home built dink

maestro · #1 (**permalink**) 09-19-2003

Anyone have good luck in getting plans and building a home made wooden tender?? I don''t want to go out and buy an inflateable, and I like woodworking.

How tough is this?? What''s the best type of dingy to build ( I''m looking for something in the 7-9ft range)

Any suggestions??

Mike C.

soapstone · #2 (**permalink**) 09-19-2003

If you can find the time, take the wooden boat building course at Mystic seaport, I did and recommend it highly. One of the things they teach is how to build a boat from a simple table of offsets, and not a cookie-cutter pattern that the kit builders sell.

IMHO the traditional boats are a lot prettier, and maybe faster, but heavier than a stitch and glue cookie cutter thing.

pravel · #3 (**permalink**) 09-23-2003

I built a D4 Pram from plans from bateau.com.
It has an option to make it sailing capable and I went with that thinking I might want the capability and not wanting to limit its potential. The result was a fine boat and much gained experience/confidence with fiberglass/epoxy. However, it is too heavy for one person to lift and is a tad long to stow on deck on my Pearson 30. When I build again, I will go for the lightest fiberglass/epoxy construction possible. There is a nesting 10 footer that is very interesting. Each half weighs less than 45 pounds and it stows in less than 5 feet long.

Regards, Jim Pravel
1973 P30 SamaSama
Chesapeake Bay

msl · #4 (**permalink**) 09-23-2003

Look at this month''s "Good Old Boat" issue. They show how to build a ''nesting'' dink. Neat concept that allows storage on deck of a right sized dinghy.

928frenzy · #5 (**permalink**) 09-23-2003

An alternative is an 8'' Porta-Bote, which folds to a space of 8''x2''x4". They can: hold two adults, be powered by oars or a small outboard or even a sail, will not puncture, and float even when full of water!

I have the 10''6" version which holds three adults. They also make a 12'' version that holds four adults. Check them out at: www.portabote.com

~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

paulk · #6 (**permalink**) 09-24-2003

Buy a copy of Woodenboat. There are at least a dozen different ads for dinghy kits and plans of different types and construction methods. The Woodenboat website is a good place for additional - and knowledgeable - info as well.

Robinl · #7 (**permalink**) 09-28-2003

I built the D4 and have been extremely happy with the results. I also built a couple of sea kayaks and compared to building those the D4 is a breeze. I built the sailing version and the thing sails and rows really well. Good luck!

Figment · #8 (**permalink**) 09-30-2003

The Good Old Boat article on the cedar strip nesting dinghy was a good one. I''ve since had correspondance with the builder, who says that the reduced-size version wants more stability. I also suspect that the rounding of the chines to accommodate the cedarstrip process robbed some initial stability as well.

Nevertheless, I''m a big fan of Dave Gerr''s Nester design.

I recently built Steven Lewis'' "Dinghbat", a 8''x4'' taped-seam pram, from plans obtained free from the Duckworks site. I''d suggest building the newer V-bottom design, as my flatbottom version wants some stiffness in the bottom. I also suggest that one fudge the plans a bit to obtain at least 3" more freeboard, though this will likely require an extra sheet of plywood. I haven''t weighed it officially, but I can tote it across the boatyard on one shoulder. It rows well, and I suppose it would take a 2.5hp motor with ease.at

Bateau.com has some excellent plans.

CAUTION: Building one''s own boats is thoroughly addictive. This will NOT be the last boat you build. Dinghbat is my third, and I''m already sifting through plans for number four.

tsenator · #9 (**permalink**) 09-30-2003

Figment,

How does the dingbat sail? I''m also trying to decide what 8 foot dink to build (I''m just looking at the simple glue and stitch designs)

the designs I am looking at are:
The D4 (or maybe newer refined D5)
http://www.bateau.com/plans/small/D5.php3

The Dixi Dinghy or the Argie 10
http://www.dixdesign.com/ dinghies.htm

The Glen-L Eight Ball design
http://www.glen-l.com/designs/sailboat/8ball.html

They all look pretty similar....any comments from anyone....any design sail better than another?.....I am looking at possible trying to have it sprit or gaff rigged because I have heard that will perform a bit better than a similarly sized marconi rigged sail

maestro · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003

thanks for all the replys.

I just bought plans for the D4 pram as well as an 11ft. skiff...my boat comes out of the water next week for the season, so I''ll have time to do at least 1 of the 2 boats before it gets too cold.