T&T: Dinghy

[Rich Gano]

We've been over the dinghy thing many times, and I note Marin's preference
for a hard shell type  used in conjunction with a Weaver Davit.

I have been through three hard dinghies and several (maybe four) soft-sided
ones (all with different decking types) in the years I have "messed about"
in this boat.  Some were used and some were not, and my latest shore boat
incarnation suits us best.  It is a 10-foot light version (i.e. folding
transom) RHIB with a 9.8 HP 2-cycle OB.  It planes out well and runs all day
long on almost no gas.

Now as it has been stated, this item is not for all, but in MY PARTICULAR
case:

I refuse to carry a dinghy on the swim step (several good reasons).  It is
always lashed on the cabin top or left hanging from the boom ready to drop
in the water when not in use.

I refuse to employ any electricity to hoist the thing - so it needs to be
light enough for me to hoist with my double luff tackle.

I will no longer tow a dinghy - period.

I do not mess about in rocky shores.  Even on sandy shores hereabout, I
anchor it off the shoreline.

I do not go really far in the dinghy.

I want something short of a lift raft and more stable than a hard dinghy for
use as a life raft (I have a 406 MHz PLB and cruise only inland and near US
coastal).

My hard dinghies ALWAYS found a way to bang into the side of the boat or rub
their fenders noisily on the side.  Once in a calm the damned thing tethered
astern got turned around and put the motor into the side of mother ship.

Hard dinghies can be hard on the boat's paintwork and structure and people
when lifting them if they get away at all; soft sides do much less damage.

blah, blah, blah

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB42CL #295)
Panama City, FL