Just bought a liveaboard and this is perfect as I didn't want to have davits. Hugely entertaining channel and lots of well thought out info. Thank you guys. Paul
Just subscribed. You have great content. Very informative and straight to the point. You guys are filling a needed gap in the TH-cam sailing community and I hope you keep it up!
Hi Jeramy, thank you very much and welcome aboard as a subscriber! We have lots of videos coming when (we can find the time to edit them!) and we hope you will enjoy our future videos. Fair winds! Chris, Rossella & baby Emma 👍
Nice solution. And one can still cut bait on the floors whilst Cruising. More ingenuity required to board it from the water ( spearfishing ) Easy to repair/rebuild in any port.
🔔 SUBSCRIBE ➜ bit.ly/Subscribe⛵ Informative Sailing Videos! Buy the plans for this boat here ➜ bit.ly/benjy-website Check out this video for more boat from the same designer ➜ th-cam.com/video/huVIfKQQ4gs/w-d-xo.html
Congratulations, you are about to find that building one of these boats unbelievably satisfying! Have fun and enjoy the smell of the wood as you make your own boat! Fair winds, Chris 👍
Wow! Great video, lots of detail building. Yet The only thing I do not understand is how the sides and underside are laekfree connected to the “canvas”. Even a mast and rudder are possible. What great, little design this is. Great that you build it yourself! Fair winds and save sailing!
Hi Robin, the PVC is stapled to the (already varnished) plywood sides with a thick bead of silicone sealant in between the two. More silicone sealant is put on top and then some pre-varnished wooden trim pieces are screwed into place to act as another seal and also to hide the PVC attachment area. The plans are brilliant and pretty much anyone could build one of these boats! Fair winds, Chris (& Rossella) 👍
this is excellent chris thanks for sharing, have binge watched all your videos upto this point and need to binge some more to catch up.....am loving all the money saving hints and tips. you have a new subscriber. thanks again chris and your adorable family. Tony UK ;-)
Thanks for sharing. On my list of projects. I have to tender out to my mooring and my 8ft fibreglass boat is heavy to get on and off car in my own and my old inflatable does not hold air well so this would be ideal and I could take it with me and not worry about leaving my tender on mŷ mooring. Great help to see your build. Fair winds. Andy Sussex, UK
Hi Andy, I think one of these tenders would be perfect for your needs. The 8 ft version is huge internally so the 6 ft version could well be an option too, depending on how much room you need for your use. We have always stored ours in a tarp tied to the lifelines on the port side of our 30 ft boat and you almost don't know it is there in terms of lost space. Another great thing about these boats is that they aren't very attractive to thieves, as they are so unique. Thery are perfect for transporting on top of, or inside, your car. Fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Sailing Britaly yes looks to be ideal. I have a good mile to get to my mooring so the bigger the better in terms of space so I don't have to do more than one trip so the 8' would be the one. Thanks
Thank you very much, I just built this: the genius is in the design of it! We love this little boat though and have got lots of great memories from using it! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Hi Marco, yes absolutely no problem. I even made a polytarp 'storm sail' for high winds. You can see more details in this video: th-cam.com/video/HRKiafUyieE/w-d-xo.html Cheers, Chris 👍
That's a great boat and a great video! I'm looking at building one of these but I was wondering if you considered the fliptail version from the same designer, and if so, then what made you choose the origami rather than the fliptail? Thanks and keep making great videos!
Hi there sorry for the delay, we've just seen this now. It was a very close call but we chose the Origami as it folds down flatter. They are both very valid boats though and I fancy building a Fliptail when I get the chance! Happy building! (if you haven't already! 😂) Cheers, Chris 👍
Thanks for sharing, really great. I would be interested if you can jump into the water and get back on the dinghy or would it be not stable enough to climb over the side walls? Cheers!
Hi Holger, I have always entered and exited the water via our sailboat, so have never tried to do this... In all honesty I don't think getting back in to the tender would be possible from the water unless you made it your mission to modify the dinghy to allow you to do this. I think it's a small price to pay for the other advantages of this boat though. Fair winds! Chris (& Rossella) 👍
Holger Stephan I know it’s a late reply but maybe a small rope ladder - similar to those used in life rafts - hung off the bow would work. It would be better off the bow as the outboard would counter the tendency of the boat to flip.
Hi - im very interested in buying the plans and building it - few questions - if i get stuck can i get help? I want to sail it - do the plans include making the mast / sail / rudder etc? . How stable is the boat and is it likely to capsize? thanks!
