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Description
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The Pram is a durable, self-bailing dinghy that is a perfect training boat for beginner sailors. The simple design is very low maintenance, and offers a platform very similar to an Optimist for kids to get excited about sailing. Fed up with expensive fiberglass repairs? The Pram's polyethylene hull is nearly indestructible and will withstand the tough use that a beginner program boat takes. With no air bags or sail ties to worry about, and a nearly dry boat after capsize recovery, programs and individuals will love the ease of use with these pram trainers.
CONSTRUCTION
- Rotomolded polyethylene hull
- Self bailing with built in flotation
- Durable, replaceable mast partners
- Foils made of superior marine plywood
SAIL & RIGGING
- Durable sleeve sail with window and battens and reinforced webbing tack and clew
- Blocks, sheets, and halyard included
- Mast, sprit, and boom made of high grade aluminum
- Many Optiparts fittings including spars and blades can be used
*Boat price doesn't include freight from Zim Sailing to Customer
Product Reviews (1)
Posted by Samson Vasquez on 4th Oct 2021
We purchased nine of them and the kids just love them! Perfect to learn to sail in before the optimist.
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Eastport pram.
The Eastport Pram’s™ many joys are multiplied when you add the sailing rig. Not a clumsy add-on, the large standing-lug sail and efficient rudder and daggerboard convert the pram into a proper sailboat with enough real performance, upwind and down, to keep the most seasoned sailors interested. The 48-inch beam means that the likelihood of capsize is remote as long as the sheet is never tied down. This is the perfect craft in which to learn to sail, whether the crew is age 8 or 80. Small tenders should be able to withstand heavy handling alongside the mothership or in the dinghy park. Planking is 6mm okoume throughout, with three 9mm frames and seats. There’s a big, deep skeg for tracking under tow. In addition to multiple layers of fiberglass on the bottom panel, there are two cypress rubbing strips on the bottom to take the abrasion of dragging on a beach. For added safety, permanent flotation tanks are built in beneath the seats
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1991 Pulsifer Hampton
Well maintained Pulsifer Hampton with Yanmar 3GM for sale.
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Learning Curve, a 24 foot cat ketch sharpie drawn by Karl Stambaugh.
Whitehall 16 ft. Sailing & Rowing Boat
16 foot Whitehall rowing and sailing boat. Maine built 1985.
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- up to 10 ft
- Eastport Pram
Eastport Pram by Chesapeake Light Craft
Ultra-light sailing dinghy.
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URL: http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/boat-plans/sailboat-plans/eastport-pram-rowing-sailing-kit.html
Description:
The Eastport Pram , with more than 800 built, is one of the most popular small dinghies in the world. Classic good looks, stand-out performance, and ease of construction are hallmarks of this John C. Harris design.
Now in production for ten years, the design was updated in 2010. Now all Eastport Pram kits have the stitching holes for the temporary copper stitches drilled in all of the hull parts by our computerized machinery. Bulkhead locations are indicated by drill holes and machined "mortises" so there's no need for measuring, and the parts fit exactly every time.
Also new for 2010 is an updated sailing rig. While the old rig is powerful and weatherly, the new rig is taller, bigger, and sports battens for a sleeker look and even more power on all points of sail. All this, and the Mark II mast is actually a foot shorter! The new rig may be retrofitted to older Eastport Prams . It’s simple to add the rig later if you just want a rowing boat to start with. In fact, the standard kit includes the daggerboard trunk, to make the conversion quick and easy months or years later!
We gave the Eastport Pram deep rocker for low wetted surface and to keep the transoms from dragging. The result is a boat that is as easy and satisfying to row as you can expect on such a short waterline. Used as a tender to a larger boat, or kept at a dock, it's possible to undertake a long afternoon row around the local waters without breaking a sweat.
The Eastport Pram ’s many joys are multiplied when you add the sailing rig. Not a clumsy add-on, the large standing-lug sail and efficient rudder and daggerboard convert the pram into a proper sailboat with enough real performance, upwind and down, to keep the most seasoned sailors interested. The 48-inch beam means that the likelihood of capsize is remote as long as the sheet is never tied down. This is the perfect craft in which to learn to sail, whether the crew is age 8 or 80.
Small tenders should be able to withstand heavy handling alongside the mothership or in the dinghy park. Planking is 6mm okoume throughout, with three 9mm frames and seats. There’s a big, deep skeg for tracking under tow. In addition to multiple layers of fiberglass on the bottom panel, there are two cypress rubbing strips on the bottom to take the abrasion of dragging on a beach. For added safety, permanent flotation tanks are built in beneath the seats.
For all its virtues, perhaps the neatest thing about the Eastport Pram is the ease of construction using CLC's patented LapStitch process. Not only does the hull go together in a single weekend, but everyone agrees that the lapstrake Eastport Pram is one of the most beautiful dinghies they've ever seen. It will take the patient novice only 40-50 hours to assemble the hull, with a little more part time work for finishing. It is our easiest kit and perfect for families.
"Rowing from the center seat with the spoon-bladed oars moves the boat with a minimum effort, and it sails in just a ghost of a breeze. It punches through chop and boat wakes more easily than might be expected from such a light boat ..." Good Old Boat Magazine, March 2001
| Design | Length | Beam | Sail area | Engine power | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| by Chesapeake Light Craft Ultra-light Sailing Nesting Dinghy | | | | - | ||
| by Chesapeake Light Craft Handy boat that can be rowed, sailed, and powered with up to three large adults | | | | 2 - 4 | ||
Boats about same size as Eastport Pram
| / |
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Questions? Suggestions? Contact us at: [email protected]
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Topaz WWS Pram- World Wide Sailor
$ 2,720.00
Back in Stock!
The World Wide Sailor Pram is a durable, self-bailing dinghy that is a perfect training boat for beginner sailors. The simple design is very low maintenance, and offers a platform very similar to an Optimist for kids to get excited about sailing. The WWS Pram’s rotomolded polyethylene Trilam hull is nearly indestructible and will withstand the tough use that a beginner program boat takes. With no air bags or sail ties to worry about, and a nearly dry boat after capsize recovery, programs and individuals will love to ease of use with these pram trainers.
