Lightweight plywood and epoxy dinghy designs

[blackbeard]

TBH if you are going to have to get it on/off a roof rack, it might be no more trouble to inflate an inflatable.
From your description I would guess you would need a rigid dinghy at least 8' or so long with reasonable beam and freeboard. Anything less would not be seaworthy enough to be safe. A dinghy this size is not going to be especially light even if ply, and could be difficult to get on/off a roof rack if you are singlehanded.

 

[Lakesailor]

Well I reckon "Weight approximately 25 Kg or 55 lbs" is not bad at all.
I have lifted the dinghy in the picture in the workshop on Fyne Boats site and it is featherweight.
7' 6" with a 4' beam.

Look at the freeboard

 

[neil_s]

If you want to get three people in the poat, you might need to think of a dinghy nearer 10 feet long. I have one this size in mock clinker grp. It has a fairly narrow beam of about 4 feet which means that you can still get it on the roof rack by yourself. Rover 100 carries it easily. If youre a bit strapped for cash, have you considered finding a grp shell (secondhand) and fitting up the woodwork yourself? You might end up with a more durable craft. Our boatyard is littered with unused and neglected grp dinghies.

Neil

 

[stephenmartin]

Add post and packing and vat...more like £102-8

 

[gandy]

Remember that all boats shrink once afloat. I thought our 10' tender was loads bigger than we needed. Once we're afloat with two people and some luggage, with a bit of breeze and tide, it now feels barely big enough.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Remember that all boats shrink once afloat.

[/ QUOTE ] but also remember that like outboard engines they get progressively heavier as the years go by. It used to be easy to get mine on the roof rack but it is now quite a stuggle. I need help with the outboard now whereas 20 years ago when I bought it I could manage to get it on the transom bracket unaided.