Dyer Dhow Rehab

[Ishmael 10,574]

4 hours ago, Ajax said:

What size bit should I use in comparison to the size of the actual screws?

I usually use a bit the same as the root diameter of the screw in hardwood, a rch less in softwood.

[Jim in Halifax 593]

Refresh my memory: is a rch thinner than a bch?

[Ishmael 10,574]

5 hours ago, Jim in Halifax said:

Refresh my memory: is a rch thinner than a bch?

Depends on the owner, but generally yes. Also depends on the cultivation and harvesting.

[ZeroTheHero 61]

somewhere out there is a Dyer Dhow with carbon fiber stringers and extra tabbing locations under the seats.  It was frostbite at IHYC for one winter while I was racing there.

[Ajax 2,977]

No progress.

I had just whipped up a fat batch of penetrating epoxy when I looked at the package and realized that it was the cold weather formula left over from when I replaced my cabin sole over the winter. The instructions clearly state that using it in temperatures over 65F will prevent proper penetration and curing. It's 85F friggin' degrees here.

I ordered a batch of "normal" formula which will arrive today.  I hope to have the rail epoxied and the boat reassembled over the weekend.

[Ajax 2,977]

Ok, rail is sealed with penetrating epoxy. As per the vendor's website, I added one part of denatured alcohol to thin it and gain deeper penetration. The alcohol evaporates out. I sanded the rails to open up the grain prior to epoxy.

Today, I hope to install the oar locks and thwarts.

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

Mount them like you mean it. 

[Ajax 2,977]

@Kris Cringle Is that the bridge in Pulpit Harbor?

Yeah, I'm through-bolting the center oar locks because they'll also be used as hoisting points.  It's amazing how long the boat held up with everything being secured with simple bronze wood screws.

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

Good eye. Did you go up there? You can row up that tidal creek nearly a mile at high water. 

[Ajax 2,977]

4 hours ago, Kris Cringle said:

Good eye. Did you go up there? You can row up that tidal creek nearly a mile at high water. 

Oh yes, we went way past the bridge in the electric dinghy. There was a pretty good current running so one direction was sort of a "free ride."  I'm so glad the people here recommended Pulpit Harbor. It was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip.

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

19 hours ago, Ajax said:

Oh yes, we went way past the bridge in the electric dinghy. There was a pretty good current running so one direction was sort of a "free ride."  I'm so glad the people here recommended Pulpit Harbor. It was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip.

It's nice to hear such positive feedback from a visitor. Thanks! 

 

Pulpit Harbor is popular with most of us local sailors as well. 3 nearby harbors, Rockland, Rockport and Camden all have a likely close to broad reach -to and fro,  between Pulpit and our home moorings.

For us, it's usually a very pleasant 1 1/2 hr. broad reach to enjoy a snug overnight in the wide anchorage.

Needless to say, in nearly 30 years, we've spent many nights here and have yet to tire of it.

It's a place for sailors. 

 

 

[Ajax 2,977]

Ok, the Dyer is 99% back together.

I'm just waiting on another order of bronze fasteners to hold the front set of oar locks.  I still have all of my old bronze screws but they look like hell. The boat is as stiff as a sailor's dick now.  I'd like to varnish the rail but it definitely has a waxy blush from the penetrating epoxy on it that needs to be scrubbed off first.  Once I get the final fasteners and scrub the hull out I'll post photos.

I have two sailing events that I need the dinghy for. After that, I may throw it right back into the garage for a paint job...if I think I can keep the temperature of the garage high enough for paint to cure. If not, I'll wait until spring.

[accnick 1,741]

Well done all around, Ajax.

Come back to Maine when you can.

Plenty of anchoring room here.

[Ajax 2,977]

16 minutes ago, accnick said:

Well done all around, Ajax.

Come back to Maine when you can.

Plenty of anchoring room here.

I'd sure prefer to have the Dyer with me instead of an inflatable on the next trip . Much easier to explore. Plus, I'd look cooler sporting a classic dinghy in the land of classic boats.

[Ajax 2,977]

Done. 

The stainless steel fasteners don't look as salty but I lacked confidence that I would install the rivets tightly enough.

[gkny 26]

I notice that your traveler appears to be wire.  A small diameter spectra works well.  One trick is to thread some weed wacker line down the middle of the spectra.  This will make it stiffer and the sheet is less likely to catch on the rudder as it slides by. 

[Alex W 342]

3 hours ago, gkny said:

One trick is to thread some weed wacker line down the middle of the spectra.  This will make it stiffer and the sheet is less likely to catch on the rudder as it slides by. 

Thanks for that advice!  That’s been a problem annoying me for a long time. 

[Ajax 2,977]

11 hours ago, gkny said:

I notice that your traveler appears to be wire.  A small diameter spectra works well.  One trick is to thread some weed wacker line down the middle of the spectra.  This will make it stiffer and the sheet is less likely to catch on the rudder as it slides by. 

