Conference unifix::sailing

This may seem out-of-field, but bear with me.

Since you don't mention cost as a major constraint, consider a 10'-12' 
true yacht tender.  If having a tender half as long as your boat doesn't 
put you off (it shouldn't; you'll just look emminently practical!), then 
consider this:

>>>    1. Good rowing skiff (as my mooring is wayyyyyy across the harbor)

A longer hard skiff will be a joy to row.  I often rowed our 12' Jarvis 
Newman skiff a mile or two at a stretch -- just takes time, not much 
effort.  And it'll row in virtually any weather, loaded or unloaded.  Very 
good directional stabilty, and virtually no wake even when you really pull
on the oars. 

>>>    2. Will carry 3-4 people (two kids)

Easily.  Plus groceries, spare anchors, beach balls and the dog.

>>>    3. NO MAINTAINANCE

There ain't no such beast.  But a good one should be pretty low 
maintenance.  Do as we did:  Sacrifice the varnish during the first year 
and just apply paint to the trim (matching the boat's trim, of course, 
which makes it look quite alright, not to mention keeping others from 
confusing your tender with their same model.)

>>>    4. Ease of towing (25' sailboat)

Piece of cake.  *Much* less drag than an inflatable, and probably less
than a pram.  The only caveat is to watch out in following seas, since
they like to surf up and whap the stern of the mothership.  We just towed
on a 25' line in those conditions, and let the immersed line brake the
tender's forward motion.  More line out, more braking. 

Look at the Cape Dory 10 or 12, or the Jarvis Newman 12' model.  Newman's 
model is la creme de la creme, at nearly $4K a copy new, but it's a work
of highly functional art.  There's a used one for sale in the latest issue 
of "Messing About in Boats" for only $1500, a near-steal if it's in any
decent shape. 

J.

I also support the idea of a decent tender- Besides looking better and towing 
better, you can also forget the outboard and its gas tank and storage rack.

Most peole that object to rowing have never rowed a decent boat. John Gardner
has a nice line in one of his books, something like- "if people treated
horseback riding like they do rowing, they'd teach it on water buffalo, then
no one would like horseback riding." Rowing a pram, or, God-forbid, an 
inflatable is about like riding a water buffalo.

Oars are as important as the boat- those heavy ash clubs sold under the name
of oars in most marine stores are as useless as the prams they wind up on. Oars
should be light spruce, balanced and properly leathered- not with those 4"
long plastic sleeves.

Only a slightly biased view :-)

    I've seen the Sandpiper in real life.  It doesn't seem large enough
    to accomomdate your family while allowing you the room to row. 
    Nor is it as well constructed as other dinghys.
    
    Rowing dories/skiffs require a bit more storage space than the normal
    8 ft pram becuase of their length.  Also, I'd be cautious about
    storing one in an unsupervised place.  They are appealing to the
    eye and subject to theft.
    
    If cost and space are no object, buy a nice rowing skiff.  If space
    is no object but cost is, buy a 10-12 ft aluminum sears rowboat
    and put a padded rub rail on it.  Ugly but it holds a lot and rows
    OK.  If space and cost are constraints, capacity or rowing ability
    will have to be sacrificed.  I use an 8 ft Sea Swan pram.  It'll
    carry 3 adults and luggage if I row but the rowing is hard and wet
    if its rough out.  Using a motor there's room for one more adult.
    It rides high when empty and tows satifactorily.  If I'm in it alone,
    it rows OK.  I'd much prefer a 13 ft Boston Whaler or fancy pulling
    boat but I have to store on the third tier in a dinghy rack.
    
    The pointy curved hulled dinghys row better than the rectacgular
    tri-hull ones.  But they sacrifice stability and capacity.  Inflatables
    need a motor and don't hold much for their size but tow the best
    if the bow is lashed on the transom of the towing boat.   Check
    the Want-adveriser for bargains if you're in Eastern Mass.
    
    - gene

    I don't think there is anything wetter than a fully loaded pram in a
    head wind. Add to that harder to row too. At the least get boat not 
    a pram.

    Yet another nondink opinion.  I have been subtely trying to get
    my partner to lose the dinghy and get a decent tender.  Ours rows
    okay but stability is nil when boarding and unboarding.  We have
    a high freeboard and in calm water is a challenge to ones's balance.
    Capacity is low and requires several trips for loading if there
    are anymore than two people going out.  If improperly balanced,
    I can see a real possibility of swamping all too easily for my comfort.
    On the plus side, it fits our davits nicely.  I am thinking of
    investing in a larger inflatable and 4-8 hp outboard.  Rowing may be 
    aerobic and our current dink may be "cute" but I'll opt for convenience
    and stability thank you. 
    
    Brian 

    Thank you all for the information, I have one more question;
    in the under $1000.00 range what are some of the brand names? 

                                                                         
    Thanks,
    
    Tom
    
    

    I built a Nutshell Pram (9'6"" model) from Wooden Boat plans last
    winter.   This model is a delight to row and tows like a railroad
    car.   It weighs about 70 pounds.    I have carried four adults
    (with gear) in this pram.   Prams are not all created equally.
    
    This one has a transom bow that does not reach the waterline.  The
    underwater shape is quite fair and it has a full length keel that
    tapers from about four inches at the stern transom to zero at the
    bow.   I use it in the Merrimac with oar power only and if I crank
    it up I can pass an inflatable using one of those 2-3 horse motors.
    
    The hull is made with a bottom and three planks (on each side) cut 
    from plywood.  I can stand on the garboard plank without capsizing
    the boat.   

The Jarvis Newman 12' tender for sale in a classifed ad in "Messing About 
in Boats" I mentioned earlier is priced at $1250 -- an excellent value.

Some noters are readers of "Messing...", and perhaps can provide the guy's 
phone number; my last issue went to a friend already.

J.

    Try an inflateable for serviceability and price, especially if you
    are going to take it with you.
    
    Try Defender Industries at 914-632-3001. They have great prices.
    I bought the Achilles SPD-4FL, a 10'-6" 4 man raft. These boats
    don't row well in a high wind but with a 4hp Yamaha with a Doel
    fin attachment the dingy planes very well and rides stable in the
    wind even with one person aboard.
    
    BTW - Goldbergs Norlantic SB12 is not bad at all for about the same
    price. ($1099 vs $1020 for the Achilles.) My neighbor has one aboard
    a Bertram 46, and he has a 30hp outboard with the Doel Fin. ( Typical
    sink-potter!!)
    
    regards, Mike