Dinghy

[CoastalLiving]

Hi!
We have a 30 foot catalina sailboat and we are considering buying from a friend a 9 foot wooden kit boat with a motor attached. Can we use it as a dinghy? Can we insure it that way? Is there a rule that a dinghy can't be bigger then "x" when you have a 30 foot boat?
Thanks so much.
Isabel


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[Golden Echo]

Hi CoastalLiving, would you consider an inflatable. I have a 2011 Zodiac, 9'6" long X 5'5" wide, 18" tubes. It has an inflatable floor & keel with heat sealed seams. Its in good condition and for sale for $800. That's less than 1/2 what I paid for it in 2011. But to answer your original question, no there is no rule. It just depends on what your boat can handle space wise.
Good luck.
Ron

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[Cheechako]

It will need to fit on your foredeck for sailing offshore, so measure that out. Nothing wrong with a wood dingy, some of the Kit boat prams are nice and stable. Most people like inflatables for their stability and not banging on the mothership. A used Achilles is often a great bargain, they are hypalon and Achilles supplies parts for them. I sold a '94 10 ft Achilles last year that still held air over the winter in storage. $350 is about the going rate. Many of the old ones are red or blue colored.

[The Garbone]

Coastal,

I would pass.

I myself am going to go with a achilles LT4. Weighs in at under 60 lbs and can fold up nice and small. I had an 9 foot plywood floor achilles on my C27 that weighed in at above 70lbs and found it a bear to hoist onto the foredeck fold and deflate.

My C30 came with a fiberglass dink and I will not even consider fighting with it as I can just picture it banging about on by freeboard as I hoist it. As for leaving it in the water that presents a entirely new host of issues.


Gary

[zeehag]

use whatever fits on deck and is affordable. if you can raise it yourself, is a strong point.

[onestepcsy37]

Or if you dont like inflatables, consider the Portabote.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by CoastalLiving

Is there a rule that a dinghy can't be bigger then "x" when you have a 30 foot boat?

No, there aren't any rules. You are free to drag a 20' dinghy behind your 30' boat if you want to (though people will probably look at you funny).

[JPA Cate]

Lots of people love having a timber dinghy. There is stuff for the gunwales that will keep it from banging into your topsides. If it is a sailing dinghy, it will provide entertainment (sailing or rowing around the anchorages) as well as shore transport and all the other jobs dinghies do. But, as Zeehag suggests, it must fit on deck, otherwise it will be a big hassle, with too many problems to solve.

Ann

[4arch]

I'd suggest trying both hard and inflatable dinghies before you buy, if at all possible. People seem to have a love or hate reaction to hard dinghies while there is widespread grudging acceptance of inflatables. Going too far down the wrong path can be an expensive mistake.

A dinghy stored on deck would ideally be short enough to fit between the mast and the aft end of the anchor locker and narrow enough to be able to walk around it on deck all the way forward without moving or removing the dinghy. This can be tricky on a 30 footer, especially if full time live aboard payload capacity is necessary.

[CoastalLiving]

Thank you for your feedback. I think we are going to look into a foldable dingy. We need something that is easier to transport


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[wingless]

My 11½' hard fiberglass / teak Edey & Duff Columbia row / sail dinghy is a one-person job to deploy / store onto my swim platform.

The prior tender was a Zodiac 310 Yachtline 10½' RIB using Weaver Snap Davits. It was a two person job (or block and tackle) to break the stiction to yank it up onto the swim platform.

The Zodiac was faster, w/ one person, flat water and my 15 hp Mercury, but the Columbia is a very pretty boat and much more fun. Plus, I like rowing instead.

[sailcruiser]

Check out a portabote. I've got two inflatables that need repair but this one is working out ok so far. They are ugly but pretty bulletproof.
SC


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[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by wingless

My 11½' hard fiberglass / teak Edey & Duff Columbia row / sail dinghy is a one-person job to deploy / store onto my swim platform.

The prior tender was a Zodiac 310 Yachtline 10½' RIB using Weaver Snap Davits. It was a two person job (or block and tackle) to break the stiction to yank it up onto the swim platform.

The Zodiac was faster, w/ one person, flat water and my 15 hp Mercury, but the Columbia is a very pretty boat and much more fun. Plus, I like rowing instead.

On a sailboat, the 11 1/2' FG tender would be almost impossible to launch by one person. Being a Catalina 30, they are restricted by size and weight. An inflatable is one option as is the portabot.

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

Or if you dont like inflatables, consider the Portabote.

Originally Posted by sailcruiser

Check out a portabote. I've got two inflatables that need repair but this one is working out ok so far. They are ugly but pretty bulletproof.
SC


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I'm on my second Portabot (Geneses) Rows well. I've yet to try it on the Sea of Cortez but will next

[SunnyJ]

Have a hypalon 8' Avon Redstart unknown vintage sans plywood. Sits on foc'sle.

Also have a double-ended porta-bote 10', can lash to the cabin or rail.

This all fits easily on my C&C 27 MKIII (28 footer).

[tdoster]

To actually answer your question. Yes, you can use it. Yes, it can be insured with the boat. Make sure your policy specifically lists it. On it's own, it is covered by your homeowners by default for liability, but can also be added as a rider to the homeowners policy for a couple extra bucks.

We found this out the hard way when lost a dink one evening in windy conditions and a less than sobber mate who tied the painter after returning to the boat after a night out.

* Is it practical and safe? Depends on where you are cruising and for how long. Where do you plan to take it? Can you travel with it out of the water on davits or on deck if you need to? Is the dink registered? If not, how difficult is it to register in your area as most places no require the dink to be registered regardless of whether it is a tender or not.

Does it fit your needs? Can the entire crew and gear fit in the boat and still be seaworthy? Does the motor get it on a plane with two people? How difficult is it to raise it out of the water and store it on the boat if need be? How well does it tow behind the boat? I have seen plywood home builts tow badly and easily swamp and some that ride nicely on a plane and easy to tow happily following the boat wherever it drags it.