I once towed a Cheoy Lee 32 rowing a Kent Ranger Minto. My folks said i got the boat going 2 knots in flat conditions with no wind. That is the challenge - if there is any chop, or contrary current, or wind you can't keep the boat going. For R2AK look at team Dock Rat - he put the boat on the hard, ie, grounded on a beach and the tide went out - https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1522097371251262&substory_index=... Lin&Larry Pardey used a single long sweep to move their boat short distances ... like in/out a marina. They smartly sailed their boats when they could, or stayed put if the wind wasn't blowing. Bluewater sailing very different skill set than coastal cruising ... like going up a channel with a 5+ adverse or crossing current. :: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com On Wed, Jun 20, 2018, 6:14 PM John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net> wrote:
On 06/20/2018 05:15 PM, Dave Scobie wrote:
You can tow with a dinghy ... one of this year's participants is doing that with his 25+ foot boat!
Which boat is that?
A friend towed me a bit with his Hobie Adventure Island tri using pedal drive on Waldo lake last year, in dead calm conditions. Slow but it worked.
I tried towing myself using the Tahiti inflatable kayak I borrowed for a dinghy. Would have worked OK with a better dinghy - the Tahiti is only a little above pool toy quality, it's so squishy a lot of energy is lost in flexing boat and non-hydrodynamic air-mattress hull profile.
I'm soon building a Wooden Widget Origami 6 (stretched to 7) collapsible dinghy. http://woodenwidget.com/origami.htm
I like the lines of the Wooden Widget Fliptail collapsing dinghy design better, but the designer told me that for rowing or motoring the Origami was a bit better; the fliptail a bit better for use with the sailing rig. And, the Origami collapses to a fair bit smaller size for the same assembled size.
I'm stretching the 6' 2" model to 7' (because I'm 6' 3" and want to be able to fit two people, or, me plus a fair bit of stuff). It will fit (folded) on one side of the v-berth (or on the settee) when underway. There's a guy with a Potter 15 who has an Origami 6 that fits in one side of his cabin when underway.
The 17s that went to Alaska used oars on outriggers with a sliding seat. Look for Team Excellent Adventure for photos of the system Bill created and used for '15, '16 and leg one '17; and a similar varient used by the Canadian guys (forgetting their team name) in '17.
I've seen the pics, these are nicely done, well designed, and, complicated/expensive systems. And, in a post (https://www.facebook.com/billandtedr2ak/posts/1446375249018833:0) on the boat outfitting and experiences for 2015, Bill writes, re the rowing system:
"Two knots was a realistic average. Slow going but better than nothing."
Thus my scull experiments...way cheaper simpler lighter. Boat weight gives inertia...takes time to get up to speed but then maintaining speed is a fair bit less work. It's only for such light conditions that I can't go faster sailing. Will be interesting to see what it yeilds. Will report here when I get to the sea trials.
cheers, John
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com