Tender size for 2 adults and 3 children

[gunman]

Interested in opinions as to what the minimum tender size would be for a rigid tender capable of carrying 2 adults (with fair amount of meat on their bones), and 3 kids, 8yrs, 5yrs and nearly 2?

Layout, probably me rowing, 2 older kids at the front and wife and young'un at the back. Currently I have been using an 8ft blue peter sailing dinghy, rowing out on my own and bringing the yacht into the marina to pick them up. Regardless of size it's no use as it has no front seat. I also have a decent wee 8ft dinghy which needs some wooden trim and have been offered an 11ft for £150 ( I have an offer of £60 on my 8ft too).

It would be a lot quicker and easier if we could all row out and sail off the mooring. I'm not keen on taking 2 runs as I'd have to leave the kids alone on the shore while I ferry the wife out (better that than leaving them on the boat on their own).

Considerations are that we are on an inland waterway and the mooring is less than 100 yards out. Inflatables are out as I was in one for the first time last year and am in no hurry to get back into one. I suppose it's what I'm used to just, I've been in grp tenders from I was a toddler.

 

[lenseman]

You have a problem unless there is a water taxi.

The size of tender you will require for 2 adults plus 3 children and kit means you shall be looking for a small boat and not a tender, anything less than twelve feet will probably be too small.

Make sure you are all wearing life jackets during transfer.

 

[rob2]

Depending on relative weights for trim, you may find it better to row from the front seat with the two older children on the centre thwart and wife and littl'un in the transom. That should give everyone a little more shoulder room. I agree, you'll probably need something of ten feet or more to give adequate buoyancy although on inland waterways you might be happy with a little less freeboard than you would under coastal conditions.

Rob.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Got to be two trips I reckon.

First trip dad, one child mountain plus the usual mountain of stuff.

Second trip mum plus 2 children.

100 yards you can wave to each other all the time.

Or, rig a line to the shore from the boat with turning blocks etc.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Got to be two trips I reckon.

First trip dad, one child mountain plus the usual mountain of stuff.

Second trip mum plus 2 children.

100 yards you can wave to each other all the time.

Or, rig a line to the shore from the boat with turning blocks etc.

So which child do you leave alone on the boat whilst Dad rows back?

In your situation I would get a small rib, like an Avon Searider. Not expensive, especially without and engine. You and your wife can paddle it, or get a small engine.

Impossible to turn over which with all that stuff and kids is the priority.

 

[Tintin]

So which child do you leave alone on the boat whilst Dad rows back?

.....

8 yr old should be old enough to sit still and do nothing and happy to take instructions with a reasonable explanation as to why.

5 yr old probably still too spontaneous.

2 yr old - nah!

 

[VicS]

8 yr old should be old enough to sit still and do nothing and happy to take instructions with a reasonable explanation as to why.

You may well be right but i suspect that if you left an 8 year old alone on a boat and he /she managed to fall overboard and drown you would find yourself in deep trouble.

 

[Tintin]

You may well be right but i suspect that if you left an 8 year old alone on a boat and he /she managed to fall overboard and drown you would find yourself in deep trouble.

Oh gosh, are we onto lifejackets and lines again? So soon.....

You're right BTW, most kids of that age will do as they are told but some may not - each to his own.

 

[seumask]

the 11 ft shoulf be fine, we get three children and two adults in our Gull dinghy (11ft) and go sailing! which means shifting people around as you tack etc. When we are not sailing we use it as a tender to get 2 adults and up to 4 children out to the boat , appprox 300 yds in tidal water. Usually with engine (2.5 hp), but I have rowed it before with less than the full crew compliment. Price sounds reasonable.

 

[maby]

You may well be right but i suspect that if you left an 8 year old alone on a boat and he /she managed to fall overboard and drown you would find yourself in deep trouble.

"Better drowned than duffers"?

Seriously - if you have three young children on a boat and cannot trust the 8 year old, at least, to stay alive without constant supervision, you are in trouble and probably should not be on the water at all! Keeping the 5 yo and 2 yo from drowning themselves is going to require a fair amount of effort...