‘READY TO SAIL’ IS SUPPLIED INCLUDING:
• Self bailing with built in flotation
• Durable sleeve sail with window and battens
• Reinforced webbing tack and clew
• Blocks, sheets, and halyard included
• Dyneema rope ties for boom block and lower block
• Complete Spar set: mast, sprit, and boom made of high grade aluminum with pro Clam Cleats
• Foils made of superior Mahogany marine plywood
• Rudder complete with tiller and extension
We have boats in almost 50 countries around the world. Who’s next?
Description
The world wide sailor is the best-selling training optimist dinghy..
Its strong yet light Trilam PE, UV-resistant hull ensures an excellent sailing performance.
The World Wide Sailor sailboat has been especially designed for training sessions, with its extra reinforcements at vital points in the hull. The optimist is easy to handle, will always stay afloat and is self-bailing. After capsizing there will be hardly any water left in the cockpit, making the dinghy extremely safe and efficient during training sessions. chosen by Professional sailing schools & clubs as the best training dinghy for beginning youth sailors.
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Founded in 1967, CABBS brings together people who share a passion for building, sailing, paddling, and motoring in boats. Visitors are always welcome at CABBS activities.
boatbuilding-plans
The CABBS Optimist Pram
captain Published October 23, 2016 · Updated April 1, 2024
The CABBS Optimist is plywood on frame construction and assembled with construction adhesive and screws. Simple and quick to build with common hand tools, it can be crafted in 40 – 60 hours. The boat weighs approximately 65 lbs.
The CABBS Optimist Plans
The CABBS Optimist plans are based on plans published in an early 50’s boating magazine and were drawn in 2006 to support a youth boatbuilding program on Cleveland’s Lake Erie waterfront. The CABBS Optimist will not meet the measurement requirements for competition as stipulated by the International Optimist Association.
The CABBS Optimist is an excellent sail training platform and perpetuates the Optimist dinghy designer Clark Mills’ ideal of offering youth a sailboat they could build with a minimum of hand tools and woodworking skills.
The builder can work from their computer screen, print out the plans on a home printer, or use a local resource to print out pages of the plans on 18″ X 24″ sheets.
The PDF of the CABBS Optimist plans cost $35 USD. The plans are copyrighted and give the buyer permission to build one boat from the plans. Proceeds from the sale of the plans help to support CABBS youth boatbuilding efforts.
How to Order
Once we receive your check we will e-mail you the PDF file of the CABBS Optimist plans and construction text.
Building a CABBS Optimist
Even more information
Want to learn more about building an Optimist? Here is a great site that compiles just about anything you wanted to know about building an Opti.
http://woodenoptimist.blogspot.com
Optimist Racing
Although the CABBS Optimist is true to Clark Mills’ objectives and fun to sail, it will not meet the measurement requirements for sanctioned racing competition under the International Optimist Association.
- Next story CABBS at the 2017 Cleveland Mid-America Boat Show
- Previous story CABBS Mini-Skiff
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CABBS Mini-Skiff
October 23, 2016
by captain · Published October 23, 2016 · Last modified November 26, 2016
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Description.
The Zim Pram is a durable, self-bailing dinghy that is a perfect training boat for beginner sailors. The simple design is very low maintenance, and offers a platform very similar to an Optimist for kids to get excited about sailing.
- Rotomolded polyethylene hull
- Self bailing with built in flotation
- Durable, replaceable mast partners
- Foils made of superior marine plywood
- Durable sleeve sail with window and battens and reinforced webbing tack and clew
- Blocks, sheets, and halyard included
- Mast, sprit, and boom made of high grade aluminum
- Many Optiparts fittings including spars and blades can be used.
Click Here to Request a Quote
You can also reach us at [email protected] or by calling 503-285-5536 ext2
Specifications
- Capacity: 1 Sailor
- Length: 7.8 ft
- Sail Area: 35 ft2
- Hull Weight: 81 lbs
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Why West Coast Sailing
We represent a dozen sailboat brands from all around the world. Our dinghy sailboat inventory is second to none, with at least 100 boats in stock in our warehouse at any time. Our staff has extensive experience sailing, racing, rigging, coaching and delivering boats worldwide. This is what we do:
- Selection – 70+ models of boats from manufacturers around the world.
- Service – Our staff is focused on helping you Own The Water.
- Experience – The team here has decades of experience on all types of dinghies.
- Inventory – Over $1million of boats and parts inventory in stock at all times.
- Logistics – We have experience shipping boats all over the world, at reasonable rates, quickly.
- Rigging – We rig most boats by hand, and stand behind our work.
- Long Term Support – We are a leader in our industry, and we didn't get here by cutting corners. We have your back.
- Apparel and Accessories – We have the apparel, accessories, trailers and dollies to go with each boat.
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Home | Intro | Our Design Process | Stock Design Info | Motor Yacht Designs | Sailing Yacht Designs | Prototype Designs Plans List | Articles | Our CAD Design Stream | Maxsurf | News..! | SITE MAP..! | Site Search | Design Team | Contact Us Please see the AVAILABLE BOAT PLANS web page
FOUR PRAMS THE ULTIMATE YACHT TENDER Three Views of the Pram Why The Pram...? A pram will make an excellent tender for any yacht, having the most carrying capacity within the least length compared with any other shore boat type. We have developed four basic pram designs at 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet and 14 feet. Each of them share the same features and general shape. The ten foot pram is shown in the drawing above. Intended for construction in welded aluminum, these little boats are easy to assemble. They are light and extremely tough. As a further advantage of welded aluminum, these prams have built in flotation compartments for unsinkable safety. A longitudinal WT compartment is along each side, plus the aft seat and forward seat also are WT compartments. Check out the following photos of the 10 foot pram built in Port Townsend, Washington. These photos were taken on the pram's launching day in Port Townsend Bay. (I'm the guinea pig in the yellow life vest..!). Being rigged Sailing Side view Forward view Sail & rig
The Pram In Use
Sailing: These prams are all "Cat" rigged. They make use of leeboards in order to keep the interior clear. The presence of the leeboards on each side is the very reason for the topsides to have a generous tumblehome – so the leeboards will naturally have the correct angle to the water on the leeward side when heeled.
You can see from the photos in the above links that we did not have a blistering sailing wind that day...! Sail we did however, plus we had oars...
Rowing: Just the right amount of rocker has been given to the bottom to allow easy rowing. Due to the bottom rocker it is not an ideal craft for planing speeds or high power. Sailing and rowing however are excellent!
