Let me introduce you to Tanner. She’s a tough girl from Maine, with pretty lines and a determined attitude. A dusty blue color mates her up nicely with her companion Ben-Varrey, our 1969 Luders 33. A few scratches in the paint and scuffs on the rubrail indicate that she is well traveled, but all else shows that she is loved. She earned her name from the previous owner. It was well marked on her aft seat, and after leaving it there for a few seasons, it grew on Alison and me, and our fiberglass rowing dinghy became Tanner.
We’ve rowed hundreds of miles together, and she’s been along for the ride on Ben-Varrey, cabintop and towed, for thousands more. Some days are picturesque, and she glides effortlessly through a calm sea, and other days Tanner fights for every foot through relentless chop. She always delivers and is right there with us, working hard through each new adventure.
In our home port, we share the harbor with other rowing dinghies. We even have the pleasure of frequently crossing paths with replica whaleboats: five people pulling oars hard together, and a long-sweeping oar trailing aft from the hand of the boat steerer. The steerer’s other hand is sure to give a friendly wave as we exchange pleasantries.
As we’ve sailed north and cruised through Maine waters, rowing dinghies are even more abundant. Passing by others is an opportunity to get to know one another or exchange helpful information. Once Tanner even had a free lobster tossed aboard by a passing lobsterman.
Skinny waters, like those through mangroves in the Exumas, have been easy to explore with Tanner’s shallow draft; the oars don’t require any more water than the hull. In tight quarters, notably the dinghy dock, we can hold our position with ease and spin right about midships, and even narrow up by shipping the oars.
We’ve had fun surfing ocean swell onto the beach in places like Guadeloupe and Cape Cod, then timing our way back out of it. Dropping anchor just off a reef and flopping overboard to snorkel is a blast. Tanner’s simplicity and toughness open us up to more adventures and are an integral part of keeping us fit while cruising.
Rowing is even more than that, though. It provides connection with the water, a closeness not only to the surface but with its rhythm. It forces an understanding of the elements as the pull of each oar is balanced with the wind and current. It provides an opportunity to take in the smell of the sea, enjoy the wildlife, and admire beautiful sunsets. Rowing is not a disruption to nature, but rather a part of it.
As we’ve cruised through points south, including the Caribbean, and even as time has marched on in New England, we frequently find ourselves alone amid a fleet of outboard-powered dinghies— and with it, the smells, noise, and pace of so much shore-based life. The sense of camaraderie that rowing engenders fades away, and the stars of the night sky don’t glow as brightly.
Occasionally we find that magic again. Preparing for the Race to Alaska, Port Townsend was alive with rowing craft and encouraging conversation. Another time, anchored in Prince Rupert Bay, Dominica, one rowing dinghy turned to two, then three, and before we knew it everyone was rowing their boats to shore, even inflatables. Life slowed down a bit and the anchorage became a real community. We all stayed well beyond our intentions and explored the waterfalls, canyons, and mountains together.
Whether it is for exercise, tranquility, or self-sufficiency, rowing dinghies are there for anyone willing to try them. It is as much an art as it is a skill, and you can bet there is much more sex appeal to a smooth rowing maneuver into a dock than there is with an outboard, no matter how much horsepower it has.
The tradition lives on with a range of talented boatbuilders. Some have even added quite a modern twist.
Puffin Boat Co.
On the banks of the Penobscot River, a short distance from the beautiful cruising grounds of Penobscot Bay, is a company rooted in Maine tradition: Puffin Boat Co. This is the birthplace of our own dinghy, Tanner.
Puffin offers three solid fiberglass customizable models, from 7 feet, 6 inches to 10 feet, 6 inches in length. The larger two are even available with a sailing option. Capacity ranges from two to four people, with plenty of space for gear, from provisions to duffel bags. A simple rubrail adorns the gunwales, and the bow features a brass eye for towing or securing the dinghy to a dock.
