Staying dry

[RMA]

Last night I managed to overturn my 8 foot dinghy whilst getting ashore from the boat. I was hoping to keep quiet about it so as to avoid worrying the wife unduly – nothing whatsoever to do with my personal embarrassment – but being a bit on the quick side she noticed the puddles of water across the hall carpet and the pile of wet clothes hidden behind the boiler.

I didn’t think the dinghy was too unstable, it was fine provided nobody sneezed or made any sudden movements, but I have now been ordered to get something less likely to capsize.

I would appreciate people’s views on the best way to go. Those wide dories look good, although they must be pretty heavy to lug around either behind the boat or up a slipway, so would a decent sized rib or inflatable be a better option?


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[[3889]]

I've had the same problem in a little plastimo. An inflatable is certainly more stable and I've found altogether better if you can live with having to blow it/up let it down all the time.
Andy

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Problem is the inflatable will get a hammering being used week in week out as the tender. After mine developed a small hole from something sharp on the slipway I decided enough was enough I am getting a hard dinghy. The inflatable, now repaired remains on board.

Many people aoround here and it seems the older generations, maybe experience, use those Square (like dory) dinghies. The ones with the bouyancy built in t floor and sides, the sides being around 6" thick. They seem stable and light, though I don't think I have ever seen someone use an outboard on one, so if your mooring is a mile away it might not be a great choice.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>

</A>

 

[Vara]

Try<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.walkerbay.com/>Here</A>.
Used one last year for sailing with disabled children does what it says on the tin.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it can't be fixed with a lump hammer dont fit it!

 

[Talbot]

I got the small sized plastimo plastic boat, which can have an engine fitted and has wheels and is light enough for me to lift on its own. It is only good for 2 people , and has no inherent buoyancy, so should not be used where you will experience waves (i.e. no good as a tender, but fine for use from shore to pontoon) and cheap! I have strengthened mine so that I can use my 3.5 hp engine if necessary, but should not be used with anything larger than a 2hp if not strengthened) but they row well (once you have replaced the stupid plastic rowlocks). I normally have to land on a very rough slipway, and it was destroying my rubber tender.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[cameronke]

Hello Colin

These look really neat. I particullarly liked the RID. Any Idea how much?

Regards
Cameron

<hr width=100% size=1>Work to live, live to sail

 

[Vara]

The ones we were using were 10 ft with collar and sail kit I think they were about £900.
Even had a Tinnie holder in the transom thwart!
They were incredibly stable I stood on gunwale and using mast as lever tryed to pull it over----no chance.(15 stone).Rowed well sailed reasonably well with Topper style rig and had provision for OB.
Kids loved it ,and I thought it would make an ideal tender.
Scan of net reveals E P Barrus are UK distributors

<hr width=100% size=1>If it can't be fixed with a lump hammer dont fit it!

 

[Vara]

See <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.barrus.co.uk/products.php?sectionid=108>HERE</A>.
Sorry I didnt put link in earlier but I had to go to darts team training.Prioritise,Prioritise and I thought those problems had gone on retirement!!

<hr width=100% size=1>If it can't be fixed with a lump hammer dont fit it!

 

[Mudplugger]

Roger, if you are any where near the Colchester area, there is a guy in Lexden Rd that moulds. deep bodied tenders at a very competitive price. I think 7'6, 8'6 & 9'. As a modestly bodied 18stone junior wrinkly I have never had the slightest problem with them being unstable and other members regularly put 3-4 people in them....Pretty basic but reasonably light and very functional...Pricing starts @ around £225...

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.

 

[corkonian1]

I fell in getting into my tender twice, once using a mirror dinghy, once recently using my own stitch and glue job.Ive never fallen in from an inflatable , inherently safer.
Auto life jacket inflated but did not turn me on my back. I thought it was supposed
to. My head was gripped so tight I could not turn my head. On emerging from
the water I found I could barely stand up. This was due partly to rubbery knees
from shock and partly to the amount of water trapped between the fleece and outer
waterproof layer of my sailing jacket.I was like the Michelin man.This would not
be helpful trying to climb back into the boat. Jacket is now in the bin.Wonder how common falling in when getting into a tender is?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[William_H]

I can't resist a comment and always seem to like to be contrary and cheap. I imagine rather than actually capsize, your dinghy took water over the gunwhale and then lost stability taking more water over the side and submerged. I presume you ended up in the water and swam towing the dinghy to shore.
You might consider modifying the dinghy to either raise the gunwhales or give it side decks or both. I don't know what sort of construction your dinghy is. If wood then another inch or two on the gunwhale height could easily be acheived by screwing glueing battens on top. Messy but possible with fibreglass would be to glue urethane foam (for poluyester resin) or styrene foam (epoxy resin) onto the gunwhale area then laying up layers of glass cloth to make it rigid. ( try to get twill weave as it bends easier) In a similar manner you may be able to fit wooden or foam side decks at top or just below gunwhale. If you can put side walls in to make a side tank so much better. From dinghy sailing experience I reckon the stability comes from bouyancy in the chine area when this has water in it you lose stability. So foam covered with fibreglass each side of the hull in the chine area from bow to stern (but most importantly amidships) will help enormously. With enough foam you should be able to take on a huge amount of water and still remain stable and rowable or motorable. Bouyancy in the bow and stern or under thwarts is convenient but won't help stability when full if water just keeps it near the surface. regards will

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[RMA]

Thanks for all the advice.

The sides of my boat are too high to climb aboard from a dinghy and so I pull it up to the ladder at the stern and climb over the bow of the dinghy – its certainly not stable enough to take my weight anywhere near the sides.

The mooring line had wrapped itself around the buoy and I couldn’t free it from the deck, which as I say is quite high out of the water, so I jumped in the dinghy with the intention of freeing it. I normally wear a life jacket but didn’t this time as it was only a quick job. The next thing I knew was I was in the water under the overturned dinghy. The tide was running at about 2 knots, and by the time I had got out from underneath I was too far from the boat to swim back. I kept hold of the dinghy to keep afloat and, fortunately, managed to grab the next mooring buoy down. I tied the dinghy to the buoy and used the rest of the painter to tie myself to it. Luckily someone on the pontoons heard my shouts and came and got me.

At the time I didn’t think it was that great a deal, as they say, but looking back I realise how lucky I was. If the dinghy had hit me on the head things might have turned out differently. They say the hardest lessons are the ones you learn best…………


<hr width=100% size=1>