This is my first post here. I’m in the process of buying a 30C. The current owner intends to keep his inflatable - so I’m looking at options, and hoping for some advice…
I have a friend selling a one year old Highfield CL340 with a older 15Hp Honda 4 stroke. I’m thinking it looks a bit large for the 30, almost as long as the sailboat is wide, and a 15 weighs over 100 lbs. That’s a lot to lift. What are your thoughts? How big a dinghy would you want?
Also - what are your thoughts about the best way to secure your dingy? I know some are concerned about davits fouling the main sheet. What other options are people using? There’s a swim platform mounted on the transom, which is nice, but might complicate things here. There’s a local company that makes a “dinghy caddy” that mounts on a swim platform - but I haven’t seen this used on a sailboat. (https://dinghycaddy.com/)
We’re going to be keeping her in Midland, sailing on Georgian Bay. So I expect towing will be fine most of the time, but I’ll need things to be secure when we are doing a long crossing.
In addition to any feedback that comes here, you might want to search the archives of past discussions on this topic. If you look at this on a web browser, you should see a bar at the top of the page that has a little magnifying glass icon and says something like “Search conversations within INA-Nonsuch…”. If you type some different keywords in there like “dinghy” or “tender”, you should find some useful stuff.
Personally, I’m a fan of rigid inflatables with air floors myself. They’re the lightest you can get for size, and have the V-bottoms that track well without the added weight of a metal or fiberglass hull.
Deane: In addition to your name it would be nice to know where your are and what you have as most of us do in our signatures.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Hi,
I have a 9.5 ft inflatable dinghy, with fiberglass bottom, weighs about 100 lbs.
I also have a ePropulsion Spirit One+ electric outboard, comes in two pieces, about 22 lbs each, so 44 lbs total. Very easy to handle, stores in cockpit locker. No gasoline or oil to deal with, and very low maintenance. Costs more, but worth it in my opinion.
I have dinghy mounted on swim grid with davit system from Canadian company Adventure Marine, much cheaper than Weaver davits. Hope that helps.
Don
If you are using it for short trips and have no need to go 10 miles and back a small 2-3 HP engine is fine. I have a Honda 2hp and being air cooled it does not suffer the ravages of salt water, used regularly we use about a gallon per 3 weeks at anchor.
Weighs about 30 lbs, the integral tank holds a qt and we carry a gallon in a can if we are going further than we’d like to row,.. Anything over 3 hp is going to weigh 60lbs plus another 50 for the fuel tank. We did a 3 hour trip last week and use a qt of fuel.
Lots of electric options, but range is decidedly limited when compared to gas. When pushing a fully loaded dingy the range estimates advertised are optimistic. But for the occasional trips to shore and with a solar panel to recharge it they do the job.
Dinghy , we have a 9 1/2 Anchilles and recently replaced the plywood floor with an air floor Cut the weight in half, rides better and more comfortable. I can lift it into the car alone. We find that size allows 4 passengers and is dryer in windy weather. Hard floors add weight and in some types the floor angle is uncomfortable, but in areas where landing as rough it might be the only way.
Tow, davits, or on deck. Towing is common and with a proper floating bridle and safety line works well. But that second line will save the day at some point because when the tow line parts it does so silently. I can not recall a summer where a lost dinghy orphan was not seen…
Davits and 'Dinghy Tow" are options. I use a Dinghy Tow and it works well . On deck works on a 30 . If you have more than a 3 hp engine you will probably tire of towing, the weight kills boat speed. And with a 60 lb plus engine to mount and un mount and the 50 lbs of gas… you’ll be looking at davits/dinghy tow or at the least a hoist for the engine. Personally I would not tow a dinghy with any engine mounted, the wear on the transom, potential loss, and drag is too much when you add it all up…but lots of folks do it.
Only other thought. Use fresh gas and pay for the non ethanol high grade or marine fuel. Every time I used last years gas , well it’s plain annoying and by now Debbie says I should know better. Marine engines and ethanol do not play well together.
Deane
I fully support all the comments make by Thor Powell. HOWEVER I have a rigid hull RIB where the inflatable portion is attached to the hull on both sides but not at the bow. As a result when being towed the dingy fills with water. If you decide to use a dinghy tow I will be glad to sell you mine. For $500 plus shipping.
I like my 8 foot Porta Bote. Weighs 80 pounds. It fits on the deck of my 30U assembled. I can also fold it and carry it against the stanchions. It also tows easily.
Referencing my earlier post, I’d like to add, the range of my ePropulsion electric outboard, at full throttle, on my 9.5’ inflatable hard bottom dinghy, is about 4.5 knots for about 1.25 hrs. But… reducing speed to 3.5 knots, battery will last about 7 hours, with a range of 24+ nautical miles. This is with a electric outboard equivalent to a 3 hp gasoline motor. Plus I can recharge outboard battery with shore power, ships batteries, or solar panels. No need to transport or store onboard potentially dangerous gasoline.
We tow. Either this or a pea pod. Never had a problem. Not off shore. Our boat lives on a mooring so moving “stuff” on and off it requires a decent sized, stable craft. And Julian likes to build skiffs. Will be trying a new-to-us electric outboard this year.
Gail Marshall
Nepeta 30 C
Mount Desert, ME
whatever “this " is looks very nice.
I also need a new dinghy. 20 year old 10’ plywood boat wont last much longer. I want to replace with a lighter but still 10” rowboat.
Also, from John Brooks site, Julian just finished building a Compass Harbor pram. That’s 8’ 8". Don’t ask me what it’s going to be towed behind but it might interest you if you want something smaller than the Ellen.
And…there is one of these that’s still hanging upside down in the shed this season. https://www.dhylanboats.com/design/plans/beachpea_plans/
It too is ~ 13’ and tows well. You just can’t put an outboard on a double-ender.
That’s all we’ve got. For now.
Gail
