Paul Johnson dinghy

[Hwyl]

In another thread (the one about Rex and the Northern Isles)PJWALSH mentioned that he had a tender designed by Paul Johnson. I remember seeing Paul Johnson (he was aboard his Venus, LuLu who owned the marine store in Gustavia had a Venus too, possibly called Pluto) in St Barths, he had a double ended boat of his own design that he used for rowing round Gustavia harbour. It was symmetrical fore and aft and could be split in the middle and nest on deck. He could really make that boat move and was able to scull it sideways when he came alongside a boat (there is a name for that action but I can't remember what it is). I seem to remeber it being larger than the one pjwalsh mentions, possibly about seveteen feet. I later met an old friend of his in Newport RI, I mentioned this boat to her and she told me that he was prouder of that boat than any other design. Does anyone know if Mr. Johnson is still around? is there a website that details his boats/ study plans etc.?

[ 03-25-2003, 07:43 PM: Message edited by: Hwyl ]

[pjwalsh]

Paul is still around,

Presently in Carribean. I met him in 93'-94' when he was building a 38' Venus to replace his 42' footer that was lost in the Pacific. After the wreck he and crew member sailed about 1500 miles in the 17' dinghy to Australia (he called the 17' boat Big White i think). The Australians initially thought he was smuggling and confiscated the 17' boat.When Paul finally made it back to the states he could not bring the dinghy.

The dinghy he designed to go with his new boat was the 14 footer. It is about the same type of hull as the 17', double ended, broadish beam, based on the 18' Shetland inshore fishing boats.It splits in the middle for stowing on deck. He has it rigged with a lugsail. The only difference is that he cut the last 12 inches off the stern to form a small triangular transom that is reminiscent of a dory. This gave a better place to mount the rowlock for the sculling oar.

I built my version of it from the mold that Paul constructed (these are fiberglass hulls). I have never rigged it for sail though. It is a fabulous rowing boat, moves easily, and is not much slowed by chop. It also handles really well in waves and is great for landing in surf.

I have not seen Paul since 1995 but I have heard through the grapevine that he is still sailing the Carribean. There is a website run by a Bermudan marine artist named Mark Boden that has some writing about Paul and some great pictures of the Venus boats. http://venusketch.cjb.net/

[Hwyl]

I thought I'd bump this thread from wayback, this is a great dinghy, I'm obsessed with it.



This is Mark Boden's site now http://mark_boden.tripod.com/index.html

[sailboy3]

That's a really cool little boat.

[John B]

Maybe I should bisect the stripper.

[Hwyl]

With the kids in it? Like the magicians

[John B]

Well they are early teenagers, so I'm sure they could be bisected and with half a brain they'd be twice as smart as they currently are. wha, ugh, wha? mmmmm, mumble.
Couldna be any worse anyway.

[keyhavenpotterer]

The pictured dinghy reminds me of John Hesp's rather nice 12' Skiff.

[Hwyl]

No picture Brian

[keyhavenpotterer]

Sorry about that, tried using google, I could see it but guess no one else could,but back to flicr

[Songololo]

Nice! Is there a sailing version?

[keyhavenpotterer]

It's designed as a rowboat and plans are available but we did look at putting a small sail on her. In fact John drew an Opi rig onto her for me but it is a gif image which I cannot post. Brian

[wizbang 13]

I am anchored next to Paul right NOW!!.

[Hwyl]

I am anchored next to Paul right NOW!!.

Tell him I like his dinghy, I remember seeing him row one in St Barts 30 years ago

[wizbang 13]

http://mark_boden.tripod.com/
mark boden runs this site, big fan of johnson. I'll ask Paul about the skiff/ availablility of offsets

[JayInOz]

Any chance of a recent picture of the legendary Paul and his boat? JayInOz

[wizbang 13]

This picture is from 10 feb 11 , yesterday

[wizbang 13]

The dingy in post#3 is the boat I just fixed up in "a wigged out plywood skiff I am fixing up"
The newly re launched dingy is in the pic. Paul on our left.http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...-up&highlight=

[JayInOz]

Taken yesterday- I reckon that's recent enough Thank wiz-um I mean- Mr Bang- sir JayInOz

[wizbang 13]

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/...type=1&theater
Johnson in Carriacou just now, Sep 2011

[Hwyl]

I missed this update

[wizbang 13]

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/...45580405.21229
Just launched /built in Carriacou.
"Mostly Harmless" in the background is also Johnson designed and built.
I'll be back down there in January 2012

[wizbang 13]

here is a new one, built by paul , in august 2011.photographed 3 days ago, feb 2012. that is my venus anchored onthe left.

[Hwyl]

They really are a nice shape.

[wizbang 13]

2 together. the sailer is pauls own.

[Hwyl]

Is Paul's own a nesting arrangement, looks like it.

[wizbang 13]

yes, Paul is keen on nesting , I am NOT.
His 42 foot 20 tonner needs a nesting dink, my 34 foot 12 tonner carries 2 hard dinks , no nesting, go figure.
nesting makes a dingy heavier, weaker, more expensive, more maintenance, leakier, and is usually a giant PITA. (imoho)

[Russell Brown]

Hello Wizbang,
I agree with a few of your points about nesting dinghies, however, there are some very good lightweight nesting dinghies that don't leak and are not a giant PITA (imho).

[wizbang 13]

Hey! Russel Brown! You have some nesters, no? How do you get em together without getting super frustrated?

[Russell Brown]

Hi Wizbang, Well, it's all about alignment and hardware, but I can't talk about it here or I'll get thrown off the forum. Not sure I can even give the name of our website, but if you can find it, the assembly is even easier than it looks. It take 15 or 20 seconds in the water or out. Damm, I sound like I'm advertising. Am I in danger of being banished if I talk about our boat??? Forums are scary.

[Hwyl]

Here you go.http://www.ptwatercraft.com/ptwatercraft/PT11.html

[Carl Cramer]

I was just going to post that (Russell's url) as well, Gareth.

You win.

[wizbang 13]

there you go , not a scary forum

[Russell Brown]

Thanks Carl, thanks Wizbang. My experience on the proa forums has made me a little timid and nesting dinghies are a product we sell, so I do want to be careful what I say on this forum. That being said, I have a bit of a thing for nesting dinghies and there are times when I feel it necessary to defend the concept.
Our approach is quite a bit different than others, but I have looked carefully at lots of nesting dinghies and the Paul Johnson design is one of the prettiest I've seen.
We made a pretty big effort on the PT 11 to keep the height of the nested package as low as possible so that the boat could fit on a cabin top, under the boom. The bow height adds directly to the nested height, so I had to get used to looking at a pretty flat sheer line.
Boats are all about compromise and nesting dinghies are no exception, that's for sure.

[wizbang 13]

I watched the assembly vid.
How do the mechanical bit work? you tellin me , no vice grips?!!!