Boston Whaler for the Dink

We use a Boston Whaler 11 ft. for our tender on our 40 Marine Trader. There are several of this tough little boats in use that we see on the ICW.
Do you have one? Do you tow it? Store it on top? On the swim platform? We met a sailor last year that claimed to tow an 11ft BW all through the Caribbean without davits. We have towed it behind on a few trips but fear an overturn if we are waked by a gofast boat. the weight is 285 unloaded and we have a 20 hp Merc 4 stroke. Add another 200 pounds for that and gear. What do you do with this boat or a similar hard dink? It is a big hassle to load up top or to take the engine off. Thanks for all!
S

We have an 16' Sundance skiff which is similar, we plan to tow it this year to the abaco. Along with our 12' rib on the boat deck.

We normally carry our 11' BW on the fly. After almost loosing her in a tow a few months ago (painter broke in heavy seas) we will always store her in her cradle. A passing wake won't be an issue for you if towing.

Daddyo said:

We normally carry our 11' BW on the fly. After almost loosing her in a tow a few months ago (painter broke in heavy seas) we will always store her in her cradle. A passing wake won't be an issue for you if towing.

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Did it have backing plate?

Yes. The lines (2) broke due to the BW surfing in big following seas, never again!

Daddyo said:

Yes. The lines (2) broke due to the BW surfing in big following seas, never again!

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Oh, from all the jerking? I hate following seas, they sucked with our camano, hopefully there better on the Nordy with stabilizers!

It's not the stabilizers that will make it better. It's the speed and accuracy of the autopilot and the design of the stern as well as the size of the rudder (s). I know your Nordy will be far better then the C for many reasons ie: better tracking with your FD hull, great displacement, larger rudder, better hull design.

Daddyo said:

It's not the stabilizers that will make it better. It's the speed and accuracy of the autopilot and the design of the stern as well as the size of the rudder (s). I know your Nordy will be far better then the C for many reasons ie: better tracking with your FD hull, great displacement, larger rudder, better hull design.

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Thanks for the clarification!

I installed Niadd multi sea electronic stabilizers, which have a following sea setting. Not sure how it works, but it really works well. I had a 8 foot following sea and turned it off to see if it actually worked, WOW it straightened it right out.

Sent from my iPad using Trawler

I own a Whaler, 13', but I can't think of a worse dinghy so I never use it as such. Too heavy to load single handed, heavy enough to go through the transom, tows awful, can flip in beam seas, can't be rowed. I love to row so my Whaler would be of no use to me.

Brooksie said:

I own a Whaler, 13', but I can't think of a worse dinghy so I never use it as such. Too heavy to load single handed, heavy enough to go through the transom, tows awful, can flip in beam seas, can't be rowed. I love to row so my Whaler would be of no use to me.

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Rowing solo is a charm in an 8-foot dink/Trink:

There's always more to the story...













...so much for the concept "What goes on in Petaluma, stays in Petaluma!"

BUSTED!!

I have a towing idea.

Just tie into the tilt wiring of the dinghy OB and radio control the tilt function while under way. In following seas just lower the lower unit down until it presented enough drag to control the dink re directional stability and speed on the face of waves. Raise the lower unit for normal running and minimum drag.

Should be easy enough to rig up w model radio control hardware.

I have thoughts about towing my 16' 40hp aluminum skiff behind my 30' Willard. Pulling alongside the mother boat should work fine w several ball fenders.

Daddyo said:

BUSTED!!

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+1

In contrast, Ray demonstrated a high degree of expertise rowing C Coot:

No mechanical engine thus no ugly numbers on the hull or annual registration fees!

manyboats said:

I have a towing idea.

Just tie into the tilt wiring of the dinghy OB and radio control the tilt function while under way. In following seas just lower the lower unit down until it presented enough drag to control the dink re directional stability and speed on the face of waves. Raise the lower unit for normal running and minimum drag.

Should be easy enough to rig up w model radio control hardware.

I have thoughts about towing my 16' 40hp aluminum skiff behind my 30' Willard. Pulling alongside the mother boat should work fine w several ball fenders.

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Cool idea. Can't do it on ours. We have a 1979 Johnson 35hp 2-stroke no tilt( but man will she fly!

manyboats said:

I have a towing idea. Just tie into the tilt wiring of the dinghy OB and radio control the tilt function while under way. In following seas just lower the lower unit down until it presented enough drag to control the dink re directional stability and speed on the face of waves. Raise the lower unit for normal running and minimum drag. Should be easy enough to rig up w model radio control hardware. I have thoughts about towing my 16' 40hp aluminum skiff behind my 30' Willard. Pulling alongside the mother boat should work fine w several ball fenders.

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Thats incredibly easy simple 1 channel radio with an 2 way solenoid.

If the boat is big enough the 13ft BW is 5X the boat as the 11ft. .

One person launch and recovery is just a matter of spending the time , effort and bucks for the proper hoist .

A deployable drogue could also be rigged and the trip line all the way back to the mother ship...a little less complicated than a remote control and same effect.

But like most towing ops...great while moving, a nightmare when maneuvering.

