Talk me out of building a wooden dink

[Ryban]

I added a liferaft to the boat at the end of last year to prepare for my pacific crossing, and because I knew my deck-strapped deflated inflatable would be useless in an ditching situation. This is also why having both an inflatable and rigid dinghy is just too much weight and space - it would be okay if the liferaft wasn't onboard.

Originally Posted by Bertie68

Here you have a Polish designer who has (among a lot of other wooden boat designs) a small dinghy, apt for both rowing and sailing: Pirania II - III - Janusz Maderski JACHTY - BUDOWA, KONSTRUKCJE
It seems that it's possible to buy the plans and construction guide from him.

Translated by Google: https://translate.google.com/transla...-ii---iii.html

I'm not familiar with the designer, but my good friend is Polish and a boat-builder (he built the 20-foot King of Bongo and sailed it across the Atlantic, and has built many other small boats). I'll ask him about it if I decide to do the wooden dink thing.

[Ken Z]

No I will not talk you out of building a wooden dink....... I have built a bunch and they were rigged for sail, built wood masts and boom. Keep it light, they are a blast, I stuck with a 8’ pram,”el torro” design, they are a blastto sail!!!!!😀

[Brewgyver]

If and when you DO find the time is right for it, check out Christian Williams'

youtube video on building an Eastport Pram

(kit supplier linked in post above). He took it with on his first solo trans-pac from So Cal to Hawaii and back, and his video of that trip is really must-see

[Thom_in_Toronto]

Christian Williams - who wrote a great book called Alone Together and some great videos - built himself a nesting dink and really loved it. But a year later, he switched to an inflatable dink. Needed the extra space & stability for his guests - particularly grandkids. Maybe that helps?

[Meacenas]

One of my favorite video series on Youtube is Sailboat Story. He just finished last month, a stich and glue, nesting, sailing dinghy. The whole process was video documented in his very nice style. As a land bound contractor, I can attest to the mind soothingness of woodworking. There is much to be gained by building (a thing) of wood, not just with a useful end result, but your mindset is changed by taking the time to slow down to work with your hands. In between actual machine powered work, I regularly build by hand, ( no power tools ) 'things' like book cases, boxes and assorted small furniture for the joy of feeling the wood take shape into an object of art. There is an occasional splinter, but even that is part iof the zennish process, its like hey! Wake up ! With that said, build the dinghy, it will do you a world of mental good and if you decide not to use it, you can recoup with a sale.

[Ryban]

Like I admitted earlier, part of the reason I want to build a wooden dink is because I want to build a wooden dink. I just like building things, and I've always wanted to build my own boat.

But yes, the practical side of me says 'maybe later'. In fact, I were to build it now, I would probably just try to sell it for a small profit, which would be virtually impossible on this little island.

I've read Christian William's book and seen all his YouTube videos. His style was so refreshing, as it wasn't just another sailing vlog. It was just a man, his boat, and the sea -- and some good story telling, of course.

I've also watched Sailboat Story's dinghy build. I think that project took him over 130 hours, but he also paid a lot of attention to detail, and got an excellent result.

[nitpik]

Originally Posted by boat driver

maintenance,

I would humbly disagree with this complaint about a wooden dinghy!
I have had both, and compared to the maintenance requirements of an older inflatable, the wood dinghy maintenance is a piece of cake!

Disclaimer: I have always been a fan of the advantages of the rigid dinghy, and I really don't like inflatables, so this may colour my opinion somewhat!

[Chuck Hawley]

I share your desire to build a wooden dinghy. That one that really appeals to me is the Port Townsend 11, or PT11. I saw the prototype about 10 years ago, and I was completely smitten.

Available as a nesting (gorgeous!) or non-nesting (cheaper!) boat.

[alansmith]

If you have the time and inclination to do it now...then do it now. I bought plans to build a Farrier F9A back in the mid 90's. Still gathering dust because i thought i would do it latter. Latter never comes...or if it does...the energy to do it has long since dissipated.

The Portland Pudgy has many features that make it a good thing...but did you check out the weight? Pudgy is the right name. Sucker weighs in at 130 lbs. And that is just the basic model. Put all the other stuff on it and you are pushing 150 lbs with the sailing dingy. The cost is also insane...3000 dollars for the basic, 1500 dollars for the added on sail features....etc...

Have you looked at the Porta-Bote? I do not think they can be beat for storage, weight 70lbs, they collapse to the size of a regular surfboard, indestructible ...and plane well with a small outboard, and row well. Hard to beat that.

One thing, Amigo, you can never get the time back...once gone...it is gone...

[Pauls]

I'm going to disagree with several of the postings here. #1, a dink made from plywood and glassed on the outside will be lighter than a comparable design made in fiberglass. Use one of the lighter weight plywoods and you can build quite a light boat. #2, there are a range of designs out there and you can build what YOU want and what suits YOUR particular needs. If you want a design that planes, they are available and will go faster for a given horsepower than an inflatable. The key is to pick a design that suits your needs. And #3, it depends on your skill level, but it does not take a long time to build a dinghy out of plywood if you know what you're doing. If you're starting up the learning curve it will take you longer, and in return you'll have gained skills that will be available to you in the future.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Ryban

My inflatable is coming to the end of its life. With some repairs, I may be able to extend it for another year or two, but I'm skeptical.

I have an extended stay here in Bonaire and was considering using some of this time to build a small stitch and glue nesting dinghy (for storage atop a 27' boat). I think it would be a fun project, would save me some money, and would be faster to deploy than my current inflatable, which is quite the chore to both stow and deploy (since it has to be defalted, of course).

The other reason for wanting a wooden dink is so that I can rig it for sailing, as well. A lot of dink trips could be done rowing or sailing, anyway.

Now talk me out of it.

Go for it.

[Captndave1]

I built my hard dink with Kevlar, end grain balsa and epoxy, 9ft and weighs only 45 lbs.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Originally Posted by double u

the thing to have are both: an inflatable workhorse for no-nonsense, & a sweetly-rowing hard one!

I have both, but on my next trip, I'll probably only take the inflatable. By the way, if you've never built a wooden boat, I'm not sure I would think of it as a "fun project", and based on my experience, it's unlikely to save you money. But I do love my rowing & sailing dink (PT11).

[picklesandjesse]

Never owned an inflatable in more than 45 years. Never will. I suggest you look at a Chameleon by Danny Greene, his design and plans available. At 10ft it's a great size and can be assembled in the water as it's a nesting dinghy. I love building dinghies and have built over 40 now and used to make a type of living in Canada on a Gulf Island making them. If you build it right it will last at least 20 years and can always be repaired.

One of the most pleasant things you can do while cruising is go for a row when it's calm early in the morning or evening and it helps you stay fit. I think you are on the right track.......would never talk you out of it.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Originally Posted by Chuck Hawley

I share your desire to build a wooden dinghy. That one that really appeals to me is the Port Townsend 11, or PT11. I saw the prototype about 10 years ago, and I was completely smitten.

Available as a nesting (gorgeous!) or non-nesting (cheaper!) boat.

Yes! It is a great dinghy that rows like a dream and sails also. That said, it still has the tippiness issues of all hard dinks, and is less than a piece of cake to launch from the foredeck. But I did take it to the Bahamas and greatly enjoyed using it. Fyi, I have the non-nesting PT11 Spear. I love it, and will keep it, but will likely not take it on my next trip south. I have an inflatable that I picked up for a song, so I will take it and not worry about launching it singlehanded from the foredeck.