# How many of you actually ROW your dinghy?



## SoulVoyage (May 9, 2010)

I'm just wondering....how many actually ROW their dinghy to and from the boat at anchor?

I see all sorts of tenders at the dinghy docks that don't have any oars at all. To me, even if you have an outboard at all times, you should STILL always carry a pair of good oars.

I have an inflatable that I've modified the oar-locks to take much longer spoon-bladed oars. Usually inflatables don't row worth moose-scat....that is almost always because the oarlocks that come with them are worthless for REAL rowing and the oars are way too short.

I made teak blocks for my inflatable that accept a set of traditional sculling oarlocks. These oarlocks allow for a much more natural rowing style. And as I've stated, I use a pair of longer spoon-bladed oars....I'm presently using 7 footers, but would like to go to 8 feet. The combination of the much better oarlocks and longer oars means I can now row the inflatable _nearly_ as fast a hard dinghy.

I row ALL the time. I've got a British Seagull (maybe that's why I row! ) but I almost never use it. I row for fun and for exercise and mostly just for the simple joy of rowing. I also use a very efficient rowing technique that I learned from crew team.

Yet I see almost NO ONE else rowing at whatever anchorage I'm at....it's almost as if people nowadays have a phobia against rowing. WEIRD.

It's really too bad, because people are missing out on one of the simple joys of rowing. And people wonder why they're getting fat and out of shape...


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

I row for exercise - boat is at a dock but most days I row for about 20 or 30 minutes. RIB doesn't row particularly well but for my purposes it's fine.


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## St Anna (Mar 15, 2003)

We have a rib so I only make the teenager row. I'm too lazy!


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## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

We use a 5hp Honda on our rib and the bikes in the dinghy don't leave enough space to row, we get our exercise bicycling or walking with our backpacks to the grocery & laundromat, etc. Take care and joy, Aythya crew


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## MarioG (Sep 6, 2009)

I row I get an all around satisfaction about it ,the motor on the dingy is for the first mate.
I also roller blade were I need to go. after a few times doing as much as a 10 mile roll seems like nothing.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

The trouble with rowing is not many boats like inflatables and skiff types don't row well. It takes major muscle groups to move em. A boat that rows well won't motor well.


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## n8kraft (Dec 31, 2009)

*I'm a rower too.*

I row my coleman hard plastic dinghy because that's the only propulsion system available. Can't beat the price!


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

I always row. I've never had an outboard dinghy. I've rowed it more than a mile to get from an anchorage to town. I can row into a breeze up to about 30 knots. I'm not doing it because I love rowing, but an outboard is a hassle. Register the dinghy, maintain the outboard, worry about theft, bring gasoline. I've seen a guy carry an outboard up 90 steps at the bluff to power his aluminum skiff off the beach to fish. The energy used to carry that motor could have rowed him to Connecticut.


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## Sabreman (Sep 23, 2006)

We had an inflatable and I hated it. I built a Nutshell Pram (Joel White design) from Wooden Boat plans. It rows beautifully, tows straight, does not fill with water, and sails ok. I won't even think of a motor (just another thing to maintain). When I get too old to row, then I'll be too old to sail. 

Our dinghy's name is Li'l Mike, named for my father. He passed away before we could build it together (Family tradition - most males in my family have built some sort of boat). Links are below:

Toys
VICTORIA (and her mistress)



> A boat that rows well won't motor well


Not true.

BTW - Inflatables are not RIBs. I've seen very few RIBs on the docks. Most people have inflatables.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I row one of my dinghies, but generally use a motor on the inflatable, as they row horribly.


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## SoulVoyage (May 9, 2010)

Sabreman said:


> We had an inflatable and I hated it. I built a Nutshell Pram (Joel White design) from Wooden Boat plans. It rows beautifully, tows straight, does not fill with water, and sails ok. I won't even think of a motor (just another thing to maintain). When I get too old to row, then I'll be too old to sail.
> 
> Our dinghy's name is Li'l Mike, named for my father. He passed away before we could build it together (Family tradition - most males in my family have built some sort of boat). Links are below:
> 
> ...


