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Old 11-03-2018, 18:48   #1
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Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

So spring is coming and I need a dinghy, been considering options one route to go is a zodiac like I had before, but I have a confession...

I HATE INFLATABLE BOATS!

I have had a few of them over the years, and it seems I am always patching them.

As well I have an issue, I want to get a monitor wind vane, but by adding the monitor I lose the use of my davits.

Now that would not be an issue other than that losing the davits means I have to carry the boat on deck.

Since I would have to carry it on deck that becomes a problem because it means that I have less room on the foredeck for sail changes since I don't have or want a furling headstay.

The idea is if it isn't broke, I won't have to fix it!

That brings me to my current dilemma. Where to put a dinghy?

My current thought process is to go with a Spindrift 10' nesting dinghy!



To my understanding the Spindrift will take up about 5'8" of deck space. That is much better than the 10-11 feet that would be required by another zodiac!





Doing some research I found another builder who is using Nidacore to build his dinghy.



He then goes on in another video to weigh it.



It comes in about 25% lighter than plywood.

For myself I am not concerned about saving weight so much as I am concerned about building a robust boat.

My thought process is to use the nidacore because it will never rot, to use regular fiberglass for the insides, but then to put one layer of glass on the bottom, then cover that with a layer of Kevlar, then run a 12" and 8" wide kevlar tape down the keel, and again with the 8" on the chines.

My thinking is by doing so I will have a boat that is well reinforced that can take being driven up on the beach, that can be repaired when it gets tore up, that will nest on deck and take up less space than a rubber boat.

I want to hear your thoughts!
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Old 11-03-2018, 19:28   #2
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

Hi Nick

I share your disdain for inflatable boats, although I must admit that the new HP floor ones offer an intriguing set of tradeoffs.

The Spindrift is a beautiful boat. There is something appealing about the idea of a sailing rig on a dinghy.

Nesting dinghys are time consuming to stow and deploy. They are a necessary evil on pocket cruisers unless you are willing to have an inflatable boat and deflate it when not in use. But no one who has one finds them convenient.

I would rather have a roller furler than a nesting dinghy, if I had to choose.

If you're going to adopt a cruising style that involves frequent use of anchorage and mooring, you'll want a dinghy that is convenient and practical.
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Old 11-03-2018, 19:34   #3
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

Very good looking little boat. A couple of thoughts.

Is nidacore a lot more expensive than plywood? He only saved about 11 pounds on the hull weight. As long as you keep the fiberglass skin intact, the plywood won’t rot.

How soon do you need it? My guess is it’s going to take a couple hundred hours to build.

Where are you going to build it? I think a minimum area would be a one car garage. You would be a lot happier with an area the size of a two car garage.

Do you have all the tools you’ll need? You can do it with hand tools but a chopsaw and a bench top belt/disc sander will help a lot. It surprised me how often I went to the sander to take just a little off to make a piece fit. On hand held tools I rarely used corded tools. Except for serious sanding, I always use my Ryobi battery tools. Drill, driver, circular saw, jig saw with three or four batteries and a corded sander minimum.

I’ve been involved in building six small boats. Three were stitch and glue construction like the Spindrift.
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Old 11-03-2018, 19:40   #4
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

The Fliptail might be another option for you.
The Fliptail folding dinghy

I’ve made most of the wooden parts for a nine footer, but since I lost my boat in the last hurricane I’m not strongly motivated to finish it, but I hope to some day.
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Old 11-03-2018, 20:55   #5
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

We built a plywood spindrift 9n in 2010. It came in overweight, but beautiful and fair hull. Sold it for a fraction of what I had into it after using it for a year. Due to the weight, it became an issue to raise on deck or pull up on shore. I no longer have any desire for a hard dinghy, but if I did, I’d do everything I could to keep weight down.

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Old 11-03-2018, 21:37   #6
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

have you taken a look at the Porta-bote? They are made out of plastic that is practically indestructible. They fold up to the size of a surfboard that you can store inside the rails or outside the rails. They have my vote.
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Old 11-03-2018, 21:46   #7
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jammer View Post
Hi Nick

I share your disdain for inflatable boats, although I must admit that the new HP floor ones offer an intriguing set of tradeoffs.

The Spindrift is a beautiful boat. There is something appealing about the idea of a sailing rig on a dinghy.

Nesting dinghys are time consuming to stow and deploy. They are a necessary evil on pocket cruisers unless you are willing to have an inflatable boat and deflate it when not in use. But no one who has one finds them convenient.

I would rather have a roller furler than a nesting dinghy, if I had to choose.

If you're going to adopt a cruising style that involves frequent use of anchorage and mooring, you'll want a dinghy that is convenient and practical.
I have been playing with some ideas on how to make the dinghy practical, one of the things I see is that the biggest issue will be bolting it together, and the stock design sucks.

