Tender behind

[kitcat]

I keep my 'M' on a swinging mooring up a river, so need a tender to get out to her. Up 'til now I normally towed my 275 inflatable behind the M whilst sailing and motoring, but as you can imagine, this restricts what I can do, for a start I can't open her up, otherwise the tender will be flying, and I can't easily go backwards either.

I find it is handy having a tender with me, in case I can't moor up alongside, or even inadvertantly find a mud berth, on a dropping tide, and need to get home for a few hours, [as I did a couple of months ago ], so what do you other Mac sailors do with your little boats, and what size and make of boat do you find works well?

[Paulieb]

I used to have a mooring on the a River as well (the Hudson), we used to leave the tender behind on the mooring for the day, but it sounds like you want to bring yours a long. If it's an inflatable, I've seen others strap it to the deck on the bow, but this may mess up your visibility. How big is your current tender? Can you deflate/inflate easily, that might be an option so that you don't have something constantly in tow.

Paulieb

[Russ]

I saw a mod someplace for a tow bracket that towed the inflatable backwards. The tender was lifted up and "dragged".
I wish I could work the search function and/or know what to search for.

Davits?
http://macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=1425


--Russ

[Catigale]

I posted a low tech solution from Cuttyhunk last summer, if you happen to have a swim ladder

Ill find it and post link

PS- that thread title could easily get backroomed.....

[Catigale]

Thread here

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =8&t=16603

[kitcat]

The problem with leaving it on the foredeck is that it will hook up on the jibsheets, and for the life of me, I can't think of anywhere else, except inside where it could be kept. I didn't really want it on the back at all as there is quite a lot of drag.

I fancy I'm going to have to look around for a small inflatable of around 7' and a 2hp motor to keep on the pushpit, for the odd occasion when I need to get off the boat away from land.

Paul.

[restless]

Got a 12v air pump?? well handy.
Also, thought of keeping a little beach dingy aboard? quick to blow up and tiny when wrapped up (air pump in reverse)

[Catigale]

Bump - just to make these two threads adjacent - sorry - couldnt help myself

[Trouts Dream]

First I must say that the thread title could be taken more than one way.

Second, I have an 8.5 ft tender with 2.5 HP Yamaha that I use for island sailing.

There is a bit of the tender in this video from the San Juan Islands this summer

http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r302 ... anJuan.mp4

[SkiDeep2001]

Trouts Dream, looks like a very nice Day in the San Juans

[kitcat]

"First I must say that the thread title could be taken more than one way."

Really?

"Bump - just to make these two threads adjacent - sorry - couldnt help myself "

I assume you bumped it up to "Where do you stick your boom" ?

Sounds like we may have a new game here

[Gypsy]

Have you guys ever thought of trolling motors as dinghy motors ?

We have an eight foot inflateable dinghy with a slat floor , and hard transom .
We use a 28lb motor connected to a "wheelchair" battery from Battery Source .
The battery is sealed , small , very compact , and will run the dinghy 5 miles , before showing signs of running down. It will push the dinghy about 5 mph . You won't be pulling any skiers , but its a nice quiet ride.
Its easily recharged from the Mothership .
Its lightweight , and can be stowed inside the cabin .

We have never used a gas dinghy motor , preferring electric ones instead.

[DaveB]

I have used a 50lb trust elect. motor with a deep cycle Lawn tractor size battery. It's ok for trips under 4 miles in almost calm seas (1ft.waves) but I wanted to gunkhole in my 9 ft. inflatable so I sold it and bought a Suzuki 2.5 hp.
Maintance on the 4 stroke is much higher thant a elect. and fuel can't be sitting in the tank over 3 mo.
It all depends on your cruiseing grounds and length of your dingy trips.
Full tank in 1 ft. chop will last about 2 hrs.at 1/2 throttle doing 3-4 knots. I have a aluminum 24 oz tank I use as backup fuel, it's a water drinking container.
Dave

Have you guys ever thought of trolling motors as dinghy motors ?

We have an eight foot inflateable dinghy with a slat floor , and hard transom .
We use a 28lb motor connected to a "wheelchair" battery from Battery Source .
The battery is sealed , small , very compact , and will run the dinghy 5 miles , before showing signs of running down. It will push the dinghy about 5 mph . You won't be pulling any skiers , but its a nice quiet ride.
Its easily recharged from the Mothership .
Its lightweight , and can be stowed inside the cabin .

We have never used a gas dinghy motor , preferring electric ones instead.

[Boblee]

Tender or Dinghy choice will all depend on your usage and what you are comfortable with we use the one below and it goes everywhere with the Mac it does slow us down a few k's especially if we want to up the speed but as we normally don't it's not a problem.
Others use little porta boats and inflatable's in the same waters but sorry I'm just not that brave, little blokes like mr Snappy hiding near the motor who hung around for hr's aren't so bad but the bigger ones are a worry even in this dinghy especially when you can't see them.

Bob

[Catigale]

Its easily recharged from the Mothership .

Er, not really. A 2 HP motor corresponds to about 1400 Watts - using that motor for 2 hours at rated HP would mean you would need 3 kW hour of recharge capacity...fine if you have a generator but then you have traded your gas motor for a gas generator, of course.