Nesting/Breakdown Tenders
Hello List
I'm looking a building a new tender to my 23' yacht this (southern
hemisphere) winter. The 7' 6" pram that currently serves is nice and light
and fits (akwardly) on deck but these are it's only redeeming features.
The local conditions don't really suit small tenders or inflatables, as my
mooring is a long way "off" (about 300 yards) and its very exposed to the
wind. Chop is usually small and isn't usually a big problem as theres not
much of a fetch. I row by preference and through the poverty imposed by
owning a yacht(!).
Normally we tow the tender but sometimes sea conditions dictate that it
needs to be on deck, likewise when we race ocassionally.
Our three kids like to fish and often the best places are in close to the
rocks/over reefs where I'm not keen to risk the mothership.
I think these factors point to the need for a tender of about 10' - 12'.
The BIG question is how to fit it on deck when required. Long experience
with things that "cunningly convert" such as settees that convert to berths
and the like have convinced me that it pays to do lots of study to get
things simple.
Some of the designs I know of in rough order of preference are:
BandB's "Castaway 10"
Dave Gerr's "Nestor"
Bolger's BWOM nesting tender (enlarged)
Jaques Merhterns Nesting Pram
There are probably lots of others. I would appeciate hearing about other
ideas for breakdown/nesting tenders, especially the system used to divide
them eg cut athwartships like "Nestor" or cut lenghtwise like PCB's nesting
pram. Also of interest is the system used to align the pieces and fasten
them. My thoughts are that it might be best to figure out the best method
of achieving the breakdown, then selecting and adapting an existing
"conventional" design.
Regards - Foster Price
Southland, New Zealand
I'm looking a building a new tender to my 23' yacht this (southern
hemisphere) winter. The 7' 6" pram that currently serves is nice and light
and fits (akwardly) on deck but these are it's only redeeming features.
The local conditions don't really suit small tenders or inflatables, as my
mooring is a long way "off" (about 300 yards) and its very exposed to the
wind. Chop is usually small and isn't usually a big problem as theres not
much of a fetch. I row by preference and through the poverty imposed by
owning a yacht(!).
Normally we tow the tender but sometimes sea conditions dictate that it
needs to be on deck, likewise when we race ocassionally.
Our three kids like to fish and often the best places are in close to the
rocks/over reefs where I'm not keen to risk the mothership.
I think these factors point to the need for a tender of about 10' - 12'.
The BIG question is how to fit it on deck when required. Long experience
with things that "cunningly convert" such as settees that convert to berths
and the like have convinced me that it pays to do lots of study to get
things simple.
Some of the designs I know of in rough order of preference are:
BandB's "Castaway 10"
Dave Gerr's "Nestor"
Bolger's BWOM nesting tender (enlarged)
Jaques Merhterns Nesting Pram
There are probably lots of others. I would appeciate hearing about other
ideas for breakdown/nesting tenders, especially the system used to divide
them eg cut athwartships like "Nestor" or cut lenghtwise like PCB's nesting
pram. Also of interest is the system used to align the pieces and fasten
them. My thoughts are that it might be best to figure out the best method
of achieving the breakdown, then selecting and adapting an existing
"conventional" design.
Regards - Foster Price
Southland, New Zealand