Each model includes two rowing stations that add flexibility in how they are loaded: one station uses the center varnished oak seat and the other the forward molded seat. When rowing alone or with three people, I row from the center position but will shift to the forward station to balance out the boat when only two of us are onboard.
The design is simple but timeless. Puffins are built to handle the abuse of dinghy docks and beach landings but are still light enough to pull ashore or hoist on deck for passages.
Newman & Gray
In continuous production since the 1960s, the Newman 10-foot and 12-foot rowboats stand for all the strength and seaworthiness that Maine-built boats possess. A substantial fiberglass hull, wooden removable seats, bronze hardware, and a tough rubrail keep this boat modest, but her traditional lines provide plenty of speed and seakeeping ability underway.
The Newman dinghies are thoughtfully equipped with two rowing stations and fore and aft watertight compartments. The larger can carry six comfortably with twin center benches, while the 10-footer offers better maneuverability in tight spaces.
The Newman reputation is evident though just the pure number of these tenders that adorn new England harbors, often passed down and enjoyed by the next generation.
Fatty Knees
Designed by Lyle Hess and gaining fame through cruising enjoyment by Lin and Larry Pardey, the Fatty Knees series of dinghies are beautiful and versatile. The lapstrake appearance gives a traditional feel, balanced by the durability and ease of maintenance of the fiberglass construction. The interior is spacious due to the wide beam; this also translates into stability. Capacity ranges from two to five people over the 7-, 8-, and 9-foot models.
A longitudinal rowing bench is a clever design aspect makes for seamless shifting between the two rowing stations as gear or people come aboard. Sealed, it also provides buoyancy that helps the Fatty Knees recover from flooding or a capsize.
A 7-inch-deep skeg lets the Fatty Knees track well and not wander off course. This dinghy can also shift into sailing mode, making longer trips to shore easier or just providing a fun way to explore the nooks and crannies of a new destination.
Gig Harbor Boat Works
An array of gorgeous rowing craft is available through Gig Harbor Boat Works, but the two that draw attention as rowing tenders are their 8-foot Nisqually and 10-foot Navigator. Both are fabricated from fiberglass for simple longevity, but at 72 and 90 pounds, respectively, they are also easy to manage. An ultralight composite option is even available to better that proposition.
The Nisqually and Navigator are available with a sailing package, showing off the versatility of a practical design both as a hard-working boat and entertainment for the whole family. Gig Harbor Boat Works had it right from the start; the design brief for the Nisqually required it to safely carry three people and a dog, row well, and sail like a champ. Both of these builds carry traditional hull lines that look and feel great underway.
The Anchorage—Dyer Boats
There is unlikely a dinghy with more history than the Dyer Dhow. It is the oldest continuously produced fiberglass boat, with the first hull molded in 1949. The flat-bottom, hard-chine design originated from its original plywood design. The Dhow even served as a lifeboat during WWII for minesweepers and PT boats, satisfying the military requirement of holding nine men in 9 feet of boat.
With more than 6,000 built, and new ones still being fabricated in Warren, Rhode Island, the fleet has proven to work well as tenders and sailing craft. The 9-foot Dhow has a recommended capacity of 650 pounds and weighs in at 104 pounds, including the hull, bronze hardware, and mahogany seats. The Midget and Dink are also a part of the Dyer collection, offering a 7-foot, 11-inch boat and a 10-foot long alternative.
Mantus
Known for their innovative products, Mantus Marine recently launched a rugged rotomolded dinghy. Like many other hard dinghies, it’s capable of handling an outboard, but it’s also happy under oar power too. A wider beam with sealed outer chambers ensures positive flotation and impressive stability; it’s promoted as virtually unsinkable. Built-in storage compartments also keep gear dry.
Foam bumpers around the perimeter keep landings soft and topsides protected. The HDPE hull can also absorb shocks, but more importantly, it’s durable and calls for little maintenance. Coming in at 10 feet, 5 inches and 220 pounds, with an efficient and spacious interior, the Mantus Dinghy has a payload capacity of four people or 755 pounds.
