Dinghy Questions

[dianne12]

No, it is well out of the water. I do have the short shaft version, but it would not be a problem with the long shaft either.

here's a pic:

[craiglaforce]

In your photo, what is that giant black thing back by the motor?

[dianne12]

The motor is simply layed over the support rail, then the normal securement screws are tightened. In the photo, I happen to be sitting at the captains position wearing an orange shirt and a inflatable PFD, which has black straps. Perhaps you refer to them?

[Rich Smith]

Thanks Rick! Ultimately I'd like to set up something like Duanne has but your method looks like it will work just fine for us this summer.


BTW, I think Craig is refering to the rudder by your main engine...he's probably not used to a rudder with bottom paint on it.

[Don B]

Dinghys and currents.

I was thinking about Chips experience in his dinghy and it got me wondering. What the heck would you do in a dinghy in Chips offshore situtation if the dinghy motor died ?

Do you people carry and anchor along ? It is obvious from Chips post that rowing against the current won't cut it.

-Don B

[Jack O'Brien]

An anchor in the dinghy, or any boat, is an essential safety item.

While sailing in Green Bay (Lake Michigan) we rescued a lady and her about 10-year old daughter who were in a cheap, rental, smooth-bottom canoe. They had already been blown quite far from shore by an off-shore breeze that got stronger over open water. Only mama was paddling and she could not make way against the wind. It was late afternoon and they would not have hit land for 30 miles. Chances are they would have swamped farther out and been in the water overnight. Even with PFDs on that cold water is a killer. They had no anchor.

On a lighter note, I read an account of a family on the Ohio River near Cincinatti whose big engine failed and their anchor was lost or not useable for some reason. In desperation, Daddy tied a rope to the 9.9 dinghy motor and threw that overboard as an anchor. Mama then said something like: "Why didn't you use the 9.9 as a motor?" Ooops. Duh.

[Don B]

I agree on the anchor for a dinghy but can honestly say that I have not seen anyone with one when I look at the dinghy docks. I guess this is like not using your seat belt in a car.

Of course a anchor may not be needed it a small pond or lake but in a river that leads out to the sound like where I am I think it may be helpful.

-Don B

[Andy26M]

They make pretty nice little anchor packages for jet skis that should work very well as dinghy anchors. Folding anchor, a little chain, and rode all in a convenient zippered bag.

I suspect that the reason you don't see anchors in dinghies very often is because of the added hassle they tend to represent.

- Andy26M

[Chip Hindes]

I suspect that the reason you don't see anchors in dinghies very often is because of the added hassle they tend to represent.

I have an "anchor package" for my dinghy. The dinghy is an RU-260 inflatable with 4HP, four stroke Tohatsu, and the anchor package is an 8-lb mushroom, 10 feet of chain and about 75 feet of poly rope which occasionally doubles as a tow painter.

The mushroom is about as worthless as an anchor can be, but I was afraid to get a "real" anchor with points on it 'cause I knew one of those points would eventually end up holing the dinghy.

Andy is exactly right: As with many things, the "anchor package" is of such marginal value, about 95% of the time it gets left in its storage bucket on the main boat.

[Don B]

Chip,

You are the one who got me thinking about the need for an anchor in a dinghy based on your post about trying to row your dinghy against a current and relying on a line you had tied off to your Mac to hand over hand your way back.

It got me thinking that if the gas motor quit rowing would not neccessarily help.

-Don B

[billbarchard]

I have had a 4 HP johnson on a bracket for 6 years. It will push the 26X at 4 knots.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

Interesting, looks like the X takes 1 hp per mph up to hull speed. My 6hp on it's bracket pushes the boat at 6 knots on the GPS.

[mike]

Interesting, looks like the X takes 1 hp per mph up to hull speed.

Actually, now that you mention it, I guess that's right... my 3.5hp pushes the boat at, about 3 - 4 mph.

--Mike

[Chip Hindes]

Chip,

You are the one who got me thinking about the need for an anchor in a dinghy based on your post about trying to row your dinghy against a current and relying on a line you had tied off to your Mac to hand over hand your way back.

Ah, yes, remember it well. When the incident you cite happened, I was actually using the "anchor rode" attached to the boat as the dinghy painter. Truthfully, I'm not sure my little mushroom anchor would have made much difference in preventing me from being carried to England.

All of these situations are compromises. Oh, wait, I forgot, Engineers like to call them "optimizations".

Look at it this way: 8'6" inflatable dinghy, 60 pound four stroke motor; auxiliary fuel tank, oars (broken down into two pieces each of course) repair kit, foot pump, "sound producing device", pfds, handheld vhf, for night ops flares, flashlight or running light.

There's very little room left for actual passengers, let alone any additional gear. As I said, about 95% of the time the anchor stuff gets left in the big boat.