42 footer and a hard dinghy?

[Capt. Rodbone]

Happy Thanksgiving to all you wonderful trawler forum folks! We are 40+ year sailors, new to the trawler world, planning to “Loop” in a couple of years, and are loving this site!
My questions today are if I make a change to a hard dinghy and continue to use our mast lifting system would there be a reason to be concerned about the weight difference(doubtful but shouldn’t assume), and are there reasons I’m not thinking of to stick with the RIB that came with the boat (maybe)?
From our sailing cruising experiences The one comparison I’m thinking of is the tendency of a hard one left in the water overnight at anchor being much louder i when it bumps against the hull at night.
My reasons for possibly making the change are threefold. I like the thought of being able to put the sail rig on it and enjoy anchorage sails, I like the flexibility of knowing if there are outboard troubles We can row or sail to shore. I know the exercise that comes with rowing is good for us, and lastly, I’m that weirdo that since my first exposure to Brightwork in 1982, I’m very happy with my headphones on and a varnish brush in my hand. Not sure I would want to know the number of hours I’ve devoted to it, but it gives me great pleasure.
I bring up varnishing because if I buy one it will be similar to the one I have attached a pic of here. This one is “ supposedly” for sale, but multiple attempts to reach the Craigslist lister have gone unanswered so it’s starting to look like it’s sold and he hasn’t taken it down, or it’s fake, although those usual expose themselves with a ridiculous price. If I go this route it will at a minimum have wooden seats I can keep Bristol, and preferably a caprail like this one.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions. I suspect I will get replies for some of you who say “I switched and I’m happy I did “, as well as some that will say “I did it and I wish I hadn’t”. I think I will give adequate weight to the things I’ve mentioned here, it’s the things I haven’t thought about that need to go into the equation.

 

[Porgy]

If your dinghy purposes don’t include any need for going fast I think a hard dinghy as you described is a good choice. We found an older but restored Fatty Knees 8’ with a sail rig and love it. Same as you, I like to sail and row. I’ll often row to shore rather than use our Torqeedo. Our boat fully loaded with gear is around 140 lbs or so. Guessing it’s no more or even less than many RIBs with an outboard. We looked at RIBs for a long time but sailing and rowing are worth more to us than any benefits of a RIB.

 

[O C Diver]

Like you, I switched to a hard dinghy. My second experience with the outboard failing and coming to the realization that rowing a rib is a pointless concept (can't be done except on a mill pond),was the eye opener.

I bought a 22 year old Trinka 10 with a sail rig. New oars from Shaw & Tenney, a 3HP electric outboard from Epropulsion, and new hull paint to match the trawler, completed the refit. I've been experimenting with fendering (Polyform F-4).

I'm not big on leaving the dinghy overboard and developed my technique to launch and recover my Trinka. Lastly, don't underestimate the power and range of an electric outboard. At normal cruise, I have a 20 mile range, more if I go slower.


Champlain bridge on Lake Champlain this summer.

Ted

 

[Steve1.0]

As a former rag bagger off a 45' ketch into a 46 GB classic, I went thru the same issue. In my case the rib won. Even after two disappointing "deflatables". I finally settled in an AB alum. rib. I still have a dyer 8' but rarely use it.
Here is my reasoning (questionable tho it may be)
The Dyer is great for sailing/rowing yes, they are even better for doing battle at busy dingy docks as they are not deflatable. They do sink tho if 1: Caught under the dock or 2:Are subjected to torrential rains (I'm in S. Florida) or 3: swamped by the many wake "unwoke". I even made a small "bilge pump in a cooler" set up, complete with a solar panel, that worked for a while.

They are less likely to be stolen, but finally, my Dyer was "re-enforced" by a po making it just too heavy to be "easy", using the term loosely.


The RIB reasons. 1: I like going fast. With a 15hp engine we cover a lot of "ground" at 20+ kts. I spend lots of time in the Bahamas and love to explore, and that's true pretty much every where I cruise. I also have a light 2.5hp for quick launch. Inflatables do suck to row. However rowing them backwards works much better due to the round bow becoming the stern.

2) Weight. I would bring it on deck ,"deflate" and stow it during passages. This is not really an issue on the GB, but I do plan on mounting davits, either on the stern or a dedicated pipe davit.

3) It will carry six passengers if needed or a ton of stores. Also, if you go snorkeling, try coming back aboard over the side of a hard dink. Can also help with a M.O.B.

I do have a 1/4" stainless cable I lock it to docks with if I have doubts about the area. I do have to be extra careful I don't bump barnacle encrusted poles on approach or if the wind/tide swings while I'm ashore, but that's why we have repair kits and foot pumps.
4) After heavy rains it can be an outdoor bathtub for two. ;-)


It comes down to how you want to use it. Like all boats, its a compromise.

 

[syjos]

I prefer hard tenders to RIB's.

Easier to maintain, larger usable area without tubes, able to mount downriggers and pot pullers.

We did not want to compromise so carry a OB tender and a sailboat.

A pipe davit makes launching and retrieving the tender much easier than boom and tackle.

 

[bowball]

There were a few references to rowing a RIB and the futility of that. I’m a former college rower but I can see where it could be quite difficult!

I’ve never had an outboard fail me but what is the redundancy in that situation if you’ve strayed from the main boat and your outboard won’t run? Especially in the PNW with tides and currents.

 

[O C Diver]

There were a few references to rowing a RIB and the futility of that. I’m a former college rower but I can see where it could be quite difficult!

I’ve never had an outboard fail me but what is the redundancy in that situation if you’ve strayed from the main boat and your outboard won’t run? Especially in the PNW with tides and currents.

Simply, if your boat has oars and you don't try to row it one mile before you need to, you're foolish. I was once.

I tend to wonder places where others are smart enough not to go with a dinghy (maybe a kayak). When going places like this rowing home needs to be a viable option.



I will be adding a poling stick for next season.

Ted

 

[bowball]

My question is, what if due to currents you can’t row it back? Does anyone consider a back up like an electric motor or ? It seems like one of those risks one just needs to take? Have a good radio to try to reach other boats?

As for being foolish not trying to row, it may well be unrowable in the conditions.

 

[rslifkin]

We carry an aluminum 12 footer as our dinghy. Doesn't row quite as well as a true rowboat like a Trinka, but it rows well enough. And given a big enough outboard (rated for 15hp) it'll go plenty fast. No sailing rig and not quite as pretty as a nice hard fiberglass dinghy though.

 

[O C Diver]

As for being foolish not trying to row, it may well be unrowable in the conditions.

My point was that it's easy to try rowing in a few adverse conditions (while there's nothing wrong with the engine) to see if you can make headway against a 1 knot current or in 1' seas. If you can't make headway, maybe it's time to consider another plan B before you need it.

Ted

 

[ghost]

One early foggy morning I jumped into the dinghy to grab a crab pot before the locals took advantage of the fog. I soon discovered I had neither handheld radio, knife or life jacket and was needing them. Also discovered that while the boat still had oars, they were useless as with a console, it was impossible to row with oars in oar locks.

I’ve since adjusted my practices and try to follow prudent actions to match the conditions. Basically, don’t put myself into a position where I did not have an option. In populated areas, a simple radio would be sufficient. Up a long arm where I’m not likely to see another human for over a day, that might well mean not going a distance I could not paddle back from.