Caravela

CARAVELA 1.7

This dinghy is intended to be used as a tender, leisure sail boat and life saving craft. This dinghy is easily stowed on deck aboard most yachts, once its short length and lightness is an invitation for having a solid dinghy as a tender. The fact that oars or outboard motor can propel it increases its versatility. A wheel attached to a small skeg helps pulling it out of the water if the ground isn't too irregular. As a sailboat the Caravela gives a good opportunity to enjoy dinghy sailing when the mother boat is at anchor. Being safe and stable it can be used by children and for that matter is a good training boat. The two leeboards are handy mainly because they don't take internal room.
The function as a life vessel is based on the concept that depending on where you are, when a leisure craft is abandoned, there is little chance of rescue, even if an epirb is activated. Being capable of sailing even in tough conditions, this dinghy is able to take two persons or more towards the closest land in the area, provided no beating against the wind is required.
The dinghy Caravela with its shorter sail plan may be considered a life saving vessel for the following reasons.
1 - The three water-tight compartments have a total volume of 390 litres, which allows for up to four persons to be carried with a reasonable safety margin.
2 - Two of these compartments have inspection ports ( deck plates ) which allows for a dry storage of personal belongings and emergency equipment.
3 - The cover that protects the dinghy when it's lying on deck, when inverted makes a canopy that provides shade and protects the crew from the elements.
4 - Unobstructed cockpit ( yes, this dinghy has a watertight cockpit ) which allows one person to get some rest at a reasonably comfortable position.
5 - A reduced sail plan and a rig that can be installed by one person unassisted, even if the dinghy is drifting alone.
6 - The watertight fore castle allows that one person at a time climbs aboard, with no need of external help. The first person that climbs aboard takes the aft seat to balance the trim for the second one to come aboard.
Some equipment may enhance the chances of survival like portable GPS and VHF, as well as a hand operated desalinator.