comforts to manage with small baby. I would say just sit tight with existing boat if you can manage it and see how you go. olewill

 

[Searush]

First of all, why must the Hustler 30 go? Is it you need cash or a need to reduce running costs or probably lack of opportunity to use? Each of those might have a different solution - or even range of solutions.

Camping with a baby is difficult as you need an awfull lot of kit & the babe needs more attention than the boat!

Possible answers;
Downsize the boat; you will get a decent 25 footer(-ish) for around 4k.

Trailer sailer; similar price to above but without mooring/ marina costs

Big dinghy; like you are looking at; basically a trailer sailer, but without any shelter or accom, easier to launch recover but not really suitable for cruising with a baby - so you will be on your own, how will your wife cope on her own, or do you have access to fit grandparents for long weekends? Your wife will not want to leave the baby any longer than that & may not want to leave him/her at alll.

Small fast dinghy; if you have to go on your todd & can't do weekends why not get something you can enjoy an afternoon thrashing around in, while the family pic-nic on the beach/ or grassy bank. Very cheap all round option & maybe SWMBO can sail it too while you care for the other babe.

 

[Searush]

I forgot to say; people dinghy camp in Mirror dinghies! Camping mat is one option on a bigger boat, but a stretcher canvas with the oars separated by a bit of wood at foot & head will work on a small one.

But how long will your wife be prepared to be on her own at home coping with all the work while you go out & have fun without her? You really do need to think this thro & talk over ALL the possibilities with her. Understand her problems, cos if you can solve them, you won't have any!

 

[Reptile Smile]

I forgot to say; people dinghy camp in Mirror dinghies!

The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow says, I think, everything you'd ever want to know about dinghy camping!

As with all the far more knowledgable contributors above have suggested, I guess you have to be clear about your motives if you're going to get the most out of it.

I sort of visualise dinghy camping as for the truly hardcore adventurers amongsy us. Frank Dye, whose book I read when I was 17 and at the peak of my hardcore-ity, was far too hardcore for me even then...

If I had young kids (and with a bit of luck and a following wind, I may be having to make similar planning choices in the future), I think for me I would be planning around (1) safety and (2) comfort.

Ultimately, if I was taking a young family out (and this would certainly change when they were a bit older, but I'm a secondary school teacher and therefore know virtually nothing about children until they're old enough to swear at you), I wouldn't consider a dinghy.

I got a Foxcub for 400 quid (no trailer), and I was lucky enough to find precisely the boat that I wanted and needed. A boat like this - 18', trailer-able, stable, fun - as PRV had it, a dinghy-with-a-lid (unfair in terms of its stability, but I took his point!) with accommodation sufficient for a bit of 'indoor-camping' might deserve consideration?

I suppose the only thing I'd chuck into the mix is that trailering bigger boats seems like a great idea, but the faff of putting the rig up and down for me means I wouldn't take it somewhere for a day. A long weekend - sure, that starts to make it viable, but I'm too lazy to do it that often, and would rather have it in the water. So - I'd save the money, buy a smaller, but stable, safe and reassuring boat - and put the remainder into a mooring with a lot of pottering to be done. You know the places, living where you do...

Either that, or invest in something like food, or whatever. There always seems to be a bit too much month left at the end of the money for me...

 

[maby]

Only you can know the practicalities of what you are proposing - we did similar across Europe in an ancient Landrover with a young baby in our youth, but the thought of it is horrifying now!

A Wayfarer is certainly the obvious choice - almost as big as a yacht with enormous amounts of storage. There are plenty of examples of people camping in them and at least one company that offers a purpose built tent that fits it and attaches to the mast and boom. They are usually at the Boat Show, so have a look around at Southampton.

In answer to questions about stability, I had always assumed that people intending to sleep in Wayfarers hauled them up the beach a bit before bedding down.

 

[Searush]

(snip)
In answer to questions about stability, I had always assumed that people intending to sleep in Wayfarers hauled them up the beach a bit before bedding down.

Not necessarily, they are big heavy boats to drag up above the HW mark & back down again in the morning, even if you arrange wheels or rollers. Probably impossible to do on your own I would say.

Once the sails are off they are stable enough. One should carry an anchor in a cruising dink anyway.

 

[Boathook]

A Hawk 20 with a cuddy would fit so to speak. Not to sure on the 2nd hand price though. The other option is the Hawk 20 without a cuddy. Possibly cheaper as they have been around longer.

 

[Reptile Smile]

The Hawk 20 has always struck me as donkey-chokingly expensive, though..? Lovely boat and all...

 

[prv]

I sort of visualise dinghy camping as for the truly hardcore adventurers amongsy us. Frank Dye, whose book I read when I was 17 and at the peak of my hardcore-ity, was far too hardcore for me even then...

