Posted: 07 Jul 2009 at 10:49am
Hey all,

I have a cruise in the works and would like to hear what other folks have done about storing, towing, or even leaving behind their dinghies. I have a hard chine dinghy that is just too big to fit on the foredeck. I welcome your thoughts and experience.

Best,
Halsey


Posted: 09 Jul 2009 at 7:29am
Hi Halsey

If I have a lot of sailing time legs in the cruise, I stuff my inflatable in the port quarter. I tow it on a short leg, on a long leg I deflate and reflate when I get there - 1/2 hr hassle at each end. I tow my 'hard' dinghy, 'TEER, when I have short legs planned and am by myself. I could theoretically put her on the foredeck - a real hassle - and I have never done it. Towing costs about .3/.4 knots boat speed with either dinghy.

Cruising without a dinghy makes one feel 'dependent' but if you can live with moorage fees, and the schedule of the host marina/YC launch schedules, or begging rides out to your boat from strangers then it can work. On a 7 day solo cruise from CT to Maine, last year, I never inflated my inflatable - always got dock space, except at one club, Sandy Beach YC at Rockport, Cape Ann, MA they provided free use of a dinghy to get to and from your mooring. On arrival they picked you up with their launch, said to select any of several color coded dinghies at their dock, and leave it on your mooring when you leave - great service.

I hope you get additional reponses to this request - it would be nice to find out what others do given the limitations of our 24' boat.

Ron
Marionette #12


Posted: 18 Aug 2009 at 12:42am
Hi All,

With few options and time running out before the start of my trip I decided to tow my dinghy. I towed her nearly 1,000nm, she far exceeded my expectations! When ever i would look back to check on her she would just be dancing on the waves, even in a 5ft sea! The dinghy is a Bolger design; Nymph, built by myself. Quick and cheap to build with capacity for 3 average americans and obviously tows very well, I highly recommend this design to anyone in need of a dinghy.

Halsey
Elizabeth


Posted: 14 Oct 2010 at 4:41pm
I guess this will fit in the better late than never category...I am toting my inflatable dingy ( West Marine ) in the port locker. Might be easier to extract it from the quarter birth? Haven't had the need to use it yet here in Hawaii, except to inflate it to see if it held any air. To my great surprise, it did.

Bob L.


Posted: 18 Oct 2010 at 6:11am
Hi Bobble1
What's your hull# and location in Hawaii?
Ron
Marionette, 12


Posted: 18 Oct 2010 at 11:24am
We have a Joel White 7'8" nutshell pram.
it tows great, we have always towed till now.

We havent put it on the deck yet but measuring looks like it will fit upside down. (barely, or perfectly depending on how you look at it)

I plan to place it on the fordeck with the spinaker pole and a 3 point harness....will see how it works!


Posted: 18 Oct 2010 at 2:42pm
Teaka, 165 Ron. The nickname is a combination of my initials, or more accurately, "Bob L." Think I was prompted somewhere to use a "user name" so that is what I did. Sorry if I caused any confusion!

Bob Leahey


Posted: 18 Oct 2010 at 7:13pm
Sorry Bob
I should have figured that out. But I did not want to miss out on a possible 3rd Dolphin in Hawaii!

Ron


Posted: 09 May 2016 at 10:50pm
I had an Avon rover 280 that I used the boats 8hp Suzuki on. It stowed nicely under the cockpit sole. Hauled it on deck with the spinnaker halyard and was able to set it up on the foredeck/cabin top. I am NOT a proponent of towing a dingy at sea. I've tried it a few times and it always caused me problems. If the weather turns bad that's the worst time to try to get it onboard and stowed. Better to have it onboard and stowed before setting to sea. Know maaaaany people who arrived to their destination and looked back to find their dingy gone. NOT a good idea.

john barbara joyce