[Public-list] Dinghy - Tow or Stow?

[Jack Vanderloo]

To one and all who responded, a hearty thanks .... for a) scaring the 
bejeesus outta me and b) giving me something really worth chewing on.
Cheers
Jack
ex KC641

JOHN GRAVES wrote:

>I have the perfect fiberglass dingy for an A30. I was in Spanish Wells, Eluthera, Bahamas when a couple I met's boat burned in the harbor. A complete loss. I rescued them from their boat in which they were still asleep in. Both my A30 and myself sustained burns in the process. But I chased down their dingy after the line burned apart. They said I could have the dingy and outboard since they had no way to get it home. I traveled through the Abacos, across the Grand Bahama bank and crossed the Gulf Stream to Florida with the dingy mostly in tow. However, when I crossed the Gulf Stream I put the dingy on deck, forward of the mast. My friend Eddie and I made the crossing at night in some very wicked thunderstorms and was glad we decided to put the dingy on deck. I don't think it would have made it otherwise. This dingy fits on the deck of an A30 perfectly, yet can carry two people and a little bit of cargo, say a couple of bags of groceries or some fishing or snorkeling gear. Wit
> h one person it will easily plane off and fly. It will do it with 2 light people or an adult and child. To finish the story, I ended up stopping in Daytona where the couple lived on my way back to Georgia. I called them up and met with them for dinner. They said they were in the process of getting a new sailboat so I gave them their dingy and outboard back under the condition that they would tell me where they got it. All they could tell me was in the Keys. My brother has a house in the keys and needless to say I visit him often. It took me several years of visits and searching boatyards, marinas, and asking around the docks before I finally found the mould. It was still in production so I had one built for me. Totally top quality and for just a little over $400. I love this dingy. The builder is on Key Largo and is Tiki Island Water Sports and Glander Boats. Here is the web address: http://www.tikiwatersports.com/<http://www.tikiwatersports.com/> but I did not see the dingy
> . I did send an e-mail to them asking about it. If I find out anything I'll post it.
>John
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Jim Davis<mailto:a30240 at earthlink.net> 
>  To: A30 Public List<mailto:public-list at alberg30.org> 
>  Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 1:35 PM
>  Subject: [Public-list] Dinghy - Tow or Stow?
>
>
>  Just to add a few comments.  On an A30 there aren't many good choices for a rigid dink, or RIB.  Towing is really the option.  All the previous comments are right on. I would add, sling a block from the stern rail for the painter to run through.  This will almost eliminate the chafe problem and I do use poly for towing.  With a rigid dink I also add a large plastic funnel to the painter about five feet from the bow of the dink.  Hold it in place with figure eight knots so it can't slide.  Have it turned so there is no resistance when towing, but if you stop quickly it will turn and serve as a brake.  This causes the dink to slew to one side and avoids your transom getting a goose.  Also on a rigid dink I would add another towing eye down low.  In my not very humble opinion the towing eyes on all dinks are too high and add to the difficulty of towing, also I beef up the hull when adding the lower eye.
>
>  Jim Davis
>  S/V Isa Lei
>  CT 35
>
>
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