Most dinghy cruisers don't cross the North Sea in a gale and head up towards the Arctic Circle though. Just because Frank Dye was too hardcore for any sane person to want to emulate, doesn't mean all dinghy cruising has to be.

Pete

 

[maby]

I see no reason why you cannot make it as comfortable as any other kind of off-campsite camping. Obviously, that is still not very comfortable!

 

[Lakesailor]

The Hawk 20 has always struck me as donkey-chokingly expensive, though..? Lovely boat and all...

Nice boat.
Bit heavy for the envisaged use? 816 Kgs. Heavier than many small cruisers.

 

[Reptile Smile]

Most dinghy cruisers don't cross the North Sea in a gale and head up towards the Arctic Circle though. Just because Frank Dye was too hardcore for any sane person to want to emulate, doesn't mean all dinghy cruising has to be.

Pete

I take your point, of course, Pete, though I suppose what I was getting at was that most dinghy sailors (putting aside the inspirational lunacy of Mr and Mrs Dye) would probably consider sailing the dinghy to be quite enough, thank you very much, without sleeping in the damned thing too... Hence my comment about 'hardcore adventurers' - but hey, each to his own, and I am increasingly more than happy to on up to my own personal 'softcore'-ness...

 

[Pete54]

The Hawk is fine - but heavy and expensive.

I was waiting for someone to mention the Westerly Nimrod - which can often we bought quite cheaply and could be classed as luxury dinghy cruising! But ballasted centreboard and self draining. Maybe a little heavy for hauling up the beach but most of the time you would not need to do that.

I've looked for something similar and ended up with a Topper Breeze, somewhat more hard core but ballasted centreboard, self draining, sensibly priced and once I get the racks sorted a reaonabel single hander in moderate conditions. It does need water proof bags etc but does it for me.

 

[davidpbo]

A friend of mine builds these: Kittiwake Boats, have a look at the brokerage section.

 

[yachtorion]

Rather than emulate Frank Dye's amazing but crazy trips, why not emulate his wife Margaret (for whom Ian Proctor designed the Wanderer, and which became the Wandered MD following her design changes).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinghy-Crui...2893/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344268455&sr=8-1

 

[Stu Jackson]

Perhaps you could cut the difference in half and try something like a Jaguar 22.

 

[dharl]

I used to camp in my Wayfarer (when younger and single). Had some great times sailing around Poole Harbour and staying the night in different places.

Unfortantly the young lady who became Mrs Dharl didnt enjoy small boat sailing..or camping in a cramped boat quite so cozy or romantic so things had to change! Was great fun though!

 

[dancrane]

Unfortunately the young lady who became Mrs Dharl didn't enjoy small boat sailing..or camping in a cramped boat quite so cozy or romantic so things had to change! Was great fun though!

Cripes! You must adore your wife. If it was either the boat or SWMBO, I'd be planning a solo sailing trip!

The feasibility of dinghy-cruising is perhaps being muddied here by those who dread any discomfort, those who feel no discomfort, and those who can't or won't let go the idea of a ballast keel...

...dinghies perform excitingly, largely because their design doesn't incorporate masses of iron to self-right them from a knock-down. Most of the really small cruisers I've seen, performed very indifferently because of this determination to be reassuringly 'safe'...

...and while performance isn't the OP's quoted priority, an unballasted centreboard boat is much less of a pig to manhandle - which multiplies one's possible landfalls. Almost everything about dinghying makes venturing less of an undertaking than in a small cruiser.

I am enduringly inconsistent in my dinghy class-loyalty. There's not a shred of doubt that the Wayfarer is sturdy and roomy and stable, and I don't accept all of the harsh one-track criticism of its performance. Still, something sportier would sometimes feel rewarding...

...but, for the OP's purpose, isn't it a matter of cockpit layout? Lots of dinghies I dream of cruising in, don't offer a flat unbroken six-foot space to lie upon. Many could be modified for that purpose, as long as there's no expectation of selling it later, having knocked it about...

...I reckon the question to ask, is whether the OP is fond of DIY. If so, a GP14 or Albacore or wooden Wayf will keep him busy in the garage all winter, developing insulated tents and watertight lockers and clever ways to make the boat homely on calm summer evenings in an anchorage. If he hates thinking up practical solutions and the smell of sawdust, new GRP boat-builders can relieve him of the necessity to think creatively, for a fat fee.

God! That sounds more damning than I intended it to. I was thinking that with cruddy weather and long winters, the pleasure of small-boat ownership isn't exclusively about being afloat...

PS: reefing. No-one who takes a young family afloat should be in a boat they can't reef, if the breeze turns fresh.