Hi Marty! I'm almost certain you won't need any help as the plans are written in a very clear way and take you through everything step-by-step. (They even include instructions on how to varnish for beginners!) However, Benjy, the gentleman who made the plans, is a very approachable chap and would be happy to help you if you did get stuck. The plans do include instructions for making a leeboard and suggest using an optimist rig and rudder (we built our own to save money- there is a video about this on our channel). The boat isn't tippy at all, we had 4 adults in it too and it felt perfectly capable of taking more weight. (Don't get me wrong, this isn't a tender to go scuba diving from, but it was wonderful for our needs) Building this was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done, and taking a boat to sea that you have built with your own hands is an incredible feeling. Good luck with your build and let us know how it goes! Chris, Rossella & Emma 🙂
@@SailingBritaly thanks for the reply - im in Australia - are you confident i could source the pvc sheet that you use (i saw you mentioned in your faq)
@@martyjames6204 Yes, it is used by marquee makers and also as the sides of articulated lorry trailers, (amongst other things) so I'm sure you could get some in Australia.
@@SailingBritaly Hi Chris, still trying to locate the pvc sheet - i saw this on ebay - do you think it would be ok? thanks www.ebay.com.au/itm/Heavy-Duty-500-gsm-PVC-Tarp-4-5-x-3m-Used-Camping-Shade-Ute-Trailer-Truck-Cover/132850473634?hash=item1eee815aa2:g:njwAAOSwYj9b5jXt&frcectupt=true
Hi Marty, that's the material you need (at a great price) and it would be interesting to see what the advertisement is on the other side. With the right advert it could make for a very unique boat and a real head-turner! Cheers, Chris
In a way, yes: Rossella was 7 months pregnant when we recorded this video, so the 3 of us were sailing around together already! Building one of these boats is ridiculously satisfying and I would recommend it to anyone. Fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Sailing Britaly - I am buying my yacht next year. If the boat doesn't have a suitable dinghy I may follow your lead. While I've got you I wanted to thank you for your videos and sharing part of your life with me. You guys seem like really nice and very genuine people and I wish you all the success and happiness in the world.
Wow, thank you very much indeed: your comment has just made our day! We are very happy to hear that you are getting yourself a yacht and we hope to share an anchorage with you somewhere on this beautiful blue planet of ours at some point in the future. It really is a small world, and when you share interests with people there really are no national borders or boundaries - cruisers are just one big sailing family! Good luck with your boat hunting and fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Hello Chris and Rossella - great video, as usual, and thank you for posting it, we find it very inspiring! We're cruising the Pacific Northwest where we have significant tides, so it's not uncommon to have to drag the dinghy back to the water at low tide, sometimes even hundreds of feet. Do you think this dingy would be able to handle this? And if not, any ideas / suggestions on what enhancements we could to do it as a solution? Many thanks ! Adrian
Hi Adrian, thank you for watching and commenting - reading comments from our viewers really helps to keep us making more videos!🙂 I guess a lot depends on what kind of ground you would want to cover... The folding section of these boats make them look really vulnerable but in reality they use the same kind of material (and are therefore just as robust as) inflatable dinghies. First of all, if I was to build another one of these boats I would go for the 6 foot version. The internal volume is still huge (equivalent to that of a 9 foot inflatable with 18" tubes) but the boat would be incredibly managable to carry long distances. For long distances I would be tempted to come up with a solution to make things really easy: One option would be a backpack type arrangement for the boat, so that it can be loaded and carried off the ground easily with both hands free. Another option would be a couple of wheels attached to the transom, so that the whole boat (plus any 'stuff' inside it) could be wheeled around. Again, the options depend on what ground you are covering and what may work perfectly on a sandy bottom might not be well suited to mud and vice versa. The other, simplest, option is for two people to hand carry the dinghy via the incorporated carrying handles (one person can carry it folded but over a long distance but I have a feeling that this would get old pretty fast!) If two people carry the dinghy then each person would carry around 10 kg, which is doable even over a longer distance... Fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Oh wow, thanks so much for the detailed and prompt reply! Ok, we'll go the 6' route, especially since most of the times it's just my lovely wife and me cruising around. Yes carrying around sounds doable then. Thanks !
