Tinker Traveller

[Offshore Tinker]

Hello Folks,
My name is Mike Pollard.
I hold a deckhands ticket (Trawlers - Grimsby UK) and have crewed TA (Teneriffe - Miami). Crossed the Irish Sea solo in a 14' Wanderer dinghy (Liverpool to Dublin). Crossed Irish sea in unmodified Tinker Traveller (Holyhead, North Wales to Dublin) Rowed the English Channel from Plymouth to Brest with Joe le Guen and Tom McNally etc in the Marie de Paris TA boat.
Attempted a voyage to Iceland in my Tinker via Kinlochbervie (Northern Scotland) Made 40 miles into the North Atlantic before rescue. (Google me to see the people who wished me dead!)
Since my abortive attempt the boat has been extensively modified and now has instant (literally seconds) bad weather cover, together with upgraded lateen rig and original self steering (I didn't steer for 14 hours up to force 5 on that trip).
I was equipped with a Sat phone (sponsored by Henshaws - the manufacturer of my boat, thank you! 2 x sat nav, flares etc) so was able to call the cavalry.
So folks, that is a brief resume of my activities.
I invite your comments, but please be objective. My boat is a serious piece of kit that has been tried in anger, and before judging my mental state ask yourself whether you would like to be sitting in my boat or a life-raft when your 45 footer goes to the bottom in the middle of the Pacific!
Regards,
Mike Pollard.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Mike,
I'll be watching the news for your next attempt. I've sailed a Tinker before and found them fun in a Bay. I don't think I'd try the open ocean unless it was my last resort but that's just me.
Welcome aboard!
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Hud3]

Hi, Mike.

Welcome. Look forward to hearing more accounts of your adventures!

[Offshore Tinker]

Hi, John,
Nice to hear from you.
I hold your position exactly regarding an open cockpit, standard rig sailing Tinker (even allowing I've sailed it over the Irish sea in that configuration).
However, imagine this.
You are in the middle of the Pacific in a sinking boat and have the choice between a life-raft and a Tinker set up as per the photo gallery (see Around in TEN - Home page (note the self steering).
My philosophy regarding this little boat and it's seagoing qualities is that I can have it all!
All the excitement and satisfaction of an extended cruise on a 38 footer condensed into a few days or weeks. This way I am still be able to enjoy my young family without dragging them into my obsession.
Mike.

[SkiprJohn]

Mike, I'd choose the Tinker, of course but hope I never find myself in that situation.
Good luck in your pursuit.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Offshore Tinker]

Me neither!
If you checked out the boat on the Around in Ten website I'd be curious as to your opinion of the setup.
Regards,
Mike Pollard.

[imagine2frolic]

OFFSHORE,

I think a friend once found a tinker rolled up in a canvas bag. He was fascinated by it, but never used it. I would much rather be in the Tinker you are sailing than a life raft if my boat went down.

I don't think you insane. Just an extra dose of spirit like Webb Chiles. There would be no progress at all if it wasn't for some one willing to push the envelope......BEST WISHES.................

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Mike,
The shelter, windvane and lateen rig will make it more cruise worthy. But I would never try. I just don't have the will to be that uncomfortable anymore at my age.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[coot]

Here is my question:

Do you really have a choice between a life raft and a tinker set up in that configuration?

I assume you don't carry the tinker fully inflated with the rig up, so how long does it take to unpack it and get it into that configuration?

I have a tinker (mine is red). Assuming it is already inflated, it takes 10-15 minutes to install the rudder, install the center board, assemble the mast, raise and adjust the rig, and fix the sails.

You could do some of that after abandoning ship, but you still need to bring all the pieces with you. That's a lot of awkward material to be trying to put overboard into your lifeboat.

How would you handle abandoning ship into the tinker?

[Offshore Tinker]

My original reply to JohnL's comment where he didn't fancy an ocean crossing in a Tinker was meant as a preference, not as an alternative. It was my suggestion that he would be happy to find himself crossing an ocean in a Tinker set up as mine if he had no alternative ie this is a very seaworthy little boat. I guess my wording has caused some confusion.
The Tinker used to be sold (Henshaws no longer sell the survival canopy) as a craft that would do it all - lifeboat, sailing dinghy, tender etc but like most all in one gimmicks (mobile phones for example) it falls down badly outside of its primary function of an inflatable dinghy. For instance, the preferred deployment for the sea anchor, as per the manual, is over the side tube, as this presents maximum buoyancy to oncoming waves. Great in theory or the test tank, but it doesn't work in anger! I've sat overnight like that in a force five with waves breaking aboard about twice an hour filling the cockpit.
As a lifeboat with the standard rig and inflatable canopy it is useless, and to my knowledge the only time a Tinker has saved life the crew might as well have been in a standard liferaft. It is a huge effort to attach and inflate the canopy unless it had been set up already together with the Co2 inflation. You can forget that as an option, especially in survival conditions with a terrified wife and two kids in tow. And with regard to even trying to find somewhere to put a 6' x 1' lump of sailing gear... well, I understand your scepticism.
The volume inside the tubes and bulkhead (on my old model) is minute - about half a square metre, which is just about big enough for a grab bag.
My boat, which I do put my life in, I love. It is set up for long sea crossings with me as crew. There is no such animal as the ideal boat and like most cruising folk and their boats I am well aware of its shortcomings and work with them!
So, what would I choose if I had to abandon ship?
A large liferaft and 2 x GPS EPIRBS.