Using a dinghy with a RIB

neilda · 03 June 2009, 10:51

In the summer it's our hope to go to one or two quiet beaches and have picnics with the kids. Simple pleasures compared to previous holidays! It's something we're all looking forward to.

It is highly unlikely that my wife and daughter would swim in the sea - don't ask! Far too cold for them. So swimming to the beach from anchor is not going to happen.

So I've bought a little inflatable 4 man dinghy. The intention being that we'll find a beach, I can check the charts and tides, find a suitable place to anchor maybe 150m out and then row in.

Sounds straightforward - but I suspect it's not.

I'm wondering whether to tow the inflatable or carry on board and inflate at the destination using a 12v pump?

I used an anchor as part of my course but feel anxious about leaving the boat at anchor, foolish of me I guess, it's quite safe. Is it??

I have the feeling we're going to look completely pathetic rowing in. Maybe this plan should be killed at birth! (Pardon the near pun).

chewy · 03 June 2009, 10:59

You could always nudge the bow onto the beach, kick the non swimmers off and then anchor boat and swim back yourself.

Your boat will be fine at anchor as long as the anchor has a good bight, ie it won't pull out.

neilda · 03 June 2009, 11:06

I could. I'm nervous about handling the boat close to the shore - not only worried about prop damage, but getting sideways in any waves.

chewy · 03 June 2009, 11:19

Trim the engine up, you should get close enough. If the waves are big enough t worry you in the RIB then it'll be too rough for the inflatable.

We can get an Atlantic 75 close enough to the beach stern first with one engine running for me to jump off and walk ashore, thats veering in though using the anchor.

Mick Balch · 03 June 2009, 11:22

You dont say where you normally launch from. If the Solent is your area the next time you are wanting to go out I would suggest you get launched at Northney Marina North Hayling.

Get your self off to east head where you can land the boat on the sand ( practise) without breaking the hull, lift the little people off and leave the boat at anchor.
Even better on a flood tide as you will have little to do. Watch the kids enjoy themselves (watch the tidal flow ebb & flood as can be quick) and have a wander.

Dragging another inflatable seems like defeating the object of having a RIB in the first place.

PeterM · 03 June 2009, 11:32

Hi Neil - my observation on this .....

Getting sideways in waves 'should' only be a problem for a boat like yours, at low speed, if they are either really big, or breaking - probably in both those situations you wont be going to the beach anyway. ( Am ready to be told otherwise by other RIBBERS......but I think I am OK saying this in simple terms)

On the prop side , I'd guess that neary everyone on here has hit a prop on something at some time ,& as your confidence grows you wont worry to much about it.

As for anchoring 150m off a beach - if you are rowing anything that is light/inflatable its bloody hard work & you will get pushed around by even a small breeze or current. I think you will be fine though if you are 30-40 metres off though - but be prepared for building your arms up ! I always plan to put an auxillary motor on my boat to power the small SIB tender I have , but never get round to it - it would make it easier and I'd have a back up engine in case the big one gives up (thats a whole thread/ book in itself ! )

With a decent anchor you should be OK leaving it to itself - just take a note of which way it will swing with wind/ current and make sure the anchors holding/ set well. I tend to look for other boats, take a good guess, anchor & wait until its settled & stable before leaving it to swing in a way that you didn't expect !

I'd definately deflate it rather than try & tow it anyhere - most things tend to take off above about 15 knots - so unless you go everywhere very slow ( for a RIB) you 'd have no chance.

Hope this helps - I think with a bit of decent / realistic coaching & possibly more importantly for this sort of thing experiance you'll be on the beach in no time ! I'd mention all this stuff to anyone with experiance you get to coach you & they will be able to help - I always suggested to people to write a list of questions before you go out with them to stop you forgetting all the thiings you ' meant to ask but forgot on the day' .

Hope this helps

Pete

Steve_B · 03 June 2009, 11:54

Neil

Agree with all before.

From experience we have used the following technique. If the wind is blowing onshore, drive the boat until the depth is such that you need to raise the engine, at the point turn the boat into wind and lower the anchor. Once it bites, kill the engine and raise then ease out the anchor line. The boat will drift towards the beach with the nose into any waves, until you can literally walk off the stern, into inches of water. Secure the line and enjoy the beach. If on a falling tide, once the family are off, pull the line in until at a safe depth, secure and leave the boat.

Reverse the process when you want to leave.

If the wind is not onshore you can still do it, but must use the engine to reverse towards the beach and have a second small anchor attached to the stern to keep the boat pointing into any surf.

