Reach from dingy seat to outboard position

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Binman

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When on my 9ft dingy, which I regret buying, should have got shorter, when seated, one seat up front, plus one at transom, I find it hard operating the engine, last time out forgot tiller extension, sitting at the transom, all weight at the back, bow up in the air, I have made myself a remote gear change tool, not tried it out yet, what I come up with is a old broom handle, on one end ,have fixed small block of wood, on the other large hook 99p. So now with tiller extended and my push and pull I hope next time out will be a better experience. How do you cope, I can also use the hook if required around the stanchions. I have to cross a strong tide on the Medway at times, think 6ft tender might be to small.
 
Binman said:
When on my 9ft dingy, which I regret buying, should have got shorter, when seated, one seat up front, plus one at transom, I find it hard operating the engine, last time out forgot tiller extension, sitting at the transom, all weight at the back, bow up in the air, I have made myself a remote gear change tool, not tried it out yet, what I come up with is a old broom handle, on one end ,have fixed small block of wood, on the other large hook 99p. So now with tiller extended and my push and pull I hope next time out will be a better experience. How do you cope, I can also use the hook if required around the stanchions. I have to cross a strong tide on the Medway at times, think 6ft tender might be to small.
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I can just reach to hold the tiller from the centre thwart of my 8ft dinghy I have an extension but rarely take it with me There is no gear shift

Maybe you could make and fit an additional removable/ adjustable thwart or seat.

You can leave the engine fixed and steer with an oar or simply by shifting your weight from side to side. Both best done standing if the dinghy is stable enough

I think Id want something larger than 8ft to cross the Medway ...... presumably you are talking below the Rochester bridges There are times when its scary in my 8ft dinghy in Chichester harbour
 
Yes VicS had one or two scary moments, especially sitting at the transom, with white tops and heavy wind, my dingy nearly had a mind of its own, trying to steer it, This was with a 2hp outboard, change to 3.5 hours didn't gain much, because of the extra weight at the back, hence sitting forward, my balance not good, wouldn't dare try and stand up.
 
I think your instincts are right, as VicS says any dinghy less than about 8' is pushing one's luck, I have had some hairy moments and my mooring is pretty sheltered - I still managed to capsize it alongside my boat once, and other members have done the same even with larger dinghies.

Your broom handle tiller extension sounds good, but not the lack of a central thwart, which is where I'd want to sit, or did I misunderstand ?

Alone in the back of my tender with engine would be distinctly dodgy.

One tip, while I think of it; I always paint the bottom of my tenders yellow, so that if and when I cock things up at least I might be spotted from ashore ( as one can't really right tenders as one can with sailing dinghies ).

A chum bought my old 10' tender and promptly capsized it in a wide bit of the harbour, but the yellow underside got the attention of a rescue boat some distance away.
 
PRV,

good point, I was somehow assuming rigid; but even my inflatable Seago 2.3 metre ( whatever that is in real Imperial measure ) has a central thwart.

It always amazes me when people trundle up in boats worth a quarter £ million, then trust the lives of their families in tiny cockleshell tenders, " we don't want anything too good or it might get stolen " - well that's what insurance is for.

The only reason I don't have a rigid tender the size of a Wayfarer is, I couldn't pull anything much more than my 8'6" dinghy up the slipway...
 
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How big's the outboard? I use a bit of PVC plumbing pipe for a tiller extension. Keep a extra pieces on board for a backup. Some o/b's have a "conical" shape to the throttle so in this case cut a slot on the o/b end of the pipe so it flexes and grips the throttle when pushed over the top. As for gears, don't bother. It's easy enough to slow to idle and either just grab the mothership, jetty etc to stop the dinghy otherwise just move back when slowed to drive the boat with control of the gears.

A few times, I've had no extension tiller and just locked the outboard's throttle and swivel down just tight enough that it won't moved unless bumped and then steered from midships by shifting my weight along with the occasional adjusting "bump" of the tiller with hand or foot. Use at your own risk and certainly works best in calm water and no traffic!
 
Yes it is a ridged GRP, with two flotation chambers, quite heavy, fitted adjustable wheels to rear, thinking of a single wheel through hull at the front or Dolly axle, as pulling back up our pontoon hard work, which is about 50yds with quite a slope. Use dingy cradle but dragging the dingy onto it takes a lot of effort even when partly submerged. VicS hit the nail, will make a further seat, but at right angle to Exsiting, so I can slide or shuffle to and fro engine. I have seen this arrangement, Seajets idea worth considering. Brought this as complete set up with road trailer as well, for £300 so quite versatile, as we have dingy park at head of pontoon only need trolley. Still getting fit after recent opp, I'm not the strongest Bloke.
 
I dont use my inflatable or rigid tender much. In either case if I am alone I find it best to set a steady rpm on the outboard and then lie forward and operate the tiller with my foot (easier in summer with bare feet).
 
Binman said:
VicS hit the nail, will make a further seat, but at right angle to Exsiting, so I can slide or shuffle to and fro engine.
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Thats how I modified my 3 meter rigid dingy. I also have a 50mm dia PVC tube that fits the twist grip throttle that also operates the gears on my 15hp mariner outboard.
 
Concerto said:
Why not carry a large water carrier? Fill once launched and place in the bow to keep it down. Empty it before pulling it up the slipway.
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I have done that, though I'm too concerned about having it pinched to do it often. I've also suspended a bucket from the bow when leaving the inflatable tied up.

Space considerations make it hard for me to have at ransomed inflatable, so we make do with an Avon Redstart, which in many ways is a good dinghy but I sometimes feel unsafe when sitting to fit or remove the Suzuki 2.5. Usually I tie the dinghy tight in across the stern boarding platform, which is sort of OK. When operating when alone, I always sit or squat on the dinghy floor and never sit on the side. I have often done 20min trips in windy conditions such as at Salcombe and never felt insecure. We used to use a rigid 8ft pram, when I would always without fail put a weight in the bow.
 
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