I’m new to the group. A couple of months ago, I purchased a 1985 Nonsuch 26 classic and am now keeping it in Friday Harbor, WA.
Initially, we were going to use it for day sailing, but cruising options in this part of the country is really nice, so we needed a dinghy for the boat. I really like to row, so we will get a light-weight hard dinghy.
Finding a place to keep it is problematic. Having a hard dinghy on the cabin top really limits visibility, so we’re leaning towards putting davits on the boat, and I wondered if any of you have installed davits on your 26’ Nonsuch.
Appreciate any feedback.
Howard Wright
Nonsuch 26
Merrythought
Friday Harbor, WA
Have a hard dinghy, but (due to reduced sailing due to COVID, and distance to water) have not used it yet with our NS26C.
Thoughts, though:
Not a lot of space on cabin top for a dinghy, and it’ll cover the forward hatch which means it can’t be used as an emergency exit;
We did install a swim platform, and think the hard dinghy can be rolled up on it, and strapped down.
Look at the Porta-Bote ones, they are $$$ but can be rowed, and folded and possibly lashed to stanchions on one side of the cabin.
I know Mike Bianka here has a 8’ Porta-Bote, and maybe others have as well. Mike has a great blog - biankablog.blogspot.com - you’ll find somewhere on there stuff about his porta-bote.
If you sail with the dinghy in the davits it blocks your view aft. If you sail towing the dinghy I may have a solution.
Of course you need a swim platform for this solution but the platform makes it much easier and safer for very young or very old people to get in and out of the water and the dinghy and kayaks etc. This argument has been covered in other threads many times.
After 12 years I can’t believe I don’t have a better photo of the dinghy on the swim platform.
This one rows well , can hold 4 adults with gear. It also has a sail but needs a good breeze to get going. It is 10 feet long and 4.5 feet wide. I think this is the maximum size you would want to put on a 26 before you have other problems. https://bateau.com/studyplans/V10_study.php?prod=V10
Lifting it up on the swim platform is easy because I built hangers that clip onto the swim platform on its starboard side then I just have to lift half the weight with a line to the opposite side and ties to the pushpit. A 60 second job.
Since our boys are adults now and no longer sail with us a smaller dinghy would work however we like rowing and for rowing something narrower and longer would be better. A narrower boat might require outriggers for the oars but will be easier to row- longer would be too wide for the transom at the dock. I don’t know what to do yet.
When selecting a dinghy to carry across the stern on a swim platform, you need to consider light and shape. With the wrong shape or length the ends of the dinghy can dig into the water as the boat heels. Here is a shot of a dinghy across the back of a 324. It is not digging in but it is close.
I have an NS26 and installed davits for my hard dinghy this spring. The dinghy is an 8 foot Puffin. Got them from the guys up in Canada who did all the SS for the Nonsuch originally. I’m doing this from my phone so I don’t have their name right in front of me. I’m sure someone here can give you their contact info. Sailed the boat from Annapolis to Boothbay Harbor, ME this summer and every worked well. I highly recommend it.
I would love to get an Eastport Pram, but there doesn’t seem to be an already built version of it (unless I can find one used somewhere, and I’m looking), and I don’t have the time or inclination to build one (although it could be a long winter and I do have a garage). If you have a picture of your boat on the top of the cabin, I’d love to see that. Did you build it?
I’ve looked into porta-boats, but they seem really hard to assemble, especially on the confined deck and super round cabin top of our NS26. Plus, we would be towing it a lot, and they apparently are not good at being towed.
Building the pram… If you buy the kit figure 7 days to build it. Plus time to paint it. The kit is the way to go as you can’t buy the wood at that price as it takes 1 and half sheets and lumber is sold in full sheets. Its stitch and glue… a drill, pliers and a small hand plane, a good orbital sander, . lots of tape and patience. he trick is to do a very neat job of the glassing and filleting vs sanding your way to success. I gave mine to my daughter
If you build it plug the center board casing with some foam to tow it otherwise she will take water through it. I used pipe foam and jammed it in worked fine.
Thanks so much everyone for your suggestions. I’m on the lookout for a used 8’ dinghy somewhere, and I’m talking to Kato Marine about getting some light-weight davits…but I’m also looking at possibly putting in a swim platform. I still have to figure out how to get access to the stern from inside - I’m a big guy and haven’t figured out how to wiggle into some of the areas of the cockpit.
Regarding hard dinghies: has anyone ever purchased a Walker Bay 8? And is there someone or a company that builds Eastport prams?
Thanks!
Howard Wright
NS26C Merrythought
Friday Harbor, WA
I used to have a Walker Bay on a previous boat, long enough ago that I can’t remember if it was an 8 or a 10. It was a really great little boat. It both rowed and sailed just as advertised – in addition to being pretty bulletproof.
I’m not big on hard dinghies, personally, because you can get a lot more carrying capacity and/or a lot less weight with an inflatable or a RIB. However, if you’re going for a hard dinghy, a Walker Bay’s well worth considering.
I’m a big fan of no-fuss things that do their job, and the Walker Bay dinghies definitely qualify. If there were room in my life for more things, I’d get one again.
The swim platform. Attached should be some photos of it during the process of, and installed.
I can get myself into the starboard locker on my NS26C, I can’t be wearing glasses, though - I don’t fit then. You’ll need a helper anyway, one person to hold bolts outside, one to tighten inside.
I had to do the install quickly; from snow melting to launch, with a 4 hour round trip drive, was quick. About 2 days, maybe only 1 - have to check my records. You can see I strapped it up, leveled it with a level based on the cockpit floor (more in a sec), drilled the holes, and (with help) put bolts in, with Butyl tape on. The extra step - later on in the summer, I just removed the original swim platform bits, put the bolts back in, then measured and drilled so that the step top was half way from the platform top to the coaming around the top of the transom.
I really like it. Now, two issues:
As I leveled it with the cockpit floor, I think the cockpit floor slopes slightly to stern, as that’s where the drains are. One day I was looking at the platform, and thought “it’s tilting very slightly to the stern”.
bolts hitting the internal bracing. Top brackets, holes interfered with the internal bracing, so really only 2 of 3 bolts on each bracket is backed kind-of properly inside.
It was on the list to properly finish this year; unfortunately, with COVID-19, launch was not until July, so short season, not a lot of time taken off to work on her. 2021 I’ll fibreglass in a flying buttress to the internal bracing. Saying that, while it is definitely off limits when on the hard, it’s as solid as a rock when I’ve bounced on it when in the water.
Hopefully the attached pics are high enough resolution to see, if not, ask for the originals.
kind of a typo “later on in the summer, I just removed the original swim platform bits” should read “later on in the summer, I just removed the original swim ladder bits”
You can see the original bolt heads just below the step, but when on the water, you (or, at least I) do not even notice them.
I used plastic clamps …dollar store. You can make them out of plastic pipe as well. As I recall i needed them for the gunnel only. Lots of utube on the idea
Swim platform hooks.
On Whiskers they appear to be pointing down. On my swim platform they are sticking out horizontally. I’m not sure but I believe these welded on rings on the platform were an option.
Our 10 foot dinghy is definitely too long and low to be on the platform while travelling unless it is very calm. But if it was shorter and mounted a little higher it wouldn’t drag in the waves.
Swim platform attachment. Looks to be in about the same place as Howards but slightly different position for the mounts. This could be because all Nonsuches are slightly different from the factory and you have to adapt when installing.
I had my small wife go down the hatch and hold the nuts while tightening these bolts… this last line is wishful thinking, there is no way this would happen in real life.