Nice pram, Sabreman! and that's a nice touch naming the dinghy for your father.

As to inflatables and rowing, I think most people don't bother with modifying the oarlocks to real sculling oarlocks and getting much longer oars. The end result is it looks sorta like a miniture rubber white-water raft, and as you know, those row just fine! And like I said, when it's just me...I can row it just as fast as a pram and have been in quite a few impromptu "races" with rowing hard dinghies.

So here are three IMPORTANT keys to rowing your inflatable for main transportation:

1) You must modify the oarlocks totally. The oarlocks that work best are sculling type oarlocks...this takes a small wooden teak block to accept the oarlock, as it has to be higher. It's pretty simple to make. I can post pix of mine later today.

2) You need much longer and better oars than the garbage come with the inflatable originally...as a former crew rower...i think those original inflatable oars are a standing joke. I presently use West Marine's adjustable, break-down, aluminum oars with spoon-blades....these adjust to a maximum of nearly seven feet.

3)and this last is VERY important: The dinghy must be inflated to nearly maximum pressure...as the oarlocks will put much more pressure on the main tubes. When motoring, most of the force is on the solid transom, so inflation pressure is not nearly so important. It also really helps to keep your inflatable V in the bilge fully inflated...giving you a more efficient V-bottom.

With these three key factors, you *CAN* row your inflatable quite fast and efficiently. Just get rid of those crappy oarlocks and oars!!

One thing....all of the above is considering rowing a 8 or 9 foot inflatable as *ONE PERSON*. Rowing with two or more people really bogs down the inflatable, and because your rowing position is taking up MOST of the room, rowing with more than one person becomes an exercise in futility and water-torture. When I take additional people in the dink, I DO use the motor...and this is where the inflatable shines in it's original intended mode!


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## SailingGma (Oct 25, 2010)

We love to row also, but when we were cruising we often found that our anchored location was a considerable distance from a good landing beach. Also, going through the sometimes rough surf was easier when we had the engine on the dinghy. We got "turtled" one time when the oar came out of the oarlock, we lost a stroke, and turned broadside to the incoming surf. (Keep everything in a waterproof bag when traveling in the dinghy!)
Sailboat Cruising in the 90s


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

We use kayaks more than our inflatable.. so mostly we paddle.. does that count?  

Within a month of purchase one of the oars' lock fittings broke so we've pretty much never 'rowed' our inflatable.. but for short distances we will paddle it, ie one person on each tube and paddle canoe-style. It works way better than the standard oar/oarlock combo provided with most inflatables.


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## joethecobbler (Apr 10, 2007)

I never had a dependable outboard for the first couple years,so rowing was a must,not a choice. I also never had an inflatable,due to cost. Seems like hard dinghies are alot cheaper to aquire.
So, rowing was it.
That is , at the minimum 2 trips ashore per day w/ up to 4 dogs,one child and one wife ! 
Occasionally all at one time, more often 2-3 loads.
Rowing , or the realization of rowing , definately influences anchoring location choices. 
Now , I'm spoiled as I have a very depenble ,light-weight outboard . And (sadly) all the pups have passed away. Now its just daughter,Wife,and myself. 
The boat seems almost empty.


Live the Dash, -before it dashes away.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

For beach-to-beach excursions and just for the sheer enjoyment of sober solo rowing, we enjoy our homebuilt, "Chirp"










However, it is a handful to embark/disembark from "Chirp" to "Whiskeyjack" and vice versa, and for water runs and general marina excursions with more than one soul, we use "Quack," our trolling motor powered inflatable.










Although, there has been the odd occasion where Quack has needed rowing, and i have been surprised at how well she rows, probably a function of her short waterline- she's no speed demon, but she tracks reasonably well and requires little effort.


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## PCP (Dec 1, 2004)

If the distance is not really big we paddle. I mean it is almost impossible to row the dingy with the four inside and you have to put your but on the bottom that can easily be wet.

Anyway when my soon was younger he acquired the title of dinghy captain and it was a shame to take away the pleasure he had to motor us to the beach or nearby town.

