I have a hard shell (Nautilus 8) dinghy that I can sorta carry on my
foredeck and although its a pain, it rows really well. I have
considered an inflatable with motor but they dont row and my fear is
of dropping an expensive engine into the water. They also take a
while for me to inflate with a hand pump and the only time I tried an
electric inflator, it blew my circuit breaker. I have limited power
available (by choice) so maybe the inflatables arent the best choice.
I have seen designs for several "porta-boats" that assemble easily and
he parts can be carried on deck and this might work but have no
floatation. Maybe we need a hybrid hardshell/inflatable dinghy (not
those RIB things, they dont row well and the bottoms scratch too
easily). So........useless idea #3730.

Use flexible fibreglas (like heavy battens) for the upper/outer hull
support (either early alzheimers or two many margaritas and I forget
terminology). These are joined at the bow and curve around to a one
piece transom. There is also a similar keel piece joined at the bow
and at the bottom of the transom. It would have two rigid seats to
provide support and a canvas skin fastened with those canvas twist
fasteners to the frame. Along the edges would be inflatable bladders
to provide floatation. Oar locks on the frame. A very tough piece of
plastic along the outside of the canvas along the keel for dragging it
across rough surfaces. Done right, it could use either oars or a
small motor.


Part of my motivation is that I knowingly abuse equipment and I know
an expensive RIB wouldnt last long with me. I kept dragging my rigid
Nautilus dinghy over oyster bars until I literally wore a hole through
the fibreglas. The canvas (or other suitable material) could be
repaired after abuse and the entire thing could fold up easily.

x-no-archive:yes (Parallax) wrote:

I have a hard shell (Nautilus 8) dinghy that I can sorta carry on my
foredeck and although its a pain, it rows really well. I have
considered an inflatable with motor but they dont row and my fear is
of dropping an expensive engine into the water. They also take a

When we put the engine on the dinghy (and we don't leave the engine on
the dinghy on the davits), we bring the dinghy around to the lowest
part of the topsides, which is at the steps. Bob carries the dinghy
to the steps and attaches a line on the outboard to the lifeline
stanchion. Then he gets down into the dinghy and reaches up for the
motor. Even if he dropped it, it wouldn't go very far, although it
might scar the side of the big boat.

ALso we don't have expensive engines. One came with the boat, and one
came with a little aluminum trailerable boat that we bought back in
the 70s. Probably weighs 50 lbs.

while for me to inflate with a hand pump and the only time I tried an
electric inflator, it blew my circuit breaker. I have limited power
available (by choice) so maybe the inflatables arent the best choice.
I have seen designs for several "porta-boats" that assemble easily and
he parts can be carried on deck and this might work but have no
floatation. Maybe we need a hybrid hardshell/inflatable dinghy (not

I don't know about floatation, but I can attest that they don't sink!!

We have both an inflatable and a portabote. It takes us very little
time to assemble the latter and we do carry it on the deck. Bob has
had it lashed to the lifelines, but he's putting it on the cabin top
under the boom now. (We have the inflatable on davits because I can't
see over it to steer if we carry it on the cabin top where the PO had
it.)

I tried to get into our portabote from the water. (It didn't have a
motor on it at the time, fortunately.) I did get into it, but I
swamped it in the process. So I was sitting there in the boat with
the gunnales under the water, but floating in water up to my waist.
Bob had to pick it up at the bow with the lifting device we have on
rigged on the spinnaker pole to get the water out.

those RIB things, they dont row well and the bottoms scratch too
easily). So........useless idea #3730.

More of a problem than scratching is puncturing. Think mangrove
roots.

Use flexible fibreglas (like heavy battens) for the upper/outer hull
support (either early alzheimers or two many margaritas and I forget
terminology). These are joined at the bow and curve around to a one
piece transom. There is also a similar keel piece joined at the bow
and at the bottom of the transom. It would have two rigid seats to
provide support and a canvas skin fastened with those canvas twist
fasteners to the frame. Along the edges would be inflatable bladders
to provide floatation. Oar locks on the frame. A very tough piece of
plastic along the outside of the canvas along the keel for dragging it
across rough surfaces. Done right, it could use either oars or a
small motor.

I think you've basically described the portabote except for the
canvas.

Part of my motivation is that I knowingly abuse equipment and I know
an expensive RIB wouldnt last long with me. I kept dragging my rigid
Nautilus dinghy over oyster bars until I literally wore a hole through
the fibreglas. The canvas (or other suitable material) could be
repaired after abuse and the entire thing could fold up easily.


grandma Rosalie