What Dinghy

[owendo]

Any opinions out there as to what is the best configuration of tender for least drag.

I have just got rid of a Waveline 2.7 as being very heavy to drag I have replaced it with a Walker 7ft which does not appear to be any lighter.

I should like it to be big enough to carry 2 adults plus a small amount of kit about 7ft seems the right sort of size.

 

[tillergirl]

Or purpose make it Mike. I made this dinghy out of quarter inch exterior ply and it lasted for 15 years - would have lasted longer if I looked after it better in later years. The quarter inch ply gave it its lightness and its shape with the flaired sides excellent stability. The bottom was one sheet of 10x4 ply with a lot of rocker which meant that she floated (empty) with both transoms out of the water. The rocker meant that she could be propelled over the mud with the aid of oars and a jiggle. Took 3 people. The bow looks a little odd becasue the fendering has taken a bash. Sorry about the colour inide, someone had some old paint!

Weather helm? What weather helm? And coo look a compass being used.

 

[VicS]

One like this. 8ft measured along the gunnels because it was made from just two 8x4 sheets of ply. Just about large enough for two adults provided they are not both large

 

[Chrusty1]

Coooooo! there's posh innit! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Cliveshep]

That's a pretty little "stitch and glue" Vics - did you build it yourself?

 

[cliffordpope]

Or this:

Home made out of 2 sheets of ply, and wood out of skips.
There is plenty of rocker, for the reasons already suggested.
Mine's a bit wider than the first example shown - room for two adults to row side by side.

You need to consider the variable trim with different configurations of loading - single adult, two children, adult + 2 children, 2 adults, etc.
Mine has two fixed, narrow thwarts, with extra planks that can be put in different positions, and a second pair of rowlock holes further forward.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Vics - did you build it yourself?

[/ QUOTE ] Yes beginning to get the hang of stitch and glue by the time I built that.

Note the built in bow and stern buoyancy tanks. Very glad of those the other day!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Kukri]

Well I would agree that for ease of towing and light weight a hard chine pram can be hard to beat.

Having said that, I do think that there is a minimum safe size for a tender, defined as the smallest boat that you can confident of re-boarding should you capsize her (try this, off a beach, in summer, - it can be very educational...) I would be careful about going smaller than say 7ft 6ins.

To tow well a boat should have a well defined skeg and a towing ring well down on the bow.

There is a slight drawback to these hard chine prams in that they seem to me to be more inclined to surf up the painter and overtake or smash into the parent boat in a following sea than a clinker dinghy, but its a matter of degree...

 

[KenMcCulloch]

[ QUOTE ]
......

There is a slight drawback to these hard chine prams in that they seem to me to be more inclined to surf up the painter and overtake or smash into the parent boat in a following sea than a clinker dinghy, but its a matter of degree...

[/ QUOTE ]
What sir needs in that case is a towed dinghy brake. Take a two litre plastic water bottle, empty and cut in half across the diameter. Thread it onto the painter with the open end toward the dinghy, and tie a fig8 knot in the painter about 2-3 m from the dinghy towing attachment (knot between bottle and towing vessel). When the dinghy surfs over the painter the open end of the bottle is enough of a drogue to slow the dinghy down nicely but creates little or no extra drag in the tow.

 

[cliffordpope]

By "open end" you mean the cut-off end, not the open end of the bottle? Presumably as the dinghy surges forward the drogue gets trailed back under the front transom.

I like it - clever and simple.
It's a similar thinking to the trick of attaching the chain to the crown of the anchor, but fixed with cable ties to the normal ring. It works normally, but an abnormal pull in a contrary direction will activate an alternative process.

 

[Skipjack]

You shouldn't have sold me the 9 footer you built yourself, Mike!

And therin lies a question: what class or design is she? I'd like to enter her in the RTIR this year, and presumably she has a PY. I am just tidying her up a bit in my shed up in South Ferriby at the moment.

Any suggestions for a start time for the race?

Best
Greg Dunn

 

[owendov17]

Good tip !
Thanks

 

[owendov17]

Just back from a trip sorry for any delay in replys.
Re start time and direction all depends on the day, however the only times I have done it I have gone anti clockwise.

It seems that Health and safety does not allow the bad lad squaddies from helping over the Strood! Shame because it always added to the event I recall seeing a dinghy complete with crew being lifted over the road.It goes without saying that the crew were very pretty girls!