Regards

Paulo


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## jrd22 (Nov 14, 2000)

I row whenever the outboard won't run) An 11' inflatable with two adults and a dog ain't much fun to row anyway, especially into wind. I love rowing though and will row when it's just me in the dink, even when the engine is on it. 
Does anyone know how the aluminum AB inflatables row? I've been thinking about getting one because of the sharp oysters that line all the beaches in Desolation Sound.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

I don't even own an engine for mine. I row.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

I enjoy rowing but our crappy fibreglass dinghy is hardly a great rowing boat. Adore the look of Sabreman's pram and BLJ's Chirp. Nice looking things that would be a joy to row. Biggest problem we have is that the dinghy storage where we moor is very public. Good dinghys get stolen, rubbish like ours is left well alone.

When we are away we use our Zodiac. Its not that bad a thing to row but we do have longer than standard oars which does make a big difference. 

Sabreman....are those woven veneer inserts in your saloon locker doors standard ? Absolute beautiful things. So much nicer than cane inserts or louvres.


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## AdamLein (Nov 6, 2007)

We use an ultralight inflatable that does not accept a motor, so we row it everywhere. The oars are quite long and the oarlocks sit fairly high, so rowing is not too much of a pain if we're not too burdened and the air pressure is high enough.


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

'nough said


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## BELLATRIX1965 (Jan 2, 2007)

*ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR ........you know!*

We bought a proper pair of Shaw & Tenney oars very shortly after we bought our boat (and its accompanying 1972 Boston Whaler "Squall" dinghy). 
Ours is one of the moorings FARTHEST from the Town Dock - I intend to row until I can't hold the oars in my arthritic fingers! Something about that noisy, smelly outboard chasing you constantly - besides, rowing induces stopping, leaning on the oars and getting to know your neighbors - priceless!


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## 26bombayexpress (Sep 27, 2009)

I pefer to sail mine but when the winds not there I row, when I am lazy out comes the outboard.


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## COOL (Dec 1, 2009)

Faster said:


> We use kayaks more than our inflatable.. so mostly we paddle.. does that count?


The same here, we have found that our tandem 
'sit on top' kayak is an excellent tender. We can 
paddle fairly long distances easily, and it is easy
to drag up on the beach and back onto the boat
at night.


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## blackjenner (Feb 5, 2010)

I haven't tried to yet but, since Brigadoon has a rowing dingy and no outboard, I'll start with rowing.


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## maccauley123 (Sep 2, 2004)

I love rowing my dinghy. I have a Walker Bay 8 that I row out to my moored boat every time I sail. Sometimes it takes 2 trips to get people and gear over but I never complain and actually enjoy it quite a bit. There are days when I will take the dinghy out for the sole purpose of rowing up the river. It is great excercise and a way to be on the water when I don't have time for a sail. I won't get an inflatable just for the reason they row horribly. Probably get the inflatable tubes for the WB some day to get the best of both worlds.


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## chrisncate (Jan 29, 2010)

I row my hard dink, no registration or gasoline needed.


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## capnorv (Jan 6, 2011)

We row, but the freeboard with two large adults and two growing children has disappeared! So now we have a 10' on order to replace our 8" sailing dinghy. Oh, and 8' spoon oars for propulsion.


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## norsearayder (Dec 19, 2006)

my 8 foot warker rows great.its all i use,i have towed my sloop with the dingy when i just wanted to slightly move my anchoring spot.having lived on an island while growing up[teen years]ie always known that a good dink goes a long way


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## capnorv (Jan 6, 2011)

When we bought our Hans, we borrowed a Walker 8 for our first outing, our honeymoon. August in the Salish Sea, not a lot of wind and a boat with inadequate sail inventory. Ten hours of running later, the engine siezed. In the next week and a half, many times the wind would die and I'd have to tow our 18000# boat, sometimes a mile or more to anchor. That Walker Bay saved what could have been a bad situation. If I'd had a way to charge the batteries, it'd been perfect.


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## vega1860 (Dec 18, 2006)

IMO, a good hard rowing dinghy is essential cruising gear. especially on a small boat where you are not likely to have room for one.