What I am thinking is use some captive hand screws so you just have 4 knobs you turn to put it together, no futzing about trying to get bolts put together and threaded up, I can do 4 hand screws pretty easy.

At that point it is only going to be marginally more work than storing a rhib dinghy on deck.
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Old 11-03-2018, 21:51   #8
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

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Originally Posted by HopCar View Post
Very good looking little boat. A couple of thoughts.

Is nidacore a lot more expensive than plywood? He only saved about 11 pounds on the hull weight. As long as you keep the fiberglass skin intact, the plywood won’t rot.

How soon do you need it? My guess is it’s going to take a couple hundred hours to build.

Where are you going to build it? I think a minimum area would be a one car garage. You would be a lot happier with an area the size of a two car garage.

Do you have all the tools you’ll need? You can do it with hand tools but a chopsaw and a bench top belt/disc sander will help a lot. It surprised me how often I went to the sander to take just a little off to make a piece fit. On hand held tools I rarely used corded tools. Except for serious sanding, I always use my Ryobi battery tools. Drill, driver, circular saw, jig saw with three or four batteries and a corded sander minimum.

I’ve been involved in building six small boats. Three were stitch and glue construction like the Spindrift.
My friend is going to let me use her 2 car garage, so I will be good there.

I also have a ton of tools, I used to be a welder, so I have grinders, sanders, saws, sawsalls, jig saws, drills, you name it I probably have it.

The main reason I am thinking nidacore is with the weight savings I can simply add more reinforcement to the bottom, wind up with a boat that is the same weight but far superior in strength.

The nidacore is much stronger than plywood.

I have been finding 4x7 sheets of nidacore for 47.99 in 1/4" thick. it is 57.99 if I want 3/8"

The big expense will be the kevlar, I haven't started shopping in earnest for it yet, but it is seeming to run about 37.00 a yard!
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Old 11-03-2018, 21:54   #9
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

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Originally Posted by alansmith View Post
have you taken a look at the Porta-bote? They are made out of plastic that is practically indestructible. They fold up to the size of a surfboard that you can store inside the rails or outside the rails. They have my vote.
I have a friend who has one, and personally I don't like it.

I will frequently need to go from ship to shore with 4 people and a dog, and supplies, and with the porta-bote it would be a two trip operation.

That is what lead me to the spindrift, I can get a 10' boat that will carry 4 people plus gear, and do it in one trip.
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Old 11-03-2018, 22:11   #10
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

Cool project. Will build a non-nesting Spindrift 10 myself in few weeks time.
Mine will be plywood with Kevlar chines and a glassed over hull.
Looking into the Nidacore option too.

If you use the Kevlar put a light layer of glass on top.
Finishing will be much easier that way.
Make sure you do not grind/sand into the Kevlar.

Will reuse fittings and rig of an old Laser Radial.

Good luck!

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Old 11-03-2018, 22:32   #11
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

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Originally Posted by Franziska View Post
Cool project. Will build a non-nesting Spindrift 10 myself in few weeks time.
Mine will be plywood with Kevlar chines and a glassed over hull.
Looking into the Nidacore option too.

If you use the Kevlar put a light layer of glass on top.
Finishing will be much easier that way.
Make sure you do not grind/sand into the Kevlar.

Will reuse fittings and rig of an old Laser Radial.

Good luck!

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That is a good thought on the light layer over the Kevlar.
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Old 11-03-2018, 22:37   #12
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

Oh and get a good special serrated pair of scissors to cut the Kevlar.
It's a real pain if you try otherwise.

For the bottom panel one should use foam filled Nidacore not the open cell one.
If you break it you will not delaminate or fill the core with water so easily.
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Old 12-03-2018, 08:12   #13
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

I never heard of such a thing. If I had I would probably own one, but it is very similar to my 12footer I built from cdx plywood. Ours is about 100 lbs now as I modifiy it. But the two pieces are manageable to us,me with 3 back surgeries and 65 years old, using our jib halyard. Sounds like a fun project.
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Old 12-03-2018, 08:18   #14
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

Its great if they work for you, I think for me the main issue is theyre too high to see over while underway. I thought perhaps I could develop a collapsible boat for which their are several instances for demonstration.

A few of the life boats on Titanic were collapsibles, with a rigid bottom and sides made of canvas. And on D Day several troops of M4 Sherman tanks and some British Valentines were given canvas sides to be able to float and drive them ashore.

Ive not seen anything recently that shadows those ideas, but I think it could work and would stow relatively flat.

pictured are a collapsible life boat and an amphibious Valentine tank
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Old 12-03-2018, 09:26   #15
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Re: Building a Spindrift Nesting Dinghy

Zulu40, if you like the idea of skin on frame folding dinghies, take a look at Fliptail.
Here is a video of one being folded and carried away in less than Minute and a half.


It will also go better than ten knots with just a 2.5 hp motor.
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