folding wooden tender -- good, bad?

[Trojan Dog]

I'm finishing up a folding dinghy (pictures soon) and thinking of building another. I'd love to know what you all think of these things -- I've never used one or seen one in person before. It seems perfect to me for those who don't have room for a full size tender and don't like inflatables. Moreover, they can be finished bright and look presentable as a tender for a wooden mother ship. The "Handy Andy" (http://www.svensons.com/boat/?p=RowBoats/HandyAndy) I'm building folds open/closed in a lot less time than it takes to inflate/deflate a floppy. It also can be stored inside the cabin if needed. Also see http://www.seahopper.co.uk/ Have you used one? Are there inherent problems / benefits?

Thanks!

[J. Dillon]

Yea one big problem. It might be stolen. :mad:

Had a nice little wood and canvas folding dink I think it was a "Prout" or something like that. I used to get ashore in Bermuda when anchored out. I came back to the dock one evening and it was gone. Probably neatly folded up below aboard some out bound vessel. :(

JD

[Venchka]

If ya woulda stayed at home like the rest of us Landlocked Lubbers, ya wouldn't have lost yer dinghy! :D

Point noted. Sorry for your loss. It did work well I trust?

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Originally posted by J. Dillon:
Yea one big problem. It might be stolen. :mad:

Had a nice little wood and canvas folding dink I think it was a "Prout" or something like that. I used to get ashore in Bermuda when anchored out. I came back to the dock one evening and it was gone. Probably neatly folded up below aboard some out bound vessel. :(

JDProuts certainly do attract thieves.

I lost one out of a boatyard shed |(it was in the roof, folded - they knew what they were after - and one off a hard.

Good dinghies. No longer made, but there are some clones about the place.

[nedL]

I borrowed one from a friend for the summer two years ago, was quite pleased. It was a pram about 7'6" long, has a sailing rig, built in the UK. (I don't remember the maker, I've got pics I can post later.) I'll have to say I was quite suprised, nicely engineered. It is nothing that can take much abuse, but is quite servicable. I thought of the construction almost like vintage aircraft construction, the material & strength is where you need it & not where you don't (for normal use & stresses). The whole thing folds up & fits in a big duffle bag, easilly carried by one person.

[wtarzia]

I think they are great. I built a 14 foot unbolt-in-half sailboat that solved a very big problem of (1) can have a sailboat and store in apartment, versus (2) can't have any boat at all if I can't build and store in apartment. Mine was crude, but in the end, an elegant solution to the boatlessness problem. Storing it on a larger boat is another issue altogether but in the same family ;-) -- power to you -- Wade