We carried an inflatable kayak, still do, but bought a Walker Bay 8 and towed it behind us while we cruised Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, the San Juans and Canadian Gulf Islands. When we set off down the coast we sold it. No room on deck and the open sea is no place to be towing a dink.

We liked the Walker Bay but it is impossible to stow, even that little boat, on the deck of our Vega. I am still looking for that perfect two-piece nesting pram.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

One of the guys on this forum bought a Nichols Nesting 10 dinghy...



















Might be a good choice for you.



vega1860 said:


> IMO, a good hard rowing dinghy is essential cruising gear. especially on a small boat where you are not likely to have room for one.
> 
> We carried an inflatable kayak, still do, but bought a Walker Bay 8 and towed it behind us while we cruised Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, the San Juans and Canadian Gulf Islands. When we set off down the coast we sold it. No room on deck and the open sea is no place to be towing a dink.
> 
> We liked the Walker Bay but it is impossible to stow, even that little boat, on the deck of our Vega. I am still looking for that perfect two-piece nesting pram.


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## vega1860 (Dec 18, 2006)

That looks good. When I found the importer, they conveniently provided a link to the manufacturer in the UK, Nestaway Boats, LTD.

They also make a very nice 8'2" nesting pram that I think would be even better.










This one is the super deluxe model with all the bells and whistles and appropriate price tag. They make a range, however, from plain fiberglass to carbon fiber or cold molded hard wood, with a lot of options.


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## Boatsmith (May 3, 2009)

I row.


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## DonScribner (Jan 9, 2011)

The last time we rowed (actually paddled) was last year. We jumped in to go ashore, I hit the throttle of the trolling motor that we use (nice and quiet) and the prop jumped off and headed for Davey Jones's locker. "Hand me the paddles" says I. "There's only one. I borrowed the other for school!" responds the commodore. "How about if we duct tape the dustpan to the boat pole?" Preservation of marriage, the true mother of invention. 

I now have three paddles in the boat.


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## Heinous (Mar 25, 2009)

My dinghy usually stays deflated and stored in the sail locker in a bag since I seldom anchor or moor anywhere away from a pier, but the few times I've used it to go ashore we always row.

Well, except for the time we were inadvertantly towed away by one of the the dinghies we were rafted up with when they decided to leave and missed the line tying them to us...but I don't think that counts.


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## QuickMick (Oct 15, 2009)

always row. kyak as dink. love it.


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## Triquetra (Jul 8, 2005)

*Mercury outboard vs. Rowing: Almost as much work.*

I prefer to row, though I have a 2-stroke Mercury outboard, and I think that I may actually get more of a workout when I actually need and intend to use the outboard than if I just started rowing in the first place, unless it actually starts right up.


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## PopeyeGordon (Mar 3, 2011)

*I row or use solar powered e-motor*

I row hard or inflatable. Seems silly to shatter the peace and quiet of an anchorage with a gas engine for a short distance to the dock, more trouble than it's worth. You see more wildlife when rowing.

For longer distances I clamp on a MinnKota 40lb thrust saltwater trolling motor, AGM battery kept forward for balance. Easily makes several miles on the battery before a charge is needed. A solar panel on the seat will keep the battery topped off. Sitting on the panel during use is no problem, most of the time the panel is free to trickle charge. Practically like a perpetual motion machine and so quiet.


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## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

ROW, isnt that what you have with the wife when she keeps putting cushions on the boat.


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## MarioG (Sep 6, 2009)

I traded our inflatable for a hard dinghy. The first mate wasn't real happy with that untill she heard a dozen horror storrys about the cost to have an inflatable repaird. One person said his cost him $300 to have 2 puncture holes repaird. I like that its much easier to row a hard dinghy, I'n on the hunt for a sail dinghy to make both us happier.