I understand that people race Dyers and that one of the tricks is to cover the bow area forward of the mast. Do you have one of those?

How do you store your Dyer?  I don't have indoor storage but as you can see, I do have a tiny trailer for it to keep it off the ground. When not in use, I flip it over on the trailer to preserve the interior.  It's kind of a hassle and I feel like I'm stressing it out by manhandling it that way.  I'm debating making a cover with battens.

[gkny 26]

I do have a bow cover.  It doesn't help much if you bury the bow but is does help with water splashing over the bow.  If you do install it, one trick is to drill small holes below the rail and run the lines through the holes and then use bungee cord and time them to the brackets for the thwarts.  This avoids hooks or hardware on the outside of the boat that might scratch other boats/things.  The bungee does a better job of keeping it in place then trying to tie the line tight.

Frostbiting fleets regularly store the boats upside down and then flip them over to sail.  ONe thing that you want to avoid is having water freeze in the centerboard well.  It will destroy the plywood board after awhile and it will prevent you from moving the board if you want to frostbite and it is frozen.

I have toyed with a cover for the boat when it is stored upright.  I bet that you could find a cheap dinghy cover made for a similar size dinghy or inflatable that would cover the rails that you could modify slightly.

[gkny 26]

Oh one more thing.  If you want to add flotation quickly and cheaply, drill a 1/4" hole through the bottom of the vertical support for the forward thwart.  Feed a line through the hole and on each side of the vertical support tie the cord to a one gallon bleach bottle.  You get about 16 or 18lbs of flotation in the bow and it is out of the way.  If you don't like it, it is easy to remove.

[Ajax 2,977]

@gkny  Great tips. I'm pretty sure there isn't any foam under the aft-most seat. I should find a way to fill that void with foam or something. The bleach bottle is a good tip.

Although the Dyer rarely ships water during towing, I thought that the little bow cover would be prudent to have to keep water out. Speaking of towing, do you think the bull nose ring on the bow is sufficiently strong or should I be rigging up some sort of bridle hardware for 2 or 3 points?  I've towed and even hoisted the boat onto the foredeck just by that little ring but that doesn't mean that it's smart to keep doing it.

[Alex W 342]

I think that the ring can be strong enough with a big backing plate.  You might have to shape one out of a block of G10.

I switched from Dyer to Gig Harbor dinghies and prefer how GH does it.  They have a G10 tube (about 3/4" ID) that pierces the bow laterally and which is glassed in place.  The tow line is run through the tube.  This is very strong and lighter than the ring and hardware.  The Dyer Dhow dinghies have a broader bow which might not allow it (but would allow for the big backing plate).

 

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

That eye and ring arrangement is pretty standard. But I would look at it like oar locks or anything else with bronze on bronze, movement. It will wear and thin and eventually may need replacement. 

 

[Ajax 2,977]

The Dyer needs a name. The mothership is "Alacrity."  A search for antonyms yielded mostly derogatory words.

What's a good word that sums up relaxed/unhurried or moving at a relaxed pace?

[slap 977]

12 minutes ago, Ajax said:

The Dyer needs a name. The mothership is "Alacrity."  A search for antonyms yielded mostly derogatory words.

What's a good word that sums up relaxed/unhurried or moving at a relaxed pace?

Ambling?

[eric1207 256]

apathy

[Ishmael 10,574]

27 minutes ago, Ajax said:

The Dyer needs a name. The mothership is "Alacrity."  A search for antonyms yielded mostly derogatory words.

What's a good word that sums up relaxed/unhurried or moving at a relaxed pace?

Sloth?

[sail69 133]

"Chill" and I put large fender washers on the inside to beef up that fitting. 

 

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

nip, no caps

[LakeBoy 111]

Slowly, Slowly, Slowly said the Sloth by Eric Carle

 

After thinking for a long, long time, sloth admits to being ‘slow, quiet and boring,’ as well as ‘lackadaisical…unflappable, languid, stoic, impassive, sluggish, lethargic, placid, calm, mellow, laid-back and, well, slothful!’ He is also a welcome example for all: ‘I am relaxed and tranquil, and I like to live in peace.’ 

[Ajax 2,977]

Tomorrow,  we're off to the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival. The sailing rig is packed. 

 

[Ishmael 10,574]

That's odd, Ajax. Your last two pix show up sideways in the post but right-way up when you click on them.

[Ajax 2,977]

10 hours ago, Ishmael said:

That's odd, Ajax. Your last two pix show up sideways in the post but right-way up when you click on them.

Yeah, not sure what's going on there.

[Ajax 2,977]

15 hours ago, Kris Cringle said:

nip, no caps

What's the reference?

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

ALACRITY makes me think, brisk, quick. Good boat name.

Nip, (in my experience) is sort of slang, "I'll nip over to,.." . It's slang for nipple too but you're not that shallow a person. 

