Trying to pick my dinghy poison

[Buzzman]

I investigated the hesting dinghy concept some time ago and while I love the shape of the PT11 it's availability only as a Kit means it's unaffordable, with freight etc.
But if you like the nesting conept, B&B Yacht Designs 'Spindrift' range comes in 9', 10' and 11' (as nesting options) and the plan sets are only $64 or $114 as ful-size paper plans (plus postage). For me this is the pick of the nesting options.
https://bandbyachtdesigns.com/spindrift

[TheSandPebbles]

I hated my deflatable dinghy the last time I went cruising. Last winter I built a nesting dinghy. She's 10' long assembled, 5'5" when nested. I built a version I could sail, so now that I have kids they can learn to sail on her. I drew the plans myself, but you may be able to tell I "borrowed" most of the design ideas from other models you can find through google image searches. I'd be happy to share the plans with anyone who wants them. Made of 1/4" plywood, fiberglass and resin. It is quite an undertaking to build, but rewarding.

[sanibel sailor]

Nice nester!
Most nesting dinks are shaped like a regular rowing dinghy from which they evolved. Makes construction and nesting shape easy.

If the bottom is shaped like a RIB, a shallow deep-V (I know, a contradiction), with a wide transom, a nester should plane just like a RIB. Have to cheat the chines in a little forward to make it nest rather than straight. Rowing/sailing would be compromised, but would be better than any inflatable. I could build a cheap one quick and dirty with construction grade BC exterior plywood and polyester resin to test the concept. Does not solve my on-deck storage objections however. I might draw something up to see how much length I could cram in my space.

[rslifkin]

I wonder how easy it would be to take something shaped like a Dyer Dhow (hard chine V bottom with some rocker) and build trim tabs of sorts that sit under the aft portion of the hull. That way you'd have something that rows well, but you can drop the tabs down to remove the rocker when motoring, allowing it to plane. If it's already possible to get it to sorta plane with the nose in the air as-is, then it would likely be easy enough to make it work. But I've never heard of someone trying to get a dink like that to plane.

[MicHughV]

I built my first boat...a Roberts 38. Together with the plans for the Roberts 38, Roberts also provided the plans for a plywood dink, which was my first effort at boat building. I don't recall the length, but it was rather small, as it could be made from a 4'x8' piece of plywood. Getting in and out, required some dexterity, and no more than 2 people could get in. It did not last very long in my possession. I did contrive to put a sail on it, using leeboards, but this too was a short lived experiment.
I will stick to my RIB

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Buzzman

I investigated the hesting dinghy concept some time ago and while I love the shape of the PT11 it's availability only as a Kit means it's unaffordable, with freight etc.
But if you like the nesting conept, B&B Yacht Designs 'Spindrift' range comes in 9', 10' and 11' (as nesting options) and the plan sets are only $64 or $114 as ful-size paper plans (plus postage). For me this is the pick of the nesting options.
https://bandbyachtdesigns.com/spindrift

Spindrifts are good nesters. We have a 10' and rows very well and motors well. See my comments/mods to be done in #67 in this thread.

[MicHughV]

After my plywood dink experiment, I had a displacement type rowing fiberglass dinghy. This was powered by a 2 hp Suzuki, which was ample power for it. One time at an anchorage, I strapped another 2 hp engine to it..giving me a whopping 4 hp..but all I ended up doing was a dig a big hole in the water. I could have strapped a 15 hp engine to it, but it would have made no difference. That dink was simply never going to get up on plane.
Interestingly enough, I also run a twin engined fishing boat, powered by two 150 yammies. It has a classic fishing boat hull, ie, a deep-V, the deadrise at the transom being around 23 degrees. If it were not for the several " lifting strakes" along the bottom of the hull, it would never plane. Indeed, getting it up on plane, requires a lot of throttle and keeping it up on plane requires at least 20 mph, but the boat is not comfortable at that speed, needing about 30 mph to be " comfortable".
Hull design is a delicate balance between form and function that is for sure.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I wonder how easy it would be to take something shaped like a Dyer Dhow (hard chine V bottom with some rocker) and build trim tabs of sorts that sit under the aft portion of the hull. That way you'd have something that rows well, but you can drop the tabs down to remove the rocker when motoring, allowing it to plane. If it's already possible to get it to sorta plane with the nose in the air as-is, then it would likely be easy enough to make it work. But I've never heard of someone trying to get a dink like that to plane.

Need more than trim tabs to get it to plane out correctly. Could adjust the OB trim to keep the bow down if that is the main issue.

For our boat (Spindrift 10' nester), doing 10kts (5 hp, 2 people, calm water) we get a decent amount of splash up from the hull. Will be doing mods on our boatw/lifting strakes to get it to plane better and reduce the splash. The small strakes create a tunnel drive to plane even better/reduce splash and shouldn't change its row characteristics much (if any).

[Scott Milligan]

You might consider a Spindrift 9n sailing dingy. Check out youtube Sailing Yacht Florence episode 25
https://youtu.be/pTIC5d1_ujw

[MicHughV]

trimming the outboard down (inwards), will help to push the bow down, but it also causes the the cavitation plate above the propeller to be at the wrong angle, causing unwanted drag and fuel consumption.

my fishing boat has trim tabs on the transom....how hard would it be to construct and add some small fixed plywood trim tabs to the transom ?? This will likely give you enough lift. I would think tabs of maybe 4-6" in width x 12" across, would likely do the job. The tabs can extend straight out,parallel to the water, as your weight in the dink can adjust the angle of these tabs to suit....ie, when first starting out sit near the back, the will cause the angle of the tabs to be a bit more" downward" which is what you want to get started. As the dink picks up speed, you can transfer your weight forward...

the trim tabs on my fishing boat are parallel to the hull bottom, ie, slanting upwards, but this does not appear to affect the lifting capacity of the tabs.

just a thought ??

[26N80W]

Closest F-Rib dealer is Nautical Ventures in Fort Lauderdale. Boats appear to be well made. Only draw back I can see is that the folding mechanism prohibits water from draining to the transom. You can't run the water out by popping up on plane and each section has to be bailed individually.

[sanibel sailor]

The easiest F-Rib dealer for me is Sarasota. They have one in stock that I am going to look on on Friday. They seem quite high priced for an "off-brand" PVC boat at $2995 for the 275, their smallest model.

[26N80W]

If the boat solves your problem I would call it a bargain.

[sanibel sailor]

It is a different set of compromises, apparently not a popular one or they would be all over the place. Saves 10 lb over my current dink, although I can carry it separately as a 55 lb boat and 33 lb floor. Small enough to stow below but almost 150% as bulky. Does not solve my concerns regarding PVC durability. Sparse dealer network if I have a problem. Still interesting enough to go take a look, although I doubt I will buy it at that price, but who knows, I might fall in love with it.

[JPA Cate]

@sanibel sailor,

With our RIB upside down, disinflated, the side decks are clear. At no time is access to the bow denied. On passage you can get all the way forward to have a look around, at *stuff*, I like to go fwd to watch the dolphins. Once at anchor, one turns over the dinghy, and inflates it, then lower it over the side.

Ann