 

[philip_stevens]

Go for the 11 footer and Rob2's seating suggestion. Then you have best rowing control and can see everyone while rowing.

 

[jubro]

We used a 10ft dinghy for a good few years when our children were the same age as yours, but since they hit double figures we've gone up to a 12ft, and there's a big difference in how much safer it feels. The old boat used to ship water when it was fully loaded, and wouldn't have been row-able in that state. I'd be happy to cross the channel in the new boat, and the longer oars and waterline length make rowing a pleasure.

With the old dinnghy, when we had a lot of kit to get on board, I'd tow an Avon or inflatable kayak with bags (and sometimes kids) in it. This felt safer than overloading the dinghy.

I'd look for something like an 11ft Orkney - beam and stable and a good load-carrier, though not a great rowing boat.

 

[gunman]

Thanks to all for the replies. None of the kids are going to be left on the boat alone, I won't be drawn into a debate about whether my kids are sensible enough or if it's a safe thing to do, thats not what I was asking advice on. My wife works in child protection so there's no way she'll go for leaving an unattended child on a boat even if I would!

We don't have that much (other than ourselves) to transport to the boat, we are day sailing so the most luggage will be a changing bag for the young'un and perhaps a picnic. In the event we do have a mountain to take I'm more than happy to transport it out and return for the crew, 2 trips isn't the issue.

 

[Ruffles]

I can get a lot more in our small 8' 6" dinghy using the outboard rather than rowing. But obviously you have to have pontoons to bale out to if the motor stops!

I always take mum, kids and the food on the first trip. The kids like to be near their food.

Good tip is to make yourself a couple of huge holdalls out of proofed sail bag material. Keeps everything together and dry. Mine are the size of the trolley!

I'm afraid my 8 year old is likely to be driving the dinghy! But he's grown up enough to walk to school on his own.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Thanks to all for the replies. None of the kids are going to be left on the boat alone, I won't be drawn into a debate about whether my kids are sensible enough or if it's a safe thing to do, thats not what I was asking advice on. My wife works in child protection so there's no way she'll go for leaving an unattended child on a boat even if I would!

We don't have that much (other than ourselves) to transport to the boat, we are day sailing so the most luggage will be a changing bag for the young'un and perhaps a picnic. In the event we do have a mountain to take I'm more than happy to transport it out and return for the crew, 2 trips isn't the issue.

With little stuff to transport then 11ft is fine, that's a big tender. And for what it's worth I agree with you about the 8 year old; life is risky enough without tempting fate - and why bother when buying an 11 or 12 foot dinghy solves the problem? But 100% I would add a small outboard, it takes so much stress out of the procedure, and then you've got a fun run around to take the kids in, they love the relative ense of speed.

 

[gunman]

Thanks, I have a spare 4hp 2 stroke mariner in the garage which I would use with it but it seems a bit overkill for 100 yards.

 

[Hazymoonshine]

3.1m rib

We are in exactly the same situation, two adults, three children and kit. We had the Plastimo 3.1m rib, but then swapped it for the Bombard AX500. Both excellent small ribs with very good stability - compared to similar length inflatables. We use a Tohatsu 6hp. Compromise is storing it on on 34ft'er, but we would lift it onto the foredeck for long passages, or tow it for day trips around the Solent.

Best wishes

HM

 

[tcm]

20 or better 25hp to plane with that lot, i think

 

[gunman]

Well, the 11ft tender has fallen through so I'm on the lookout again.

I've seen a grp pram dinghy, what's the idea behind the square bow? It looks like a traditional dinghy that has been cut off 18" back from the bow. Would this be difficult to row?

 

[Bodach na mara]

Nothing wrong with a pram. There were a lot of glass prams up this way once as a local moulder was selling bare hulls.

Why not a Mirror dinghy or something similar? there are always several on ebay. We used one when the kids were small and towed it behind the boat when cruising. When in harbour, they used to get the mast and sails on and head off exploring. Mind you we only had two kids aged 6 and 9 the first year. Your two-year-old will be rather larger in a couple of years, so you may need something bigger.