Sunday, March 12, 2017

just another exercise in compromise aboard a boat...

American boots on the ground in Syria, a deal with Russia that should result in a lifetime supply of orange overalls, a clear case of insanity, and in the "jaw-droppingly stupid" files...

Time to build yet another dinghy. So, let's talk about compromise.

Here's the nitty-gritty...

  • The logical space available for storing a dinghy aboard "So It Goes" on passage is a 5' x 4' bit of territory in front of the hard dodger and behind the cabin top hatches.
  • The dinghy needs to row reasonably well in most conditions.
  • Carry loads of at least 100 pounds and ferry 20+ gallons of water with two people aboard.
  • A sailing rig would be no bad thing and, as it happens, since I recently became the owner of a Trinka 10 sailing rig (mast/boom/sail/dagger board/rudder) it really should be able to utilize it.
  • Diving/swimming from the dinghy is important.
  • The ability to stand up while fly fishing is a must.
  •  Able to be launched single handed.
  • Lifeboat capable.


Pretty much sums it all up but not nearly as impossible as you might think.Our current dinghy, a Bolger "Big Tortoise", is actually pretty close to those parameters with the exception that the Trinka rig has way too much sail area to work and, of course, it would need to bisected and nesterized.

We'll start with the list of candidates next...

Listening to David Bromberg & Jonatha Brooke

So it goes...