Motoring: The aft transom rakes aft a bit and is designed to easily take a rudder for sailing. We have created an outboard bracket (detailed on the plans) that mounts right onto the rudder gudgeons. The outboard bracket is very strong and will take a low power "trolling" outboard of around 3 to 5 hp on the 10' pram, and up to 8 or 10 hp on the 14 footer. This will provide very adequate displacement speeds.
Convenience: The forward transom allows one to step right into the bow and the pram is still stable. This is really quite convenient: The combination of the flat bottom and the forward transom ordinarily allows the pram to be driven right up on the beach where one can step off the forward end and not get thoroughly doused whilst going ashore.
Camping: The fully welded all aluminum hull is extremely strong, in particular with the floatation chambers along each side. Thus the prams do not require the added strength of a center thwart, and the center rowing thwart is arranged to be removable. The use of leeboards and making the rowing thwart removable were choices we made primarily in order to allow a completely clear and unobstructed interior for day sailing.
However this combination also allows the 10' to 14' prams to be used for camping while at anchor or while beached. The bottom is flat athwartships. Thus, with a sleeping mat laid on the bottom you can stretch right out in there using the boom and sail as your tent. With a good sleeping mat, a friendly couple can sleep there quite comfortably.
Stowing: As can be seen in the drawing below, towing and stowing are also optimum. What makes these prams so easy to stow? It is primarily due to having a transom at both ends. Because of this, for a given carrying capacity the pram is able to be shorter than a similar craft with one or more pointy ends.
Capacity: In addition to its own weight, the maximum carrying capacity of the 8' pram is around 350 lbs. The larger prams have proportionately larger carrying abilities. For example, the 10 foot pram can carry 25% more weight, or around 435 pounds. The 12' pram can carry 50% more, or around 525 pounds. The 14' pram can carry 75% more, or around 612 pounds.
Due to its relatively square-shaped ends, a pram can carry more weight per foot of overall length than any other type of shore boat, with the possible exception of an inflatable. However an inflatable can not be properly rowed... nor does an inflatable offer the fun of sailing !
Dimensions & Weights...
The 10 footer is 10 feet end to end at the top of the transom, and the other sizes are also as long as their nominal length, from bow transom top to stern transom top. All the prams are the same width at 4' - 4" to the outside of the knuckle. Bottom width is 3' - 4" for all of them. Maximum height from transom top to skeg bottom is 1' - 11" for all the prams.
When finished, the surface areas are as follows:
- 8' Pram: 76.5 sq ft
- 10' Pram: 90.2 sq ft
- 12' Pram: 107 sq ft
- 14' Pram: 132 sq ft
These are the total surface areas of each aluminum pram, as-fabricated.
The weight of each pram size will depend on the thickness of sheet used. For any of these prams we recommend 1/8" thickness plate, welded with a pulsed MIG. With straight spray arc MIG it is likely that 5/32" thickness will be required, however the pram will be 25% heavier as a result. The weight per sq ft of each thickness is:
- 1/8" aluminum plate: 1.75 lb / sq ft
- 5/32" aluminum plate: 2.1875 lb / sq ft
Add to that the weight of oars and center thwart (spruce oars and western red cedar thwart, so very light) for the rowing version. Say 6 or so pounds, plus bailer, nylon 3 strand painter and shackle.
Add to that the weight of leeboards, mast, headboard sail, halyard block, sheet, halyard, rudder, tiller for the sailing version. Douglas fir mast; marine plywood leeboards, rudder, headboard; oak or ash tiller; Dacron sail, Dacron line. Say 12 to 16 pounds.
You will observe that the weight of the as-fabricated aluminum for each pram size varies directly as the percentage of difference in length, adjusted per the thickness being used. The weight of the other items is fairly close to a direct percentage as well... however the painter, bailer, shackle, halyard block and similar items will not vary.
NC Cutting Files
An NC cutting kit is available for these prams. Please see the Plans List Page for a summary of the plan and NC kit prices.
What is NC ? It simply means Numerically Controlled ... in other words, computerized cutting.
The NC cutting files allow plasma or abrasive water jet cutting of all the parts including hull plates, transoms, seats and WT compartments. The result is that a mould or building jig is not required, and construction is very quickly accomplished. Using this method, I completed all the metal fabrication on the 8' aluminum pram in 4 days, complete with welded-on fittings.
Why is it so quick to build? With NC cutting there is no time spent planning, nor lofting, nor spiling of shapes, nor cutting, nor is there any time spent worrying about any of those things!
When we built the 8 foot pram, to begin we simply placed the bottom sheet onto two saw horses, pushed the middle down, fit the side pieces and transoms to it, and tacked it all together. The basic hull plates and transoms were assembled in a matter of hours.
In plywood, the same NC files can be used for cutting the sheets via a computer driven router. The NC cut parts then simply "stitch-and-glue" together, and again a mould or building jig is not required. In plywood, the configuration would be exactly the same - i.e. there would be the same shape and the same floatation chambers.
How Do You Get One...?
By far the most cost effective way to get one of these prams is to build it yourself. For that purpose, the use of NC cutting makes the job very easy and quick.
When pram plans and NC cutting files have been purchased we can also provide contact information for metal cutting companies for the NC cutting in order to create a boat parts kit, and we can provide contact information for aluminum boat builders who can do the hull fabrication. If desired, we can also recommend sail makers and spar makers, etc. but you might want to make the spars and rudder and leeboards yourself...!
The best way to discover building costs is to obtain the building plans and submit them to a few builders for a quote. If you intend to build one yourself, the above aluminum weights can be used to estimate the alloy cost, then just add to that the cost of sails and other items.
In my view, 8' is about the smallest practical size for these prams if any reasonable rowing and / or sailing performance is to be had. That said, certainly they can be done in smaller sizes, but at a great compromise in terms of performance and carrying ability. At sizes under 8 feet, aluminum construction is probably not optimum due to its weight, and the better choice would be a good quality of marine plywood...
Although we have not created plans for other pram sizes, certainly we could do so, along with the NC files. In plywood, and NC router can be used to pre-cut the parts, and the pram then assembled using the "stitch and glue" method.
Please see our Plans List Page for a summary of the Pram Building Plan and NC cutting file costs and ordering information.
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Boat Profile
The Ladybug Pram
It’s a wheelbarrow, and it’s a boat
From Issue Small Boats Annual 2010
T he Ladybug pram, a small dinghy with a wheel permanently fixed in a case in its bow, allows for a nearly seamless transition from the water to a beach, all the while keeping its passengers’ shoes dry. The boat can be built in either a 6′ or a 7′ model. I first spotted it at The WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, in 2008, on a visit to designer-builder Harry Bryan’s booth. The prototype Ladybug was perched on the grass in front of Harry’s display. Sitting there on its bottom, with oars-cum-wheelbarrow handles at the ready, the boat’s concept spoke for itself. Harry and I had barely exchanged pleasantries when I handed him $25 for a sheet of plans, and began set- ting up the project in my head. I needed this boat, as I’ll explain in just a minute. But first, allow me a short digression to illustrate this boat’s niche.
Fifteen or so years ago, I went on an evening outing with friends in a 24′ sloop in Maine; they were considering buying the boat, which the builder turned over to them for a few hours. We set out halfway through the tide’s ebb, rowing to the mooring from a gravelly beach—which had grown significantly wider when we returned to it at dead low tide after sailing. The prospect of lugging that dinghy up the beach after our pleasant sail was sheer drudgery. As we were considering our approach to the job, the sailboat’s owner-builder appeared on the beach in his pickup truck, drove to where we were standing, and stepped out of the cab without saying a word. He looped the beat-up fiberglass dinghy’s painter around his bumper hitch, returned to the cab, and stepped on the accelerator pedal. He hit stride at about 20 mph, the dinghy bouncing along behind him.
The Ladybug pram, with a knobby tire permanently mounted in its bow, eases the transition from water to land for beach-based sailors.
It was an impressive, albeit utilitarian, approach to a common problem: Many mooring-based sailors and powerboaters work from the shore without a pier and float, and they need a reliable dinghy system. Some use outhaul anchors, leaving their dinghies afloat and hauling them in to shore when needed. Some use dollies. Some use pickup trucks. And some use brute force, straining their backs and compressing their lumbar discs into sciatic-nerve-tweaking protuberances (ask me how I know). Very few people these days use wheel-barrow boats—an old concept that Harry Bryan revives with the Ladybug.
My wife, Holly, and I live near a gravel beach at the foot of a field with poor road access. We maintain a fairweather mooring off this exposed beach, and for several years have accessed this mooring with a dolly-mounted dinghy. It’s an adequate approach to the beach-dinghy problem, though it typically requires a trip overboard in knee-deep water to secure the dinghy to the dolly. It also requires some awkward lifting of the boat to place the dolly under it. And, the boat must be strapped down before its trip up the beach, lest it be rattled frustratingly askew of the dolly.
The difference in using the Ladybug for this transition from water to land is profound. The boat’s bottom has a pronounced rocker, or longitudinal curvature, at either end, allowing it to settle on dry land before the rest of the boat grounds out. The flat bottom forces the boat to sit bolt upright when it takes the ground, making it easy to step out and onto the beach. If you’ve backed onto the beach—my preferred approach—then you simply feed the oar handles through their respective holes in the transom, cleat the oar blades to the boat’s thwart (the oars are retrofitted with wooden cleats for this purpose), lift the transom, and back the rest of the boat out of the water on its wheel.
Ladybug has ample freeboard when carrying a sole rower; she’ll carry an additional passenger in calm conditions.
L adybug’s basic dimensions are based upon a William Atkin dinghy called Tiny Ripple. Holly and I built our Ladybug over the winter in an unfinished spare bedroom in our house. We borrowed the building jig from one of Harry’s WoodenBoat School classes, so I can’t comment on the moldmaking and jig construction—except to say that if you know how to use a tape measure, saw, and screwdriver, you probably won’t find this job too mentally or manually taxing.
The bow and stern transoms are laid out according to dimensions on the plans, fixed to the jig in their exact locations, and then beveled to accept the planking. The planks—just two per side—are likewise laid out according to dimensions shown on the plans, though their shapes can also simply be traced from the jig. The two planks are joined together by a riveted lap. Once they’re fastened, the bottom edges of the garboards are beveled to accept the bottom planking.
Harry offers three different options for the bottom: (1) a single layer of cross planking, with splined edges; (2) a sheet of plywood; and (3) two layers of thin planking, diagonally laid. The third option, in my opinion, is the best, as it makes economical use of short stock and creates a watertight panel that doesn’t rely upon swelling to achieve its watertightness, which is a good thing for a dinghy that spends most of its life on land. Holly and I took a slightly different approach to option number three. Since we had a stack of cedar of adequate length and generous width, we laid the first course of planking athwartships, and placed the second layer (each was 5⁄16″) fore-and-aft. Stuck together with thickened epoxy, the result is a two-ply sheet of cedar plywood.
With the transom, planks, and bottom in place, the boat is removed from the jig, flipped over, and fitted out. The fitout is pretty straightforward stuff: a handful of frames to improve the stiffness of the sides; a stern seat, a rowing seat and its supporting thwart, rails, oar-locks, and knees. The rowing seat is unconventional, as it is oriented fore-and-aft. This allows micro-adjustment to the boat’s longitudinal trim, without requiring the rower to switch thwarts.
The wheel is an off-the-shelf item from Seitech, manufacturer of small-boat dollies. For about $90, you purchase a knobby tire, a plastic rim, an aluminum axle, and nylon bearings. Then you make an axle bracket from plate bronze or stainless steel and oak or locust. The whole thing is affixed to the bottom with four screws, which allows for easy removal for servicing. The wheel lives in a case in the bow which, when viewed when the boat is in the water, could be mistaken for another seat or a gear locker.
The boat’s bottom can be built in one of several different ways, depending upon available material and personal preference. Here, a Ladybug bottom is being cross-planked in a single layer of cedar, edge-fitted with splines.
H ow does this amphibious dinghy perform? To be fair, we should consider it in both of its media and in the context of its intended purpose; this is a utilitarian dinghy, not a performance rowboat. It rolls over coarse terrain and short meadow grass very well. One can actually load a fair amount of gear into it and use it as a cart. Launching, depending upon the slope of your beach, is easy, too. I’ve found it best to load and unload over the stern transom. Typically the boat is afloat by the time I’m aboard, and little poling is needed. But, if a shallow-sloping beach requires it, a push on the beach with one of the oars is usually all that’s needed to get into navigable water. I lucked into a set of beater oars a few years ago, and these now belong to our Ladybug; it would be rather hard on the conscience to press a pair of new Shaw & Tenney spruce oars into such service on a rocky Maine beach. A dedicated pole would be handy.
And how does she perform on the water? The rowing ergonomics are fine, she glides between strokes, and I forget the wheel is even there. Ladybug is a small boat. Harry has piled three adults into his, and recommends such loading only in dead-flat water. In chop, while settling ourselves into the boat, Holly and I took a small amount of water through one of the oar holes—just once, but enough to warn us of the possibilities if we pushed things too hard in poor conditions. I spoke with Harry about this, and he had been thinking of some sort of flapper cover to stem such flow. I think that’s a good idea, and am mulling over the possibilities in neoprene. The rails are closer to the water than I’m used to; I would not feel comfortable in this boat in a significant chop with a large passenger aboard. I have, however, rowed it in breeze and chop alone, and feel perfectly safe in such conditions.
As with any small dinghy, loading and unloading at the mothership require careful weight distribution. One must adhere to the convention of unloading the ends of the boat before the middle. I’ve found standing from either of the low-slung seats to be a bit of a chore, but I’ve also been spoiled over the years by higher thwarts and larger dinghes. I wouldn’t change the position of Ladybug’s thwarts, as her rowing geometry is quite good as specified.
For overland transport of the boat, Ladybug’s oars must be retrofitted with wooden cleats; these notch over the thwart, securing the oars to the boat.
Ladybug tows well behind a bigger boat. Her bow is rockered so high that the wheel rides clear of the water—except when surfing downwind. Then, it does have a tendency to catch the surface and spin as the boat scoots down the face of a wave, but with no bad consequences. An ample skeg keeps her tracking straight.
This Boat Profile was published in Small Boats 2010 and appears here as archival material. For more information about the Ladybug Pram, visit Bryan Boatbuilding .
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Comments (4)
The wheel barrow boat was a lot of fun to build and my son used it to get out to his clam boat in Oyster Bay Harbor on Long Island NY. The instructions were very good and it was nice to be able to turn the boat over by myself.
This is a perfect first boat for anyone who is thinking about boat building as a hobby.
Thanks for the memories
Over the years, I built two of these little dinks, both out of plywood. I see that Mr. Murphy departed as I did from Atkin’s design, in that Atkin drew the stern seat as a true thwart. Trouble with that was there was no room for your feet when rowing solo. I did not incorporate a wheel at either end, but I have seen other wheelbarrow boats (Pete Culler designed one, for example, with the wheel and its trunk in a central location to also act as a centerboard)
Atkin claimed lifeboat functionality by having flotation tanks at each end. I used blocks of closed cell foam instead. I found the little boat rowed quite well–certainly better than the plastic abominations one could get from the local department store. I once raced a Livingston dinghy pushed by a tiny snarling outboard, and beat him to the beach. We also found it quite capable in a chop.
We often towed it behind PLATERO, our little 21′ wooden cutter, an Ed Monk design built in 1935. One time, under perfect conditions (stiff breeze off the stern quarter, broad-reaching into a roller-coaster sea sliding down from far north in the Georgia Straight between Vancouver and Vancouver Island), the dinghy was planing on a taut towline. A couple of porpoises accompanied us for a few moments, popping up on one side and then the other. One of them dropped back to check out the planing dinghy, which delighted us. This was one of my favorite moments in years of sailing, and I still cherish fond memories of it.
Here’s a little ditty for those who can’t remember how to spell dinghy:
How dingy is the dinghy, How peely is its paint; It floats upon the water, But a haughty yacht it ain’t.
I am wondering what the weight would be for this pram?
I never weighed mine; I cut into the stern seat a fingers-wide slot for a hand grip. This let me carry the dinghy vertically, though comfortably for only a short distance. I toyed with the idea of a wheel, but a narrow one in a trunk under the stern seat. My idea was that this would act as a sort of keg. The narrowness of the (hypothetical) wheel would have been to reduce drag.
I never regretted using plywood for planking, but I found bending in the chine logs to be a pain. Were I to build another one, I’d use stitch-and-glue for the sides-to-bottom connection.
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Practical Sailor Reviews Seven Performance-Sailing Dinghies
Agile, fun boats like the classic sunfish and new hobie bravo keep the smile in summer sailing..
Photos by Ralph Naranjo
Messing around in small boats is a global theme-one thats embraced by pond-bound pram sailors, river riders, lake voyagers, and all of us who call salt water home. The purpose of this sailing dinghy profile is to highlight seven very interesting little sailboats. Some are new designs, and others have stood the test of time, but all are currently being manufactured, and each drives home just how much fun sailing close to the water can be.
This isn’t a shootout among anorexic speedsters or a report on the best tender that doubles as a sailing dinghy. Its a look at perennials like the Optimist, Sunfish, and Laser-legendary competitors that have helped spawn some of the best sailors in the world. But its also a look at three of the newest entries in the dinghy-sailing circle: Bics Open, Hobies Bravo, and Laser Performances Bug. These agile, new sailing dinghies are chock full of fun and boat-handling features to inspire kids of all ages to go sailing.
Well also take a look at Chesapeake Light Crafts kit approach to getting started-one that offers meaningful lessons and tangible rewards well before the boat ever hits the water.
Scale down an Open 60, add sail technology long favored by windsurfers, and put it into play in a tough thermo-formed hull, and you have the makings for a new kind of watercraft. The result is a very interesting blend of performance and reliability that targets adolescent interest. When all is said and done, Bics boat is more akin to a sit-down windsurfer than a traditional Blue Jay. And like all good boats, its vying for attention not just based on performance, construction quality, and style, but just as importantly, on the price tag stuck to the hull.
The Open Bics light weight and wide, flat stern section means that even small chop can be surfed; and bursts of planing on a reach add a zing factor to dinghy sailing. The Open Bic is already an International Sailing Federation (ISAF)-sanctioned class, and fleets are developing around the US. Another bonus: Its an easily portable boat that can be carried like a windsurfer, adding excitement to a Sunday picnic at the beach.
The thermo-formed polyethylene hull is a modified hard-chine design with lots of beam aft. Sailed flat, the boat is agile enough to surf wavelets, and with a shape thats ergonomically friendly to hiking, the ensuing heel on the upwind leg puts just the right amount of chine into the water. In light air, careful control of heel can significantly reduce wetted surface.
