How big a dinghy for solo launching?

[Plum]

Just a bit intrigued by this advice re pneumatic tires. I watch many friends launching dinghies with pneumatic tires and the problem is that the trolley floats. Thus it is difficult to get the dinghy on to the trolley. Surely hard rubber would have no floatation so be easier to get dingy on. Granted if you had a long way to pull your dinghy on trolley pneumatic would be easier. Am I missing something? ol'will

Interesting, my launching trolley with pneumatic tyres does not float.

 

[Chae_73]

The launching trolley for our GRP tender has pneumatic tyres and it does float. I don't find it a big problem; as you pull the boat onto the trolley, the weight of the boat pushed the trolley down and everything usually ends up in the right place.

On another point, the Hartley 12 weighs 62kg. A Wanderer is about double that, I think.

 

[dancrane]

My trolley's way too heavy to float with the buoyancy from a couple of little tyres.

Although all the pressurised air-bottles which cushion the boat, do make the trolley float, I never found that a problem - the flotation makes the trolley stay in position under the hull.

I guess solid rubber tyres are okay for a very light boat. If the boat is heavy, all the work of pulling the trolley horizontally has to include the effort required to make the wheels climb over obstacles, because the tyres can't deform to ease their progress past the stone or other item in the path.

It makes for a rough ride and very hard work.

 

[Old Thady]

Many thanks for all the interesting and comprehensive responses. You've given me lots to think about including many issues that hadn't crossed my mind previously. I'm grateful for your suggestions and guidance.

 

[wombat88]

Something 12ft or a bit under, trolley with jockey wheel, Gull, Heron, Scow, Mirror.

Apart from being able to launch and retrieve without a hernia etc the things I find useful when single handed are:
Trolley wheel, not bothered with docking poles this year and it didn't make much difference.
Centre board rather than dagger board for running up the beach (not on a Mirror)
Cleat that snaps open for rudder downhaul, again useful when running up the beach
Some means of reefing quickly, preferably afloat (not alway easy in a dinghy)
Topping lift both for quickly gathering main up and also scandalising main when running up that beach again.
Long tiller to get the weight forward.
Adjustable string to keep tiller central
Cleat on foredeck

The key moments are setting off and coming back, you only have one pair of hands. The sailing bit in the middle should be much easier.

 

[NealB]

I absolutely loved my old grp Graduate for single-handed pottering.

Decent performance (though, of course, not in anything like the same league as the Osprey), classic good looks, 85 kg, easily handled ashore and afloat, very stable.

I gave it way about three years ago now, and often regret it.

Hmmmmm ..... it'd be silly to take a peek to see how much I'd have to pay to get one now, wouldn't it?

 

[dancrane]

...it'd be silly to take a peek to see how much I'd have to pay to get one now, wouldn't it?

Would it?

Details graduate dinghy

Thanks for the flattering words about the Osprey. I often reflect that the boat is fast, it's only me that's a bit slow. ?

 

[NealB]

Would it?

Details graduate dinghy

Thanks for the flattering words about the Osprey. I often reflect that the boat is fast, it's only me that's a bit slow. ?

Get thee behind me: I can resist anything but temptation!

 

[jonic]

Our heron was easy to launch and recover.

Then we bought a wayfarer, fantastic sailing dinghy, but way too heavy for just one on the steep slipway we use.

 

[NealB]

Our heron was easy to launch and recover.

Then we bought a wayfarer, fantastic sailing dinghy, but way too heavy for just one on the steep slipway we use.

Heron number 157 (or was she 57?) was my first boat.

Dad bought her for me around 1965.

'Howzat' had a rotten bottom, so we ripped out the old, and in our typical woodworking style, very roughly glued in the new.

Back then, Dad worked for a marine coatings company, so the hull was (shock, horror) sheathed in a layer of grp woven mat.

She gave me several years of young adventures on the Crouch.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Heron number 157 (or was she 57?) was my first boat.

Dad bought her for me around 1965.

'Howzat' had a rotten bottom, so we ripped out the old, and in our typical woodworking style, very roughly glued in the new.

Back then, Dad worked for a marine coatings company, so the hull was (shock, horror) sheathed in a layer of grp woven mat.

She gave me several years of young adventures on the Crouch.

I too learnt to sail on a low numbered Heron; I have a soft spot for them to this day. Started out as moveable ballast while mum and dad sailed; graduated to working the jib, me on port sheet, my brother on starboard, then to helming and finally, in my early teens, single handing her. And, while we never replaced the whole bottom, I recognize the style of repair!

 

[Caraway]

Something like a Heron should be manageable. Although designed for two-up, it's easy to single-hand. Part decked, so it's a capable sea-boat; you sit in them, not on them!

Ah. Got that wrong then. I bet you're going to suggest I'm too far aft as well ?

 

[westernman]

How about something a bit more exciting?

I could get my FX one up the beach on cat trax single handed without any difficulty.
And it goes at a decent speed. Particularly with the asymetric (which is easy handle single handed).

 

[dancrane]

The surprising thing is how uncommon the FX1 seems to be. They rarely seem to be for sale in the UK - nor do Hobies, generally. I would definitely have considered an old 14 Turbo, if they weren't so hard to find.

In pursuit of lightness, I've often thought a Tasar would be fast fun. Technically a two-hander, but people have added a non-standard trapeze to increase righting power - not allowed by race-rules, but who cares about that? Very lightweight at under 70kg, and they've been around a long time, so it shouldn't be hard to find one at a sensible price.

 

[NealB]

Ah. Got that wrong then. I bet you're going to suggest I'm too far aft as well ?

I'd say that, as we've come to expect, you are, as usual, way, way, too far to the left.

A balanced position, in the middle, is generally much more sensible.

 

[wombat88]

...and a gunter rig makes for easy storage and transport...

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Ah. Got that wrong then. I bet you're going to suggest I'm too far aft as well ?

Could be!

 

[Caraway]

I'd say that, as we've come to expect, you are, as usual, way, way, too far to the left.

A balanced position, in the middle, is generally much more sensible.

That's a first.

A wooden Heron is pretty light. On its lightweight road trailer I could manually haul it down to a launch site, even getting it over some big rocks some bugger had tried to narrow the path with.

 

[westernman]

The surprising thing is how uncommon the FX1 seems to be. They rarely seem to be for sale in the UK - nor do Hobies, generally. I would definitely have considered an old 14 Turbo, if they weren't so hard to find.

In pursuit of lightness, I've often thought a Tasar would be fast fun. Technically a two-hander, but people have added a non-standard trapeze to increase righting power - not allowed by race-rules, but who cares about that? Very lightweight at under 70kg, and they've been around a long time, so it shouldn't be hard to find one at a sensible price.

Shame it does not have an asymmetric.

 

[dancrane]

Oh, if I could find a clean Hobie 14 for sale on the south coast, it would soon have an asymmetric. ?