This one ticks all the boxes for me and I'll build something similar myself from polycore/epoxy

Here is our new Catatude Catamaran Dinghy
We had an excellent cabinet maker build it for us.
The few designs on the market did not meet my design criteria.
It is made from fiberglass, epoxy and foam core.

Cat Dinghy requirements
1) Has to be 9’ foot 10” inches long (2.997 meters) x 54 inch beam (1.371 meters)
2) Has to weigh 85 lbs. (38.5 kg) without motor
3) Hulls have to go beyond the engine mount
4) Easy to row
5) Dry when going to windward in a chop
6) Quiet when tied behind the mother ship
7) Easy to clean
8) Holds four people
9) Plane easily with a 6 hp
10) Easy to walk off the bow
11) Maintenance free. No air no leaks
12) Hold up well in the Caribbean sun
13) Turn on a dime
14) Be fast and stable
15) Be able to mount a folding ladder off the bow for stable diving and snorkeling
16) Easy for two people to put the Cat on a car roof rack

This Catatude Catamaran Dinghy is very stable and fast. You can turn her hard over at any speed and she turns flat and on a dime.

Its really like driving a sports car.

My 10" inflatable would just barely plane with 2 people with a 6hp engine. This 10" Cat dinghy planes with 4 people in it using the same 6 hp engine.

She is just an effortless pleasure to row. I easily rowed for over a mile, as I was having so much fun. You can go full speed into a 20 knot chop and be dry as a bone.

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More pictures HERE <click

Thanks for the responses! It would seem that dink choices are just like our boats a compromise. I tried to post pictures from the url location. Does not work for me.

I choose to use the BW because of it's stability. If my wife can not handle it by herself then I can't use it. So that leaves out rowing, which I do enjoy doing for the exercise. I would love to have a small sail boat/row boat to sail around the anchorages, but I don't have the room. Since I do not plan on crossing any oceans I don't go out in rough seas with this trawler. I did sail my sailboat across oceans single handed when I wore a young man's clothes and was once three days in a bad storm, with the boat pitch poled and survived. Now I just want to travel the ICW and enjoy nice warm places in winter and cool ones in summer. I have looked at davits and rigs to haul the BW up onto the boat. I asked you experts for advise and love what you have sent. If the BW is not your cup of tea then please keep the negative responses at home. If it is your boat then please respond and with pictures. More please!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eXAI0aa18S0/UcRtVXkOmCI/AAAAAAAAFqs/VStXscvJBU4/s320/DSCF0231.JPG


@ TheOffice: June 2013
Thank you,
S

If my wife can not handle it by herself then I can't use it.

Agreed , as outboards can sometimes get balky the best motor for your BW might be an electric trolling motor.

The bride will always be able to be independant,

and you can give mucho GREEN BS to the rag baggers that look down their noses at marine motorists.

BW suffers from rotten very hard boat eating rub rails.

The 3/4 wrap canvas stuff is a good choice if looks count ,

but IF you can handle the look a row of 6 inch fenders mounted all around works really well.

Just dont be surprised in anchorages when folks try to wave you over for a lift ashore!

The vast majority of time we tow our 12' Carolina Skiff, similar in size and weight to your 11' BW, using a 40' painter. She easily lifts over even the worst wakes from passing boats. For crossing extended areas of open water, we lift the skiff onto our swim platform. First we remove the engine and fuel tank. Next we lash a couple of fenders on the skiff's port side. We then position the skiff with its port side against the aft end of the swim platform. Here's where it gets interesting. To lift the skiff, I've fashioned a "Y" bridle of 5/8" nylon with 15' legs, eyes spliced into the ends of each leg, and a loop tied into the apex. I secure the spliced eyes into the cleats at the port and starboard quarters. Then I run the bridle under the skiff and lead it up out of the water on the skiff's starboard side. To the loop at the apex I attach a 4-part tackle which is secured at the aft end of my steadying sail boom. Haul away until the skiff is vertical and she nests perfectly there sideways on the swim platform. Half the weight is borne by the swim platform, the other half by the bridle. The fenders on the skiff's port side cushion it and keeps it from scuffing the swim platform. The whole process takes maybe half an hour. Simple, cheap, easy.

Parmenter,
Does that cat dinghy actually weigh 85lbs?
Looks like it would have an awkward driving position under power w the OB. With a tiller OB one usually sits in the stbd corner but w the cat dinghy one would need to be on CL and that would put the tiller behind you rather than off to one side. And do your hands hit the top of the tunnel when rowing? Last negative is that I've had a multihull that turned flat and didn't consider that a plus. In waves and/or choppy conditions I like a boat to bank .. not excessively but some.

I don't think I can smile as you do though so if having a cat does that for me I'd better get cat'in.

Autoteacher,
I have one dinghy/OB combo that my wife really loves. Tried to sell it but she won't let me. My other comment is negative and since you forbid that ...... If you view only the positive things in life your view won't be very accurate. But who knows .. it could keep you smil'in. Are you a shop teacher? I did that in my younger days.

FF,
The engine my wife loves is a 70s 6hp Johnson. She loves the engine and the boat. The yellow dink below.