My pleasure. I'm sure you will absolutely love the build too, it is so satisfying to build your own boat! Have fun and let us know how you get on! Cheers, Chris & Rossella 👍
Hi Taras, we chose the 8' to have more room but if I was to build another one I would probably build the 6' version because the internal volume is still huge compared to an inflatable boat. I made the sailing rig myself: the plans show you how to build a leeboard but I made my own simpler version and the plans suggest using an Optimist rig. The Oppy rig was too expensive for my taste so I used the dimensions I found online and made my own rig from cheap aluminium tubing. I made the mast taller so that we would have more headroom. Both the mast and boom have internal splices which I made myself, so theyslide apart for easier transport and storage. The homemade sailing rig was really cheap. (I made DIY clamcleats out of copper pipe too...) These boats are great fun to build and own and I highly recommend them! Fair winds, Chris (& Rossella) 👍
It's surprisingly good! The main thing is balancing the weight. We have had 4 adults travelling around very comfortably inside ours and it was perfectly stable as we pottered about with the outboard. The 'worst' situation is when I'm on the boat on my own with the outboard fitted and in that case you do have to pay attention as the freeboard at the back of the boat gets quite low if you put your bodyweight aft next to the engine. You can see this in the video as I'm setting off with the outboard. However, as soon as you move some weight forward there is plenty of freeboard. We tie a couple of fenders to the inside of the boat which are triple use - as fenders when we tie up alongside, as seats while we travel, and as buoyancy in case we were ever to get a rogue wave flood the tender. :-) Talking about it like this makes it sound like seat of your pants stuff but it's not at all, these are brilliant little boats and we have loved having this as our tender. Cheers, Chris
Hi Paul, the materials need to be sourced locally - it’s only the plans which are available to buy via the link above. For the PVC you can try eBay or other online suppliers. It’s the same material which is used for wedding marquees and truck trailer sides, so it should be easy to source anywhere. (The plans themselves have a list of suggested suppliers) These plans are excellent and building a boat is one of the most satisfying things you can do. The feeling when you put to sea in a boat you have made with your own hands is indescribable!... Happy building! Cheers, Chris 👍
We built the 8 foot version. Actually the 6 foot version is a really valid tender too as the internal volume is huge compared to an inflatable (probably comparable to a 9 foot rib). I have never actually weighed ours but I would guesstimate 25 kilos (57 lbs). I can pick the foled boat up and and walk around with it on my own quite comfortably. Fair winds! Chris (& Rossella) 👍
It cost around $350 for the materials to build the rowing / outboard version of the tender. (i.e. not including the sailing rig - which I made myself from cheap aluminium) We have loved having this boat as our tender! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Hey this looks awesome, I always looked for a sailable tender! But it seems very long (I have a small boat like you), so where do you store it in the boat please?
Hi Arthur! There is a 6 foot version if you prefer... either way you can tie the dinghy along your lifelines at the side of your deck - you can still walk past it and on our 30 ft boat, the 8 foot tender doesn't interfere in any way with our sailing. We recommend building one of these to anyone - they are great fun! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Hi Chris, this was a while ago now and I'm going from memory, but I believe the boat was around £300, and the sail conversion around £200 (including the Optimist sail). The outboard engine was £40 & the oars £15. It was a ton of fun and I really, really miss it! Cheers, Chris 👍
I know this is an older vid but for a while I have been seriously considering building one of these as main tender for Rolling Stone. It seems so fragile though and has absolutely no floatation... any rip and it will sink like a stone. Did you ever consider or address this issue? I am thinking air bag seats or something...
The foldable parts are made from very thick PVC which is as durable as the material inflatable boats are made from, so it would actually be very difficult to rip. If you want floatation you can throw a couple of fenders in there and tie them down - these can double as seats if you wish. They are great boats and building one is just as much fun as owning one (in fact building that boat was one of the most satisfying things I've done!) Fair winds! Chris 👍
And BTW thanks for the gread vids. I am off to buy me a wet suction vacuum cleaner! Is that Mariners Farm? We are in Dover but the boatyard is so expensive and really, umm.., crap.
Our pleasure! The recent videos are from Medway Yacht Club, the other side of the river from Mariners Farm. It's a very busy and well organised club and is a great place to keep a boat. Happy hoovering! 👍
What is the fabric called? Their website just says 'PVC cloth' and 'PVC fabric', but Amazon has no idea what I'm talking about besides picnic tablecloth. Thx.
@@SailingBritaly Got on DDG in 2 seconds, thx. They didn't even reply :-( I'm not buying plans for something when I don't even know if I can acquire the materials needed...
You mustn't be going to the right place: bit.ly/benjy-website Benjy always replies and he is the best seller you could ever wish to buy from. Cheers, Chris
@@SailingBritaly Just checked again. That was where I was, maybe he's out on the water lol. From my Sent folder: Mon, Jan 4, 9:48 AM (1 day ago) to info Can you send my a URL to this item cuz Amazon has no idea what I'm talking about; they reply with 'tablecloth' and neoprene rubber... If I can locate this material in stock somewhere, I'd love to get your Fliptail plans! Thanks so much!
I don't know that looks really difficult.... I better buy a two thousand dollar inflatable. :) Great video. I've almost started this project a few times. Thank you!