The design team that developed the Open Bic saw it as a transition bridge from Optimist sailing to a more performance-oriented dinghy. An interesting innovation is that the Open Bic can be sailed with an Optimists rig and blades. This buy the hull only approach can be a significant incentive for parents with children outgrowing their Opti as fast as their boat shoes. However it wont be long before the kids want the fully turbo-charged feel delivered with the Open Bics well-shaped 4.5-square-meters rig, sail, and nicely foiled blades.
Bottom line: The Open Bic is fast, agile, and buckets of fun for kids uninspired by sailing in the slow lane.
Just when you think that Hobie Cat Co. has covered whats possible in beach-cat innovation, their design/engineering crew comes up with a new twist that reinvents the wheel. The Hobie Bravo is a good case in point.
In a recent visit to Backyard Boats ( www.backyardboats.com ) in Annapolis, Md., we got a good look at the Bravo. Nearly as narrow as a monohull but still quite stable, this quick-to-launch beach cat packs plenty of get-up-and-go. Its a simple to sail, entry-level boat that fast tracks learning the steer, sheet, and hike trilogy. The boat features a single, midline rudder and roto-molded hulls. The shape of the hulls provides enough lateral plane to allow a crew to make headway to windward.
The narrow (4 feet), 12-foot Bravo uses crew weight and hiking straps to add to the righting moment once the breeze is up. Whats done with webbing on larger cats has been converted to a shallow, rigid deck well on the Bravo. It does raise the weight of the boat to 195 pounds, but it offers comfortable seating plus room for cushions and a cooler. Kids or grown ups can have a Tom Sawyer-Huck Finn type of adventure aboard this fun little sailing machine. Or the family on a beach picnic can set it up and take turns speed reaching along a sandy shoreline.
The furling mast supports a roachy sail with slightly slanted vertical battens, helping to shape the boomless mainsail. The result is convenient sail handling, decent performance, and superior safety. Theres no boom to clobber the crew, and the roller-furled sail and mast are easily stepped in the tripod-like receiver. This interesting set of struts raises the top bearing point of the mast step and spreads rig loads out to the hulls. The furling mainsail offers the ability to reef, a big plus in a building breeze or when teaching children to sail.
Like all of the boats in the Hobie lineup, theres a wide range of specialty parts and fittings that make the boats fast to rig and easy to handle. The kick-up rudder is hung on gudgeons mounted in the center of stern, and just as rig loads have been effectively spread via the tripod step, the energy radiating from the large rudder is spread athwartships via a contoured deck element.
Bottom line: The boat is quick to rig, easy to launch, and responsive to beginners-more experienced sailors will have just as much fun power reaching when the breeze is up.
A pocket-sized club trainer, the Bug is an evolution of the kids trainer/club racer that leverages lessons learned in Optis, Dyers, and Sabots. It pulls together the logic of a stable hull shape and simple-to-sail rig, and puts it all in a cost-effective package.
Lending to its success is designer Jo Richardss ergonomic, roto-molded hull, a fabrication that is as close to zero maintenance as a boat can get. The straight out-of-the-mold polyethylene skin gets a few decals, and theres no wood to refinish or gelcoat to wax. These tough, abrasion-resistant hulls have a bumper boat tolerance thats a big plus when it comes to kids learning to sail. Best of all, owners can start with a learn-to-sail rig and upgrade to a more performance-oriented mast and sail package (41 or 56 square feet) that kicks performance into the fast lane.
Oars and an outboard motor bracket can be added to turn the little sailboat into a dual-purpose dinghy. Even the bow painters means of attachment makes sense-no projecting hardware ready to knick the topsides of unintended contacts. Instead, theres a recessed hole in the stem allowing a line to be lead through and a knot used to keep the painter in place.
Bottom line: Aimed at club programs and families look for boats that can be transported on the car top, the Bug is easy to rig and definitely kid friendly. The fact that its manufacturer, Laser Performance, is an international interest and a major player in the performance dinghy industry means that this boat and its parts will be around for a while.
Photo courtesy of Hobie Cat Co.
Eastport Pram
Chesapeake Light Craft expedites boatbuilding for do-it-yourselfers looking to take their garage-built boats for a sail. The company pre-cuts parts, packs kits with all the materials, epoxy, and paint youll need, and leads homebuilders through a thoroughly detailed stitch-and-glue approach to assembly. Kits are available in various stages of completeness, ranging from plans only to the full package, including sail, hardware, running rigging, and paint.
The Eastport Pram is just shy of 8 feet, and the marine plywood and epoxy construction delivers a boat that weighs in, sans sailing rig, at just 62 pounds. Lighter than the comparatively sized Bug, this stiff, durable dinghy, rows like a real boat and sails comfortably with one or two aboard. In keeping with other good tender attributes, the Pram behaves under tow and is equally amicable when propelled by a small outboard or tacked up an estuary under sail.
Kit boatbuilding continues to have a niche following. Theres also an added-value feature worth noting: On one hand, the builder receives a box of pieces and the result of his or her endeavor leads to an aesthetic and utilitarian dinghy. In addition, the DIY skills the builder develops will be useful in other epoxy bonding, brightwork, or mono-urethane application projects. Such talents will benefit many other boat maintenance endeavors.
Whats hard to quantify is the sense of accomplishment derived from sailing a boat that you have built yourself. When the project is tackled in tandem with a child, spouse, or friend, the memories and the boat will last.
Bottom line: With neither sidedecks or a sealed hull, this is not a boat thats easy to recover from a capsize. So once the kids favor on-the-edge sailing in a building breeze, a non swamping, easier-righting boat is probably a better option. The Pram can then be put to use by their appreciative parents or grandparents.
Never in their wildest dreams did Bruce Kirby and Ian Bruce imagine that the Weekender (the Lasers original name) was destined to become an Olympic class sailboat and one of the most popular springboards for top-tier sailors in the world today. Originally envisioned as a car-topper for weekend campers, the cat-rigged, low freeboard sailing dinghy morphed from its original roots into a boat favored by college competitors and revered by generations of agile sailors of all ages. Even frostbiting winter sailors have locked onto the Laser.
Designed in 1969, the Lasers first few years were anything but smooth sailing. Popularity grew quickly, but along with the limelight came plenty of consternation. Dubbed a surfboard not a sailboat by a growing cross-section of the yachting elite-many parents warned junior sailors to steer as clear of Lasers as they did sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. The campaign failed, and junior sailors in yacht club programs around the country fell into the grip of the new one-design dinghy-discovering the sailboats proclivity to plane.
