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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Inflatable dinghy

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sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/24/2004 : 11:08:03

Seriously thinging about buying this dinghy, Its a 7'11 inch Mercury Sport. Will that be plenty big for two people and will it pull well behind a 250? Any thoughts before I buy? Thanks for input (bidding ends on ebay tonight)

Suzie, Tropical Sleigh

WB #619 Sarasota FL.

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 12:05:28

It may be a bit cramped -- by reducing the useable space by the distance from the transom to the tip of the aft pontoons, plus the thickness of the tube on the bow, there may be less than 5' of interior length. Those small ones also usually have less beam. It would certainly "work", but I would recommend you actually view in person a dinghy that size before you buy.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 13:31:55

towing anything is going to cost you at least a knot in boat speed. I couldn't pull my dinghy over 4.5 knots - about it's hull speed.

Compared to my normal 5.8 knot cruise that can make for a much longer day on the water.

I'd say get something you can deflate, roll up, and store inside or on the bow. You can tow short distances, in good weather. Its especially important to get the dinghy inside for long offshore hauls or in rough seas.

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 16:54:40

Suzie, as far as I know towing inflatables is indeed a drag. You can put it on the foredeck though, as long as it fits. Our walker bay does tow with little resistance, and it is bullet proof......

Oscar
C 42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618, Currently FOR SALE
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 18:08:43

It is quite common for people to pull the inflatable,particularly a small one like the one you describe, up on the stern rail and lash it there to take as much of it as possible out of the water. There will certainly be drag and reduced speed, but if for a short distance and a particular need, this is of no consequence. If you are on a long trip, I agreee it is best to be brought aboard and either stowed below deflated, or stowed where best it can be, to allow operating the boat. Good luck Ron srsk Orion sw fl

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sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 20:35:24

Great input, thanks Guys! Just bought the rollup model so I can stow it easier, and it's lighter weight. Will report back when i test it towed or stored on bow in future! Wish I had a place to store the Walker Bay , that was my first choice, but ah...condo life and the restrictions.

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Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 23:09:50

I think you'll be happier with the roll-up. I have a roll-up Zodiac that came with a carry bag. I can toss it in the v-berth.

I tried carrying it on the forward deck. If I let a little air out, I could squeeze it between the mast and the bow pulpit. Two problems though: It was a pain to reach the bow lines and it blocks a lot of the view forward.

I can unroll and inflate it across the cabin top and slip it over the side.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 23:56:02

Congrats!

When I was young we cruised extensively and almost alway towed the dink. As long as the hull is capable of planing it will have minimal drag (20 -30 lbs). Adjusting the painter so it is not on the back side of the wake pays huge dividends. Where did you purchase from?

Good luck with the new toy.

Tom.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/25/2004 : 19:03:15

On my last San Juans trip, I was towing an Apex 10.5' dinghy equipped with a Honda 10 outboard. I really appreciated having the dinghy - almost a mandatory thing in the San Juan and Gulf Islands - but as with the other posters in this thread, towing the dinghy cost me 1.5 kts of boat speed, making me almost always the last boat in our group to reach each day's destination.

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Doug
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 07/25/2004 : 20:02:05

Anyone use the new Walker Bay hard dink with the inflatable collar? Looks like it wuld row and tow like a good hard dinghy, but have most of the stability of an inflatable.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/25/2004 : 20:14:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by lcharlot
 On my last San Juans trip, I was towing an Apex 10.5' dinghy equipped with a Honda 10 outboard...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That engine will add emensely to the drag by causing the stern to dig. Withoug an engine, a small inflatable has the potential to plane, where it presents relatively little drag. As Tom suggested, adjust the painter so the dinghy stays on the front side of your stern wave so gravity helps it move. If you want to tow and still minimize drag, get an engine you can easily lift on and off the dinghy, and keep in on the stern rail or in the dumpster (being careful to prevent fuel spills). If a stowable engine not big and fast enough for you, then be prepared to to have the dinghy slow down the sailboat.

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sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 07/25/2004 : 23:00:48

Tom here is a similiar link to where I purchased the dink -

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=15266&item=3690651904

Engine will be the next purchase, guess I should start a new topic.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 01:49:23

Our boat came with an 8' roll up. I have had to row it once when I forgot to check the gas in the engine. So dad rowed while Mom and two kids endured a long slow trip back to the boat against a mild headwind. I think it is a squeeze for us but it works. In chop it is not dry, nor is it fast. Also since it has no keel it is a little squirely. (It is fun to entertain the kids doing 360's though!)

For propulsion we looked at the Honda 2hp and Yamaha 2.5 and 4. All four strokes - I'm in California. I liked the ability to shift into neutral in the Yamaha and other features which I don't remember. I hefted the 4 and the 2.5 and thought my wife (and I) would have a better chance with the 2.5.

We carry our dinghy inside as well as the motor (for now). We blow it up on the cabin top and slip it over the side. After I secure the boat to the side of the hull I then use the boom and the mainsheet to lower it onto the transom. Same in reverse. So far no disasters other than I let the engine swing into the brand new inclinometer I just installed.

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cvwall
1st Mate

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USA
56 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 10:52:27

When towing a hard dink, try adjusting the painter until the dink rides on the leading face of the second stern wave. Coasting down the wave reduces drag, and having it on the second one reduces the chance it'll try to climb into the cockpit with you.

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D Wrate
1st Mate

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38 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 11:33:27

Hmmm we tow our hard dinghy just aft of the top of the first stern wave... it basically planes there all day and has never threatened to catch up to us even when in big stuff ~6ft

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RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 11:52:16

Tom, Dave and Charles --

I've often heard about that theoretical rule about where to put the dink in relation to the stern wake. But, where exactly is the stern wake (1st, 2nd) in relation to the stern on a C25? Is it the same distance on all C25's (based on LWL, displacement, etc.)? To be honest, I've never really observed a wake directly behing my C25, only very small "wakelets" heading out from the stern quarters.

My dink seems to be going uphill no matter how long the painter.

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Tony Partain
1st Mate

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USA
93 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 14:24:17

Richard what kind of dingy do you have?

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 21:47:20

"Your dink is going uphill" because you are diving it past its hull speed. Your dink appears to be a displacement type of hull. Up to a certain speed it will have very low drag and at hull speed the drag will start adding up exponentialy. A small unloaded inflatable will plane out at about 4 knots as it is a flat planing hull with very low weight. Just my 2 cents.

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RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2004 : 12:05:15

I don't know the make of my dinghy. It is built very stout, definitely a displacement hull -- with a heavy, shallow keel, plus two mini-skegs running down both sides.

Notwithstanding a theoretical hull speed of about 3.5 kts, which definitely causes a "drag", I suppose there isn't any real stern wake from the C25 which can help the situation. Oh well...

I pretty much pull it around everywhere, because it sails great, and compared with my inflatable it rows much better and is a lot better looking. It's also very convenient because, like my C25, it stays in the water all year and has no storage issues -- just cleat off the painter and go (either coming or going).

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dbehling
1st Mate

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USA
68 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2004 : 02:15:13

We haven't had our 25 for very long. But we have had our AB inflatable for about 10 years. Used to tow behind a Capri 22. Yeah, it does slow you down a bit. But.....we have a Dog! A Chocolate Lab named Sierra who goes everywhere we do. So we have to put up with going a little slower to taxi her to shore. Here's a few pics.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2004 : 09:35:22

There must be a trick to getting an 80 lb. dog in and out of that dink.

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