Quote:
Originally Posted by backinblue
That's nice if you want to have 2 boats, but not really what I'd call a dinghy. It must be a bit of a load to tow. Any concern in really rough weather. Not sure how a boat like that would survive in conditions some of us find ourselves in at times. Other than that, it's probably great fun to have 2 real boats to play with, but again, not nearly the same as a dinghy.
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b n' b - Correct on all points...
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That's nice if you want to have 2 boats, but not really what I'd call a dinghy." Simply great to have a tow behind that can easily carry four persons and some cargo. For just Linda and me it's a gasss to leave Tolly anchored on a calm day and lope around at 25 knot cruise to visit places. Top speed on gps at slack tide with just me aboard reads at 39.6 knots. At 25 knt cruise I guestimate 15 to 20 +/- nmpg. She's got 2 - 6 gal gas tanks... plenty of range; don't need to fill up often. Summer 2013 our then 90 yr. [she turned 98 last month] matriarch had heart attach emergency 100 miles from where we were [Tolly was anchored just a few miles from where we always dock under covered berth in SF Delta]... Anyway - We had daughter, hubby and 6 month baby aboard that weekend [with luggage]. So, to get them and wife back to marina ASAP [to rush home] we four adults with baby in arms and with some luggage jumped into "Minnie Me" [nick name of our tow behind] and she jumped up and hit plane for fast run to get to dock. They drove back in the kids vehicle and I went back to the anchored Tolly. Pulled anchor and docker her the next morning. Drove home in our vehicle.
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"It must be a bit of a load to tow." At slow cruise in Tolly [6 +/- knots; hull speed calcs at 7.58 knots] the friction load is not bad at all. At plane speed [16 to 17 knots] it requires increased rpm = more fuel cost. I keep her 50 hp. Johnson o/b locked in straight ahead up position.
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"Any concern in really rough weather?" We don't experience "...really rough weather" in SF Delta. So, yes having spent years towing a 13'3" Boston Whaler [with 40 hp. Johnson] while coastal cruising from NY to Maine I know what it's like to get caught in steep seas with a runabout in tow. And, yes towing a "
funabout" in rough water can become a real problem. I would rather not be caught in that crap again [such as we were a couple times... decades ago - i.e., 1960's].
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"Other than that, it's probably great fun to have 2 real boats to play with..." YUP!!!
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"...but again, not nearly the same as a dinghy." Sure ain't!!!
BTW: I've had dinks in tow, dinks on davits and dinks on deck. Wood dinks, glass dinks, inflatable dinks and sailing dinks. Dinks are dinks... Tow behind "
Funabouts" are kick assss.....