CLICK TO EXPLORE THE BOATS IN EACH CATEGORY!
(Click on each boat name in the charts to get more details and photos)
. . . sign up to the right to get immediate access to this full post,
plus you'll get 10 of our best videos for free.
Get Free Videos& Learn More Join Now!!for Full Access Members Sign In
Dave Mitchell says:
Just joined this fabulous site, thanks Gavin, and had to weigh in on this topic.
Until recently my wife and I had used the same f/g dinghy for 38 years, but feeling the need for a challenge during Covid I decided change was in the air.
We needed something lighter, with a bit more room and definitely more freeboard. I had come across Selway Fisher designs from the UK, a lovely triple chine dinghy called the Westray 9.
For lightness I used a plastic honeycomb core (polycore) and glass/ epoxy. It rows delightfully,
carries a load well and even sails nicely with an old windsurfer rig. It came in at 35kg.
Will we keep it 38 years? Time will tell. Cheers, Dave.
Gerard Mittelstaedt says:
I do not see any of the various Folding small boats in the list. There are several plans available and at least one commercial one in fiberglass
Dan Mehlman says:
Excellent feature, OCH. I would love to see how OONAGH rates in the plywood chart.
Steve Stone says:
Thanks Dan. Yes, we need to add OONAGH into the mix for sure because this design will rank highly in most aspects.
William Foster says:
This whole discussion might be more useful if the editor of this would define “dinghy” for the purposes of this article. No one will agree, of course, but it might give some clarity. At this point you have included inflatables on deck of the yacht, as well as 19′ sloops.
Thomas Wolfe says:
The whole point is to put that responsibility into your hands and tell give us your definition of the perfect dinghy. So sing out, we’re all ears (so to speak)
JOHN COLLEY says:
We own and sail a Hartley TS16. Here in Australia it is “accepted” as being a “dinghy with a lid”Our TS16 is,16feet long weighs 360Kg’s can be easily towed by 4 cyl. car It is VERY beachable and floats in 9” water.. I want to try sculling her.as she is too wide for oars.
Thomas Dilworth says:
I assembled an Eastport pram from a CLC kit, and cut it into two parts. Unlike the nesting version, mine is a six foot section and a two foot section which bolt together beautifully. The main section mounts upside down on the foredeck, and leaves plenty of room for anchor handling and other foredeck work. The smaller bow section fits neatly in a cockpit locker. The two sections are bolted together sitting athwartship the bow pulpit/lifelines. It’s quick, stable, and easy to do- much faster than blowing up an inflatable, and far more fun. My boat is a 1967 Ericson 30, and in 3 years of cruising California and Mexico, I’ve never thought about changing anything.
Kenny Cooper says:
Thanks so much for the reviews of so many dinghy designs. I was particularly interested in those of plywood construction. My first build was a Glen-L 14 which I completed in 2009. It has proved to be a wonderful sailing vessel for small lakes and coastal waters. For a number of years I participated in the annual Gathering of Glen-L Builders. At the 2012 gathering on Nickajack Lake in Tennessee I was asked to participate in a video interview of my build and the boat. Should you have any interest in viewing it, I have included the link below. On my bucket list is to bring it to Maine for the Small Reach Regatta.
I have really enjoyed all the fine videos of boats and building techniques you offer at OCH. Keep up the good work!
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=glen-l+14+sailboat&view=detail&mid=FEACFFBB2D9DD557A1FFFEACFFBB2D9DD557A1FF&FORM=VIRE
Andy Oldman says:
Hi Steve
I have a couple of important additions for you.
First: the RD Culler wherry yawl boat You can find a photo online or I can send you a photo of mine. This is a heavy and difficult boat to construct . Has phenomenal carrying capacity and rows very well both fwd and aft due to keel
Rocker design. The shell back rig is plug and play in this one. Centerboard is a true rotating centerboard. Tows well aft a traditional sailing vessel . Can be landed anywhere. Must weigh 175 lbs at least
The other is Herreshoff Columbia Lifeboar tender. Plans were published in a little book by Mystic seaport. This is also a difficult build. However, it is a phenomenal al rowing about. Only a single shell rows is better. I have towed mine up and down The Grand Manan channel. Rows great. It’s a delicate boat not made for running ashore on even a fine beach carry it up or set a portable outhaul mooring. No small tender rows better than this .1895 design. I think Joel’s Whites Catspaw was directly inspired by the CLT. Best regards. Andy Oldman. Capt “Patience B”
Kurt Lorenz says:
Check out the Chameleon by Danny Green of Bermuda. I played with one in Mexico and thought it was great. 10′ assembled. About 5’6″ when nested. Plans are available from Danny. Look on line.
