My Dingy Is A Piece Of Crap- Help!

[elmer fudd]

I'd probably look on Craigslist for a used inflatable. They go fast, are extremely seaworthy, can be deflated for compact storage and they won't scratch up your boat. Look around and you can probably find an 8 or 9 footer for under $300. Their only real drawback is that you have to use a little caution landing them and dragging them up the beach. If your kicker can double as the motor then that's one less problem.

[PAR]

The only real trouble with inflatables is they get stolen.

[elmer fudd]

Those are often the ones sold without floors. The floorboards were stored somewhere else when the thief swiped the boat.

[jimm]

Chuck, I like the hull form and sheer, The hull extension is smart. It gives you a lot longer running surface. (I planed to do a similar thing on the shorter version so it would plane like my 8' only have them pivot up out of the way. You just have shown me fixed is good. Thank you.) I also would imagine with the high free board and clean bow entry she does well in a chop.

[Chuck Losness]

The dinghy does excellent in a chop. It has to be really nasty before I get any spray on board. I used to get soaked in my previous RIB inflatable in any wind and chop. Insetting the transom on an 8' dinghy would leave you with at most a two person boat. I would buy Sam's guppy design and do what I did. I am sure that Sam would alter the plans for you if you don't feel capable of doing it yourself. Go luck
Chuck
SV Hale Moana

[jimm]

Thanks Chuck, I like the 8' because people can enter safely from the bow and she rows easy and trails excellent under tow. she runs well in a chop with 2 or 3 adults. 4 adults in flat water. With the motor off she is self bailing at a mooring. Pretty much all I need for now.