Best 12’ hard dinghy ?

[BenBowSirocco]

Chris Morejohn has some nice designs for planing, rowing/sailing hard dinghies.
I believe their current iteration is the Turbot 12.

No doubt buildable in aluminum. Although, I know you mentioned looking for a shop.

I guess now that I have gone to a planing dinghy, I can’t go back. Love the freedoms it provides.


https://www.instagram.com/p/BidE8JOnoaZ/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmCOAQLHaa1/

[Manateeman]

I think I’ve found a builder who will do a hull in 1/8 aluminum. I can do the rest on the foredeck. I’ll post as soon as they respond with details.
So we will sell the Trinka 12 and the 14’ SeaArk and it’s F25 motor.
I’ll keep the Trinka 10 on the back deck for a row or sail and I have a Yamaha 2.5 in case guests need it. Or I need it.
The manatee crew has threatened casting me off in it like Captain Bligh for making fun of their pizza bazooka ice bear repellent idea.
Oh...and they ate the last of the ice cream without sharing too.
What a crew
Mark

[Txman65]

+1 for Boston Whaler 11ft

[Caleb_Grey]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

I’d really like aluminum and the Marlon SWV 12 design. They are so far away.

Mark

? So far away from where?
Arent you in maine?
Marlon has distributors in Massachusetts
https://www.marlonproducts.com/find-a-dealer?postalZipCode=04841&productline=5f9f076b-65c2-470c-aacf-fb03de8752ba&category=e6376356-b5be-4622-b6cb-8f9f2cb8b510&brand=588319d0-f126-49a8-940f-ad8e303c2df9

[Manateeman]

I worry about the seams in the Marlon so we are looking at an all welded boat.
I’ll post when we get quotes.
Mark

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

I worry about the seams in the Marlon so we are looking at an all welded boat.
I’ll post when we get quotes.
Mark

I'm corn fused Manateeman, the Marlon seems to be an all welded boat?

Personally I've liked Duroboat since the 1980's when I first saw them; nice hull shape. But the Marlon's seem similar. Buy a 12' and plunk a 2 stroke 25 on it and you'd have yourself a great boat. Plunk a 40hp on it and you'd have my kind of boat.

[Manateeman]

Mixed the two names. The Marlon is nice but it’s the freight from Ri to Fl. Add that to the price and I can get a thicker hull custom. The Duroboat seams...I’m not convinced you could keep stuff out and prevent corrosion.
10 to 15 hp will be fine in a 4 stroke. Probably 10 so I can take it off and put it in the dive locker for offshore.
You like speed...I’ll give you a deal on my 14’ SeaArk and F25 Yamaha. I never open it up alone. Some guys think 25 is underpowered. LOL.
Manatee sailing is manatee speed. If I liked going fast, I’d buy a lobster yacht.
In Louisiana they drop a 6 cylinder gas engine in a welded aluminum skiff and you sit on top of the engine...a mud boat. That’s a dinghy that fills the need for speed. I’ll never step onto one again.
We are waiting for prices on a welded hull. I’ll post then.
I’m still not talking to the manatees after yesterday’s “record keeping” protest.
Mark

[rslifkin]

So I'm a little late to this party, but we picked up a 12' aluminum Starcraft as a dinghy this summer. Hasn't seen a lot of use yet, but so far we're happy with it. It's well built and has held up well for being over 50 years old (build plate says it's a 1968 12' Super Star). After some digging, I found specs indicating it's 12'1" LOA, 4'9" beam. 150 lbs empty, rated to carry 600 lbs (specs list that as "passenger capacity", so I'm not sure if that's total cargo weight including an engine, but I assume it is).

Stability-wise, it's at least good enough. With nothing else in the dinghy, I can sit all the way to one edge of the center seat (~170 lbs). It's starting to feel a bit tippy at that point and the opposite chine is coming out of the water, but there's still a reasonable amount of freeboard left on the low side and it's not at the point of going over. Definitely stable enough that it doesn't require undue caution when getting in and out of it (stepping into it from the swim platform isn't sketchy).

Impressively enough, it rows pretty decently (better than I expected). Actually quite well with just me in it and a little bit of stuff (maybe 200 lbs total). Tracks well when rowing and with just 1 person the transom is barely in the water, so not much drag. Rowing effort definitely increases with 2 people, but it's still not bad.

We haven't put an outboard on it yet, but it's rated for a 15hp (which is probably scary with 1 person in it), but we may at some point. Oh, and the best part, a bit of craigslist hunting led to me finding it for under $500. Just needs some sealant on the seams and rivets (has a few minor seeps) and could use some fresh paint. Even came with nicely re-done mahogany seats.