nick hanbury says:
Maybe you guys have hardly heard of the British designer – Andrew Wolstenholm? He designed me “Swallow” – one of the finest estuary boats I have ever sailed. I have sailed this dinghy on the Salcombe estuary in Devon for the past 18 years in all conditions. Stable, fast, light and of traditional appearance in clinker ply. Also rows with ease. Length 14.5ft beam 5ft 6 inches. Featured in Small Boats Magazine and in the WoodenBoat – Small Boats 2020 Annual Magazine. Check it out. Nick Hanbury Devon UK
Conbert Benneck says:
If you have a sailing dinghy that has a dagger board, IT HAS TO HAVE A SCREW DOWN COVER FOR THE DAGGER BOARD SLOT to keep water out of the boat.
I learned this one sunny day sailing down the English Channel. Our 29′ Tripp-Lentsch was towing a Dutch 9′ dinghy with an open dagger board slot. Our T-L came to a slow but dead stop. We were dead in the water. Why? We hadn’t run aground on the sandbanks. We had lots of water under the keel. Why aren’t we moving? My Admirable looked astern at the dinghy, and it was totally filled with water – acting as a big sea anchor.
Towing the dinghy in a seaway without a cover over the dagger board slot allowed squirts of water to slowly fill the dinghy. Luckily the weather was good, but I spent the next hour or two bailing out a 9′ bathtub full of water with a very small bucket. Never tow a dingy at sea without a gasketed cover over the dagger board slot, and held in place with wing nuts. See Dyer Dinghy 7′-9″ for how the cover should be made, and secured.
David Tew says:
This is a kitted alternative: http://ptwatercraft.com/blog/?p=655
Benoit Talbot says:
I just sailed trough your beautiful GUIDE TO FINDING THE WORLD’S BEST DINGHY. Good job. Very interesting. May I suggest another variable? I would call it The boarding factor. How easy, or crew friendly, it is to transfer from the dinghy to the mother boat. And back to the dinghy at the end of the day. And by the way, do you have a video on this? Or a guide post? We are not so bad, but we need to improve our method. Thank you.
Steve Stone says:
Hi Benoit. Good thought. We should have explained that the quality you’re wishing for is already there. We just labeled it “initial stability”. But that’s what we had in mind — is she gonna hold firm when you step into her or is she going to rare up and dart for the hills?
John Buchbinder says:
I know that I am somewhat late to the party, but I have to put my toe in the water. I nominate the Herreshoff Columbia DInghy. She tows wonderfully, without tacking back and forth, nor careening down the face of a wave in a following sea and crashing into the transom of the mothership. She rows easily with 8′ S&T oars, and tracks well, turns on a dime and is total pleasure to own, to say nothing of the admiring looks from all who see her. And when I have the time, I love to sail her, as she is easily driven in a light air.
Joel Whites “Catspaw” was inspired by the Columbia Dingy, but I not sure that one can improve on perfection.
David Tew says:
Years ago we were driving along a side road in Rockport. ME and spied a lovely rowboat on the side of the road with a ‘For Sale’ sign. It looked like a close relative of a Spurling skiff, but stoutly built of fiberglass: https://gcihs.org/digitalarchive/items/show/2139 The older woman who came out to greet us was grateful to see it go, so we threw it in the back of the truck and have used it since for landing on Maine’s rocky shorelines with never a worry. On occasion we’ve seen others from the same mold here and there along the coast, but have never learned who built them. They would probably be in the ‘class’ of the Newman skiff on your chart. Now we’ve reached the age where the boat is a bit heavy for hauling ashore and launching so we got the rowing version of the Dyer Midget at a local auction. We’ll fix it up this winter so she’ll be ready for us (with our arthritic hands) to lift ashore and back more easily next year. Time passes, needs change, so it goes. But I’m off for a sunny, windy row in the old skiff before the first cold Nor-easter of the year sets in!
