I know they are sometimes required when participating in organized events like Marblehead. But in our boat club here on Isle Madame nobody has one.
We are taking ownership of Hull 62 “Billfish” in June and are trying to decide the best options on this issue. It seems that most don’t. Or maybe it’s just that we don’t know anyone who does.
Suggestions?
Good question. The BCC is so small you wouldn’t have many if any good options for stowing one. If I remember correctly the BCC that was lost in the pacific went down in less than 3 minutes. Not much time for a cup of tea let alone abandoning ship.
I’m not a blue water sailor so take my thoughts with a hefty grain of salt. I do plan some nasty coastal passages so my thought is to use the dinghy. Lyle Hess was nice enough to design the 7’ fatty knees to fit on the cabin top. I had a set of sponsons made that will increase the stability for heavy loads.
These sponsons just slide out of their tracks when deflated. Replace with big ones for passages and have them deflated ready for use. I’ve seen some really good ideas on prepping your dinghy as a lifeboat on this forum - somewhere …
I love this. Do you mind if I ask who, or how they were made. Ive had the same Idea with fenders.
I was going to ask the same question!
Very nice fellow who makes these. I believe he is a sailmaker that morphed into making fenders for super yachts. I found him because I was thinking of modifying a beach roller or a really long thin inflatable fender, just what these are. Here is the link with more info - EasyStow fenders
The other thing he makes are inflatable fenders, nice to have when you need big fenders when going through places like locks, and ugly docks.
When Itchen started doing offshore passages with Gulf Stream crossings I got a 6 man offshore Winslow in a valise pack. It fitted nicely and tightly at the aft end of the cockpit, lashed to two Wichard pad eyes.
Why? Fire more than storm or assault by Orcas. And I wouldn’t want to be out in the Gulf Stream bobbing around in a dinghy in a northerly.