Whitehall Rowing and Sail
At the harbor entrance to Victoria, British Columbia, Whitehall Rowing and Sail rests on the shores to the east. Their West Coast 11.6 Workboat combines the beauty of their livery-style boats with the practicality needed for a useful tender. This build starts with fiberglass hull construction and then layers it with sapele hardwood and bronze details.
Two rowing stations and three seating benches ensure four can fit comfortably. Beautiful lines and rowing characteristics mean this dinghy may become a family heirloom. The same could be said for their Minto 9—a smaller version, with only a single rowing station, dialed in for up to three people and with the same option of a sailing package.
Kit Boats
When it comes to dinghies, building your own can be an enjoyable and rewarding project. It’s a size that is manageable both in time and physical space. There are plenty of designs available, with most kits focusing on plywood and epoxy construction. Bottoms can always be strengthened with layers of fiberglass, and customizations beyond the instructions are endless and entirely up to you.
Chase Small Craft, based in Maine, offers an 8-foot Points East Pram, a 9-foot, 6-inch Calico Skiff, and a 12-foot Echo Bay Dory that would serve as stable and attractive tenders. They are also lightweight, with none of the noted designs exceeding 85 pounds (including the sailing package on the Echo Bay). Chase Small Craft extends beyond the typical stitch-and-glue methods and integrates stitch-and-tape, screw-and-glue, and glued lapstrake techniques for additional strength. Their novel tab-n-lock construction keeps construction simple for novice and expert builders.
Hailing from British Columbia, Angus Rowboats not only supplies kits for expedition style rowing craft, but also a 7-foot, 9-inch pram that can carry up to 400 pounds.
Annapolis’ own Chesapeake Light Craft stocks an impressive range of models, including some unique nesting styles. Beautiful designs can also be found at other small shops across the U.S. and Canada.
Portland Pudgy
A dinghy doubling as a lifeboat—that’s the Portland Pudgy. David Hulbert, the designer, sailed the cool waters of Maine aboard his catboat and with safety in mind designed a dinghy that could save him from hypothermia should the worst happen in rough weather. The rotomolded polyethylene hull is double walled and provides enough buoyancy, with the addition of closed-cell foam under the floor, to make it practically unsinkable.
The Pudgy features two rowing stations, low maintenance construction, and a four-person capacity. This 7-foot, 8-inch dinghy is also uniquely self-bailing when loaded with less than 25 pounds. The perimeter is outfitted with dry interior storage space. Versatility is offered through various packages, including the sailing kit and exposure canopy.
Oars
A rowing dinghy wouldn’t be complete without oars. For a real treat, try a pair of hand-crafted Shaw & Tenney spoons: light, powerful, and forever stylish. Berkely Sound Oar and Paddle, as well as Grapeview Point Boat Works craft performance oriented wooden oars. For utility oars, Sawyer and Woodland Oar & Paddle offer solutions too. The beauty of all these products is that they will get your dinghy started on the first pull, every time. Tough to say that about all outboards.
Rowing for Life
There’s something about rowing back to your boat under a sky lit with millions of stars, with the phosphorescence swirling behind each dip of the oar blade. The ripples, trailing behind, spread silently across the harbor. A slight breeze across the cheek is all that is needed to stay on course as the lights on shore grow dim. Perhaps it’s buried in our heritage, a connection with the mariners from long before us. Or it could be that it’s just a beautiful way to move across the water. The easy conversations, bit of exercise, and simple maintenance certainly don’t hurt.
My first memory of being on the water was aboard a rowing dinghy. My father taught me to row not long after that. With persistence and some laughter, I eventually stopped moving in circles and could hold a steady course. Tradition runs deep in sailors, and I intend to pass these same lessons along. As I now watch my father row out to his boat at age 70, with no intention of stopping anytime soon, all I can do is hope that I will be doing the same when I am his age, and well beyond.
August/September 2025