Ben Fuller says:
I kind of like a dinghy that is a pleasure to row. Currently using a 10′ Chaisson dory skiff which is easily pulled at better than 3 knots, fine for two, max load 3. Like all pointy ended boats she is a bit tricky to board off a float but is stable in a seaway and easy to board alongside a boat. She is lively around an anchorage, can be spun with a pull on the oar. She has sacrificial boards on the bottom at the chine and on the keel for beaching,
Keith Smith says:
This is an older thread, but I thought I would comment anyway. Nobody mentioned a canoe? We have been towing our canoe for years now and never had a problem with it. It is heavy for a canoe, just shy of 100 lbs, a plastic Oldtown discovery 169, but still lighter than some of the dingys listed. I would prefer a lighter design, but it is what I have. Mine is 16′-9″ long, so long for a dingy, but my boat is not big enough to put any kind of dingy on board the boat, so what ever I have needs to be towed. Our boat is not likely to go out in the ocean, but we have been cruising for years in the San Juans, Gulf Islands, and North Idaho Lakes, and I have always towed the canoe without issue. The only time I have had to change things is sailing straight down wind when the wind is blowing pretty hard and then the canoe will turn sideways and surf the waves sideways, but it has never flipped. In that case we put fenders out and pull it along side the boat. I’ve made a minor modification, I epoxied a piece of plastic pipe through the stem to tow a little bit lower and from the center. I often carry crab traps in the canoe, on longer trips I have put flotation bags in it, but never needed them. We canoe to shore with our chocolate lab and two people and it is easy to paddle to shore. I find it easier to come along side the mother ship with paddles instead of oars. We tie a karabiner to the shrouds and clip the bow line through the carabiner and then take it aft so I can control the bow and stern of the canoe by myself from the rear seat while my wife and dog get out. It is easier to get into and out of than a kayak. I can check crab traps in it and deploy and anchor from it, carry there people. It is fast and fun to have along. I sometimes stitch pool noodles to the gunnels for fenders. I’m thinking of building a skin on frame canoe to make it easier to get on the roof of the truck.
John Sutherland says:
I would also like to see how the B&B Spindrift line stacks up.
Henry Kloman says:
While I doubt that there is anything such as the “perfect” dinghy, I’ve have the pleasure of owning two that come close, at least for me. The first is a 16′ double-ended wooden Gloucester Gull rowing dory, built by the immortal Harold “Dynamite” Payson for me in 1971. Named “Lobelia” for a flower (my wife is an avid gardener), she rows as a single or a double. She still waits for me mournfully each winter in Tenants Harbor, Maine. Most seaworthy!
The second, “Heronbill” (also after a flower) is a 7’11” Dyer Midget who joined us in 1998 to serve as the transport to and from a Dyer 29 powerboat. Great for one crew; OK for two, and tows beautifully. She also has a mast, boom, rudder, and sail! Not “perfect” but great!
Leigh Besson says:
My two friends and I built 3 of the Harold Pason “Nymph” (sp?). 8′ stitch and glue, seat down the center. Able to carry 4 people out to my mooring, very light weight, easy to build, (we clamped and screwed three sheets of plywood together to cut all the pieces for 3 boats) inexpensive. Nicest dingy I have ever been in.
Mark Cole says:
Thanks OCH for opening this can of worms. This is an important discussion that I bet will go on a long time. I would like to nominate John Brooks’ Ellen for addition to the Plywood/Epoxy list. She is a 12′ rowing/sailing dingy and finished at the top of my list for a tender to our 32′ sailboat. On top of the tasks of people and cargo mover, I love to row and sail the tender when anchored in a quiet cove so these last two qualities drove my decision. I also want to build the boat myself, and the plans (which I got last Christmas) are excellent. Since I’m a first-time builder, I got a copy of John’s “How to Build Glued-Lapstrake Wooden Boats” which uses Ellen as the example for glued-lapstrake construction. All this made Ellen the perfect choice (for me…).
Edward Truslow says:
Great topic. Weight, rowing ability, appearance, in that order! The classic Dyer Dow works on all fronts. No motor or sails. Just basic, light rowing transportation that is easily towed or hauled on deck or the dock. Works for me.
