dinghy options

davidpm · #1 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009

My friend has a Catalina 30 and is thinking about getting a dinghy. Towing one is possible of course but a pain. He will never spring for davits and it seems like a c30 is a little small for that solution.
The for-deck is the most likely place of course but it seems it will be a little tight for a normal size dinghy.

I have a sit-a-top kayak we have used in the past but, but that gets a little wet and only takes two people. I'm wondering what else people have used successfully.

RXBOT · #2 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009

Tell your freind to check out the sportyak and the new 245 model by BIC. I think the sportyak is 45 pounds.

Faster · #3 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009

An 8foot zodiac would fit quite nicely on the foredeck of a C30 and will handle 4 persons for trips ashore.

They can often be found on Craigslist and similar buy-sell listings for reasonable money.

lshick · #4 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009

Or consider a nesting dinghy: it comes apart in two halves (fore/aft) so the fore part nests inside the aft part. There are plans on the internet. Or, with a little careful planning, you could take a stock dink, saw it in half, make the thwarts removeable/replaceable, a little thinking about how you bolt it back together, and there you are.

PalmettoSailor · #5 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009

I am a bit leery of towing since you never know when you might get caught out in less than benign conditions. My dingy flipped while being towed last year and I lost my seat bag with the pump and I don't remember what else plus it stripped the number plates with the registration numbers. At least I had the sense to have the outboard on the pulpit rail and the oars in the lazerette or they'd be gone too.

This year I've tried the dink on the foredeck of my Catalina 36 and hate it. I'd have to put down padeyes to adequately secure it without creating a trip hazard, and its a magnet for the sheets when tacking. I'm back to towing but if there is any threat of weather I'll deflate the thing, roll it up and store it at the base of the mast. That way it'll be out of the area where you need to move on deck and won't catch the sheets.

deniseO30 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009

I've towed a dink quite a bit and have also stored it on the foredeck. I'd rather tow it. It's not a pain at all IMHO sometimes it's a concern when going in reverse for docking, other then that I't works out ok for me.

eryka · #7 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009

Towing our 10-foot RIB can cost half a knot to a knot of boat speed, even with the engine on the rail. If we're going any distance at all we partially deflate it and put it on the foredeck. The time it takes to put up & down is more than made up for with the time we save sailing faster.

davidpm · #8 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by eryka

Towing our 10-foot RIB can cost half a knot to a knot of boat speed, even with the engine on the rail. If we're going any distance at all we partially deflate it and put it on the fore-deck. The time it takes to put up & down is more than made up for with the time we save sailing faster.

What is the inflation, deflation process like. Never done it. What do you use to inflate, how long does it take etc.

cesarid · #9 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by eryka

Towing our 10-foot RIB can cost half a knot to a knot of boat speed, even with the engine on the rail. If we're going any distance at all we partially deflate it and put it on the foredeck. The time it takes to put up & down is more than made up for with the time we save sailing faster.

Isn't a 10' RIB pretty heavy? How do you lift it on the deck?

PalmettoSailor · #10 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidpm

What is the inflation, deflation process like. Never done it. What do you use to inflate, how long does it take etc.

It takes about 15 minutes or so using a foot pump to pump up our 8' Zodiac. Its not too bad at all, but you wouldn't want to do it every day unless you had to.