Tartlet, a Chebacco-sized tender - Jamie Orr

At the Sucia small boat rendezvous this year I gave Tartlet, my new tender, her first real test. Here’s my description of her and how she performed.

Tartlet was conceived shortly after designer and friend Chuck Merrell put up free plans for Apple Pie, an eight foot dinghy, on his website. I asked him if chopping off two feet would result in a workable boat, as I wanted a tender that would fit crosswise inside Wayward Lass’ cockpit for travelling. He promptly replied with a six foot design that we called Apple Tart – being a smaller Apple Pie. (And Tartlet is even smaller, hence the name.)

I should have done my measuring first, before I emailed Chuck. When I did measure the space available, I found that a slightly shorter dinghy might be easier to lift in and out of the cockpit without marking up my paint, so when I cut out the pieces I chopped 3 inches off the bow. (I put back an inch or two by raising the transoms, for appearance sake). I did the chopping by drawing the sides and bottom as designed, then measured back three inches along chine and sheer for the finished shape. The forward transom was redrawn using the actual measurements of the chopped pieces. So Tartlet’s lines are true to the design, they just end three inches sooner than planned.

To keep her a light as possible, the hull was made from 1/8^th inch ply. Instead of the “normal” thwarts shown on the plans, she has a single seat running lengthwise. No frames were used, instead I laminated the gunwales to provide just enough stiffness. She finished out at 30 pounds exactly.


How she performs:

Towing: She tows very nicely. The towing ring is right at the bottom of the forward transom, bolted through the seat support. She has a lot of rocker and when towed behind the outboard at 5 knots the bow comes up and she skims along on the after part of her bottom. She didn’t take in any spray, and also stayed dry when towed while we were sailing close-hauled with a reef tied in, over a steep chop.

Rowing: She goes extremely well for such a tiny beast, she has no skeg but rows nicely without it. Her small size is a bit of a problem to me as I’m six feet tall with arthritic knees, so I sit sort of side-saddle on the fore and aft thwart. My friend Chris, three or four inches shorter, can sit in the usual position. With two, she works really well. For this, the oarsman sits aft against the stern transom, rowing her backwards, and the passenger sits forward, facing him. With a transom at either end, rowing backwards doesn't look or feel odd at all. A heavy passenger can sit closer to the centre to keep the boat trimmed.




Stowing: She's intended to fit across the cockpit, and she fits very nicely, taking up about half the space. I may add a very small skeg, just deep enough so I can cut out a hole to use in lashing her down. With that, and the towing ring at the other end, she'd be well secured. I raised the transoms slightly and left the tops of the straight so they sit firmly when she’s upside down. Despite all this planning, though, I’ve found that she fits inside my van so I have just been carrying her there.

And sailing (!): I didn’t build a sailing rig, but I shared the Apple Tart plans with Chuck Gottfried, which I shouldn’t really have done (Chuck Merrell is a nice guy and didn’t ream me out as he was entitled to). Anyway, Chuck G. built his Apple Tart (called Trot) to the plans, then went on to add a small lugsail and leeboard. He uses an oar for a rudder. Trot sails surprisingly well, I’ve tried her myself and she even sailed to windward for me. If you are a bit more limber than I, you could have some fun with this and perhaps give Chuck G. a little competition!


Conclusions: The Apple Tart design may not be for everyone – there’s not a lot of room and any six foot dinghy is going to be on the tender side. However, it’s a great little boat for a six footer. My Tartlet does everything she was intended to do and does it well, including carrying 400+ pounds of skipper and crew ashore and back at Sucia, numerous times, which I thought was pretty good going.

Anyone interested in building their own Apple Tart should email Chuck Merrell at chuck@boatdesign.com. If asked nicely, he might even customize it for you. Or you could ask about the original Apple Pie, or the ten foot version he designed for Bill Samson they called Peach Pie.