Adding a sail to an inflatable

[macbeth]

Due to my inability to pull on start-cords (busted inoperable shoulder), I've had to forgo our outboard on our 8'6" inflatable (made by Mantra - now out of business).

How feasible would it be to add a mast and sail to our inflatable ? Mostly from shore to boat, i.e. wind behind us. We'd probably row from boat to shore.

Is it going to need a rudder, or would an oar over the side/end be sufficient ?

Type of sail: Yardarm/flat, junk, ?, etc Rigging ?? Mast height ?

Thanks for any suggestions

[skipmac]

What is the floor of the dinghy? You will need something strong to hold the base of the mast.

[Pete7]

Certainly possible, suggest you blatantly copy this idea:

DinghyGo, the inflatable sailboat website

Pete

[tomfl]

Check out ebay for sailing kits and youtube for ideas. The simplest idea is simply a V shaped sail which can be attached by bungee for strictly down wind sailing with a paddle/oar for a rudder. Lee boards can be added for better upwind performance.

Youtube has several vids about the discontinued Sea Eagle sailing kit which may give you some ideas.

As a kid I use to use my Mom's umbrella to get my pram to sail down wind.

[barnakiel]

100% doable. Google for plans. You will want good mast support (extra plank, etc.) and some sort of leeboards.

If you cannot find the plans online drop me a PM and I will try to get them out for you.

b.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

100% doable. Google for plans. You will want good mast support (extra plank, etc.) and some sort of leeboards.

If you cannot find the plans online drop me a PM and I will try to get them out for you.

b.

And the dagger board goes where exactly !!!

Dave


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[macbeth]

Originally Posted by skipmac

What is the floor of the dinghy? You will need something strong to hold the base of the mast.

Four old fashioned plywood sections. About 0.5" thick. I thought I could screw and glue a hardwood block to it. With a hole drilled in the middle to hold the base of a mast it should be OK. The mast would then go through a hole in the middle of the forward seat, down to the wood block.

Thanks.

[macbeth]

Thanks for all the good ideas ! It's fairly low priority at the moment, what with preparing the sailboat for launching, but when I start to prepare the dinghy, I'll certainly follow up with the ideas. Thanks again.

[bornyesterday]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

And the dagger board goes where exactly !!!

Dave

Leeboards are sometimes used (one at a time - the lee one usually I think) instead of a dagger board.
Look at Thames barges and Dutch botters.

Dagger board might not be too hard to arrange though.
Battening the 4 floor sections together should add strength and help reduce rubbing.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by macbeth

Four old fashioned plywood sections. About 0.5" thick. I thought I could screw and glue a hardwood block to it. With a hole drilled in the middle to hold the base of a mast it should be OK. The mast would then go through a hole in the middle of the forward seat, down to the wood block.

Thanks.

Having the plywood floor makes it much easier. Hole through the seat and to the braced section on the floor sounds perfect. I might consider putting something on top of the existing floor under the mast so over time it won't chafe a hole through the plywood.

Even without a leeboard or daggerboard sailing downwind will be no problem. But wouldn't going upwind be the hardest to row and the time you would want the sail the most? I think from your description you have a rubber bottomed dinghy with a removable plywood floor inside. Making a daggerboard for that I think would be too much work. Leeboards would be the thing.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by macbeth

...How feasible would it be to add a mast and sail to our inflatable ?...

You're joking?

[bornyesterday]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

You're joking?

Try googling "sailing inflatable" - Tinker Travellers were great.

Unless you meant sailing a dinghy with a shoulder injury?

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

And the dagger board goes where exactly !!!

Dave


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Leeboards, Dutch sailing barge style.

Inflatable Sailboat

I hope this helps.

100% doable and sails very well too. Upwind ability tbc. ;-)

Love,
b.

[gjordan]

In the 80s, I bought a sailing rig for my 9 foot Achilies inflatable. It had twin dagger boards, and a rudder that clamped on the outboard bracket. A headstay that hooked to the painter connection point on the bow. It didnt sail for squat, and every time you came alongside you had to fend off the daggerboard brackets. If you realized that you were not going to get where you wanted to go under sail, you had to disassemble a bunch of stuff to be able to row. Over all, a disaster, but the Tinker tramp is a better design. I still would not try to sail an inflatable. If you want a sailing dink, get a rigid, wood or glass dink. Just my opinion. ______Grant.

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by tomfl

The simplest idea is simply a V shaped sail which can be attached by bungee for strictly down wind sailing with a paddle/oar for a rudder

Crab Claw! Awesome! A very ancient rig, excellent advise. Don't sell it short though, goes to weather just fine!

Crab claw sail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia