# Dinghy Plans



## avd155 (Nov 20, 2009)

I am looking for suggestions for dinghy plans.

I would like to build an excellent cruising dinghy. It must have the following characteristics:
+ Sails
+ Rows
+ Can be stowed in a deck area of about 4' (between the mast and doger, on the cabin-top). Likely meaning the dinghy must be nestable.
+ Buoyant when flooded
+ No engine mount necessary (will use wind/human power only)

Might you have suggestions for designs I could investigate that meet the above characteristics?


----------



## Allen-deckard (Jul 26, 2011)

I always wanted to build a shell back dingy went as far as buy g the plans although unfortunately that's as far as i ever got.

Wouldn't meet the 4' requirement though.

What about one of those dingys i believe called fatty knees although not sure just off the top of my head.


----------



## RhodesSwiftsure (Aug 5, 2007)

Eastport Nesting Pram:

Eastport Nesting Pram

You can order just plans, or full kit. Build from plans and buy just sailing rig, etc., etc. Very nice little boat, I built the non-nesting version.


----------



## wayina (Jul 14, 2010)

I purchased the plans for a Nutshell 9'6" pram dinghy from the States and am converting it to a nesting dinghy like the Eastport, might wind up with something totally useless but then I might not, its all about experience, building a better mousetrap theory


----------



## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

Danny Green has a two part nesting dinghy design, that several of my clients have built, and done extensive cruising with. They are very happy with it. Stows in around 4 ft.


----------



## copacabana (Oct 1, 2007)

Have a look at Danny Greene's "Chameleon" 10' nesting dinghy. It seems to fit your needs to a "T".

Chameleon

I ordered the plans directly from him and plan on making mine this winter. There is an article in Good Old Boat about the Chameleon written by the couple on the Mason 33 "Carina". I think it came out in the penultimate issue.

As soon as mine is ready I'm going to have an inflatable dinghy burning ceremony... 

EDIT: I just saw that Brent Swain beat me to it! BTW, Brent's book has the plans for a very nice aluminium "origami" dinghy that looks like it would be a great cruising dinghy, except it doesn't break down into 2 pieces.


----------



## copacabana (Oct 1, 2007)

Avd155, I re-read your requirements and noted: "Can be stowed in a deck area of about 4' (between the mast and doger, on the cabin-top)". The Chameleon's nesting measurements are 5.4' x 4,2' x 1.8', which means it's too long for your cabin top (unless you stow it sideways). Have a look at the Good Old Boat article as the owners of Carina had the same problem and worked around it by shortening the Chameleon to 8 feet with no real change in performance.


----------



## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

With the sapce you have to work with, i like a wooden widget stasha









plans


----------



## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

The Spindrift from B & B Designs in NC is a beautiful little boat...

spindrift

However, looks like it's a bit too long for your 4' maximum length dimension...
Perhaps you can scale it down, to suit your requirements...

I built one years ago, here's a shot of the bow section alone on the foredeck of my 30-footer...










However, as I mentioned in another thread recently on dinghies, I quickly came to realize it was not the answer for me... I think if you're determined to go the hard dinghy route, you might have to resign yourself to towing it virtually all of the time...

Cruisers actually used to do that, once upon a time... (grin)

The Spindrift does tow, and row, beautifully... I still use mine from time to time when sailing in my local waters...

One suggestion, however - try mocking up with cardboard or light plywood the rough shape of whatever you decide upon, place it on your coachroof, and go sailing for a weekend or more...

It just might tempt you to give a second thought to a small inflatable, instead... (grin) On a 27-footer, a nesting dinghy will represent a GIGANTIC BOX that will greatly impede your visibility forward WHENEVER IT IS ON DECK...

Be absolutely certain beforehand, that you really want to go there... (grin)


----------



## avd155 (Nov 20, 2009)

Thank you all for your input! This has been a great help and I have a much better idea of all the options available.

I am gathering research and addressing my questions now. In the next couple months, I will upload all my research and decisions to my site. Once I build the dinghy (which may be the next project I take on), I will also do a full walkthrough of how the process went.

For future reference, the URL is - Bristol27.com » Dinghy


----------



## IslanderGuy (Apr 26, 2008)

I also built a Spindrift from B&B, and we love it! Ours is the 11' model, which nests to just under 6', They have a 10 foot model that would be closer to what you need, but you would still need to be creative to get down to the length you need.

We have two kids, so capacity was a big issue for us. We also used some ideas from other builders to make the bottom of the dingy "clip" together, and only have bolts on the top. This means the two halves will float independently, so we can put it together (and take it apart) in the water rather then on deck which I think makes a huge difference. 

Good luck, I'll look forward to hearing what you come up with.


----------



## -OvO- (Dec 31, 2011)

The dinghy in my profile photo (up there at 11 o'clock) is an Eastport pram. You really can't sail it with two adults in it. It is very stable, and difficult to capsize. It rows nicely, but even alone, it doesn't sail all that well. Below 5 knots, or upwind, rowing is faster. Above 10 kts, you start taking water over the square prow (through the handhold), or over the lee gunwale (!!). In between, you're trying to sit in the bottom of the boat because your own body is shadowing the sail. If you try to carry the oars with you while you're sailing, they are in the way. If you try to carry the sailing rig with you while you're rowing, then *it* is in the way. I would consider it primarily a rowing dinghy for very sheltered water with a sail kit that you might use occasionally.

This said, I have had it out on the water during a small-craft warning (with short fetch so maybe 1'-2' waves), and I could still sail with never any danger of capsize, but it was a lot of work and I was constantly bailing.

I do like the looks of the spindrift.


----------



## smurphny (Feb 20, 2009)

Those Spindrift designs look very nice. I built a stitch and glue pram a couple of years ago which works ok but the pram design is iffy in any kind of sea. The only thing I use it for is when on a mooring at home in Lake Champlain. I think it would be in danger of swamping in some of the anchorages in my travels. I use a rubber ducky. The pointy bow of the Spindrift looks like a much better idea than a pram. Having a hard hulled dinghy is a good thought but it's nice to be able to fold up the ducky and get it below and out of the way.


----------



## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

I will be building a dinghy design by Sam Devlin Devlin Designing Boat Builders - Polliwog. I plant to put this on the foredeck of my B27. I did a scale cardboard mock-up of the dinghy on the foredeck, and found that there will still be some sidedeck available all the way to the bow. The dinghy is long enough that it will go from the mast to just in front of the mooring cleat (I bet your mooring cleat is long gone on your massive re-fit). That will make the central mooring cleat useful for securing the dinghy. I will add cleats on each side of the bow for mooring. I think on a bigger boat I would like to have the dinghy between the mast and the main hatch. Not sure how the boat will perform with this thing on the bow!

Your site is great. Do you have a launch date in mind?


----------



## bratzcpa (Oct 18, 2011)

I built a dinghy last year (stitch and glue). Just about 8' long. Rows great and sails well too. Here is a link to my "building blog". It was a fun project, but probably not any less expensive (overall) than a fair RIB.

I've got a 27' Catalina. I do have room to put it up on the foredeck, but it's HUGE looking and acting up there. No single-handed deck-sweeping tacks with the big genoa though.

Usually I tow it, or put on davits on the stern.


----------



## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

> I built a dinghy last year (stitch and glue). Just about 8' long. Rows great and sails well too. Here is a link to my "building blog". It was a fun project, but probably not any less expensive (overall) than a fair RIB.
> 
> I've got a 27' Catalina. I do have room to put it up on the foredeck, but it's HUGE looking and acting up there. No single-handed deck-sweeping tacks with the big genoa though.
> 
> Usually I tow it, or put on davits on the stern.


Looks like the D4. Free plans are availble on the interweb. That was my first dinghy project. I was amazed how stable those things are. You can stand on the very outboard edge of the seat without any problems. I think, in order to heave good stability, the trick is to make sure the beam is no less than about 3'8". Mine ended up being too heavy, however.


----------



## Skipper Jer (Aug 26, 2008)

I like the D4, the plans are free, weight is low, can be sailed. 
Anyone know if someone has made it into a nesting dinghy?


----------



## avd155 (Nov 20, 2009)

Thanks for all your replies. I will weigh all the input and decide in the next couple months. I'd like to turn my attention to the dinghy soon, so I can have a little boat to take out and practice sailing while the big boat project continues. Speaking of which...



Barquito said:


> Your site is great. Do you have a launch date in mind?


One big thing I've learned from the project is that it's near impossible to estimate the true length of time something will take. Due to this, I've given up any sense of timeline and try to approach each day as the next step, without knowing exactly how many more steps are left. I enjoy the process and once afloat, I hope to look back fondly on the time spent building.

To be more clear, there isn't a specific date in mind, but it will happen one day.

Also, Barquito, I don't think I have your Bristol27 listed on the site. If you're interested in sharing information about your boat I know others and I would appreciate it. I can't private message yet (not enough posts), but can you e-mail me so we can discuss getting your boat on the site? My e-mail is [email protected]


----------