I promise you it's easy. I had never done any woodworking before and this was really easy and sooooooooo satisfying! The skills you learn whilst doing it are very useful too and will last a lifetime - laminating wood, how to varnish properly etc. If you do decide to go for it you definitely won't regret it! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Hi there, the boat cost around £250 in materials. (The sailing rig was extra. The plans suggest using an Optimist mast, boom and rudder but these were too expensive for my taste so I made them out of cheap aluminium tubing. The optimist sail was around £100 but I later made another sail [a kind of storm mainsail] out of a tarpaulin so you could do this if you wanted to spend less) Fair winds! Chris 👍
Hi Barrie, we've had lots of contacts but it's not so easy as we are often away from the boat so it's difficult to meet with potential buyers. We're in the UK for a couple of months now but I'm sure that next spring our gorgeous little boat will ba taking some other lucky owner on their adventures... Building the tender was a brilliant DIY project. Fair winds! Chris & Rossella
The plans are quite reasonable then you can build it from whatever materials you like (there are lots of suggestions in the plans, which were written by an experienced shipwright with a lot of knowledge about wood types and so forth) Benjy told me recently that in the 13 years he’s been selling plans nobody has ever told him that the material he recommends you use (heavy pvc) has torn. These little boats are a lot tougher than you might think: check out the other video about them “Genius boat plans” and you’ll see kayakers using one as a barge with a huge amount of gear in. Cheers, Chris
Are you at all concerned about increased wear on the keel when you get somewhere that it's more likely you'll be beaching it instead of tying up at a dock?
Hi Matt, the keel has a sacrificial wooden strip which protrudes below the actual keel and PVC. This has around 10 mm of depth for wear and can easily be replaced in future should it wear down. Fair winds, Chris (& Rossella) 👍
Hi Roger! Emma was in Rossella's tummy while we sailed the tender around - she was 7 months pregnant! 😂 It's nice to think that the three of us have already been sailing together before Emma was even born. Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍p.s. If you are on Instagram, we share photos of Emma in our Instagram Stories feed pretty much every day. :-)
Brilliant folding boat! I like it better than any of the commercial products I have seen. Amazing how flat it folds. Americans should check with their local department of motor vehicles if they want to use it with a motor. I live in Florida, and I would be allowed to row or sail, but they will not allow individuals to put a motor on any boat they build themselves. To use any kind of motor, your boat needs to be registered and have a registration sticker on the hull. To register, you need a title, or certificate of origin from a manufacturer. Manufacturers need coast guard approval before they can issue certificates of origin. This process is too costly for one individual boat. So through this convoluted process, Americans are not allowed to build their own motorboat. You have to buy from a corporation, or move to a free country. You should be proud to live somewhere this is allowed. I could probably build one here and row it around, and then put the motor on when I am cruising in the Bahamas, as long as I take the motor off before coming back to Florida.
Hi there, the UK is an incredibly free country in this respect. Fortunately, flying the Red Ensign means that we can benefit from the favourable legislation of the UK when sailing in other countries too. A British SSR is applied for online and costs £25 (32 USD), which lasts for 5 years before having to be renewed online. We are very lucky to be eligible for British Registration. Fair winds, Chris, Rossella & Emma 😊
How do I title a homemade boat in Florida? Homemade Vessels If the homemade vessel is less than 16 feet in length forms HSMV 82040 and HSMV 87002 must be presented along with a $5.25 titling fee (for electronic title) or $7.75 (for paper title) or $11 (expedited (fast) title).
The two of you make me smile. Thanks
Comments like this make us smile too so thank you! Chris & Rossella 👍
Just bought a liveaboard and this is perfect as I didn't want to have davits. Hugely entertaining channel and lots of well thought out info. Thank you guys.
Paul
Just subscribed. You have great content. Very informative and straight to the point. You guys are filling a needed gap in the TH-cam sailing community and I hope you keep it up!
Hi Jeramy, thank you very much and welcome aboard as a subscriber! We have lots of videos coming when (we can find the time to edit them!) and we hope you will enjoy our future videos. Fair winds! Chris, Rossella & baby Emma 👍
Nice solution. And one can still cut bait on the floors whilst Cruising.
More ingenuity required to board it from the water ( spearfishing )
Easy to repair/rebuild in any port.
🔔 SUBSCRIBE ➜ bit.ly/Subscribe⛵ Informative Sailing Videos!
Buy the plans for this boat here ➜ bit.ly/benjy-website
Check out this video for more boat from the same designer ➜ th-cam.com/video/huVIfKQQ4gs/w-d-xo.html
Are you planning to include some kind of catamaran? It would be great!!
Just bought the project. Thank you for all your videos. :)
Congratulations, you are about to find that building one of these boats unbelievably satisfying! Have fun and enjoy the smell of the wood as you make your own boat! Fair winds, Chris
👍
Great design! Could you share where I could get the plans? Thanks!
Wow! Great video, lots of detail building. Yet The only thing I do not understand is how the sides and underside are laekfree connected to the “canvas”. Even a mast and rudder are possible. What great, little design this is. Great that you build it yourself! Fair winds and save sailing!
