Talk me out of building a wooden dink

[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.

[Jammer]

The nesting dinks are pretty and fun but I've so far managed to talk myself out of them.

- Typically heavier as built than a deflatable
- Not designed to plane
- Not as safe in heavy seas
- Insufficient capacity for certain tasks, particularly diving trips

Depends on what you're doing to do, of course, and they do have a certain charm.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Jammer

The nesting dinks are pretty and fun but I've so far managed to talk myself out of them.

- Typically heavier as built than a deflatable
- Not designed to plane
- Not as safe in heavy seas
- Insufficient capacity for certain tasks, particularly diving trips

Depends on what you're doing to do, of course, and they do have a certain charm.

Yes, all this, plus for diving, swimming or boarding in general a wood dink is VERY tipsy compared to an inflatable.

[ggray]

Can't argue with the above, but this is a nice one.

https://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/...ng-dinghy.html

[Lepke]

Weight is the big issue. The design can be anything. But I miss wooden boats. You could step into them without worrying about going swimming. Even my Livingston is too tipsy.

[puffcard]

You have to be a teenager to get in one after snorkeling. I built my first 9ft rowboat at 13. Had the best time with it, make it a sailboat at 15 and all downhill from there.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Ryban

I think it would be a fun project,

Spot the guy who's never built boats before

would save me some money,

Reality is you could probably make more money working those hours in the job you know and simply buy the dinghy you want or need.

[cwoflyboy]

If you don’t dive, snorkel or swim from your dingy, I think it would be fine. More efficient for rowing and you have the sailing option. Unless you are a very experienced wood worker, I would double the estimated time to build. Not very difficult and very rewarding.

[Cormorant]

I have a wooden dink -- the Jim Michalak "Vole" design, chosen because it could handle our family of 4. (I've never had an inflatable, so I have no idea what I'm missing. . . .)

I do love the efficiency under oars, and the ability to sail her around a harbor once the big boat is safely at anchor. With fins on it's not hard to reboard after snorkeling; or with two people reboarding from opposite sides.

It tracks very well while being towed, too.

And yeah, they are fun to build. Fun -- as in sometimes frustrating and unpleasant but a wonderful puzzle and challenge, and incredibly rewarding when it's all over. . . . If you have the time, just build one for the heck of it. Try it out, see what you think. You can always buy an inflatable later. I know -- all cost savings out the window. But life experience gained!

[double u]

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

[boat driver]

maintenance,

[Ryban]

I hadn't fully considered the issue with getting aboard from the water. I both dive and snorkel from my current dinghy, and often enough that I would probably miss having this freedom.

Much of the appeal of a wooden dinghy for me is less practical, and more about the charm and the ability to sail it.

Having both would be ideal, but totally not an option. I'm already gutting the boat of needless weight, as it's sitting pretty low in the water.

I think you guys did a good job of talking me out of building a dinghy, and I think I'll save that project for another time, for a bigger boat, or for a land-based lifestyle where I'm allowed to have toys and space.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by double u

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

Right answer!

[Scout 30]

If you decide to buy a new dinghy the Portland Pudgy does everything including become a liferaft.

Dinghy | Lifeboat | Yacht Tender | Sailing Dinghy | Portland Pudgy

[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