Steve

Erin · 03 June 2009, 12:28

I've tried towing a dinghy and it just doesn't work! Anything over 10 kts and it bounces around all over the place and tips over. I always deflate mine and take it with me on board. Rowing a full dinghy is very hard. There's no elbow space unles it's big enough, in which case for a four man you would end up needing an engine for it anyway becaus of it's size. Don't forget you'll have a hamper/picnic box, towels, beach games etc to carry as well. Get in close, drop off the family and then anchor a little further out.

bedajim · 03 June 2009, 12:29

Have a look here

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...ight=ANCHORING

m chappelow · 03 June 2009, 12:33

i know the idea sounds good and it will work ,but on certain beaches and conditions getting back to the anchored boat in a smaller dinghy can be frought with danger ,is it worth the hassle of something else to go wrong or the extra clutter on board ,when you are on the beach who will look after the dinghy,will it get blown about or will the kids play in it giving the problem of getting blown offshore .redcar lifeboat had an incident a few weeks back where a boat had anchored off a calm beach ,crew went for a meal ,tried to get back out through the waves in a small dinghy and were capsized thankfully only there pride was hurt ,if you are going to drop off on a beach do as the last posts said ,

chewy · 03 June 2009, 12:38

Fancy going for a meal to Redcar of all places!

m chappelow · 03 June 2009, 12:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewy

Fancy going for a meal to Redcar of all places!

ok chewy lol, well SALTBURN beach 3 miles down the coast,most on here will never have heard of redcar never mind saltburn .lol ......any how it cant be that bad they turned it into dunkirk for the recent war film atonement ,,,,,must have been the french wine bar signs that went up .

chewy · 03 June 2009, 13:01

Says something about a town when its picked to resemble a bombed WW2 town!

Saltburns nice.

Matt Riley · 03 June 2009, 13:19

I remember we had this discussion a few years ago and came to the conclusion that a decent inflatable kayak was a really good solution. Cheap, able to handle windy bad weather well, and packs down real small.

M

neilda · 03 June 2009, 17:13

Lots of really useful information there - many thanks.

I'm going to practice getting up close to a beach then, that's the answer. I launch from Portsmouth by the way.....

Fortunately the dinghy I bought was not expensive - it's unlikely following the advice here that I'd use it.

I will read and re-read the useful advice here and then attempt to practice it!

I'm not totally sure how you'd get into a RIB from thigh height water (for example) - maybe a rope 'step' up made out of the ropes I have...

JSP · 03 June 2009, 17:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilda

Lots of really useful information there - many thanks.

I'm going to practice getting up close to a beach then, that's the answer. I launch from Portsmouth by the way.....

Fortunately the dinghy I bought was not expensive - it's unlikely following the advice here that I'd use it.

I will read and re-read the useful advice here and then attempt to practice it!

I'm not totally sure how you'd get into a RIB from thigh height water (for example) - maybe a rope 'step' up made out of the ropes I have...

If you've enough room on the transom fit a ladder. If not get a rope ladder or one of them there fancy ones that fit over tubes.

neilda · 03 June 2009, 17:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Have a look here

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...ight=ANCHORING

That had some useful tips too. Thanks....

Nos4r2 · 03 June 2009, 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Riley

I remember we had this discussion a few years ago and came to the conclusion that a decent inflatable kayak was a really good solution. Cheap, able to handle windy bad weather well, and packs down real small.

M

I used Parkesy's inflatable kayak as a tender a couple of times. It's very useful for keeping kit dry as you go ashore and swim it in, but I wouldn't expect to stay dry if you put yourself or others on one until you're proficient-specially while getting on/off it.

jlcanterbury · 03 June 2009, 20:52

a few weeks ago me and four others made a 45 mile boat ride to camp on the back of Santa Cruz island. There was too much gear to fit along with 5 people on a 5.5m, so I decided to throw it all into a 10ft SIB and tow it.

We went about 20 knots the entire 45 mile trip out, with the inflatable on a 100ft long tow line to keep it out of our wake. The water was fairly choppy, and the SIB bounced around a bit, but it stayed upright and towed easy. If it hadn't had about 100lbs of gear in it, the SIB might have flipped over in the wake/chop, but with a bit of weight it worked fine.

When we got to the island we anchored about 300 feet offshore and used the inflatable to row back and forth to the boat, moving people, gear, whatever we needed.

Worked great!

Chris · 03 June 2009, 21:38

I have one of those Navigator III 4 man jobs off ebay. Coupled with a RULE 12volt inflator its quite easy to handle and I carry a 2HP outboard for it clamped to the back of the chair.

It's great fun to have it on board when you get to the beach