How to identify a good dingy.

Posted by josephusflav@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 1 comments

My father had a old fashioned wooden dinghy sailboat eventually ride it away from this use but I'm about to start spearfishing and would like some transportation that doesn't require me to paddle so much as well as let me keep more friends in the boat.

Problem is that I don't know the first thing about sailing or what it would take to know a boat actually is good and what's a reasonable price to pay.

So I'm looking for a row boat with a sail something that can be transported on trailer every couple months to the ocean.

Anyone got any pointers

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kdjfsk@reddit

there are going to be a lot of factors, some objective needs, some subjective preferences.

Rougher waters need a bigger, heavier boat. A "row boat with a sail" is not made for the ocean, and will not do well there. Secluded bays, maybe. Lakes and large wide rivers even better.

Sailing is complicated. So much so, it can be an entire lifestyle. If you arent mainly focused on sailing, you might be better off with a much simpler to use and operate outboard motor rather than sails.

I had a 9' inflatable powered by a trolling motor and it was barely (BARELY) enough room for me, my nephew, and bucket and crate for rod fishing gear. I think the 11' model would have still been cramped. If you want 'friends' (plural), you probably want a 14' or even 16'.

You can find easy to trailer, budget friendly 14' Jon boats that might work in bays...but these aren't really 'ocean going' vessels either.

Ive watched a small amount of spear fishing content on youtube, and i usually see them in RHIBs with a 9.9hp outboard, but they are usually solo or a duo. If you want 3-4 people on the boat, id go 16'-18', but this beyond dinghy, and into 'powerboat' territory. Those can still be trailered though. You can also get them faily cheap, i see old Sea Ray Bowriders on facebook with a trailer all the time...you might just have to gut it and refurbish it for your needs.