New toy: 9ft nesting sailing dinghy

[SoundOfSilence]

As I checked the weight before and after taking out the water I know two litres had entered the forward part and 8 liters into the aft part. Weight after removing all the water was 30 kg for forward part and 35 kg for aft part. Oars, wooden pieces, mast, sails and lines were a total of 18 kg. Total weight for everything is 83 kg.

This is much heavier than the information on the webpage were it says from 50 kg. Actually, moving the boat around on deck, even in two halfs, is more awkward than I had imagined. I can't lift it up on the roof of the car myself (with the two parts bolted together).

[SoundOfSilence]

First test of boat in the water. Looks nice, doesn't it





Test of boat on deck under the boom. Not too bad! Need to sort out a good securing arrangment.

[SoundOfSilence]

First test sail with my daughter. All worked well, except the line for lifting the boom which got stuck in the sheave at the top of the mast making it impossible to get the sail down again without taking the mast of. This happened several times, so I changed the line with a thicker one which solved the problem. Note the reef in the sail for a soft start

[pete33458]

What a little beauty! Don't say that about many dinghies.

Pete

[SoundOfSilence]

Thanks Pete! Despite the initial surprise and disappointment of water ingress in the supposedly water tight departments, this was an easy fix and I am now very happy with the boat. I tested her with oars and full sail also and she is just as nice to sail and row as she looks.

The easiest way to get her up on deck is to lift her with one of the sail halyards and a winch. She then remains vertical as I unscrew the four bolts which holds her together and with the forward part still attached to the halyard, I move it in the correct position under the boom. I then attach the aft end to the halyard and lift that one on top of the forward part. Not too complicated but much easier with two persons.

She seems a bit more stable than I had anticipated but I haven't tested her in a blow yet. Looking forward to that.

[Hasbeen]

I don't know your cruising grounds, but as I was in coral areas I added a 1.7" X 1.5" sacrificial teak keel capped with a 3/16 X1.5" brass strip to the keel. This allowed me to drag the dingy up coral beaches, without damaging the paint work.


I had to antifoul the timber on the bottom. It only took a week in the water for the toredo worms to start making a meal of it.

[SoundOfSilence]

Mine already came with the brass strip on the keel. Our cruising grounds in the nearest future is Spain and the Balearic Islands, so mainly sand beaches. Thanks for the advise of painting the timber at the bottom! The best is maybe to varnish the teak bilge keels/handholds before any long periods in the water.

[DonCarlos]

Hi SoundOfSlience, I would be very interested in your views now that you have owned her for a few months. I saw the Nestaway 9 foot at the London Boat Show last week and was really impressed and would like to learn more from actual owners. I would be particularly interested in your views on her sailing performance - particularly how close she can sail to the wind. Thanks.

[SoundOfSilence]

Hi DonCarlos,

I haven't used it since last report. We got our second child this summer which has taken all time and energy. But we hope to be out sailing this summer and will try to remember to report back then.

[DonCarlos]

Hi Rune, thank you. Looking forward to hearing about it when you do get back out on her.