Duo by Woods Designs
10ft Sail/Row Dinghy (with nesting option)
| Length overall | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beam | ||
| Draft | ||
| Draft (cb up) | ||
| Accomodation | 3 | |
| Weight | ||
| Sail area | ||
| Engine power | 2.5hp max | |
| Hull construction | Stich-n-glue | |
| Gallery | 7 photos and 6 videos | |
| compare | ||
Description:
The Duo is a simple to build 3m (10ft) hard chine rowing and sailing dinghy that can be built from just two sheets of 4mm (3/16in) plywood. It is also available as a nesting dinghy, so it can be stored on a cabin roof or even in the back of a car. Typical build time for the basic rowing boat ready to paint is 35 hours.
Duo is really two boats in one. The detachable, inflatable collars mean the boat is narrow on the waterline, as that makes the boat lighter and faster, especially when rowing or motoring with a 2hp outboard. Yet the collars mean the Duo remains safe, stable, dry and buoyant. Then, in sailing mode, with the collars removed and the "wings" added the Duo is a fast, fun and safe boat.
Even when using epoxy glue and okoume plywood hull materials cost should be under GBP100, USD150.
The rowing, sailing and nesting plans are now available. A quote from a builder "Thank you very much for the updated plans for the Duo. Just had a quick look over them and I think the solution to the nesting joint is brilliant. A beautifully simple approach to solving this problem!"
The complete set of plans comprise 27 sheets, which you can print out on A3 paper (legal) or A4 (letter).
Photo gallery
Video gallery
10ft Duo plywood rowing/sailing dinghy on its maiden row. The boat is unfinished, only primer paint and it is missing the inflatable collar that is an integral part of the design. We borrowed the overlong oars, which made it awkward to row
Rowing the Duo dinghy with inflatable collars fitted (although it is still missing the bow ones). These collars act as fenders when coming alongside, buoyancy in case of flooding and add extra stability as the boat heels. I was surprised how much extra stability they give.
The wings are unfinished, as are the inflatable collars, the sail needs refinement (it's an old Walker Bay 10 mainsail) and the helmsman needs to be several decades younger. Even so and despite the light winds top speed was nearly 5 knots on the gps.
My second sail on the 10ft two sheet plywood Duo. It has been painted and I have dispensed with the inflatable collar. I'm still keeping the "training wheels" under the wings for now. Although if you look carefully at foiling Moths you will see that they also have buoyancy built into the ends of their wings.
One of the essential tests when designing and building a small boat is to perform a capsize recovery trial. Because it is the first time it should be done in controlled conditions, just in case. So I did it inside a boat house with the boat tied with a long painter.I wore a wetsuit and a buoyancy aid. I am a fat 60year old with a bad back (I took some painkillers before doing the tests), so if I can do it anyone can.
A 10ft Duo dinghy built in the Edensaw Boatbulding Challenge as part of the Wooden Boat Festival. The boat was started on Friday morning and is seen here being rowed on Sunday lunchtime.
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