Elegant wooden dinghy

I am looking for an elegant  wooden dingy on the USA east coast.preferably an old one that I can put some love into.

Thankyou and Fairwinds

Florence

Hi Florence,

This dinghy meets two of your three reqirements - 3 if you include hard work as one.  But it's not old..in fact, you will need to build it.  If you do, I think you will have the finest dinghy around.  Take a look.

http://store.gartsideboats.com/collections/all/products/10-ft-clinker-dinghy-design-127

Good luck.

BTW, which boat do you own?

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003

Florence,
the link to the plans Chris posted makes me think this may be a very popular design indeed as we live in Northern Ireland and have one.
The photo is of the finished version belonging to my wife.
She was built from Paul Gartside's plans by Dougal McMahon, a Lough Ree boat builder based in Southern Ireland. Her build is of larch planking, copper fastened to oak frames with an oak stem and keel. She has mahogany thwarts and transom with larch floors, but differs slightly form the original design plans in having a modified stern thwart.
She's very stable, rows easily, tracks very well, is dry in a cross chop. She also tows well in a bit of a swell behind our Swan 36 and is big enough to easily carry a couple of adults with 3 dogs with a weekend's sailing kit without being over burdened.
At 160lbs she is a bit on the heavy side for two to carry up a long slipway, but that's a trade off we're very willing to accept.

Hope this helps.

Brian.
(36/021 -Seamróige)

Hi Brian,

This truly is a small world!  What a beautiful dinghy you selected for your beautiful yacht!  I love Paul Gartside's work and he is a true gentleman - I own plans for a 19-foot sloop that he designed.  I had planned to build this boat when I came across my Swan 43 - so that project is postponed!.

However, I have spoken to Paul about building the dinghy you own and that I listed for Florence, using a modern method - glued strakes.  Although she will lack some of the appeal and true beauty of a traditionally build boat, she will be dry in and out of the water and will weigh closer to 60 pounds.  There's a trade-off with everything and I suspect that the lighter weight will als make for a slightly less stable boat.  Right now it is a dream, mostly becuase I still want to build the slopp mentioned above.

Thanks for posting.

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003