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Old 01-04-2011, 15:55   #1
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Portland Pudgy

I just purchased a used portland pudgy mulitipurpose dingy. It the basic unit , no sail kit , or lifeboat option. I have rowed it and motored with it but not used it a my dingy as yet.
Does anyone have any experience with them? It appears to be very stable.
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:08   #2
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Re: Portland Pudgy

No experience, but I have looked at them before and found them intriguing. Let us know your experience and opinion. I, for one would be interested.

At least if it is stolen in some anchorage it will stick out like a sore thumb!!

Rich
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:21   #3
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Re: Portland Pudgy

Nice, what is the ''LIFE BOAT OPTION" that they come with?
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:27   #4
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Re: Portland Pudgy

Yeah Rich, I know it is a bit bright,unfortunatly red is what it was..But I understand if you buy new you have choices such a blue, greyellow,white etc. Hope it fades ehh!
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:32   #5
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Re: Portland Pudgy

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark1977 View Post
Nice, what is the ''LIFE BOAT OPTION" that they come with?
Read about it here.

Portland Pudgy Safety Dinghy | Unsinkable Boats | Self-Rescue Boats | Rigid Boats, Dinghy, Inflatable Liferafts, Lifeboats, Life Rafts, Sailboats and Yacht Tenders, dingy, dingies, dinghies</pre>
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:34   #6
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Re: Portland Pudgy

Portland Pudgy Lifeboat| Unsinkable Boats | Self-Rescue Boats | Rigid Boats, Dinghy, inflatable Liferafts
Just googled the life boat option, wow what a nice little boat. Oh and i like the colour.
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:35   #7
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Re: Portland Pudgy

Markp you beat me to it. Thanks though.
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:39   #8
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Re: Portland Pudgy

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Originally Posted by Leventdelamort View Post
Yeah Rich, I know it is a bit bright,unfortunatly red is what it was..But I understand if you buy new you have choices such a blue, greyellow,white etc. Hope it fades ehh!

I wouldn't worry too much about the color. As I said, its a theft deterrent IMO, might keep some idiot in an overpowered runabout from running you over, and if used as a liferaft, I would not want camo!!

Might clash with your bimini cover a bit though.

Rich
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:43   #9
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Re: Portland Pudgy

Here is a picture with all the options , but total everything and it is a tad pricy.
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Old 01-04-2011, 16:47   #10
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Re: Portland Pudgy

If purchasing a Pudgy, I'd choose yellow as it is highly visible yet easier on the eyes than red. Besides, it would match my pilothouse roof and waterline stripe.

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Old 01-04-2011, 17:23   #11
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Re: Portland Pudgy

Nice little dink. Only trouble I see with it is that when it gets pinched, you are out a lot more than if you went with something like a Walker Bay. A bit heavy for my taste as well.
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Old 01-04-2011, 18:09   #12
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Re: Portland Pudgy

I hear you Foamcore, she is heavy. about twice that of your Waker Bay, but I got her at a really good price from a retired couple who were moving back ashore. I probably will be using my inflatable much of the time. But the one thing I do like about her is the stability ,and although I have not sailed it as yet, she has leeboards,and the mast and sail stow in waterproof hatch at the stern. But we will just have to wait and see how awkward she will be for use aboard.
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Old 01-04-2011, 18:34   #13
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Re: Portland Pudgy

I just finished reading 66 Days Adrift, and the misery Bill Butler described of drifting over 1,000 miles in a punctured raft prompted me to go searching on line for the Portland Pudgy - (I remembered seeing it advertised somewhere a couple of years ago).

I was impressed to see that it takes almost 1,900 pounds to sink it! But Butler repeatedly mentioned the excellent performance of the ballast bags on his Switlik raft; whereas, I would imagine the Pudgy would be getting rolled pretty regularly in a mid-ocean storm? On one hand, it's nice to think you're in an "unsinkable" boat that may get you home sooner, but OTOH, if you flip over - you're done for. The advertising says it's easy to roll it back over (self-bailing etc), but in "66 Days", the raft became home to "hundreds" of trigger fish, and "dozens" of sharks.

(Just thinking out loud...)
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Old 01-04-2011, 19:29   #14
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Re: Portland Pudgy

As a tender I think it would work well enough, weight notwithstanding. For use as a life raft, I think better to get a life raft.
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Old 02-04-2011, 15:57   #15
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Re: Portland Pudgy

I bought one a couple years back. My main reason at the time was that I could not affford the dinghy and a life raft. She is very slow (but that was not a problem) and she rows ok (7 out of 10). I only sailed her once and broke its traveler. I think they have beefed up the sailing rig since then but you'll need to test your Pudgy and see.
I think they are somewhat ugly and easy to identify...making them less attractive for thieves. They are very stable but they will flip over. First person experiance as I tipped mine over in Key West last December. It was relatively easy to flip upright but I am 6 feet tall with 250 lbs to throw at the task. Make your own judgement on that issue. They are difficult to stow on the foredeck and I still don't fill comfortable traverling off shore with her there. That is the only tome I wish I had an inflatable.
Send me a PM if you have any questions I might answer.
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P.S. The plate one has to unscrew get to the sailing rig and oars is located on the transom. When I tried to get access while in the water, The port dips below the waterline. I quess that if you have to use it as a liferaft, you will have to do it from in the water.
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