Frank Bissell says:
We had a Dyer dhow on the Burma for many years, great boat, in which we did a lot of sailing also.
David Tew says:
Dyer Midgets are/were built with translucent bottoms for stowing over skylights and letting some light in down below.
Royal Declerck says:
Any thing Ned Trewartha (Hobart Tasmania) builds would be welcome, the only thing is they are so beautiful, you don`t want to get them wet. !!
(You did a video on him not so long ago)
Great subject, Royal.
Steve Twitty says:
Does anyone have experience with a Walker Bay 7? This is an injection molded (polypropylene) plastic. I am familiar with the characteristics of polyprop in other applications. My goal is a sturdy tender that is less than 100 pounds, 7 to 8 feet in length.
Kurt Lorenz says:
Yes. I had a Walker Bay 7, or maybe it was 8′? It was a bitch to row and wore out the rower. The transom is a big drag. Towing it in a brisk 8 knot downwind it flipped coming off a wave and tried to be a submarine until the rope snapped. The conditions were hairy and I didn’t go back and get it. I hope some child in Mexico loves it now.
Joseph Leitzinger says:
Yes I do own a Walker Bay 8′ row boat. I have 4 row boats total. My wife wanted a boat that was light weight that we could row out to the mooring to board our boat. She said “your fiberglass boats are getting heavier every year. Your wood and fiberglass boats you will not allow me to drag them up the beach. Your aluminum rowboats while they are durable are also to heavy to lift easily. Linda says I want “my own boat” that is light, durable, inexpensive and that I can drag up and down the beach. It needs to be stable enough for two adults to row out to the mooring and board the boat. Linda said go find me a Walker Bay. I attached a canvas cushioned rub rail. In this particular application the Walker Bay is the “go to” boat.
HARLEY SOLTES says:
We had an 8′ Walker Bay with the inflatable sides. Amazing stability when boarding and towed just fine. It rowed poorly but takes a small outboard. The big advantage is it is cheap and fairly light and you don’t mind dragging it up the beach. After 8 other dinghies on the same sailboat, it was the most practical. We had inflatables, peapods, herreshoff pram and walker bays. We decided we don’t want an outoard any more so inflatables out. The Herreshoff was the best rowing and towing but just too beautiful to use as a cruising tender. We sold all of the above and now looking for a great looking, durable, moderately light, good rowing and towing dinghy that can occasionally take an electric outboard.Fiberglass preferred. We have built two wood dinghies and just don’t have the time or the shop now.
Alan Houghton says:
I have owned a Walker Bay 8’ with the inflatable tubes. I’m also to embarrassed to list how many other dinghies I own – from classic clinkers to plywood prams. Putting aside its looks and inability to be hoisted on deck (too heavy), its the best I have ever owned. Surprising to hear your comment re rowing – its a joy to row.
Real test – “would I buy again” – ‘Yes in a flash’
Al Voskian says:
What a great initiative! I am surprised, though, that one of the most common uses of a dinghy is as a tender for cruising boat, you did not include “towing” (in water, not highway!). I have a Puffin which is adequate for rowing and small motor around the harbor, but tows like a slug. Would be great to see an additional column for towing manners (drag & tracking).
Steve Stone says:
Thanks for giving some feedback on the towability of the Puffin, Al. You’ll find that column you’re looking on “towability” as well other criteria, on the detail pages for each of the dinghies listed in the guide. Just click on the design name of each dinghy in the chart, and you’ll be directed to a page with further details and photos of each boat.
Here’s the page on the Puffin:
https://www.offcenterharbor.com/best-dinghy/puffin-dinghy-10/
Al Voskian says:
Thanks, Steve. I found the detail pages after I sent my post and could not find a way to retract my suggestion!
Conbert Benneck says:
A most interesting discussion, but there are all sorts of considerations that go into selecting the “perfect” dinghy. Let’s start with the basics: where do you use it and under what types of conditions? … lake? harbor? does it have to be easily car-top-able? For how many people? Row and sail? Carry on mother ship or tow? Do you need it to row out an anchor under deteriorating conditions? Do you have size or weight limitations?
