The Birth of a Dinghy

Our boat came with a dinghy, a cute dinghy, but it was not a very usable dinghy. So Stan did a little research and decided the size, shape and type he wanted to use on The Pearl. We needed a roomy stable dinghy we could use to explore, fish and travel safely in. What he liked was a small fishing boat with a 4’ wide tri-hull bottom. We are always looking for a good deal and that is exactly what Stan found on Craig’s List. It had the type bottom he was looking for…it was too long and in very bad shape, but the fiberglass shell was still usable. It was cheap and had potential.

Stan brought it home (actually the kid selling it delivered it to our house) and completely gutted the inside and cut 3 ½ feet off the stern. He replaced the transom, floor, and small deck on the bow, then fiber glassed the interior and had his cousin, who runs Marshall Marine, spray it with gelcoat. Sounds easy…doesn’t it? Between the heat and the fiberglass, it was quite a job. Stan still wants to sand and gelcoat the exterior. It is hard to believe it is the same boat! The biggest and most frustrating job may be yet to come….getting it registered with The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. They don’t make it easy.

The original dinghy could be sailed, rowed or have a small motor attached.  Very cute...very tipsy!

The dinghy before...

The dinghy after...