Hi Robin, the PVC is stapled to the (already varnished) plywood sides with a thick bead of silicone sealant in between the two. More silicone sealant is put on top and then some pre-varnished wooden trim pieces are screwed into place to act as another seal and also to hide the PVC attachment area. The plans are brilliant and pretty much anyone could build one of these boats! Fair winds, Chris (& Rossella) 👍
this is excellent chris thanks for sharing, have binge watched all your videos upto this point and need to binge some more to catch up.....am loving all the money saving hints and tips. you have a new subscriber. thanks again chris and your adorable family. Tony UK ;-)
Cheers Tony, much obliged! Chris 👍
very nice. i'd like an unsinkable tender though
Exactly 🤣
Thanks for sharing. On my list of projects. I have to tender out to my mooring and my 8ft fibreglass boat is heavy to get on and off car in my own and my old inflatable does not hold air well so this would be ideal and I could take it with me and not worry about leaving my tender on mŷ mooring. Great help to see your build. Fair winds. Andy Sussex, UK
Hi Andy, I think one of these tenders would be perfect for your needs. The 8 ft version is huge internally so the 6 ft version could well be an option too, depending on how much room you need for your use. We have always stored ours in a tarp tied to the lifelines on the port side of our 30 ft boat and you almost don't know it is there in terms of lost space. Another great thing about these boats is that they aren't very attractive to thieves, as they are so unique. Thery are perfect for transporting on top of, or inside, your car. Fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Sailing Britaly yes looks to be ideal. I have a good mile to get to my mooring so the bigger the better in terms of space so I don't have to do more than one trip so the 8' would be the one. Thanks
Perfect, well if you do go for it then good luck with the build and let us know how it goes! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Such a genius little boat! Great work!
Thank you very much, I just built this: the genius is in the design of it! We love this little boat though and have got lots of great memories from using it! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
That is what I am going go do! ty
what music you played 02:40? great video! thank you!
How big fabric did you need to buy?
I hope you have a matching hat for those trousers.an 8ft seahopper comes in at 450 2ndhand
Great project! In your opinion it can afford wind of 6-10 knots sailing?
Hi Marco, yes absolutely no problem. I even made a polytarp 'storm sail' for high winds. You can see more details in this video: th-cam.com/video/HRKiafUyieE/w-d-xo.html Cheers, Chris 👍
Brilliantness!
Cheers mate! 👍
This is so cool!
Cheers guys! 🙂 Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
I love it. Thanks for info. 👍
Our pleasure! 👍
How long it last? Is it sturdy against waves?
That's a great boat and a great video! I'm looking at building one of these but I was wondering if you considered the fliptail version from the same designer, and if so, then what made you choose the origami rather than the fliptail? Thanks and keep making great videos!
Hi there sorry for the delay, we've just seen this now. It was a very close call but we chose the Origami as it folds down flatter. They are both very valid boats though and I fancy building a Fliptail when I get the chance! Happy building! (if you haven't already! 😂) Cheers, Chris 👍
Thanks for sharing, really great. I would be interested if you can jump into the water and get back on the dinghy or would it be not stable enough to climb over the side walls? Cheers!
Hi Holger, I have always entered and exited the water via our sailboat, so have never tried to do this... In all honesty I don't think getting back in to the tender would be possible from the water unless you made it your mission to modify the dinghy to allow you to do this. I think it's a small price to pay for the other advantages of this boat though. Fair winds! Chris (& Rossella) 👍
Holger Stephan I know it’s a late reply but maybe a small rope ladder - similar to those used in life rafts - hung off the bow would work. It would be better off the bow as the outboard would counter the tendency of the boat to flip.
what is th fabric it uses?
Hi - im very interested in buying the plans and building it - few questions - if i get stuck can i get help? I want to sail it - do the plans include making the mast / sail / rudder etc? . How stable is the boat and is it likely to capsize? thanks!
Hi Marty! I'm almost certain you won't need any help as the plans are written in a very clear way and take you through everything step-by-step. (They even include instructions on how to varnish for beginners!) However, Benjy, the gentleman who made the plans, is a very approachable chap and would be happy to help you if you did get stuck. The plans do include instructions for making a leeboard and suggest using an optimist rig and rudder (we built our own to save money- there is a video about this on our channel). The boat isn't tippy at all, we had 4 adults in it too and it felt perfectly capable of taking more weight. (Don't get me wrong, this isn't a tender to go scuba diving from, but it was wonderful for our needs) Building this was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done, and taking a boat to sea that you have built with your own hands is an incredible feeling. Good luck with your build and let us know how it goes! Chris, Rossella & Emma 🙂
@@SailingBritaly thanks for the reply - im in Australia - are you confident i could source the pvc sheet that you use (i saw you mentioned in your faq)
@@martyjames6204 Yes, it is used by marquee makers and also as the sides of articulated lorry trailers, (amongst other things) so I'm sure you could get some in Australia.
@@SailingBritaly Hi Chris, still trying to locate the pvc sheet - i saw this on ebay - do you think it would be ok? thanks www.ebay.com.au/itm/Heavy-Duty-500-gsm-PVC-Tarp-4-5-x-3m-Used-Camping-Shade-Ute-Trailer-Truck-Cover/132850473634?hash=item1eee815aa2:g:njwAAOSwYj9b5jXt&frcectupt=true
Hi Marty, that's the material you need (at a great price) and it would be interesting to see what the advertisement is on the other side. With the right advert it could make for a very unique boat and a real head-turner! Cheers, Chris
Has Emma had a spin in the dinghy?
Thanks for the video. I may get one down the track and will keep your link.
In a way, yes: Rossella was 7 months pregnant when we recorded this video, so the 3 of us were sailing around together already! Building one of these boats is ridiculously satisfying and I would recommend it to anyone. Fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Sailing Britaly - I am buying my yacht next year. If the boat doesn't have a suitable dinghy I may follow your lead. While I've got you I wanted to thank you for your videos and sharing part of your life with me. You guys seem like really nice and very genuine people and I wish you all the success and happiness in the world.
Wow, thank you very much indeed: your comment has just made our day! We are very happy to hear that you are getting yourself a yacht and we hope to share an anchorage with you somewhere on this beautiful blue planet of ours at some point in the future. It really is a small world, and when you share interests with people there really are no national borders or boundaries - cruisers are just one big sailing family! Good luck with your boat hunting and fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Hello Chris and Rossella - great video, as usual, and thank you for posting it, we find it very inspiring!
We're cruising the Pacific Northwest where we have significant tides, so it's not uncommon to have to drag the dinghy back to the water at low tide, sometimes even hundreds of feet. Do you think this dingy would be able to handle this? And if not, any ideas / suggestions on what enhancements we could to do it as a solution?
Many thanks !
Adrian
Hi Adrian, thank you for watching and commenting - reading comments from our viewers really helps to keep us making more videos!🙂 I guess a lot depends on what kind of ground you would want to cover... The folding section of these boats make them look really vulnerable but in reality they use the same kind of material (and are therefore just as robust as) inflatable dinghies. First of all, if I was to build another one of these boats I would go for the 6 foot version. The internal volume is still huge (equivalent to that of a 9 foot inflatable with 18" tubes) but the boat would be incredibly managable to carry long distances. For long distances I would be tempted to come up with a solution to make things really easy: One option would be a backpack type arrangement for the boat, so that it can be loaded and carried off the ground easily with both hands free. Another option would be a couple of wheels attached to the transom, so that the whole boat (plus any 'stuff' inside it) could be wheeled around. Again, the options depend on what ground you are covering and what may work perfectly on a sandy bottom might not be well suited to mud and vice versa. The other, simplest, option is for two people to hand carry the dinghy via the incorporated carrying handles (one person can carry it folded but over a long distance but I have a feeling that this would get old pretty fast!) If two people carry the dinghy then each person would carry around 10 kg, which is doable even over a longer distance... Fair winds! Chris & Rossella 👍
Oh wow, thanks so much for the detailed and prompt reply! Ok, we'll go the 6' route, especially since most of the times it's just my lovely wife and me cruising around. Yes carrying around sounds doable then. Thanks !
My pleasure. I'm sure you will absolutely love the build too, it is so satisfying to build your own boat! Have fun and let us know how you get on! Cheers, Chris & Rossella 👍
Thank you for the video! Why you choose the 8’ over 6’ size? And where did you got the sailing rig from?
Hi Taras, we chose the 8' to have more room but if I was to build another one I would probably build the 6' version because the internal volume is still huge compared to an inflatable boat. I made the sailing rig myself: the plans show you how to build a leeboard but I made my own simpler version and the plans suggest using an Optimist rig. The Oppy rig was too expensive for my taste so I used the dimensions I found online and made my own rig from cheap aluminium tubing. I made the mast taller so that we would have more headroom. Both the mast and boom have internal splices which I made myself, so theyslide apart for easier transport and storage. The homemade sailing rig was really cheap. (I made DIY clamcleats out of copper pipe too...) These boats are great fun to build and own and I highly recommend them! Fair winds, Chris (& Rossella) 👍
Fantastic! Inconceivable needs a tender. This would be perfect. Thanks, Chris!!! ~Hans
+Sailing Inconceivable They are great boats Hans, we have lots of fun sailing this when we're anchored! Fair winds, Chris (& Rossella) 👍
Sailing Britaly How does it handle chop?
It's surprisingly good! The main thing is balancing the weight. We have had 4 adults travelling around very comfortably inside ours and it was perfectly stable as we pottered about with the outboard. The 'worst' situation is when I'm on the boat on my own with the outboard fitted and in that case you do have to pay attention as the freeboard at the back of the boat gets quite low if you put your bodyweight aft next to the engine. You can see this in the video as I'm setting off with the outboard. However, as soon as you move some weight forward there is plenty of freeboard. We tie a couple of fenders to the inside of the boat which are triple use - as fenders when we tie up alongside, as seats while we travel, and as buoyancy in case we were ever to get a rogue wave flood the tender. :-) Talking about it like this makes it sound like seat of your pants stuff but it's not at all, these are brilliant little boats and we have loved having this as our tender. Cheers, Chris
Does randomchris sell the PVC Fabric required? I'm trying to source and price before ordering plans. Thanks!
Hi Paul, the materials need to be sourced locally - it’s only the plans which are available to buy via the link above. For the PVC you can try eBay or other online suppliers. It’s the same material which is used for wedding marquees and truck trailer sides, so it should be easy to source anywhere. (The plans themselves have a list of suggested suppliers) These plans are excellent and building a boat is one of the most satisfying things you can do. The feeling when you put to sea in a boat you have made with your own hands is indescribable!... Happy building! Cheers, Chris 👍
Looks like a great little tender. Which model is the one you built? What does it weigh in rowing configuration?
We built the 8 foot version. Actually the 6 foot version is a really valid tender too as the internal volume is huge compared to an inflatable (probably comparable to a 9 foot rib). I have never actually weighed ours but I would guesstimate 25 kilos (57 lbs). I can pick the foled boat up and and walk around with it on my own quite comfortably. Fair winds! Chris (& Rossella) 👍
What is the fabric/waterproofing agent on it?
It's PVC, which is 100% waterproof. Cheers, Chris
What was the rough cost to build ? The wood I can see is not that much but the rubber material ?
It cost around $350 for the materials to build the rowing / outboard version of the tender. (i.e. not including the sailing rig - which I made myself from cheap aluminium) We have loved having this boat as our tender! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
beautiful lady. you are very blessed couple
Inspiring!
Thank you! Subscribe for more inspiration 😉 Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Hey this looks awesome, I always looked for a sailable tender! But it seems very long (I have a small boat like you), so where do you store it in the boat please?
Hi Arthur! There is a 6 foot version if you prefer... either way you can tie the dinghy along your lifelines at the side of your deck - you can still walk past it and on our 30 ft boat, the 8 foot tender doesn't interfere in any way with our sailing. We recommend building one of these to anyone - they are great fun! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
+1 good work, friend!
Thank you! 👍
Great little boat, wandering how much it cost you Chris on final price after buying materials and all
Hi Chris, this was a while ago now and I'm going from memory, but I believe the boat was around £300, and the sail conversion around £200 (including the Optimist sail). The outboard engine was £40 & the oars £15. It was a ton of fun and I really, really miss it! Cheers, Chris 👍
@@SailingBritaly thank you I'll look forward to making one 😉
I know this is an older vid but for a while I have been seriously considering building one of these as main tender for Rolling Stone. It seems so fragile though and has absolutely no floatation... any rip and it will sink like a stone. Did you ever consider or address this issue? I am thinking air bag seats or something...
The foldable parts are made from very thick PVC which is as durable as the material inflatable boats are made from, so it would actually be very difficult to rip. If you want floatation you can throw a couple of fenders in there and tie them down - these can double as seats if you wish. They are great boats and building one is just as much fun as owning one (in fact building that boat was one of the most satisfying things I've done!) Fair winds! Chris 👍
Thanks Chris I looked at these plans for ages and it's great to see yours in action for real. I love the idea of the sail option.
And BTW thanks for the gread vids. I am off to buy me a wet suction vacuum cleaner! Is that Mariners Farm? We are in Dover but the boatyard is so expensive and really, umm.., crap.
Our pleasure! The recent videos are from Medway Yacht Club, the other side of the river from Mariners Farm. It's a very busy and well organised club and is a great place to keep a boat. Happy hoovering! 👍
Amazing lil-boat-transformer! It's dream of all cruisers, i think ))))
Greetings from Russia!
We loved our little tender! попутный ветер и море 😉 Chris 👍
What is the fabric called? Their website just says 'PVC cloth' and 'PVC fabric', but Amazon has no idea what I'm talking about besides picnic tablecloth. Thx.
Try looking up Marquees PVC. Cheers, Chris
@@SailingBritaly Got on DDG in 2 seconds, thx. They didn't even reply :-( I'm not buying plans for something when I don't even know if I can acquire the materials needed...
You mustn't be going to the right place: bit.ly/benjy-website Benjy always replies and he is the best seller you could ever wish to buy from. Cheers, Chris
@@SailingBritaly Just checked again. That was where I was, maybe he's out on the water lol. From my Sent folder: Mon, Jan 4, 9:48 AM (1 day ago)
to info
Can you send my a URL to this item cuz Amazon has no idea what I'm talking about; they reply with 'tablecloth' and neoprene rubber...