Let’s keep the discussion to hard shell, seaworthy dinghies, and not the inflatable bathtub toys that are impossible to row, and that can only function with an outboard. If the outboard quits, then what? Ever tried to row one of these abortions against the wind with four people on board, using their children sand shovels as oars? Lots of luck.
Conbert Benneck says:
Additional thoughts: The dinghy should be as large as possible; for carrying capacity; for good rowing and sailing qualities; and to stay dry in a seaway; but, …. usually deck space on a small cruising boat is limited so the 7′-9″ solution may be a limiting factor. Of course, as the dinghy gets longer it weighs more. Trade-offs; trade-offs. For our 29 foot Tripp-Lentsch sailboat we had a 7′-9″ Dyer dinghy, but with four people on board, freeboard was low; motorboat wakes wet the back of the Admirable who sat in the bow; and she was unhappy. A baby carriage- like hood design I built, kept her back dry. Them’s the problems!
Samuel M Allen says:
I built a Nutshell pram 20 years ago and use it mostly for getting to and from our mooring. I also learned to sail in it. It’s very handsome, easy to maintain, easily carried by two people, and durable. Definitely should be on the list.
William Bauer says:
Another vote for the Mirror Dinghy. I built mine in 1972 and still sail it. In the 1970’s (and maybe still today) Mirrors were the largest one design racing class.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/16537332977/ – Facebook group “People Who Love Mirror Dinghies”.
Arthur Haberland says:
I own and sail a close cousin to the Mirror, the GP14. While not as popular, they are still a popular class in most English speaking countries (except for here in the US) and a fine sailor with a good ability to row.
I use mine for camp cruising and day sailing.
Tony Vink says:
I was thinking the Goat Island skiff too, though it might not fall within the scope of the dinghy guide’s variables. Perhaps that will come under the new list called: “The-if-I-ever-build-another-boat-design” AKA ‘The boast you SHOULD have built’ ;-)
Thanks for a great list and even greater site.
Steve Stone says:
Thanks for all the suggestions and please keep them coming. Once the dust settles we will make some additions and revisions for a next round of this (work in process) Dinghy Guide.
Andrew Yen says:
You guys at OCH are brave – this list could become a monster! I love it.
I have selected second hand Mirror dinghies for our scout troop based on their versatility, safety and ease of storage and transport. They make a perfect learn to sail or row boat for our 10-15 year old scouts but they are just as suitable for adults. Other designs that may justify making it to your list are the Brooks Compass Harbor Pram, the Bolger/Payson Cartopper and the Martens Goosens D4. I have read somewhere that the D4 is the most popular home constructed dinghy ever and the plans are free.
Andrew.
Frank Shopen says:
Hi, what a great idea, thanks for this!
Where is the Steve Redmond Whisp, which has won rowing awards frequently apparently, or the Bolder nymph? The latter was my first build and I was surprised how well it did ro and sail. Building the Whisp now. A beautiful boat with a great building method.
Jeff Gable says:
35 years ago I was looking through LFH’s Sensible Cruising Designs. He drew up a little tender for his Neria design that is flat bottom with two lapping planks per side.It has finally become my grandsons sand box but I loved the little boat and its performance for over 30 years. I used 1/4 inch ply for the bottom and Sitka spruce for the planking and transoms and could carry it up side down like a backpack for long distances.I had two rowing stations with a forward preference when two were aboard.Dig out the old master work and check it out.and thanks for the site Jeff Gable Shaw Is. WA.
James Turner says:
I admit to having a bias for Phil Bolger/Dynamite Payson designs. I would have liked to have seen one of their boats, the Elegant Punt in particular mentioned in the Something Different category not only for its ease to build but for the fact that it is an excellent small dinghy as well.
Gerry Kelly says:
I believe other contenders might be : a Mirror Dingy. Large fleets of these around the world but especially in the UK; a Goat Island Skiff from Australia; and a Heron. But most worthy of all would be my pride and joy, a Northeaster Dory by CLC.
Thom Loftus says:
Have to agree that the new CLC tenderly is pretty sexy. I probably would have built that if I wasn’t already building an Eastport Pram. That said, as a California guy, I know too little about some of the older, more traditional dinghies that are so much more prevalent on the East Coast. So many boats, so little time. Thanks OCH for compiling the list and bringing so much boating joy to all of us. Keep up the good work!
