What Boat Post- A Result!

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Cameron

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Further to a couple of previous 'What Boat' type posts I am now happily the owner of a drop keel Pandora 700. I am short of a tender though and am unsure what size of inflatable I should be looking at for a 23 footer. Is is practical to partially deflate and stow something or are you better with a bigger tender.

In short this is a 'what tender' post.
 
Congratulations on the new boat

We probably have only slightly larger coachroof space to you, and I find it almost impossible to see where I'm going with a partially inflated dinghy on the deck so it lives, deflated, in its bag. There's not as much difference in size between deflated dinghies as when they're inflated, so what size? becomes what cost?
I bought a second-hand redcrest in 1987 and it's still going strong, and I would recommend this design on that basis. I think it was pretty old then, as you don't see many black ones about these days, so despite being probably the most expensive around it will, if cared for, last a lifetime.

P.S. Two extras you should get for any inflatable:
1) A pair of proper length (wooden) oars, so you can row it properly.
2) A big double action pump so you can blow it up as fast as your heart rate will allow. Halfords are doing them for £10 at the moment.
 
Re: Congratulations on the new boat

I only have a slightly bigger boat than you, and I have a Zodiac Cadet - 2.3m from memory. It has a rigid transom and slatted floor and is pushed along by a Tohatsu 3.5.

It's pretty much ideal for going half a mile to my mooring, etc. It won't quite plane, so if I were buying again, I'd try and find a bit more for the inflatable keel version.

No room on board even part inflated, so I tow it behind me. With the motor tilted up, drag is minimal. Once in a rare while it bumps my transom, but since it's one big fender, it's nothing to worry about. If I was racing (in a Snapdragon??!!) I'd leave it padlocked to the mooring.

I could find room on board for it deflated, but it doubles as liferaft for coastal cruising, so I prefer to keep it ready!

By the way, I would recommend carrying spare fuel and a bag with pump, bailer, small anchor, torch and the wherewithall to change spark plug and shear pin WHENEVER you're in it. Attach it to the rubber duck - it could save your life! Also a handheld VHF if possible, or a mobile phone.
 
Congratulations

I have a venerable Avon Redstart (smallest roundtail Avon) and towed it everywhere during my first season on the "instant liferaft" principle but found it did make a significant difference to my speed. I now carry it deflated and lashed across the hatch garage between the grabrails. Where will you keep your new boat (mooring or marina) and where will you sail? Do you plan to use an outboard or row?

Dave
 
Re: Congratulations

I will be sailing on the West Coast of Scotland from Loch Creran. Hopefully I am still fit enough to row so I wont be using an outboard. When deflated can these fit under say the cockpit seat stowage?

Also many thanks for all the advice.

Cameron
 
Re: Congratulations

Probably! But clearly this depends on the size of your cockpit lockers. Mine would just about fit in one of Silkie's lockers but there's too much other "essential" gear in there. I tried stowing the dinghy below (while under way) for a while but it's just another source of damp. I like to keep the decks as clear as possible since it not only looks tidier but it's too easy to create an obstacle course on a wee boat (spi pole, boathook, scrubbing brush etc.) but I finally had to accept that it was the best place for the dinghy, on Silkie anyway.

Fine choice of sailing area BTW! Hope to see you on the water sometime. What's she called?

Dave
 
congratulations on buying the Pandora.They are excellent sailing yachts but like my boat suffer from not much room in the cabin.

I have a 2.3 metre Plastimo type tender if yuu intend carrying more than two people go for a 2.6 anything much larger will be big when rolled up.

. I have towed it in quiet weather with the bow of the tender lifted out of the water close up to the transom of the boat. This way most of it is out of the water and if a wave swamps it most of the water will run over the back.

Usually it is rolled up in its bag and in the forepeak or stood on end on top of the toilet.You can lash them down on deck across the coachroof as this picture shows my friends Pandora with a 9 foot avon lashed across the deck.

pandora_jpg.jpg


Looks like she was sailing quite fast at the time but the pic was still taken over our stern....

If possible I would get a solid grp or plywood tender about 8 or 9 foot long for getting to your boat on its mooring and keep the blow up tender for when your away on the boat.
 
Re: Congratulations

If you want to get the thing as small as possible, invest in a 12v electric air pump. You can get then for around £65. Sounds a bit pricey but it'll inflate in no tim and even better, will deflate & suck oout all the air allowing you to fold up as small as poss.
 
Probably most important is how many people you want to get in it - a 2.3 is normally rated for 2 adults (you would be hard pushed to row with any more). If there is likely to be more of you, then it is a larger dinghy or several trips.
 
Re: Congratulations

She is currently called Morea but is to be re-named Siabrach. I understand that any bad luck from a renaming can be avoided by removing any named objects and then drinking a can of larger through your left nostril while standing on your head (I have actually seen a Canadian guy do this- not standing on his head though). Apparently she she was previously re-named anyway- from Carolyn.

I'll look out for you as well. Chances are I might need a tow.
 
Re: Congratulations

[ QUOTE ]
I understand that any bad luck from a renaming can be avoided by removing any named objects and then drinking a can of larger through your left nostril while standing on your head

[/ QUOTE ]
This will almost certainly do the trick but my suggestion would be to float-test the left-nostril-while-standing-on-your-head ceremony and invite a large number of forumites to the free-larger-while-sitting-on-your-boat ceremony. This will positively guarantee fair winds and good holding in perpetuity.

Dave
 
Cameron, I have a 2.65m slatted floor mailspeed tender with a suzuki 2.5hp 2 stroke on my 26'. Experience is a expensive teacher.
Tender is very heavy,too big to go on coachroof and slows me up if I tow it, and is too long to hang on davits. Incidentaly I would never tow it with o/b still fitted as they have a habit of flipping over, or rely on it as a liferaft as imho in anything other than a calm sea you wouldnt get v. far in it.
An option to reduce weight , inflatable floor? or smaller size?
Honda are offering a 5 year guarantee on there 4 strokes.
 
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