Dingy camping...

[Seajet]

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

My thoughts entirely ! I was once in Cowes with a chum new to sailing, and I pointed out a Hawk 20 opposite, " see that ? Can you believe that thing's over £20 K ! "

About 5 seconds later an old boy in a motorboat went straight into it, T-boned...

 

[NickTrevethan]

Used to camp out on my 14 footer when I was 12 or 14 in north Devon, including a trip to Lundy, which I only confessed to my mother 20 years later... And still got yelled at.
Never slept in the boat. Bit tOo cramped and just not enough space to stretch out.

I'd go with a lugger more space and prettier than a wayfarer.
I am in love with the Heard toshers. The 18 footer is stunning, set a boom gallows and awning, build a galley under a bench and off you go.

 

[Swg]

Hi. I'm 41 with wife, 8 yr old who is indifferent to sailing and a nearly 2 yr old. After Wayfaring we up sized to a Westerly and as sprog no 2 came along up priced and down sized to a maintainance free Shrimper. Thought wed reduce running cost and time by dry sailing but it was just too big a boat. Still considering a more easily trailed and launched/ recoverable boat such as Drascombe/ Postboat etc to allow for dry sailing, pottering and holiday cottage trailing with occasional o/night. My experience is that one can get caught out and have the disadvantages of a yacht in a heavy built trailer sailor without the space and without the ease of launch and recovery of for eg a maximum of 14 foot camping dinghy may offer. Character boats post boat looks a good compromise to me

 

[dansaskip]

Wanderer

In a similar position myself having just sold my sadler, so I dusted off my Wanderer dinghy. Proctor designed and very similar to the Wayfarer just just a little smaller (and lighter) so a bit easier to handle launching and recovery single handed.

In fact I have just got back from a few marvellous days on the Norfolk broads with the wanderer. I been there a few times now. I made a simple boom crutch and simple tent to throw over the boom and with a thermarest on the floorboards it is a nice little home from home.

So have a consider of a Wanderer for your purposes. They are nice.

 

[maby]

In a similar position myself having just sold my sadler, so I dusted off my Wanderer dinghy. Proctor designed and very similar to the Wayfarer just just a little smaller (and lighter) so a bit easier to handle launching and recovery single handed.

In fact I have just got back from a few marvellous days on the Norfolk broads with the wanderer. I been there a few times now. I made a simple boom crutch and simple tent to throw over the boom and with a thermarest on the floorboards it is a nice little home from home.

So have a consider of a Wanderer for your purposes. They are nice.

Now you are making me jealous. I really do need to own a Wayfarer before I die - had plenty of experience of them in my youth on loan.

 

[Lakesailor]

Character boats post boat looks a good compromise to me

I hanker after one but when you look around one they are massive, for a 14 foot boat.
They draw quite a bit and the forestay is mounted on a short bowsprit. As a boat to keep in a boat house and drop the mast for putting to bed I wonder how suitable it would be.

 

[Searush]

I hanker after one but when you look around one they are massive, for a 14 foot boat.
They draw quite a bit and the forestay is mounted on a short bowsprit. As a boat to keep in a boat house and drop the mast for putting to bed I wonder how suitable it would be.

Haven't you sorted a tabernacle for that Solo yet!

 

[Zagato]

I'll throw in the mix a Drascombe Longboat with a Millets tent for a cabin

The 400Kg Longboat is a few feet longer at 21' than the Lugger giving more space, a safe, stable boat ideal for a young family, can be got for £4000.

A Drascombe Cruiser is a Longboat with a cabin for £4000 can be seen on the Drascombe Association site, check out the for sale listings, there are a few Luggers near you.
http://www.drascombe-association.org.uk/smallads.php

Or a Drascombe Drifter which can be got for £8000. Again about 21' still a trailer sailer but more of a serious sailer, wider beam, lots of accomodation etc. They are all good for motoring about in and great for creek crawling, drying up overnight or for a game of rounders & B-B-Q during the day! The longboat has a draft of 6" or 9" can't remember.

Huge cockpit can seat 11!

 

[tabler]

The original 'Three Men In A Boat' DVD may be of interest. They row up the Thames in a camping skiff, which can also be sailed and converted to camping by means of a canvas roof.

Just a thought.

 

[yachtorion]

So have a consider of a Wanderer for your purposes. They are nice.

Been sailing number 1278 since she left the factory in 1995 and I agree. They are more than nice, they are lovely.

 

[dharl]

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

was younger in those days....moved to a bigger boat with more comforts for Mrs Dharl....everyone happy

 

[dancrane]

Hmm. On reflection, having the baby on board certainly does make the question harder to answer...an altogether messier and more cumbersome cargo, with the mad modern complexity of sprog-requisites stowed in several ziplock holdalls...

An Albacore might be an interesting choice. High freeboard means inboard bench-seats and a nice feeling of security; plus no spinnaker to add to the cockpit-tangle. Plenty of dry-ish stowage under the foredeck, and the boat is seaworthy and has non-extreme performance.

And...even on a trailer, it should fit inside a small garage.

 

[Seajet]

Hmm. On reflection, having the baby on board certainly does make the question harder to answer...an altogether messier and more cumbersome cargo, with the mad modern complexity of sprog-requisites stowed in several ziplock holdalls...