Richard Gewax says:
“Or at least until the beer ran out.”
That line has probably been responsible for the non-realization of innumerable marvelous maritime creations. Good topic OCH!
When Commodore Franklin ‘Foolspeed’ Hickup was asked about the love of his life, he replied ‘She’s many things to me, some have said she’s batty and does not have both oars in the water, but to me, she’s just a little dingy!’
I will now show myself to the door…..
Greg Mactye says:
Sir – not only should you show yourself to the door … you should toss yourself out on your keester for that! ( LOL Just kidding!)
GM
Albert Metz says:
I just offered an addition to your dinghy survey, the Bauer 10. I met Chris Bauer at Saill Expo in NJ 23 years ago, fell in love with his display boat and ordered mine custom built with a “yacht package” (raised padded fabric edging) to protect “the mothership”, as well as sailing and rowing packages. Its 75 sq.ft. fractional rig (rainblow spectrum color!) and well-thought-out controls make it an enjoyable, responsive sailer, though surprisingly stable in brisk wind. The pivoting centerboard and rudder allow beaching. As important to me as performance, its beauty –dark green hull, accent stripe and name (“tender”) in gold, teak transom, seating, trim, and bronze oarlocks–contributes greatly to pride of ownership. Even after purchasing two larger sailboats, this Bauer 10 is very special and I’ll never part with it.
John Florance says:
I’m guessing it was probably too late in development for consideration. But yesterday I received an e-mail from CLC boats announcing their new “Tenderly” dinghy. The photos and video look very impressive. John Harris has designed a lovely-looking boat that I’d consider in a heart-beat, based on the specs. Maybe the comprehensive list can be a growing one?
Bill Saunders says:
I would be interested to see you rate John Brooks’ Compass Harbor Pram.
Art Thomas says:
I “second” that Bill, OCH missed the boat on this one.
Steve Stone says:
Thanks guys. It’s currently listed as an alternative under the Eastport Pram but thanks for the nudge for us to reconsider.
Cassio Sousa says:
Wow! That is awesome! You guys rock!
Bruce Lyle says:
I’m repainting a 1970’s Ontario home kit built sabot that we picked up in the winter for my girls to learn to sail on. It came with oars and oar locks, growing up racing them in Australia no one had oars was this a north American thing or just this boat?
PS wish I had have known about OCH before I brought a zodiac last year, as stated above its a pig to row, we now have a couple of paddles instead of the useless oars it came with. They should not be sold without a motor.
Felix Rebolledo says:
I wholeheartedly agree! Neither oars nor paddles should be sold without a motor! :)
Frank Crumbaugh says:
My am smitten with my Catspaw YANKEE DAHLIN’. When describing the rowing experience to friends, I use two images 1) I liken it to driving a Packard touring car; once she’s moving, she has a stately, sedate gliding motion in fair weather, and tracks as straight as a Courting Whitehall, and 2) in more challenging conditions, she’s as nimble as a polo pony- properly handled she can turn in her own length (something the Whitehall can’t do, or better stated, something I can’t get a Whitehall to do). I use S&T 8′ traditional oars in solid ring bronze oar locks.
She is fun to sail, and is a splendid school boat for the young. I am contemplating the fabrication of a boom to convert the loose-fitted sprit rig to a more conventional gaff and boom arrangement, but hesitate, not wanting a haunting visit from Joel White (though I suspect he’d be glad for the personal invocations of Catspaw sailors). On a properly fitted trailer she tows well ashore, and reminds me of a duckling following its mother when towed afloat.
Like I said….smitten.
Kenneth Waldemar says:
Rowing is a big deal! Sailing and even motoring are also. My Nut Shell, FRAM, that I built 45 years ago, does it all extremely well. She’s beautiful, sound and trustworthy. My wonderful Tashiba 36 is on the market, but I won’t even think about selling FRAM.
Brian Laux says:
I am disappointed that the B&B Yacht Designs Spindrift line of dinghies did not make your list. I suspect that there are as many of them as there are PT-11s and Shellbacks, etc. out there on the water. Their kits and builders’ support are of very high quality. They offer 9, 10, and 11′ models, all of which can be built as a nesting or non-nesting version. They are all designed to be rowed, sailed, or powered. Please reconsider.