Dyer Dhows languished in boat sheds across the country as a new theme in sailing took hold. Dubbed fast is fun by sailor/engineer Bill Lee, the young Merlin of Santa Cruz, Calif., took the theme to big-boat sailing, merging California culture with the Laser logic of light displacement and planing hull shapes.
Best of all, the Laser embraced the ideal of a tightly controlled one-design class that put people on the water in identical boats and left winning and losing races up to sailing skill and tactics rather than a boats performance edge. For decades, the boat has been the single-handed sailors choice among junior sailing programs, and with the addition of the Radial, 4.7 and M rigs, smaller competitors have also found the boat to be a great sailing platform. Today, theres some lawyer saber-rattling over the sale of the design rights, but the boat remains more popular than ever.
The sleeved sail, two-part spar, daggerboard, and kick-up rudder make the boat a quick-to-rig and fast-to-get underway dinghy. Light-air efficiency is good for a one-design sailboat, but this means that as the breeze builds, the non-reefable sail can become a handful in a hurry. In fact, the boats Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde demeanor is what builds talent among Laser practitioners. The big boys block the mainsail and blast off for the layline, while lighter sailors heavy-weather tactics include more nuanced de-powering and feathering. In light air, the tables turn, and the winner is often the sailor who planes quickest on the reaches. The old guards surfboard slam may have held some credence after all.
Bottom line: The Laser is a timeless classic thats easily transported and is built for performance. Its well suited to adrenaline-seeking teens as well as the more fit adult crowd.
Designed in 1947 by Floridian Clark Mills, the utilitarian Optimist could be made out of two sheets of plywood-and from its inception, the Optimist was meant to link kids with the water. Slipping into obscurity in the U.S., the little pram found fertile ground to grow in northern Europe. With just a few tweaks, the Scandinavians took Millss lines and parlayed them into whats become the favored junior sailing trainer for kids from Detroit to Timbuktu. Statistics show that there are about 30 builders worldwide putting out approximately 4,000 boats each year. With about 130,000 boats class registered and an estimated 300,000 total hulls built (amateur and pro), theres plenty of reasons to get excited about an Opti.
The example weve chosen is the USA-built McLaughlin boat, both a demonstration of high-quality FRP construction and modern manufacturing techniques. Its also a boat that can be purchased in a range of performance-inducing iterations-upgrades designated as club, intermediate, advanced, and professional versions. Like all performance sailboats, stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio is important. But class rules include a minimum weight, so the most competitive hulls meet the mandatory lower limit but use good engineering and building technique to reinforce the daggerboard slot and mast step and produce overall stiffness.
The low mast height and high aspect ratio sprit sail is very versatile, affording young (and small, 65 to 130 pounds) sailors a wide window of decent performance. The flat bottom, slab-sided hull is responsive to crew weight-driven trim changes, and the better the sailor, the more agile they become. Light-air performance is all about minimizing wetted surface and maximizing sail area projection. When the breeze starts to kick up, the sailor becomes the ballast, and the art of hiking, sheet handling, and tiller wiggling come into play.
Under careful adult supervision, two 6- to 8-year-olds can double-hand the friendly little dinghy, or one more-confident child can solo sail it. In fact, introducing kids to sailing with similar proportioned small prams has been a right of passage around for decades. A set of oarlock gudgeons can turn the pram into a functional dinghy thats also adaptable to the smaller Torqeedo outboard (www.torqeedo.com).
McLaughlin also markets a Roto-molded polyethylene version of the Opti and sells DIY kits for those who want to create their own wood version.
Bottom line: The Opti is like a first bicycle without the need for training wheels. The fact that at the last Olympics, over 80 percent of the winning sailors had gotten their start in an Optimist speaks well to the value of messing around in this particular dinghy.
Designed in 1951 by ice boaters Alexander Bryan and Cortland Heyniger, the hard chine Sunfish was the prototype board boat. In 1959, it made the transition into fiberglass, and over the following half-century, more than a quarter-million hulls would hit the water. Simplicity and decent sailing attributes combined with an attractive price to make the Sunfish the most popular one-design dinghy ever raced.
Far more than a platform for racers, these boats are an excellent training tool for sailors of all ages. Also built by Laser Performance, they reflect the fun of summer and put sailors in close contact with the water on which they sail. Its no surprise that the larger fleets coincide with warm water and many see going for a swim to be part and parcel of the low-freeboard experience.
The lateen rig is in keeping with the overall design concept and simplifies rigging. A short stub of a mast is stepped and a single halyard hoists the sail along with tilting V-shaped upper and lower booms.
The total sail area is nearly the same as the Laser, but the halyard hoist versatility of the lateen rig make it a handy beach boat and a little less daunting when the wind begins to build. The clean sail shape on one tack and deformation caused by the mast on the other tack are a slight drawback. The Laser rig is more efficient, but when caught out in a squall, its nice to be able to ease the halyard and dump the sail. Its also handy to be able to leave the boat tethered to a mooring, and the doused sail and short mast make it possible.
Multiple generations of sailors are often found sailing Sunfish, and the boat represents one of the best bargains to be found in the used boat market. When considering a pre owned boat, the potential buyer needs to take a close look at the daggerboard-to-hull junction and mast step, points where previous damage can create hard-to-fix leaks.
Bottom line: The Sunfish is a great beach boat that can turn a hot afternoon into a fun-filled water experience.
There were no losers in this group, and picking winners and runners-up proved a difficult task. The outcome had to be based on assumptions about how these boats would be used. For example, parents with a competitive 9-year-old who swims like a fish, always sprints for the head of the lunch line, and likes to steal bases in Little League probably have an Opti racer in the making. Less competitive junior sailors-future cruisers in the making-will do better learning aboard a Bug. Many newly formed sailing clubs target the boat as their trainer of choice.
The Bravo holds plenty of appeal for those with a lakeside cottage or a favored campground destination. Whether its a solo sail just before sunset or a fun race on Sunday, the quick to set up and put away features are a plus, and for those who feel that two hulls are better-the Bravo will hold plenty of appeal.
Serious competitors can campaign a Laser for life, and whether youre headed for a local district regatta or getting ready for the Olympic trials, the hull, rig, and sail remains identical-sort of like the Monaco Grand Prix being raced in a street legal Mustang.
Bic Opens new little speedster tickled our fancy, and as a trainer/performance boat crossover, it drew a strong nod of approval. Watching the junior sailors smiles as they sailed their Open Bics endorsed our opinion.
