tophatyachts.com

Hey All

Happy Friday.

Has anyone on this site previously built a Digny / Tender?

Considering this as a project, the inflatable is not happy, the surf skii a bit restrictive and just thought of building a snub nosed digny or something... love to hear others thoughts.

Cheers

Karl

Hi Karl

Karl I have never built a digny I've built a couple of plywood snub nose dinghy's over the years ,piece of cake !.Great weekend project for those lonely winter nights How about a MJ we used sail and row ours as kids


Cheers Bear

Hi Karl,
Before we went north I was in the throws of building a glass over ply dinghy.
You can use the templates for the sides and bottom that Bear has provided and using 3mm marine ply simply stitch it by using 22 gauge copper wire. You don't have to be a carpenter to build it and if you get a mate to help you could probably do it in a day.
The materials are however probably more than just buying one off the shelf.
I ended up buying one as I ran out of time. Its worth looking into.

A bloke once said to me that "Your not a man until you've built a boat and swung a door"!
Greg.

Thanks Greg... what did you buy and how much was it? If you don't mind me asking...

I think it would be a fun project... and a good one to get the kids involved in...

Thanks

G'Day Karl,
I bought a 5'6" fibreglass dinghy from Cohoe Marine in Newtown. A recent search says they're still there.
The dinghy fits neatley on the foredeck. They are still available from other suppliers. They have a white hull and blue with speckled interior. Another by the way, if you fall out of it you can't get back into it in the water.
It would be a great project for the kids. Just use a lot of safety when you are using the fibreglass resin and a bit of commonsense. Have fun with it.
By the way, and this is back in 92, the old gentleman that was running the business had a Top Hat in the same storm that wrecked the Signa on Stockton Beach and he had his grandson on board. THey kept motoring into the teeth of the storm with a 9HP outboard and made it through unscathed!

Hope it helps, Greg.

Project might be shelved for a rainy day... just bumped into a 7 foot crawford digny... can't complain about the price $255 and is cleaning up real nice.

Go on Karl,
You've gotta build one. I've got a 7 footer too as seen in the posts on solar panels and seats. A little 5'6" will fit neatly on the foredeck and you wont need to drag it behind. The kids will love doing it and remember it as a favoured project. You will never be asked by the wife to get rid of that piece of junk because it has so much sentimental velue.
Its a great winter project, the resin cures slowly and it fits easily in the garage. You know you want to do it !
Greg.

Convincing argument - - it is on the to do list!

Im playing with the idea myself, I'll cut the frames out of 19mm ply and use 6mm ply for the skin here's a picture of what I have so far, it will use 1 sheet 19mm and 2 sheets 6mm ply. I'll use 42x19 mer for rails and gunwales etc (I've yet to draw them in) on the sheet is also a jig for assembly and the seat. O/A length is 1700mm and 920mm at its widest. If it works I'll post detailed drgs and B.O.M , if it doesn't you'll find it behind the shed with all the other failed projects.

One of the problems I have found in a small dinghy is the fore and aft balance when loaded with either 1 or 2 people.

Saw and interesting solution recently.

The rowing seat was oriented lengthways to allow a shift in weight and 2 sets of rollock holes were provided.

If modifying an existing design allowance would have to be made for the removal the athwart bracing provided by the usual seat.

Cheers,

Tom