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## downeast450 (Jan 16, 2008)

maccauley123 said:


> I love rowing my dinghy. I have a Walker Bay 8 that I row out to my moored boat every time I sail. Sometimes it takes 2 trips to get people and gear over but I never complain and actually enjoy it quite a bit. There are days when I will take the dinghy out for the sole purpose of rowing up the river. It is great excercise and a way to be on the water when I don't have time for a sail. I won't get an inflatable just for the reason they row horribly. Probably get the inflatable tubes for the WB some day to get the best of both worlds.


Amen! It is nice being that close to the water. The light is different. The smells are more about the sea.

Down


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## GeorgeDog (Mar 11, 2010)

*Row.*


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## AdamLein (Nov 6, 2007)

Where I come from we call that "tow" 



GeorgeDog said:


> *Row.*


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

I have a WB-8 also, which I usually row. Depends on how often I'll use it in one place and how far I need to go.


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## Michael K (Feb 27, 2006)

*Instead of Rowing...*

... I scull. Due to a bad arm injured in 1966 this is the only way I can use oars. Carrying an outboard from the car to the dink and back is almost as much work as sculling the 200 yards to the mooring. As such, I probably choose oar power about half of the time.


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## w1651 (May 2, 2010)

I'm going to get a row boat tonight. 9.6 and 4ft wide with two oars and oar locks. I want to add a system to wheel it around so I can lock it to a pole or something.
I am going with a row boat just so I don't have to register it. Maybe down the road I will get a outboard for it but for now I'll row.


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## SoulVoyage (May 9, 2010)

GeorgeDog said:


> *Row.*


Nice looking dinghy!

But the last time I had my dinghy towed with a single painter, I lost the dinghy in a knock-down during a fast moving summer squall. Rescuing the dinghy at that time was the LAST thing on my mind...and so all I could do was wave a quick goodbye to it as it quickly disappeared into the distance.

Ever since, I've been using a system of 2 to three painters in sequence:
Painter #1 is led to the dinghy bridle as standard. Painter #2 splits like the bridle, but instead of being tied to the P/S hull rings, both ends of the split merely PASS THRU these rings and lead around the seat that is lashed securely athwartships. Sometimes I'll even take the bitter ends and tie them off on the padeyes affixed to the stern.

Offshore, I almost NEVER tow, but stow instead.

But I'd take a good look at your towing set-up if I were you. Wouldn't want to lose that sweet tender!

And thinking that it should be alright because you've never had any problems before won't work.....I never lost a dinghy from my stern before I did, either.


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## GraemeInCanada (Jun 17, 2008)

Two items. I row too. I bought an electric motor which is super light and easy to use and works really well actually, but the battery is a pain.. At this point I just row because getting a specific battery for it is just not on the priority list. One day.

I agree on the two painter rule. I lost mine once and didn't notice immediately.. needless to say I want back for it but it had floated a good distance by then. Crazy. Mine was just due to an old painter. I keep a sharp eye on that stuff now.


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## harryrezz (Dec 10, 2003)

Couldn't help but notice that there was an "Almost never" answer, but not an "Absolutely Never" option!
I live aboard AT ANCHOR 4-5 months per year and am usually 1/4 to 1/2 mile off the beach. My 10.5 foot AB aluminum-hulled RIB is my SUV - it does all hauling for shopping, beqach trips, visiting the neighbors, snorkelling, fishing, etc. It is also usually quite windy in our area with a pretty good chop through the anchorages most of the time. I have a faithful 15HP Yamaha that gets me up on plane at 1/3 throttle, or even on plane with four adults with no problem. (Keep in mind that I also have occasional charter guests, so I must transport them from shore to the boat with all their baggage.)
Rowing, in my case, is not a viable option.
(I do carry oars, however, just in case!)


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## SeaLifeSailing (Apr 24, 2010)

I enjoy having a good hard dinghy to row, and they tow decently, too. But as someone who often has novice boaters on board, an inflatable or RIB is really the only way to go, in terms of safety. Some folks are a little on the heavier side, and not all are nimble, so the big air-filled pontoons mean safety of entry and exit. Also, my cute little hard dinghy was pretty much loaded to the max with 3 adults, where my inflatable can handle 4 adults and a big pile of gear with a large safety margin. Rowing = fun, but sometimes an inflatable and motor can make more sense.


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