And if there is any boat that defines the essence of summer, the Sunfish takes the prize.
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- Chesapeake Light Craft
- Hobie Cat Co.
- Las er Performance
- McLaughlin Boat Works
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The Eastport Pram, with more than 800 built, is one of the most popular small dinghies in the world. Classic good looks, stand-out performance, and ease of construction are hallmarks of this John C. Harris design. Now in production for ten years, the design was updated in 2010. Now all Eastport Pram kits have the stitching holes for the ...
The Pram's polyethylene hull is nearly indestructible and will withstand the tough use that a beginner program boat takes. With no air bags or sail ties to worry about, and a nearly dry boat after capsize recovery, programs and individuals will love the ease of use with these pram trainers.
The Eastport Pram's™ many joys are multiplied when you add the sailing rig. Not a clumsy add-on, the large standing-lug sail and efficient rudder and daggerboard convert the pram into a proper sailboat with enough real performance, upwind and down, to keep the most seasoned sailors interested. The 48-inch beam means that the likelihood of ...
7′ 7″ Nutshell Sailing Pram Particulars. The Nutshell tows steadily and with little disturbance. An ideal yacht tender, she can also be rigged to sail. Very stable, yet swift under the lug sail, she's a great "fun" boat for kids and adults alike. Joel White, who created the design, has this to say about the Nutshell Pram: "Little ...
Description: The Eastport Pram, with more than 800 built, is one of the most popular small dinghies in the world. Classic good looks, stand-out performance, and ease of construction are hallmarks of this John C. Harris design. Now in production for ten years, the design was updated in 2010. Now all Eastport Pram kits have the stitching holes ...
The World Wide Sailor Pram is a durable, self-bailing dinghy that is a perfect training boat for beginner sailors. The simple design is very low maintenance, and offers a platform very similar to an Optimist for kids to get excited about sailing. The WWS Pram's rotomolded polyethylene Trilam hull is nearly indestructible and will withstand ...
Pete Culler always said that if the boat looks right, then it probably works right, too. We collaborated with Points East Magazine and that has really helped launch this design project forward. What sets the Points East Pram apart is the following: It is not just another purely "stitch-and-glue" kit: the hull is built with 3 methods: stitch ...
The Portage Pram was originally designed for solid-wood construction in the 1970s by Bill Peterson at Murray G. Peterson Associates. Duckworks Boatbuilders Supply prototyped an ultralight plywood version in 2017 and soon after began selling kits. (Recently, Duckworks started offering a sailing version of the kit.)
Its 32 pages guide the builder through the steps of putting the pram together as well as rigging information for the sailboat model and sailing tips. The Nutshell's glued lapstrake construction offers tremendous strength to the hull and ease of construction, and the traditional pram shape brings out the attribute of workboat utility.
Pram (boat) A pram is a small utility dinghy with a transom bow rather than a pointed bow. This type of pram provides a more efficient use of space than does a traditional skiff of the same size. The Mirror and Optimist sailboats are examples of this form. Modern prams are often 8 to 10 feet long and built of plywood, fibreglass, plastic or ...
Portage Pram CNC Cut Plywood Kit. $1,099.00. LOA: 6'10" Beam: 44" Weight: ~35# This kit contains only the CNC-cut wooden parts. Epoxy and cloth, oarlocks and other parts sold spearately. Optional sail and running rigging also available as a separate kit. The 35-pound, 6' 10" Portage Pram is a... Decrease Quantity of Portage Pram CNC Cut Plywood ...
How does the Eastport Nesting Pram differ from the regular Eastport Pram? These two boats share the same hull, but the nesting version has extra bulkheads, a gasket, and bolts with Star knobs to hold the two boat sections together. The seating arrangement is a little different. The "nested" package requires 4'9" x 4' (145 x 122 cm) of ...
Published October 23, 2016 · Updated April 1, 2024. No other boat in the world has surpassed the popularity of the Optimist Pram as a sail trainer for kids. Over 400,000 have been built worldwide since Clark Mills designed the boat in 1948. The CABBS Optimist is plywood on frame construction and assembled with construction adhesive and screws.
A pram, defined by the Society of Naval Engineers, is "the most stable small-boat design ever designed". A pram's primary and secondary stability in the water is second to none. Unlike most other small boat designs, a pram uses it's flat surface to spread it's weight over a large surface area. Spring Creek Prams uses that proven ...
Eastport Nesting Pram "Dinghy" is derived from an old Hindi word for a sailing or rowing passenger vessel. In English, a dinghy is a small rowing and sailing boat, often (but not necessarily) serving as a tender to a mother ship. At Chesapeake Light Craft,... Kits from $1585.00 Plans from $119.00 Eastport Ultralight Dinghy
Description. The Zim Pram is a durable, self-bailing dinghy that is a perfect training boat for beginner sailors. The simple design is very low maintenance, and offers a platform very similar to an Optimist for kids to get excited about sailing. Rotomolded polyethylene hull. Self bailing with built in flotation. Durable, replaceable mast partners.
The Passagemaker Dinghy is a pram, a boat with transoms at both bow and stern. You'd need a boat several feet longer to combine the same stability and capacity with a pointed bow. This is why you see so many prams used as tenders. Most importantly, the full bow allows passengers to step into the bow from a beach or a dock without the need to ...
A pram will make an excellent tender for any yacht, having the most carrying capacity within the least length compared with any other shore boat type. We have developed four basic pram designs at 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet and 14 feet. Each of them share the same features and general shape. The ten foot pram is shown in the drawing above.
The Ladybug pram, a small dinghy with a wheel permanently fixed in a case in its bow, allows for a nearly seamless transition from the water to a beach, all the while keeping its passengers' shoes dry. The boat can be built in either a 6' or a 7' model. I first spotted it at The WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, in 2008, on a ...
The Eastport Pram kit includes plans and a fully illustrated, step-by-step instruction manual, computer-cut and -drilled parts, bulkheads, seats, daggerboard trunk, epoxy kit, fiberglass for hull, and one pair of bronze oarlocks and sockets. This Complete Kit ships with a Premium Epoxy Kit: Learn more! Price: $1325.00.
The Eastport Pram is just shy of 8 feet, and the marine plywood and epoxy construction delivers a boat that weighs in, sans sailing rig, at just 62 pounds. Lighter than the comparatively sized Bug, this stiff, durable dinghy, rows like a real boat and sails comfortably with one or two aboard.
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