The Dinghy Thread

[JT48348]

This is the dinghy thread.
This is where we can pontificate on the beauty of your dinghy.
Not to be confused with the What kind of Dinghy Thread

Personally, I like dinghies. I think they're very interesting. Its the go anywhere, do anything, work horse of a boater. I like unusual dinghies. Plastic, rubber, wood, or FRG. A man or woman's dinghy says a lot about them. Long and sleek, short and fat. Bristol decks sides, or third world paintjob. How you carry your dinghy says a lot about how you go through life.

Every dinghy has a story.
Every dinghy has adventure tale to tell.
What's your dingy? And how are you carrying it?

This is a dinghy I acquired over Christmas bargain shopping. A 1965 Whistler sailboat 11', converted by someone into a dinghy. It appears to be bullet proof and heavy. The owner guessed 125lbs? I think he's being conservative, I'd say closer to 150-200.

[DesertAlbin736]

The dinghy that came with our A25 when we bought it last March is an 8 ft Canadian made Boatex faux lapstrake fiberglass dinghy complete with mast, sail, rudder and daggerboard. I believe it's a 1992 model. The company went out of business in 2006, so they're no l longer made. It stows neatly on the stern swim platform via Weaver snap davits. I added the name of our boat, "La Dolce Vita" in vinyl letters on the bottom of the dinghy so when viewed from astern you can see the name of our boat. It motors well with a 2.5 HP Tohatsu outboard. I also have the option of using a 30 lb thrust electric trolling motor.

[george.publow]

I have a wooden 8' "Nutshell" pram which I built from Woodenboat plans. I built it some years ago because it fit very nicely upside down over the cabin of our Albin 25. I wanted to carry it there when we trailered our boat from Toronto to Nova Scotia where we explored the Bras D'or Lakes (and ate our fill of lobster). It is quite light and could be easily lifted on to the deck.

[denchen]

This is my set up and works well. The outboard under the orange cover is a British Seagull 2hp that always starts and runs well and is a lot faster than rowing.

[DesertAlbin736]

I hope you were just 'on the beach' cuz the tide was out! And I thought the tide range in the US & Canadian Pacific Northwest was large! But I guess that's why a lot of UK boats, especially sailboats, have bilge keels. Didn't know there was a Boston in England.

[denchen]

This picture was taken on a sand bank in The Wash. Yep I live in Boston England, `the place where The Pilgrim Fathers` started from after we let them out of jail. I put her on the sand bank to fit a weed/rope cutter to the prop shaft. For interest we typically get tides here around 7 metres and in The Wash you need to know what you are doing due to moving sand banks strong currents and heavy seas. The North Sea `my area` can be character building if you get it wrong.

[denchen]

Stardust does`nt have bilge keels, you can see my wooden sea legs near the wheel house.

[whwells]

The Whistler 1965 is a real beauty. Nice conversion.
whwells "Howard"

[JT48348]

I love the faux lapstrake dinghy. If only they made a A25/A27 with the faux lapstrake. I think there's a boat called a M***? 27 that's a Swedish style downeaster or motorsailer.

Here's more photos of the whistler lifeboat. I will be curious to see how it works with a small outboat and oars.

[eseyoung]

I have always liked this one http://www.quietcraft.com/Petunia/Petunia.htm

[denchen]

For a nice boat I like the Oselvar. When the boat builder got it right they built bigger versions called Viking Narrow Boats and raided the north of Great Britian and other countries.

[jleonard]

[Cape Codder]

We were in beautiful Katama Bay, Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard. Just goofing off, we dragged our Mercury inflatable as far as we could to the breach through the barrier beach with a friends boat. Santosha was comfortably moored back a few miles in Edgartown. If you look closely you can spot his 32 Intrepid w-a-y in the distance.
Six people in a 8'9" inflatable???? Why not!!!
It so happens a professional photographer from the Island was with her kids on the barrier beach. When we finally beached, she came over and told us she got a great shot. She sent it to me......kind of funny.

BTW, the water was only about 3-4 feet deep in that area.

Norton Point 1.png

[whwells]

Cape Codder: Nice packing of the dingy!
whwells "Howard"

[JT48348]

That's not a RIB.

This is a RIB I had for my 30' sailboat

13' Brig BAMF

You don't tow it. IT tows you!