I don't think clever (or humorous) works for boat names (or dogs) so I like the simple ones. True boat names. 

 

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

A friend of mine owns a 9' Dyer and she named it TURACO. It's a tender for her Hinckley Pilot, named GRACE,... if that helps. 

[sailman 412]

18 hours ago, Ajax said:

The Dyer needs a name. The mothership is "Alacrity."  A search for antonyms yielded mostly derogatory words.

What's a good word that sums up relaxed/unhurried or moving at a relaxed pace?

Gaiety 

tt Alacrity

[Elegua 1,844]

If the mothership is alacrity, the t/t is lassitude.
 

Dinghies tend to be ornery and disobedient in kind of a lost puppy kind of way. 

[Ajax 2,977]

Good stuff, keep it coming.

Nip and Gaiety are the top contenders.  For the dinghy, I prefer a short, simple name. 

22 minutes ago, Kris Cringle said:

Nip, (in my experience) is sort of slang, "I'll nip over to,.." . It's slang for nipple too but you're not that shallow a person. 

Yes I am. I love puerile humor.

Hey, I was advised not to put the "t/t Alacrity" on the dinghy because it just tells people that the mothership is unmanned and ripe for plunder?

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

Don't try pirate. Few people can do that. This is the only quality pirate reference I've come across. She was a tender for a pinky schooner. 

[gkny 26]

23 hours ago, Ajax said:

@gkny  Great tips. I'm pretty sure there isn't any foam under the aft-most seat. I should find a way to fill that void with foam or something. The bleach bottle is a good tip.

Although the Dyer rarely ships water during towing, I thought that the little bow cover would be prudent to have to keep water out. Speaking of towing, do you think the bull nose ring on the bow is sufficiently strong or should I be rigging up some sort of bridle hardware for 2 or 3 points?  I've towed and even hoisted the boat onto the foredeck just by that little ring but that doesn't mean that it's smart to keep doing it.

I have not towed a Dyer at speed with water in it but we regularly tow half-filled dhows that have capsized back to the RC and tow boats in when the wind has gone flat.  Never seen a problem with the existing hardware for the painter.

If you do not have foam under the back seat, I would certainly add it.  When I first got my Dhow, I capsized it trying a tight mark rounding.  It floated so low that I could barely bail the boat.  When boats in the fleet capsize they take forever to bail out.  I found an old piece of dock flotation foam when I rebuilt the dhow.  I am not sure if the rigid foam sheets at box stores are sufficiently closed cell as not to take on too much water.  The piece of thin ply that forms the vertical panel at the front of the aft thwart is a pretty good template to start with.

[Ishmael 10,574]

Apart from missing one letter, "Clarity" is an anagram of "Alacrity".

[Ajax 2,977]

Nip is taken!

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

All the good ones are taken. 

[Ajax 2,977]

Well,  the good news is the Dyer is buoyant when capsized.

I was able to right it and pump out a lot of water while I was in the water but I doubt I could re-enter without swamping it again.

[sailman 412]

1 hour ago, Ajax said:

Well,  the good news is the Dyer is buoyant when capsized.

I was able to right it and pump out a lot of water while I was in the water but I doubt I could re-enter without swamping it again.

If you are looking for a project you could do the double hull conversion that older model Penguins have done.  It turns the boat into a self rescuing model.

[sailor-cfn 62]

5 hours ago, Ajax said:

Well,  the good news is the Dyer is buoyant when capsized.

I was able to right it and pump out a lot of water while I was in the water but I doubt I could re-enter without swamping it again.

Don't try to right it by standing on the CB.  It'll break right off.

[sail69 133]

Yup...first thing I did getting into my new-to-me Dyer was having it scoot out underneath me dockside.  Stepped down in the 4' of water and shot back out onto the dock without even getting my phone wet in my pocket.  

My buddy thought it very funny.

It was...

Been spoiled by those RIBs et al.

[Kris Cringle 2,165]

Towing quality is under-rated for tenders. The Dyer Dhow is a light tow. 

[Rasputin22 3,493]

On 5/5/2021 at 7:31 AM, accnick said:

 

The dinghy shape is pretty wobbly  with the seats and gunwales removed, so they may tell you to do one side at a time. 

 

I knew a couple in the VI that had sailed down from the Chesapeake in a nicely restored sloop about 28' or so. They had the smallest Dyer (Midget?) that pretty much took up the whole foredeck on the offshore passages. They lived aboard near me in the harbor and could have been YouTubers these days and were very shipshape in every way. The name of the sloop was STEADY but what I really liked about them was that they named the small dinghy PROBABLY WOBBLY.

[freewheelin 163]

On 9/30/2021 at 12:49 PM, Ajax said:

The Dyer needs a name. The mothership is "Alacrity."  A search for antonyms yielded mostly derogatory words.

What's a good word that sums up relaxed/unhurried or moving at a relaxed pace?

What about Slack? Or Slackrity if you are feeling punchy.