The FREE Plans for this 7' 6" X 3' 10" Portuguese Style Dinghy caught my eye some time ago on this site http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/dinghy1/simboii.htm
Decided to build it recently out of lightweight 5mm Luan Ply underlayment and mostly Select Pine boards from a local big box hardware store. The boat has fiberglass tape reinforced filleted seams and is epoxy coated with fiberglass cloth reinforcing the outside of the bottom. Interior and exterior received two coats of Interlux Brightsides Polyurethane (different colors of course). The 2 removable scissor-like very tight fitting cross braces for the center thwart and/or longitudinal seat were my own design.
The boat, as built, is a nice easily handled tender for a cruising Trailer Sailor, weighing in at ONLY 49.7 pounds!
It was a fun build, despite the mostly windless hot Florida weather, and kept me busy and out of trouble for a while. Just need to mount the oarlocks for a "complete" boat which are on the way from Duckworks BBS.
The high bow profile showing the exaggerated sheer and rocker.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0608.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0608.jpg.html)
The interior view with seats removed. A lot easier to sand, paint, and maintain.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0602.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0602.jpg.html)
The two (2) scissor-like cross braces doing double duty as side strengthening supports and support for seats. They are positioned about ¾" off the bottom to allow water to drain back to the plug in the transom.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0604.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0604.jpg.html)
The longitudinal seat needed to balance the boat when carrying two (2) passengers.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0605.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0605.jpg.html)
Close-up of side supports showing permanent side cleats to maintain proper fore and aft position and gunwale bottom edge to firmly wedge downward into a solid fixed position.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0615.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0615.jpg.html)
capt_nemo
Lovely job! Well done. Thanks for sharing, please let us know how it goes on the water.
Beautiful! I also built a Portuguese Dinghy. Squint The Famous Racing Dinghy. They are great little rowers, but a bit tender when boarding. Brenda and I used ours for four seasons and loved it. I added a second set of oar lock mounts so I could reposition the oars for those times I wasn't carrying a passenger. Being able to do that and center your weight on the lengthwise seat works really well.
Very nice work.
Squint.
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Portuguese%20Dinghy/seatrial.jpg)
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Portuguese%20Dinghy/di5.jpg)
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Portuguese%20Dinghy/di4.jpg)
Greene,
What length oars did you use?
I'm going to try 7' based on the recommendation of the designer.
capt_nemo
I also took the authors advice and made a set just under 7'. I found them to be a little too long for rowing and for storage. I shortened them up so they just fit inside the dinghy lengthwise. They were perfect for rowing and it was nice to lay them inside the dinghy when we were towing it. I did use a bungee to strap the oars to the dinghy seats just in case.
About the only thing I would do differently in the dinghy construction is too add a deeper and longer skeg. When the dinghy is empty the tiny skeg didn't bite into the water allowing it to wander under tow. I cured most of that issue by cleating the painter up high on the transom which pulled the bow up slightly on the dinghy. After that she towed as nice as could be.
Mike
Greene,
Thanks for the response.
With handles up in the bow under the breasthook, and blades resting on the bottom under the quarter knees, my 7' oars do fit in the boat. If necessary after sea trials I can shorten them a bit.
capt_nemo
I shortened them enough that they would lie flat on the bench/seat.
Happy rowing!
Mike
Nice job Don.
Curious about the rub rail. Laminated or solid with a groove? Did it take the curve or did you have to steam it first?
I'm just about to put mine on the Bateau FS14 I'm building and think I'm going 2 each 1/4" X 1-3/4" pieces on the outside proud of the gunwale by 1/4", then a 1" half round flush with the top both outside and inside with a 1/4" filler strip over the plywood gunwale all laminated. I've got a big beam of African teak I have to resaw to get all the parts.
Second fairing, got one more to do then prime coat, guide coat, finish fairing and epoxy graphite bottom, then turn it over and work the inside.
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/brackish_photos/P1000618_zpsd87b00da.jpg)
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/brackish_photos/P1000619_zps076cc2a2.jpg)
brackish,
Found some nice long pieces of precut pine molding in Lowe's Hardware Store. Carefully selected each piece for grain to take the bend of the curve.
On the outside of the hull ply used a 1½" X 3/8" board and on the inside a 1½" X ¼" board. ½" thick boards would not easily take the bend. Total thickness for oarlock screws is approximately 7/8".
The laminations make it light but strong.
capt_nemo
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0567.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0567.jpg.html)
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0572.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0572.jpg.html)
Thanks Capt_Nemo, and you are living proof of what I've always said. A man cannot have too many clamps.:)
brackish,
CORRECTION on my previous post. The outer board is, in fact, 1½" X ½" pine! Not the 3/8" as stated. The 1½" X ½" boards that wouldn't make the bend IMHO were the hardwoods available - Poplar and Red Oak. Rest of post is accurate. Sorry if I led you astray.
And, sometimes I wish I had more clamps. Sometimes had to resort to split rings of 1½" PVC Pipe for clamps just to keep the process moving.
capt_nemo
Great job, Capt!
I've had good success using split rings of PVS and ABS pipe. Different sizes for different strength needs. El cheapo but they work great.
I really like this dingy ever since I was beaten badly by Mike Greene at CLR 2013 which i wasn't able to attend. I conceeded my defeat at 2014 and paid my debt to the honorable Capt. Greene with a bottle of Newfys Screetch rum.
I wonder if this little dink could be sailed? With the hard chine and slightly larger skeg, it could be sailed without a centerboard or leeboard. Or am I reading your mind, capt Nemo?
Bob 23
Bob23,
Yes, I believe the dink could be rigged for sailing.
