Fancraft Inflatable

[PeteCooper]

Please can anybody tell me anything about a Fancraft inflatable dinghy? To my eyes it is strange - at the back it has a foldable wooden transom consisting of an outboard bracket with a folding 'wing' on either side that open out and brace against the tubes. Similarly in the centre there is a daggerboard slot again with folding 'wings' that open out and brace against the tubes. Forwards there is a sort of alloy frame but I am not sure how that fits. If such a beast were for sale how much should I pay for it? Thanks.

 

[PeteCooper]

Nobody else seen one of these either?

 

[PeteCooper]

Surely somebody knows something about these inflatables? Is it really that rare

 

[Strolls]

On the basis of how much information Google returns, they do indeed seem rare.

A couple of 1993 & 1995 back issues of PBO suggest they were sold at that time, and were available as sailing inflatables.

• http://marinedirectory.ybw.com/reprints/results_related.jsp?tem=ybw&id=6283
• http://marinedirectory.ybw.com/reprints/results_related.jsp?id=11837

 

[PeteCooper]

Thank you - but I had seen those links. There is also a link to one that was being sold at an asking price of £950 with sailing gear and the one I have seen hasn't got that - but surely a dagger board and rudder(the transom has pintles) would be easy enough to make and then a mast off a topper or something?

 

[Doug Edwards Yachts]

Surely somebody knows something about these inflatables? Is it really that rare

Hi Pete, they are quite rare but I bought one this time last year.
It's 2.4m approx and sits happily on the back seat of a medium sized car or in the boot of a larger motor.
They are well made and quite rigid when set up, not a performance sailing craft but nice and easy way of getting into the water.
Judging by the quality I imagine they were well over £1000 new, perhaps as much as £2k back in late 90's.
Cheers
Doug Edwards

 

[edpantani]

Please can anybody tell me anything about a Fancraft inflatable dinghy? To my eyes it is strange - at the back it has a foldable wooden transom consisting of an outboard bracket with a folding 'wing' on either side that open out and brace against the tubes. Similarly in the centre there is a daggerboard slot again with folding 'wings' that open out and brace against the tubes. Forwards there is a sort of alloy frame but I am not sure how that fits. If such a beast were for sale how much should I pay for it? Thanks.

Hi All. Just joined. I'm a Brit living in Singapore. I bought a fancraft 25 years ago when they first hit the market and I still have it today. It runs a twin cylinder 4hp evinrude and will plane with me on board alone and do about 15mph.

The boat is good quality and well constructed, but a word of warning, the yellow fittings such as the rollocks and the tube ends holding the valves eventually break down and disintegrate. I made new rollocks and bought 2 yellow plastic dustbin and cut them down to 9 inch diameter, mounted the valves in the centre of each bottom and then glued them into the ends of the tubes. Seems to be holding up so far as I only now use it as an emergency tender for my boat. ED