As far as the leaks, it doesn't look like anyone has reasealed the thing in 50+ years. And after all that time, the leaks are minor enough that after ~24 hours in the water it reaches equilibrium (water is evaporating as fast as it's leaking), so even before I get to resealing it, I'd only need to bail it after rain, not just from sitting. The total amount of water in the thing before it spreads out enough to reach equilibrium is less than a quart. Based on that, I wouldn't be concerned about a good quality riveted build.

Pictures are included below. Davits are in our future, but for now, we've just flipped it onto the swim platform for transport.

[Wandering1]

Chris Morejohn has some nice designs for planing, rowing/sailing hard dinghies.

I believe their current iteration is the Turbot 12.

No doubt buildable in aluminum. Although, I know you mentioned looking for a shop.

I guess now that I have gone to a planing dinghy, I can’t go back. Love the freedoms it provides.

The boat in the Instagram link is actually mine. 28 years old. Nesting dinghy. 54kg. 12'5" overall. 7' nested. Takes a Yamaha Enduro 15hp two stroke. Planes with four but a bit too tippy with four at speed. Perfect with two. We wakeboard behind it.
Best dinghy we have ever had. We could never go back to a rib now

[Manateeman]

In our continued quest for a new dinghy, we are asking our fellow members the following questions.
Is anyone in the southern states looking for a 10 or 12 foot aluminum dinghy ...not a RIB with an aluminum hull.... a welded aluminum boat.
If so...please send me a PM .
We are looking to buy a Marlon 12 foot welded utility boat this fall and will have to arrange for shipping from Massachusetts to northern east coast Florida.
Shipping more than one boat saves money for each buyer.
Lastly, if anyone is driving or sailing south around September and could carry this dinghy, please contact us via PM.
The boat only weighs 200 pounds. The web pages ( Marlon SWV 12 ) have all the dimensions. They also make smaller and larger boats.
Happy trails to you.
Captain Mark

[Baby tug]

Originally Posted by BenBowSirocco

Ocean Craft aluminum boats.



You can see their 12' version on the youtube channel: SV Delos.

167lbs if I remember correctly. Rated to take a 25hp.



Rugged, planing, incredibly stable. A RIB on steroids.



Not cheap. Especially after the $1,000 dollars in shipping. But looks to be a great dink.

Currently trying to justify the expense. But definitely my dream dink.

. I had one of these years ago the pontoons were round Don’t remember who made it, can’t get a better dinghy completely indestructible Little to no maintenance , I’ve been thinking about building one of my own lately , I suppose you can get somebody to Fab one up

[Manateeman]

The manatee crew have been approached by several frozen pizza companies asking them to star in a promotional video. No way. The crew finds “sailing blogs” little more than modern day comic strips run by Ken, Barbie and some mutt .
Amusing to some. Repugnant to others. The manatee crew would never accept any “gift” with strings attached. They were severely tempted by one beer offer but retained their blubber butt dignity by rejecting the offer.
The SV De Lost dinghy needs a lot of motor because it’s a lot of aluminum welded in a lot of pieces...the design tries to have all the advantages of inflatables and rigid boats but in doing so...incorporates all the disadvantages. Sort of an aluminum version of the fiberglass Rigid Boats made in Florida. Not our cup of tea. Is there a perfect dinghy capable of manatee transportation? Well, we will report after we’ve had the Marlon 12’ utility for a while.
Happy trails to you.
Mark and crew

[Baby tug]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

The manatee crew have been approached by several frozen pizza companies asking them to star in a promotional video. No way. The crew finds “sailing blogs” little more than modern day comic strips run by Ken, Barbie and some mutt .
Amusing to some. Repugnant to others. The manatee crew would never accept any “gift” with strings attached. They were severely tempted by one beer offer but retained their blubber butt dignity by rejecting the offer.
The SV De Lost dinghy needs a lot of motor because it’s a lot of aluminum welded in a lot of pieces...the design tries to have all the advantages of inflatables and rigid boats but in doing so...incorporates all the disadvantages. Sort of an aluminum version of the fiberglass Rigid Boats made in Florida. Not our cup of tea. Is there a perfect dinghy capable of manatee transportation? Well, we will report after we’ve had the Marlon 12’ utility for a while.
Happy trails to you.
Mark and crew

I’m not getting it try sitting on the side of that thing with scuba tanks on did you even read the ad for the aluminum inflatable , I just googled ocean craft never looked them up before not at all what you’re claiming them to be , to each his own ,I would not want to John boat