Here are some pros and cons for inflatables:
Pro:
They’re compact when you
deflate them.
They’re fast even with small
outboard motors.
One of their best attributes
is that it’s easy for swimmers to climb (or launch themselves) aboard.
For their size, they can
carry heavy loads.
Because they are just big
fenders, they won’t damage your topsides.
Con:
Barnacles on the rocks will
puncture them.
A screwdriver in the back
pocket of your jeans will puncture them. (Don’t ask. It still hurts.)
They are mostly pretty wet
and bouncy under power.
It takes time to inflate or
deflate them.
They’re fairly expensive.
They don’t stand up well to
everyday hard work in tropical climates.
They are very attractive to
thieves.
Here are the pros and cons for hard dinghies:
Pros:
They’re better sea boats.
They’re much easier to row —
and even sail, if you want.
They’re more durable.
They tow better behind your
boat, with less drag.
They’re better able to
withstand abrasion.
Cons:
They’re less stable than
inflatables.
They’re heavier and bulkier.
They need more stowage space
on deck or on stern davits.
On a 27-foot boat like my
friend’s, there is simply no space on deck for a hard dinghy. He doesn’t have a
roller furling jib, so he needs the foredeck space.
L. Francis Herreshoff listed
his requirements for a hard dinghy as follows:
► It should row easily, light
or loaded
► It should be light enough to
be hoisted aboard easily
► It should be constructed
strongly so it will not leak, and take some abuse
► It should tow steadily,
always holding back on its painter and never yawing around.
I’m not sure it’s possible to
find a dinghy like that, especially one that will always hold back and never
yaw around. But it might pay to keep looking. Miracles do happen, they tell me.
Today’s Thought
For she IS such a smart little craft,
Such a neat little sweet little craft —
Such a bright little,
Slight little, Light little,
Trim little, slim little craft!
— W.S. Gilbert, Ruddigore
Tailpiece
“Let’s stop here.
This looks like an ideal place for a picnic.”
“It must be. Fifty
million mosquitoes can’t be wrong.”
(Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday — a
new Mainly about Boats column.)
5 comments:
A nesting dinghy and some fenders would seem to be the best all-around solution, no?
Perhaps the answer lies in purchasing the correct yacht - The Maurice Griffiths Lone Gull 2 design has a nice set of stern davits to carry a dinghy..... or perhaps a nesting dinghy of which there are a number of very good examples.
A 2-part hard nesting dinghy designed by Danny Green of Bermuda rows, tows and sails well. The nested footprint fits the cabin top of many small boats. Fun to build too with good plans.
For a small sailboat, a hard dinghy is difficult to store How about a folding - inflatable kayak?
Indeed, a nesting dinghy would seem ideal for your purposes. B&B Yacht Designs have several that look fabulous and SAIL as well. https://bandbyachtdesigns.com/spindrift/
Matt and Amy aboard SY Florence display it sailing beautifully at Bora Bora at around the 7.30 mark of this video: https://youtu.be/pTIC5d1_ujw. Elsewhere constantly through their Youtube channel, you can see them rowing and motoring it.
Post a Comment