We just finished our Eastport pram that we have carried the plans for for over 20 years. We have lived aboard our sailboat for the past 21 years and have dreamed of being in one place long enough to build a rowing/sailing dinghy. Now that it is completed the realization that it is pretty small has hit us. As our car it seems too small and possibly will be a very wet ride in unprotected anchorages. We came across a deal we couldn’t pass up for a Passagemaker, but we have to cut it and make it a take apart to be able to fit it on our 38’ sloop. Does anyone have any advice for how best to modify to a take apart? We have a plan, but would like to hear about your experience if you’ve done this. Also, does anyone have experience with assembling the boat in the water? TIA for any info!
I don’t have answers to your questions, unfortunately, but here is something else to keep in mind. I have a Passagemaker and really like it, but the weight and size distribution of the two parts is not very even. The boat is about 90 pounds and I’d guess it’s 60-30 on weight. The large part is a bit awkward. Something to keep in mind especially if you want to use it as CC ac tender. The PT11 looks to be much better at nesting and weight distribution, but of course., is considerably more $.
You might want to call CLC for info about how to cut an existing PMD. As I recall, normally there’s a slightly different build with a cardboard spacer to accommodate the saw.
If you haven’t already read it, John Harris’s blog post The Big Little Dinghy that Could has good info about the difference between a take-apart dinghy (PMD) and a nesting dinghy (PT11). Also, I don’t think that the PMD is designed for assembly in the water. It has holes for the bolts in one piece. Once it’s assembled, the holes are plugged by the bolts and sealed with a compressed gasket, but not before. See the FAQ on the PMD page. The PT11 can be assembled in the water.
The PMD’s advantages over the PT11 are larger size and capacity, as well as the lower price. If it turns out that cutting would be a problem since it wasn’t originally built for it, or that you need true nesting instead of stacking, you could consider leaving it in one piece and hang it on davits.
Good luck,
Laszlo
Thanks for the input Steve. Not only will it be awkward, but we will be covering most of our hatches when it’s on the deck. We have a plan that looks great on paper, but I was hoping someone out there has actually tried it! We’re familiar with the true nesting and easily assembled boats, but we got a killer deal on this Passagemaker and want to try and make it work. Glad to hear you’re happy with yours. Fair winds! ~ Kimberly
I have not tried to assemble mine on the water. As mentioned, it does have holes at the bottom, but I don’t think you would ship a lot of water through them during assembly. You could always slap a piece of tape over the holes and just push the bolts through it. It is a good boat and has a lot of capacity.