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Adinghy[2] is a type of smallboat, often carried ortowed by alarger vessel for use as atender.[3] Utility dinghies are usuallyrowboats or have anoutboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they differ fromsailing dinghies, which are designed first and foremost for sailing. A dinghy's main use is for transfers from larger boats, especially when the larger boat cannotdock at a suitably-sizedport ormarina.
The term "dinghy towing" sometimes is used to refer to the practice of towing a car or other smaller vehicle behind amotorhome, by analogy to towing a dinghy behind ayacht.[4]
The term is aloanword from theBengaliḍiṅgi,Urduḍīngī, andHindiḍieṁgī.[5][Note 1]
The term "dinghy" has some variability in its definition, but is generally a small open boat which may be powered by oars, sail or an outboard motor. Some individual examples have the option of being powered by all three of these methods, some by two, and some by just one means of propulsion. A dinghy does not have a cabin or a fixed keel. The upper size limit is often stated as 20 feet (6.1 m) length. Particularly small examples are 6 feet (1.8 m) long.[7]: 20 [8] Dinghies used asship's boats, particularly in naval use, are often stated as having a size range of 12 to 14 feet (3.7 to 4.3 m) or 12 to 16 feet (3.7 to 4.9 m).[9]: 63 [10]: 66, 71 [11]: 275–2276, 280
Dinghies are designed for a range of uses. Some are intended as a tender for a larger vessel. Others are small utility boats, used where a larger boat is not needed. Many are designed primarily for sailing. These fall into two groups: those intended for racing and those for non-competitive leisure use.[8][7]: 11–12
A rigid-hulled dinghy can be made of wood (using either traditional or modern techniques), fibreglass or, more recently, moulded polypropylene. Inflatable dinghies solve some of the storage problems for tenders for yachts, though a fast inflatable boat powered by a powerful outboard motor would not be considered a dinghy.[8][7]: 21 The inflatable life rafts which equipped British military aircraft during World War 2 (and for a period before and after) were called dinghies.[12]
Dinghies usually range in length from about 1.8 to 6.1 m (6 to 20 ft). Larger auxiliary vessels are generally calledtenders,pinnaces orlifeboats. Folding and take-down multi-piece (nesting) dinghies are used where space is limited. Some newer dinghies have much greater buoyancy, giving them more carrying capacity than older boats of the same size.
On yachts shorter than 10 m (32 ft 10 in), there is usually not enough room for a reasonably sized dinghy. A dinghy is useful to avoid the need for expensive dock or slip space, so owners of small yachts compromise by carrying a small rigid dinghy or deflated inflatable, or by towing a larger dinghy. Space can be saved by storing items in containers or bags that are tied to the dinghy. Dinghies are sometimes used as lifeboats. Recently, self-rescue dinghies have returned to use as proactive lifeboats that can be sailed to safety.
Rigid dinghies for small yachts are very small, about 2 m (6 ft6+3⁄4 in), usually with a pram (blunt) bow to get more beam (width) in a shorter length. Larger dinghies are towed and should have reserve buoyancy, an automatic bailer, and a cover to prevent them from being lost at sea. Most masters prefer a tow cable long enough to put the dinghy on the back side of the swell to prevent the dinghy from ramming the transom of the yacht.
Inflatables are inconvenient to tow and take extra time to inflate but are very compact and fit easily into place while at sea. Space can also be saved by using a sectional two-piece rigid dinghy that is towed while in harbour and disassembled into two nesting pieces while off-shore; typically the bow section fits inside the stern and is stored upside down on deck. There are several types of collapsible rigid dinghy that dismantle into a series of flat panels for easy stowage.
Inflatable tubes can be fitted to an existing hard dinghy, increasing buoyancy and stability.
A dinghy should have a strong ring on the bow. The ring secures the painter (the line that anchors the boat to a dock), and is used for towing and anchoring. Ideally, the dinghy should also have two other rings (one on each side of the stern transom) which, with the bow ring, are used for lifting and securing the dinghy for stowage.
The only other essential pieces of hardware arerowlocks (also known as oarlocks). Conventionally, a dinghy will have an oar on each side. A single sculling oarlock or notch on the transom is less common, but requires less space; and is used with a single sculling oar moving back and forth, never leaving the water, as used on asampan.
Many modern dinghies are made of synthetic materials. These require minimal care and do not rot but can suffer from fibre glass pox which is caused by the ingress of saltwater through the gel coat. Inflatable dinghies can be made of fabrics coated withHypalon,neoprene orPVC.[13] Rigid dinghies can be made ofglass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) but injection-moulded one-piece hulls are also available. Other materials for modern rigid dinghies includealuminium, marineplywood which tends to be much lighter than most types and, with the advent of sturdy,UV resistant polyurethane varnishes, wood. Some wooden dinghies (especially of classic or historical form) are built using thecarvel orclinker methods. Favoured woods, in order of rot-resistance, are white oak,black locust, species ofcedar andpine, true as well as African and Asianmahoganies,fir andspruce. Rot resistance depends on paint as well as protection from rainwater. Plastic hardware is sometimes used, butbronze andstainless steel are goodcorrosion-resistant materials for hardware, although stainless steel can be subject tocrevice corrosion after many years especially in a boat using an outboard or other motor and must be inspected. Stainless steel should never be used for fittings permanently in the water. Owners should check that the correct grade of stainless steel is used in a fitting. Working boats may use lower-costgalvanizedsteel, but the hardware may need to be re-galvanized or replaced eventually.
The dinghy is generally carried inverted amidships on yachts, on top of the coachroof where there is the most space. It is useful for a dinghy carried this way to have handholds built into the bottom, making launching easier and providing handholds on deck.
Most yachts launch their dinghies by hand or with a simple lifting tackle rigged from the main mast. Davits over the transom is convenient and elegant, but sailing in a heavy following sea could cause the loss of a dinghy. If a dinghy is towed, an extra line with a loop in the end (known as a lazy painter) can be attached to a dinghy so that if the towing line breaks, there is a line to grab with a boat hook. This makes retrieval easier at sea, especially if the boat is partially swamped.
In some countries dinghies have names or registration numbers. On hard dinghies these are usually on the bow, on inflatables on the inside of the transom.
Small dinghies under 3.66 m (12 ft) are usually powered byrowing with one set ofoars. Beyond 4.88 m (16 ft) it is feasible to have two or even three rowers, normally using a pair of oars. In some models, sliding thwarts allow far more powerful rowing while in others, a removable thwart can permit standing rowing. Some self-rescue dinghy/yacht tender dinghies have two sets of oarlocks (rowlocks) and an adjustable middle seat to allow for ergonomically efficient rowing positions. A single scullingoar with an oarlock on the rear transom can be a compact emergency oar. Inflatable dinghies without a rigid bottom are difficult to row more than a short distance, and are usually powered with anoutboard motor, or, if necessary, paddled.
Another option is an outboard motor. Two horsepower per meter can reach hull speed. Ten horsepower per metre (7.5 kW/m) will put a flat-bottomed dinghy onplane. A 3.05-metre (10 ft) dinghy with a hard V-bottom hull and a fifteen-horsepower (11 kW)outboard can reach speeds of 25 mph (40 km/h; 22 kn). Thegas tank is usually placed under the rear thwart. Engines always swing up so the dinghy can be grounded without damage. Since the transom may need to be cut down for the engine to fit properly, an engine well should be used to prevent low waves from splashing over the transom and flooding the boat.
A typical sail choice for a dinghy isgunter rig with a shorter mast that fits within the hull when unstepped. Sprit rigs have no boom, and the advantage that the sail can be brailed up out of the way against the mast when rowing or motoring.Lug rigs are another common single sail type used in small dinghies, both standing and balanced (with some area forward of the mast), and usable with or without a boom.
Traditional working dinghies have a lee board that can be hooked over the side.[citation needed] This does not split the cargo space. A sailing rudder is usually tied or clipped to a simple pair of pintles (hinge pins) on the transom with the bottom pintle being longer so that the rudder can be mounted one pintle at a time. The rope keeps the rudder from floating off in a wave. Both rudders and lee boards have swiveling tips so the dinghy can be landed. Rudders are often arranged so the tiller folds against the rudder to make a compact package.
Racing dinghies usually have a daggerboard or centreboard to better sail upwind. The trunk is in the middle of what would otherwise be cargo area. A self-rescue dinghy intended to be used as a proactive lifeboat has leeboards on either side, to allow for maximum open cockpit area.
Solar propulsion[14] uses hybrid flexiblesolar panels integrated into thebimini top supplying power to alithium batterybank. Twin in-hulltrolling motor produce 72 pounds-force (320 N) ofthrust powering the solar dinghy to 3–5 knots (3.5–5.8 mph; 5.6–9.3 km/h) depending on weather conditions. Alternate power is supplied by apropane outboard[15] for increased speed and range.
DINGHEY. A small boat of Bombay, propelled by paddles, and fitted with a settee sail, the mast raking forwards; also, the boats in use on the Hooghly; also, a small extra boat in men-of-war and merchant ships.
