How many of you actually ROW your dinghy?

[SoulVoyage]

I'm just wondering....how many actually ROW their dinghy to and from the boat at anchor?

I see all sorts of tenders at the dinghy docks that don't have any oars at all. To me, even if you have an outboard at all times, you should STILL always carry a pair of good oars.

I have an inflatable that I've modified the oar-locks to take much longer spoon-bladed oars. Usually inflatables don't row worth moose-scat....that is almost always because the oarlocks that come with them are worthless for REAL rowing and the oars are way too short.

I made teak blocks for my inflatable that accept a set of traditional sculling oarlocks. These oarlocks allow for a much more natural rowing style. And as I've stated, I use a pair of longer spoon-bladed oars....I'm presently using 7 footers, but would like to go to 8 feet. The combination of the much better oarlocks and longer oars means I can now row the inflatable nearly as fast a hard dinghy.

I row ALL the time. I've got a British Seagull (maybe that's why I row! ) but I almost never use it. I row for fun and for exercise and mostly just for the simple joy of rowing. I also use a very efficient rowing technique that I learned from crew team.

Yet I see almost NO ONE else rowing at whatever anchorage I'm at....it's almost as if people nowadays have a phobia against rowing. WEIRD.

It's really too bad, because people are missing out on one of the simple joys of rowing. And people wonder why they're getting fat and out of shape...

[SVAuspicious]

I row for exercise - boat is at a dock but most days I row for about 20 or 30 minutes. RIB doesn't row particularly well but for my purposes it's fine.

[St Anna]

We have a rib so I only make the teenager row. I'm too lazy!

[CaptainForce]

We use a 5hp Honda on our rib and the bikes in the dinghy don't leave enough space to row, we get our exercise bicycling or walking with our backpacks to the grocery & laundromat, etc. Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[MarioG]

I row I get an all around satisfaction about it ,the motor on the dingy is for the first mate.
I also roller blade were I need to go. after a few times doing as much as a 10 mile roll seems like nothing.

[deniseO30]

The trouble with rowing is not many boats like inflatables and skiff types don't row well. It takes major muscle groups to move em. A boat that rows well won't motor well.

[n8kraft]

I row my coleman hard plastic dinghy because that's the only propulsion system available. Can't beat the price!

[WanderingStar]

I always row. I've never had an outboard dinghy. I've rowed it more than a mile to get from an anchorage to town. I can row into a breeze up to about 30 knots. I'm not doing it because I love rowing, but an outboard is a hassle. Register the dinghy, maintain the outboard, worry about theft, bring gasoline. I've seen a guy carry an outboard up 90 steps at the bluff to power his aluminum skiff off the beach to fish. The energy used to carry that motor could have rowed him to Connecticut.

[Sabreman]

We had an inflatable and I hated it. I built a Nutshell Pram (Joel White design) from Wooden Boat plans. It rows beautifully, tows straight, does not fill with water, and sails ok. I won't even think of a motor (just another thing to maintain). When I get too old to row, then I'll be too old to sail.

Our dinghy's name is Li'l Mike, named for my father. He passed away before we could build it together (Family tradition - most males in my family have built some sort of boat). Links are below:

Toys
VICTORIA (and her mistress)

A boat that rows well won't motor well

Not true.

BTW - Inflatables are not RIBs. I've seen very few RIBs on the docks. Most people have inflatables.

[sailingdog]

I row one of my dinghies, but generally use a motor on the inflatable, as they row horribly.