Dinghy again..

[Ixneigh]

So I've been working on a sub 30 pound dinghy that can be stored inside the boat. This is a 2nd attempt at the dingo folding dinghy and it also must convert into a trailer for my fold up bicycle. The idea is to not have to leave the dinghy behind when going on a shore expedition.
The first dingo folding panel boat was a disaster. It did fold.and it did row (badly) but it did not float. I could never adhere the hypalon fabric to the wood in a watertight way. Having fabric "hinges" was also bulky.
The whole thing was also too heavy. I made it out of 1/4 ply but did not epoxy it. It got waterlogged quickly. It was intended to be carried on the side of the boat like I do my paddle board. But it was too heavy too leaky and not very attractive. I shelved that until I decided the problem with dinghies (for me) is you have to leave them somewhere. I began to think of the dinghy as part of a system that included the bicycle (and the two dogs since I can't leave them on the boat all day). So I had another look at the folding boat concept.
Dingo 2 is much different. It has a flat bottom not a vee bottom. It has a punty nose instead of a sharp bow. Its shorter. It has no transom. It has been epoxy resin coated on both sides. Most importantly the hull is skinned with a standard size tarp easily bought online. This is folded at the corners like a Christmas wrapping and held in place by lashings. It can't leak because there are no seams. If the skin gets a hole it is patchable or irreplaceable. Like the original dingo, the panels are lashed together. The lashings form the hinge. The design incorporates a few other structural members and some other light line to hold it together. It rows as well as any pram style dinghy. I haven't tried it in bad weather yet but it should do ok. It will need to carry the bicycle me the dogs and a few bags of groceries and the sunshower.
When folded it is 5 feet long 14 inches wide and 5 inches thick. It should fit in the back berth under the bicycle which is also back there.
Although dingo 2 could carry two smallish people, I feel that a 7 foot version would be more practical for a couple. It would be heavier, but two people could easily put it on deck without a sweat. The 7 foot version would break down into 2 sections 4 feet long that could be stored separately. You would have to join the panels together before assembly. The skin could be folded and stored or even used for something else like a sunshade. I currently have a 12 mm thickness tarp but that's not thick enough to Stand light beachings. A 24 mm would be better.
While the first version unfolded and was ready in about 3 minutes the 2nd one takes about 10 minutes from removing from car to boarding. (It fits in my prius!)
This is somewhat faster and much less actual work than an inflatable. Its also lighter than most inflatables. It is not as rugged though since the panels are as light as possible. If I built another one I would use really good plywood.
Ix

[Gazmn]

Love to see some pics, should you get the time.

We're all in search of the better floating mousetrap

[BOAT]

I need a similar solution - I want a folding boat I can stow on board - not easy unless you do a inflatable. But that created the issue of what to do at the dock when you get there - like you said:

There are a few "oragami" type boats out there:



Plastic makes these things possible

The folding Kayaks make the smallest ones to stow and are so small you can fold them up when you get ashore and take the kayak with you:



But I don't know if they hold two people



Then when I consider you can get a two man kayak for 80 bucks from Amazon that will store in a space smaller than your porta pottie I really have a hard time beating the inflatables like the explorer above.

It's an issue for a lot of us.

[Tomfoolery]

Wow! $77 US, with free shipping (Prime). https://www.amazon.com/Intex-Explorer-K ... rson+kayak 10+ ft long, and has a skeg, which should help with my lousy paddling technique.

I wonder if I can put a 9.9 hp on it.

But seriously, that looks like fun. Especially for calm and/or shallow water. Where holing it by accident won't much matter.

[BOAT]

Yup, I always worry about leaving the dinghy at the dingy dock at Avalon (although no one has ever stolen one yet) but even if they stole that one - who cares? Right?

I just want to paddle ashore relatively dry and go hike around and have a raft waiting for me when I get back from cruising the island. I'm not going white water rafting or anything. The big deal is stowing the thing.

[Tomfoolery]

Yup, I always worry about leaving the dinghy at the dingy dock at Avalon (although no one has ever stolen one yet) but even if they stole that one - who cares? Right?

Do like the excavating company that paints all their equipment pink. Nobody wants a pink machine, and if it were stolen, the BOLO call would make it easy for anyone to spot on a trailer on the road headed for who-knows-where.

And in the case of that kayak, if someone is going to risk the crime, it would be better to take a dinghy worth a thou or two over one worth $77 US including free shipping, new. $10 US used. Probably a greater risk of the wind carrying it off.

[BOAT]

Yeah, it has seats but I would not even bother with the seats - sometimes it's about meeting folks on shore - to me when you go to shore to eat at a restaurant or be seen by land lubbers we like to "clean up" a bit and wear what we think are appropriate clothing so the polo shirt yacht club snobs don't act all strange - nice BR shorts and sperry topsiders are good because you can kneel in the bottom of the inflatables to paddle without getting your butt wet (inflatables ALWAYS have a little water in the bottom) - so I usually skip the cheap inflatable seats and kneel on the floor to keep my butt out of the water.

If you show up in your tank top all sunburned with body hair hanging out and suntan lotion and sweat stains all over your tank top the polo shirt guys won't buy you drinks. I always like to get a free round on the rich guys. But I must admit sometimes I do go ashore looking and smelling like a fisherman, (and I don't even fish!).

I will try to not do that if I ever meet with any of you guys on shore - (I would not want to miss out on a free drink!)

[grady]

The folding Kayaks make the smallest ones to stow and are so small you can fold them up when you get ashore and take the kayak with you:

I have wanted one of those since they came out!!! Just have not been able to come to parting with $1500 for one yet.

[133bhp]

I have "3d tender" lightweight 200cm dinghy that goes in to its own large backpack. will go a bike rack. about 12.5kg.

also have a large tube 10ft dingy and its the small one I use all the time. Larger crusier boats this side of the pond are increasingly going light and small.

[BOAT]

I have "3d tender" lightweight 200cm dinghy that goes in to its own large backpack. will go a bike rack. about 12.5kg.

also have a large tube 10ft dingy and its the small one I use all the time. Larger crusier boats this side of the pond are increasingly going light and small.

Is that a blow up boat?

[sailboatmike]

Build one of these, Im hanging to do it but Corflute is stupid expensive here in Australia, from what I have seen its as cheap as chips in the USA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMo-6N9B7i4

[BOAT]

What about this one?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxdDBUOClCE

[Ixneigh]

Weight and size.
Fabric hinges are easily damaged and hard to repair. It has to be a real dinghy. I'm going out in any weather I can row against. And it has to row. It has to have some rigidity. And it has to be light and small enough to handle. It had to fit inside the boat.

Here is the folded frame. There are lots of folding boats out there for sure.
Ix

[Baha]

I have one of these, and two of the singles. I plan to try to use it on the but's it's pretty long....we shall see. The upside is that it performs like a real kayak and is very hard to "hole".

http://www.advancedelementskayaks.co.uk ... 3eb55b9434

[Ixneigh]

Here is the dinghy in its two states. I'm ordering larger wheels but those are what I had on hand. Its not too bad behind a folding bike by itself but when I put 50 pounds in it I sure felt it. If the canvas was custom fitted it would look nicer but I don't care about that. Any 6×8 tarp will work. Needs to be thick though or else it will be punctured by rocks easily. The boat rows passibly well. Weighs about 35 pounds. It takes about ten minutes to transform between states. The frame I think will store in the aft bunk. I haven't tried setting it up on the fordeck but its not something I'd do every day.
Ix