Minimal micro, nesting dinghy

[Dava]

Ponder to build a minimal nesting dinghy to place on the foredeck on my Shark 24. It should be able to carry an adult and two children total about 280 lb.

Iv'e been searching the net for any finished designs but not found anything that really suits me. I want it to row quite well maybe even sail. It should be able to fit in the trunk on our car, so nested I want it to be around 2'10" in length. So it needs to be really small or 3-parts.

The smallest plan-ready dinghies I found in my liking was the Welsford Scraps, the Bray Water Rat and the Skylark but i realize that I might have to make my own plans...
I like the "real boat"-like appearance, not boxy designs like an optimist or the Mighty Mouse below..

How small boat is possible to build and get working on the water?
I've seen examples of extremely small (narrow) boats like the Mighty Mouse at 8' x 31"

[Woxbox]

I just can't see this working on such a small boat. That foredeck isn't very big, and your carrying requirements force more than a really minimal dinghy. Why not just select the dinghy you really want and tow it?

[Jack Loudon]

If it's going to hold 3 people and fit in the trunk of your car it will have to be an inflatable. I have four inflatables, two dinghies and two kayaks and they're all good. They don't do well rowing into a chop but are fine in flat water, and are always safe and good load carriers. For ship to shore use, inflatables are hard to beat. There is a reason they are so popular.

Otherwise as Dave said.

[johngsandusky]

Klepper and Folbot both made folding dinghies, skin on frame. They store in duffel bags. SeaHopper still makes plywood folding dinghies, but their smallest still probably wouldn't fit in your trunk or on your foredeck.

[Dava]

Thank you for your thoughts. I still have a little faith in be able to place a 3-parted dinghy on the minimal fore deck.

Iv'e built a little 1:20 scale model. I hope the real boat would go together a little tighter..
20230310_115325.jpg20230310_125818.jpg20230310_130034.jpg

I let the aft section be a little longer (3') and this part goes over the cabin, the other parts was thought to extend a little over the front hatch. After building this model I begun to think about if I could build it so the largest section was on top. Began to make a new model but didn't got satisfied. With three pieces like this 8' is achievable.
434px-Shark_24_sailboat_4104.jpg Wife didn't let me build a full scale model.. but the boatpic is here for reference. One thought is to make a cutout for the mast, like the Deckster but still place the dinghy pieces from the front..

[Jack Loudon]

Dava, interesting design exercise. I'm skeptical, but hope you prove me wrong and succeed.

[Dave Hadfield]

Too small a boat. Get a typical horrible ubiquitous underperforming unsatisfying inflatable rubber-raft; one that rows at .8 kts with the attached 3 ft oars -- but a really good foot-air-pump.

Or, vastly better, a dinghy that tows dry and easy in big seas. We've towed this one for thousands of miles, and the only time it shipped water was during a Stan Rogers "White Squall", which happened exactly as per the album, but only flipped it -- no damage.

Anyway, it's 10 ft, and too big for a Shark because I designed it as a lifeboat, but you get the idea.


seagull on dinghy.jpg

IMG_8928 sm.jpg

[johngsandusky]

"Iv'e built a little 1:20 scale model. I hope the real boat would go together a little tighter.."

Looks interesting. Keep us posted.

[Dava]

Thanks. I will continue to ponder ��

[stromborg]

All the Shark 24 sail plans I've looked at show a big, deck sweeping jib. I think stacking dinghy parts up on the foredeck is likely to cause some real aggravation on every tack. Nice looking boat.