Posted by Laurence Monkhouse on June 10, 2007 at 20:54:10 from 82.27.30.16 user Laurence_.
In Reply to: Re: The Folding Boat Question. posted by Laurence Monkhouse on June 09, 2007 at 08:24:32:
Actually I may have been a bit harsh on the Prout folder - it served me well for several years when I had a 15 foot displacement dinghy on a mooring, and I only remember it actually sinking when we took it onto a beach and tried to use it in the surf.
It came out of use when I moved onto racing dinghies and came back for a short while when we got our first keel boat. I shall never forget rowing two dogs in it, both frantic to get ashore after our six hour maiden voyage, to land on Mastodon Island.
But it wasn't really suitable to row across the Orwell with two people in anything of a sea, and by then was showing signs of age, to which it succumbed when I casually tossed a pair of rowlocks into it - they went straight through the rather ripe canvas bottom.
I don't recall ever actually trying to stand up in it (GN Chapter XXVIII).
I saw one still in use in France at the Brest Festival of the Sea in 2004 - a classic boat amidst 3,000 rather grander classic boats. It was for sale, and I was just a little tempted.