Portland Pudgy is a Dinghy, Lifeboat, Sailboat

New England Boating recently met with David Hulbert, designer of the Portland Pudgy, and got a personal tour of his clever and potentially lifesaving little boat.

The Pudgy is a 7’ 8” double-hulled dinghy with foam flotation and a laundry list of features. The vessel can be rowed, towed, sailed or powered by a 2 hp outboard. The hull is self-bailing, unsinkable and features handholds on the bottom for righting the vessel after a capsize. It is CG-rated to hold up to 4 persons, or 557 pounds. Hull weight is 128 pounds, and available colors include orange, white, red, yellow, charcoal and blue. The hull also features a built-in transport wheel on the keel and an aluminum mounting plate for an outboard.

However, the thing that sets the Pudgy apart from other dinghies is that it can serve as a fully functional lifeboat when equipped with the optional exposure canopy. The boat can even be ordered with a 12V electrical panel and outlet for a GPS or VHF, plus LED interior lighting. There is plenty of watertight storage in the hull sides for a sail rig, oars, canopies, flares, first-aid kits, food, water and signal devices. A solar panel is even available.

Other options include a bow bumper to prevent damage to the mother ship while under tow, removable seats, a sea anchor bridle, Weaver davits for swim platform boarding and a rain catcher.

The Pudgy comes in 3 different “packages,” including Basic, Sailboat and Lifeboat.

• The Basic Boat “bronze” package ($2,595) comes with oars, oarlocks, adjustable middle seat, built-in compass, bridle and reflective strips.
• The Sailboat “gold” package ($4,093) includes all of the Basic Boat features, plus a sail, mast, lee boards, rudder-tiller unit, bow bumper and boat cover.
• The Lifeboat “platinum” package ($7,348) features the electrical system, sail kit, electric bailing pump, safety harness/lifting eyes, sea anchor, exposure canopy, boarding ladder, and a davit harness or Weaver davits.

Contact Information:

• 207-761-2428
• Portland Pudgy website.

Video:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF31v-qZywo

Other Photos: