Dinghy Cruising with a Mothership

I am approaching sixty-five years of age and for most of my life I have spent my nautical leisure hours sailing a dinghy of one sort or another. Dinghy sailing has added greatly to my understanding of a range of subjects, and other than the experience of being a spouse and a parent, sailing has been my central passion.

A recent three-day trip allowed me to add to my dinghy cruising experience in a manner which may be of interest to others who are reaching an age where comfort and shelter send out a Siren call to dinghy sailors who have reached an age of decrepitude. One of my sons accompanied me and my equally decrepit friend Ian, and he suggested that we pair of oldies would benefit from something more comfortable to sleep aboard that a pair of light-weight sailing dinghies. Dave's suggestion was that we should take along my Phil Bolger-designed 16 ft diesel lobsterboat to act as a mothership.

Phil Bolger Lobsterboat powered by a Yanmar 1GM10 diesel of 8 hp (continuous rating)

The Lobsterboat as drawn by Phil Bolger with an open interior, strip-planked smooth hull, and powered by a long-shaft 15hp outboard. With the designer's consent, I built mine with a glued-lapstrake hull, a cuddy, and an inboard diesel.

Ian wasn't impressed with the idea of taking along a motorboat, but I could see the advantages given where we were intending to go, so I told him it was going to happen whether he liked it or not.

The initial plan was for the camping gear, food, and water to be carried in the Lobsterboat and that we would all take turns sailing the dinghies. The combination looked good because the Lobsterboat cruises very happily at five or six knots despite her semi-displacement hull, and she has a big propeller well suited to towing if required.

The dinghies were  a Flint and a First Mate - both being 15 footers (or very close to) - Flint is a rowboat which sails well, and First Mate is a sailboat which rows nicely!

Flint showing a 59 sq.ft. sprit-boomed Leg-o'-Mutton sail as used on many of Phil Bolger's small sailing craft

First Mate with a 76 sq.ft. Balance Lugsail

Flint is currently rigged with a 59 sq.ft. Phil Bolger generic sprit-boomed Leg-o'-Mutton sail left over from a previous boat, while I wait for the 'as designed' gaff-headed sloop rig to arrive. The combination of a tall rig set on a heavy composite mast and a sail without the capacity to be reefed meant that the idea of sailing Flint down the bay for four hours into a blustery south-easter was not practical. So, we set off with Flint under tow, and David sailing First Mate. Strike one for the Lobsterboat...

We were sailing into the lee of Green Island here and the water was relatively flat - but outside the lee things were pretty boisterous!

The conditions outside the harbour were 'character building', with a strong wind right in or teeth. Dave sailed hard on the wind, but the combination of a strong headwind and an outgoing tide meant that we were making slow progress. Nobody wanted the sailing to stop, but in order to get to our destination before dark, it was decided to cut short the sailing at a point just under one quarter of the way to our anchorage. This situation demonstrated just how beneficial the mothership concept was turning out to have become. We were all time-limited, and therefore did not have the luxury of anchoring-up somewhere until the conditions improved. But with the Lobsterboat and her muscular Yanmar diesel, we were able to continue - straight into the teeth of the playful south-east wind while towing both sailing dinghies. Strike two for the Lobsterboat...

As always seems to be the case, the camera makes the sea look more calm than it actually is - as you can see from Flint leaping over a wave, it was rougher than it appears.

It was late in the afternoon when we reached out destination, but as soon as we were safely anchored, Dave rigged Flint and went off sailing around the anchorage and beyond. Our harbour was excellent as a anchorage, but it was so well protected that we only got light and flukey wind, and the sailing was less than exciting.

About a mile from our intended anchorage

Mothership safely anchored , allowing  for an evening sail in Flint

What became immediately clear to all three of us was just how pleasant it was to have a roomy, stable boat upon which to set up our accommodations. In our part of Australia the UV levels are cruel to humans much of the time. In our dinghies we rely on sun-screen and protective clothing, but in the Lobsterboat we had the tremendous benefit of a bimini and a cuddy cabin. We all sufferred from the sun over the three days on the water, but it would have been much, much worse without shelter. Yet another strike for the Lobsterboat...

The Lobsterboat and Flint. In the late afternoons we attached shade-cloth around the western-facing end of the bimini.

We spent a pleasant few days exploring - mostly in the sailing dinghies, but when we weren't sailing it was very convenient indeed to have access to the shore by way of  rowing.

Flint acting as a tender

I'm expecting to get hold of some more photos and video, but in the meantime, here is a short Youtube clip of the outing...