If I can locate this material in stock somewhere, I'd love to get your Fliptail plans!
Thanks so much!
Wicked Smart :)
😊👍
Genius✌🏻
Thank you! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
hmmm to me all it needs is a lid and a headstone, but good idea
😂
I don't know that looks really difficult.... I better buy a two thousand dollar inflatable. :) Great video. I've almost started this project a few times. Thank you!
I promise you it's easy. I had never done any woodworking before and this was really easy and sooooooooo satisfying! The skills you learn whilst doing it are very useful too and will last a lifetime - laminating wood, how to varnish properly etc. If you do decide to go for it you definitely won't regret it! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Thanks. I was being sarcastic. Looks like a great project. I think I will wait until spring seeing as it hasn't been above zero F in ages. Cheers!
What was the cost of materials used to build it?
Hi there, the boat cost around £250 in materials. (The sailing rig was extra. The plans suggest using an Optimist mast, boom and rudder but these were too expensive for my taste so I made them out of cheap aluminium tubing. The optimist sail was around £100 but I later made another sail [a kind of storm mainsail] out of a tarpaulin so you could do this if you wanted to spend less) Fair winds! Chris 👍
No luck in selling your curent boat yet then. Pretty handy dinghy though, nice little project.
Hi Barrie, we've had lots of contacts but it's not so easy as we are often away from the boat so it's difficult to meet with potential buyers. We're in the UK for a couple of months now but I'm sure that next spring our gorgeous little boat will ba taking some other lucky owner on their adventures... Building the tender was a brilliant DIY project. Fair winds! Chris & Rossella
Cost information is missing, or did I miss it?? I am concerned about how this charming little boat will wear. So I may go for a banana-boat instead..
The plans are quite reasonable then you can build it from whatever materials you like (there are lots of suggestions in the plans, which were written by an experienced shipwright with a lot of knowledge about wood types and so forth) Benjy told me recently that in the 13 years he’s been selling plans nobody has ever told him that the material he recommends you use (heavy pvc) has torn. These little boats are a lot tougher than you might think: check out the other video about them “Genius boat plans” and you’ll see kayakers using one as a barge with a huge amount of gear in. Cheers, Chris
Are you at all concerned about increased wear on the keel when you get somewhere that it's more likely you'll be beaching it instead of tying up at a dock?
Hi Matt, the keel has a sacrificial wooden strip which protrudes below the actual keel and PVC. This has around 10 mm of depth for wear and can easily be replaced in future should it wear down. Fair winds, Chris (& Rossella) 👍
How does it do with rowing into the wind/chop over 10 knots of breeze?
Hi guys! We would row up to about 15 knots but any stronger that that and we would want an outboard. Fair winds! Chris, Rossella & Emma 👍
liked
Thank you! Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍
Crickey!!!
:-)
We need a baby segment every episode.
Hi Roger! Emma was in Rossella's tummy while we sailed the tender around - she was 7 months pregnant! 😂 It's nice to think that the three of us have already been sailing together before Emma was even born. Fair winds, Chris & Rossella 👍p.s. If you are on Instagram, we share photos of Emma in our Instagram Stories feed pretty much every day. :-)
Brilliant folding boat! I like it better than any of the commercial products I have seen. Amazing how flat it folds. Americans should check with their local department of motor vehicles if they want to use it with a motor. I live in Florida, and I would be allowed to row or sail, but they will not allow individuals to put a motor on any boat they build themselves. To use any kind of motor, your boat needs to be registered and have a registration sticker on the hull. To register, you need a title, or certificate of origin from a manufacturer. Manufacturers need coast guard approval before they can issue certificates of origin. This process is too costly for one individual boat. So through this convoluted process, Americans are not allowed to build their own motorboat. You have to buy from a corporation, or move to a free country. You should be proud to live somewhere this is allowed. I could probably build one here and row it around, and then put the motor on when I am cruising in the Bahamas, as long as I take the motor off before coming back to Florida.
Hi there, the UK is an incredibly free country in this respect. Fortunately, flying the Red Ensign means that we can benefit from the favourable legislation of the UK when sailing in other countries too. A British SSR is applied for online and costs £25 (32 USD), which lasts for 5 years before having to be renewed online. We are very lucky to be eligible for British Registration. Fair winds, Chris, Rossella & Emma 😊
How do I title a homemade boat in Florida?
Homemade Vessels
If the homemade vessel is less than 16 feet in length forms HSMV 82040 and HSMV 87002 must be presented along with a $5.25 titling fee (for electronic title) or $7.75 (for paper title) or $11 (expedited (fast) title).
Welcome to baikal
Hey Darling! Where is the tender? It's right behind the fridge! Ho! OK!
Hah.... I was Like # 1000!!!
Porta-Bote is way Better.
How much did it cost to build?
Brilliant!
🙏