An Albacore might be an interesting choice. High freeboard means inboard bench-seats and a nice feeling of security; plus no spinnaker to add to the cockpit-tangle. Plenty of dry-ish stowage under the foredeck, and the boat is seaworthy and has non-extreme performance.

And...even on a trailer, it should fit inside a small garage.

Dan,

all good points, but the Albacore is still a little tippy, being round bilge; while I have no experience with such cargo, I don't think I'd like to take a baby in one.

TBH I wouldn't fancy anything less stable than a Drascombe or similar ?

 

[dancrane]

TBH I wouldn't fancy anything less stable than a Drascombe or similar ?

True. Although I think Drascombes - while they're lovely - are so large and so much less concerned about performance than dinghies, that they're most of the way to ballasted mini-cruiser territory. No bad thing - but no small effort to haul out if trailing or camping ashore.

I expect you're right though - during the early years of parenthood, dinghy-cruising is probably best limited to daysailing.

 

[Zagato]

True. Although I think Drascombes - while they're lovely - are so large and so much less concerned about performance than dinghies, that they're most of the way to ballasted mini-cruiser territory. No bad thing - but no small effort to haul out if trailing or camping ashore.

I expect you're right though - during the early years of parenthood, dinghy-cruising is probably best limited to daysailing.

The Drascombe Lugger is only 340KG sailed mostly by guys over 60 push off and winch on, doesn't get much easier although agreed dinghies must be a doddle. I watched an 80 year old guy launch his from Bosham last week but had to come to his aid when he came in as his trailer was swept off the side of the slip from the tide It was blimmen lucky he wasn't swept over as well...it's very slippy their

 

[Lakesailor]

That's always my worry about people wanting to trail/sail a boat that's a bit too big to handle easily.

You may launch in benign conditions, but come recovery time everything may have changed.

 

[dancrane]

On a personal note...

The Drascombe Lugger is only 340KG

Hmm...340 kilos?...isn't that, by chance, exactly double the weight of the Wayfarer, often criticised for its weight?

Not that the Lugger's reputation can be dented by any suggestion of a downside; any design so beautifully individual, must make up for her weight by being constantly admired, wherever she goes. All power to the mature gents at Bosham, my old home-port.

On the subject of the Wayfarer, I had something of an epiphany earlier. Thinking of my almost endless speculation about which dinghy I'll eventually crack my piggy-bank to buy, I suddenly realised I've been obsessed for years about performance, like a schoolkid...

...when I had a Topper, I was, by necessity, philosophical about that boat's insignificant form and uncompetitive performance...

...but as an adult (for a very long while, now ) I was determined never again to feel less than top-dog when sailing. Thus, I lusted after much more rapid designs. That, in spite of my main disappointment with the Topper being the absence of space and dry stowage!

Dinghy sailors are almost invariably very loyal to their classes...and doubtless for good reasons, in each person's case. But almost any design would make my heart flutter after the underdog years in the Topper...

...and of the many boats I've tried since, none actually bored me...so...would you all agree, I'd be smart to concentrate my ambition on the one design which has consistently persuaded virtually the entire non-racing dinghy world, for decades...the Wayfarer?

(I'm not put off by the gross weight when handling her ashore. No problem...jockey wheels and 10:1 purchases...)

Apologies to Seajet. I'm already cringing, anticipating an ear-bashing.

 

[Kelpie]

Just go and buy a Wayfarer!!
If you don't like it, you will sell it easily. They are always in demand.

I admit I don't have a lot of experience of other dinghies. I've owned two Wayfarers and have also sailed some Toppers and an RS200. Whilst the RS was more exciting than the Wayfarer, it was, IMHO, much less pleasant to sail. High sheet loads on a thin line without a cleat. I just wouldn't want to be out in one for more than an hour or so.

Contrast with the Wayfarer. Tomorrow SWMBO and I are launching from the west side of Lewis for an all-day exploration of Loch Roag. Picnic and outboard are already in the car. Can't wait.

 

[LeonF]

When I was ready to buy my first boat having learnt in Bosuns and Wayfarers, I seriously considered a Wayfie. Until a woman at the boat show demonstrated how she turned over in the night, having sat up each time. Of course you could sail and camp ashore. If you don't intend to try and roll the boat up a beach etc then I would agree about a Drascombe. Lovely flat space for sleeping. There was an article in PBO some years ago about one being trailed to Italy and a family of six sleeping aboard. I ended up buying a Fantasie 19, lovely triple keeler, but even on that the bunks were too small. How about a Hunter Liberty/Minstrel ?

 

[BAtoo]

Sort of another vote for a Drascombe Longboat Cruiser. I had one when in similar situation to you; the "cabin" is good for chucking all of your kit without worrying too much about dry-bags etc., and its good for the sprog if you take that too. (The pram-carry cot we had wedged nicely across the toe end of the bunks).
They are easy & fairly quick to rig single-handed (a real bonus ) and not too bad to winch onto a trailer. And too heavy to tempt you to haul it up anywhere manually and knacker your back.
Huge cockpit, quite stable, lots of positive buoyancy, decent OB arrangement are all pluses.
Downside is not too exciting sailing abilities. (I would love to have another go in one now I am, hopefully, a technically better sailor to see how well I could make it go)