Fatty Knees Dinghy?

C-Gypsy · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject: Fatty Knees Dinghy?

Does anyone have experience using a Fatty Knees dinghy with a 22 Cruiser? Care to talk about it? Laughing

DodgeRam · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:47 pm Post subject:

Can you post a picture of dingy? Where exactly are located in PA?

Gary SEARAM

Papillon · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:28 am Post subject:

I have no experience with dinghy's but I do know how to find stuff on the internet and so to that end....here is a link to the site that makes the "Fatty Knees".

http://www.fattyknees.com/index.html

I do however believe that weight is a major concern as to putting it on top of the boat...and in the case of the "Fatty" , I don't see any published weight, but she looks a bit heavy so I would assume you might be limited to keeping her in tow.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 4:23 am Post subject:

From my experience with El Toros, a small 8 ft sailboat, I'd guess the Fatty Knees, would weigh from about 75-95 lbs, depending on the amount of materials in the lay-up and whether we talking about the 7, 8, or 9 ft model.

Can someone back there on the right coast give them a call and ask???

Joe.

C-Gypsy · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:55 pm Post subject:

The 8' model weighs approimately 100 pounds. I realized after I posted my question that perhaps it is much more difficult to carry a hard dinghy than a soft dinghy on the cabin roof. Not sure though.

I have never owned a power boat as big as the C-Dory 22 I am purchasing. Always been a sailor and currently own a Nor'Sea 27. The Fatty Knees will work perfectly on my Nor'Sea but now that I think about it perhaps not so perfectly on the C-Dory.

Was thinking earlier today that perhaps the dinghy would pound the cabin roof too much when running at speed.

I reckon I am still thinking like a sailor... We consider 5 knots to be moving right along... Very Happy

Larry H · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 1:34 pm Post subject:

Al,

I have rowed an 8 ft Fatty Knees and is is a good rowing craft. However, I think its too big for a 22. Too heavy and too tall. You might be able to load it onto the roof without damage, but unless its firmly secured it may pound the roof and damage the C-Dory.

I think unloading and reloading the dingy at anchor would be almost impossible. Where would you stand to do that operation?

Islander · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 1:57 pm Post subject:

Have you taken a look at the Eastport Pram.
It is 7'-9" weight is appox. 60 lbs, and is designed to tow well. Here is the link:

http://www.clcboats.com/boats/eastportpram.php

I am just getting ready to build one. I will let you know how it turns it and what it is like to tow, and possibly stow.

C-Gypsy · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:07 pm Post subject:

I looked at the Eastport Pram several years ago at the Annapolis sailboat show. It was absolutely beautiful!

On the other hand my lack of woodworking skill is only surpassed by my lack of woodworking tools.

All kidding aside the Eastport Pram deserves a second look, but I have been looking at the Fatty Knees dinghy for years and really like it.

C-Gypsy · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:40 pm Post subject:

Larry I believe you are correct. I am having difficulty getting used to envisioning the boat moving at speed. The Fatty Knees would probably not work as well as an inflatible.

Now to figure out which inflatable...

C-WEED · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:13 pm Post subject:

Al:

I don't have any type of dingy yet, but have always liked the idea of a hard shell boat. Getting it up on the roof seems to be the down fall. How about making two "L" shaped brackets. These would clamp on the transom like a kicker but extend back from the stern a bit farther than the outboard. Just enough to allow the outboard to turn and tilt. These brackets would support one side of the pram. The otherside would rest on pads over the lazarettes. The pram would ride upside down over the outboard making for a very quiet engine cover. It would be fairly easy to load compared to getting it on the roof. To unload just flip over the stern. The C-Dory would be less top heavy and less affected by winds with the pram over the engine than roof top. What do you think?

Bess-C · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:53 pm Post subject:

When we first contemplated buying our 25, we planned on putting our 21' double kayak on the roof. We were going to use the C-Dory to get to remote kayaking locations. After getting the boat and thinking it through, we realized that it wouldn't work well. The kayak was 100#, 21' long and cumbersome.

We now have an 8' inflatable and a 2 hp Honda. The inflatable weighs around 42 lbs. Believe me, getting even 42 lbs on or off of the roof in anything more than a breeze can be a challenge. I love the look of the hard shelled dingys, and they row better than an inflatable. However, I don't think they would work well on the roof of a 22 or 25.
Lyle

Waterball · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:28 pm Post subject:

Greetings....I thought I'd chime in on this topic. I've been looking at building a dingy for my 22' dory. I have little wood working skills but I think I found a dingy that may take some time to build but it sure is a nice looking craft. Check it out and let me know what you think. I purchased the plans for the Yacht Tender in a 9' length, @65#'s and max load of 800#s.
http://www.compumarine.com/

Shaun

Les Lampman · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

Oh boy; I'm going to make friends with this one! Confused

If you're older than your mid 20's (ok...mid 30's if you're really fit) you're not going to like getting anything more than about 35 pounds worth of wet and awkward dinghy onto the cabin top of the CD22. And without a lift of some kind a hard dinghy isn't going to work well without bashing the heck out of the C-Dory trying to launch and retrive the dink. When you're standing on dry land with a person at each end a 60-odd pound dinghy seems easy to handle. Trying that out on the water with the boat moving around and leaning oh-so-far over to one side with no way for two people to get a hold of the darn thing is really not a fun thing. The only convenient way I've found to wrestle the dinghy is to have one light enough that I can stand on the foredeck, grab it by its nose, pull it aboard far enough to get some leverage on it over the bow rail and roll it like a big inner tube up onto the cabin top. I dislike handling the dinghy from the cockpit since you're standing too low to get any angle (leverage) on it and once you wrestle it in you have to get the wet thing over your head and pushed forward (yuck!). With camper canvas or a bimini it's a no-go regardless from back aft.

I still think a very light and small dinghy is the best choice; shoot the CD22 is darn near small enough to be a beach boat so I find I'm rarely very far from where I want to be and dinghy trips are short.

A fairly heavy dinghy perched over the engine(s) on a some sort of rack is not a good idea from a weight and balance stand-point; it's about the last place that more weight should go on a CD22.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

Waerball-

Wow! What a labor of love! Will sure fill those long winter nights with something fun to do. Looks like one of those projects one can't get into too much of a hurry on. Patience and prudence for sure. How will you store it on the C-Dory? Joe.

Waterball · Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:59 am Post subject:

Les I hear you all to loudly on the difficulty of getting that thing up on the cabin. I however frequently use the boat on lakes and I'm sort of a romantic about the late night row Very Happy

I think towing during those trips would be an option. However I do believe that albeit maybe difficult an operation my being in my mid 30's and of above average strength and size I could handle the 65#'s with a little Ingenuity. For some reason a recent quote from ol Arny in CA rings a bell, something about if I wanted easy I'd make movies and have people waiting on me hand and foot and telling me I'm the best. Haha any how thanks for the comment I definitely feel the same way its not the easiest or the best dingy solution....but what a beauty.
Shaun