However, at this time it is not on my to do list.
capt_nemo
Looks like a great little dingy. I would be interested in seeing some additional detail about the scissor braces
wroundey,
Ask, and you shall receive.
Here is a photo of the pivoting cross brace joint as viewed from the bow. When the second bolt from the right is REMOVED and the bolt on the far right is loosened (by thumbscrew) the right piece is free to pivot upwards releasing pressure on the bottom of the 2 side braces to which it is attached.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0613.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0613.jpg.html)
Here is a photo of the two (2) separate braces locked into position. The side braces are wedged under the inside edge of the rub rail and are free to pivot since they are thru bolted to the scissor cross brace at the bottom. When pressed downward into position, the scissor-like cross brace exerts pressure on the 2 pivoting side brace bottoms which is also transmitted to the tops which are wedged under the rub rail edge. The pressure is quite firm and serves to not only add great support to the thin ply sides but also to provide a solid support for the removable top cross pieces that support the seat.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0615.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/CPYOA/media/Portuguese%20Dinghy/IMG_0615.jpg.html)
I designed the supports to be removable for 2 important reasons. First, it will not only be much easier to repaint the inside of the dinghy without permanently installed seat, but also the supports with all parts of the mechanism disassembled. Second, it will be much easier to change the seating arrangement if desired.
Hope this helps.
capt_nemo
Managed to determine the primary oarlock positioning for a solo rower by myself.
Grabbed my neighbor yesterday and, with oarlocks temporarily clamped tightly in position, launched in my test tank behind the house to confirm my best guess for secondary oarlock positioning. Turns out I was nearly spot on for oar lock location.
Note the dinghy balance and freeboard still visible with 335 lbs. of human ballast aboard. This dinghy is a LOAD CARRYING MACHINE! That's me on the right.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Portuguese%20Dinghy/20140901_140923.jpg)
capt_nemo
Wow, great job, I'm impressed, that will be the next project after the FS14
So, now that you (and Mike Greene) have some experience with this boat, do you think it is stable enough that you could stand and cast from it? Thinking it would be a good dink to tow out to the flats, slews, and fingers, put a small trolling motor on it and fish from it. And I'm talking in water that is no rougher than your picture.
brackish,
Haven't tried standing and moving about in it yet, but will soon and report back. Do not have high hopes because it is pretty tender, due to its light weight influenced by much greater body weight. However, once seated, with a much lower CG it is stable enough.
I'm just a novice when it comes to fishing, but couldn't you cast well enough from a seated position as well? Understand there is a lot of fishing being done by folks seated in canoes and kayaks.
I thought about using a trolling motor as well when building it because I have two of them. Used hardwood outside & inside cross pieces across the top of the transom for trolling motor mount which would be further protected by hard rubber or light metal cover.
capt_nemo
I did a little fishing from mine and found it fairly tender without way on. Once seated and rowing she felt quite stable, but standing up was not an option. When boarding you need to step very close to the centerline and sit as soon as possible. She has a flat bottom that doesn't resist sideways motion or the mass to feel stiff.
That being said, we used ours for 3-4 seasons and never ended up swimming. We loved the little bugger.
Mike and B
After pondering these photos for a while, I went out tonight and bought three sheets of plywood and cut out my sides and transoms for two boats. Tomorrow I start assembling.
Launched in flat water pond behind my house and conducted Fishing Stability Sea Trial as promised in an earlier post.
Although I was able to stand up and balance myself in the middle of the dinghy with legs spread wide apart and a foot wedged against each chine, it was not stable enough for relaxed casting. Conclusion: Stand-up casting potential - forgetaboutit.
Like Green said earlier, exercise CAUTION when boarding. Step in the center, with hands supporting and balancing your body, and sit down as quickly as possible.
Once seated, the dinghy is fairly stable and comfortable. It rowed effortlessly, quick to respond, even against a light headwind.
capt_nemo
Quote from: capt_nemo on September 17, 2014, 11:42:17 PM
Launched in flat water pond behind my house and conducted Fishing Stability Sea Trial as promised in an earlier post.
Although I was able to stand up and balance myself in the middle of the dinghy with legs spread wide apart and a foot wedged against each chine, it was not stable enough for relaxed casting. Conclusion: Stand-up casting potential - forgetaboutit.
Like Green said earlier, exercise CAUTION when boarding. Step in the center, with hands supporting and balancing your body, and sit down as quickly as possible.
Once seated, the dinghy is fairly stable and comfortable. It rowed effortlessly, quick to respond, even against a light headwind.
capt_nemo
Thanks for throwing caution to the wind and doing the test.:) Still will probably build one as a dink for my 23. I can fish sitting down or maybe kneeling. I'm using a three person inflatable now and I certainly can't stand up in it.
brackish,
Came across this small lightweight "fishing boat" contender - http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/bogdanof/happyhour/index.htm while looking at Kayak Plans for my next build.
capt_nemo
Quote from: capt_nemo on September 25, 2014, 11:04:32 PM
brackish,
Came across this small lightweight "fishing boat" contender - http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/bogdanof/happyhour/index.htm while looking at Kayak Plans for my next build.
capt_nemo
Thanks, looks nice, however, I don't think it can do double duty as a tender because of the load carrying capacity. It appears to be a one person craft. I'm 160, the Admiral is 120 and that will put us over without any stuff. Going to postpone any decision on the next build until I finish the Bateau FS14. Will probably wait until I move, needs may be different when that happens.
Greetings to All,
Just an end note update.
Sold the "like new" Portuguese Dinghy to a nearby sailor who needs a tender for a Pearson 30.
Somewhat sorry to see it go, but happy to get it out of my garage. Need the space for boatbuilding!
capt_nemo