Darren Bos wrote:

Nicholas Head wrote:

Can anyone advise what software or android app can be used to open and view this file? Thanks, Nick

.dxf is the standard CAD drawing file.  Any CAD drawing program should be able to open it.  I think David draws in QCAD, which would assure the maximum compatibility.  There are free versions of it available for Mac, Linux or Windows.

A rowing RIB!  The JRA is not a good place to browse when you have other work to do!  I found myself taking detailed measurements of Leeway's deck this morning.  I could fit the 3.5m (11.25') version on deck, the bow sections are just narrow enough to squeeze between the dorades. The idea of adding an inflatable collar is appealing, especially if it meant that the boat was lower when stored inverted on deck with the tubes deflated.  I suspect you'd have to leave a little more of the topsides than you see on a regular rib so that waves slapping the tubes didn't steal all your way when rowing in rougher conditions.  

Phil may have more experience making inflatable tubes than I.  I can make straight tubes out of PVC fabric fairly easily. However, it looks like the Walker Bay tubes are pre-bent.  Maybe they are torturing the fabric a bit on a heated mould when they weld them?  It looks to me like it would take five straight sections glued together per side to make a tube that follows the boats lines reasonably well.  It is possible to make D-shaped tubes as well, perhaps something with a structure like the Puffin Dinghy Slieve mentioned combined with D-shaped tubes would be best for a rowing RIB?

David Tyler wrote:

Darren Bos wrote:

 If you have a copy of the drawing to stash away in my someday dreams file (or so I have something to start from if someone steals the RIB) I'd like to see it.

Just to distract you further from the task in hand, I've brought down the length to 10ft, maintained the beam at 4ft and the displacement at 305Kg, and then increased the hull depth so that the draught becomes 10in. The dxf file is here. Not quite as sleek as the 11ft 4in version, but probably more useful as a tender.
Can anyone advise what software or android app can be used to open and view this file? Thanks, Nick

Hi David, I like this concept. There would be no need to purchase walker bay tubes though as these are easy and cheap to make. Make a nesting one and then we can all have the best of all worlds, no compromises.

Darren Bos wrote:

David Tyler wrote:When I was working on the SibLim design, I did several "what if?" exercises, scaling up and down. One of them was for a tender-sized dinghy, taking off the lute stern and trimming the topsides down to a more sensible height for a dinghy. I'd worked on a length of 9ft, but I've just revisited the concept and scaled it up to 306 Kg displacement when the transom and chine are just kissing the water. At a boat all-up weight of 46kg (101lb) the payload would therefore be 260kg - enough for 2 adults and 2 teenagers? The length, with a small bow transom, turns out to be 3.446m (11ft 4in), with a beam of 1.22m (4ft) and a draught of 0.225m (9in). The appearance is quite graceful, and somewhat similar to the Joel White Shellback. I think this would be a good rowing boat.

Any good?

That's not playing fair David, presenting a nice design right in my lap!  I must admit, it also tickles my sense of humour that my dinghy could be a half-scale model of Annie's Yacht.  I went back and looked over the Siblim16 and scaled down with the alterations you describe, it would make an interesting tender.  I only have about 10' of deck space to store the dinghy, so it is a little too long, although maybe I could squeeze the bow through the forward dorades to make it fit.  The last problems, would be that it would obscure the view forward from our low pilothouse and that I am in up to my neck in our complete refit and conversion of Leeway to a junk rig.  We plan to launch by Christmas this year and it will take all I have to do it.  If you have a copy of the drawing to stash away in my someday dreams file (or so I have something to start from if someone steals the RIB) I'd like to see it.