Reviews in Boating Magazines and Boating Websites
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“Once, in the interest of research, I spent the afternoon bobbing around in a liferaft…I don’t ever want to spend time in a life raft again. The discomfort was one thing, and should not be downplayed, but what really got to me was the sense of helplessness. A liferaft is a passive device at the mercy of wind and waves, and once in it, you surrender any control over your future… The boat [Portland Pudgy safety dinghy] is very stable and rows beautifully… It’s tough, functional, and practical, and if the choice came down to climbing into a traditional liferaft or boarding the Pudgy, I know where I’d rather be. For a cruising couple or a couple with small children, the Pudgy makes a lot of sense." Portland Pudgy, a Tender That Can Save Your Life, by Peter Nielsen, Editor in Chief. (He went out and tested it himself!) Sail Magazine, September 2010. |
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"This American-designed ‘ultimate yacht tender’ recently made landfall in Europe. Our test boat arrived from Holland, loaded to the gunwales with accessories. She rows, sails, motors and can be converted into a ‘lifeboat’. The Pudgy rowed beautifully, tracked well, and the rowing position was comfortable, with a good foot brace." Ten Tenders Tested, Yachting Monthly. The Pudgy got a great review in this important British yachting magazine. The article suggests more sail area: this and other improvements have been made to the sail kit since this article came out. Click here for the full article.
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As the title of his new book says, Adrian Flanagan is the first person to do a solo "over the top" circumnavigation. He took a Portland Pudgy with him. Over the Top: The First Lone Yachtsmen... is available on amazon.com. You can also visit the Alpha Global expedition website. |
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"We found the Pudgy to be a successful boat...The benefits are obvious...before the next big crossing begins, take the dinghy you can use as a lifeboat, and put it on your deck or hanging in the davits. For a fairly friendly price you can buy a very nice piece of equipment that certainly has its function." Zeilen, "Een Multifunctionele Levensredder," September, 2008. (Our rough translation from the original article in Dutch.) The writers of this article were dropped into the North Sea (in heavy weather), where they tested the Portland Pudgy as a proactive lifeboat. They sailed it 20 miles to shore. See whole article here. |
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"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 Pudgy tracks well under tow." " Boating Local July 2010. www.boatinglocal.com |
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"...a unique little tender...that can row, motor, and sail well, and its full-length keel enables efficient tracking when towed... The boats designer, David Hulbert...wanted a dinghy that also could be used as a proactive lifeboat...'When I designed the boat, I had bluewater sailors in mind,' Hulbert says, 'But I'm seeing a lot of interest in the boat as a tender or just a safe little boat to sail on the lake.'" David W. Shaw, January 2008, Soundings, "Little Boats, Big Jobs!" |
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ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOATS OF THE YEAR!!! "The Pudgy seems to perform each of its various jobs well..[rowing, motoring, sailing, and self-rescue]...The Pudgy's seaworthiness will make it a great boat for beginning sailors...This is a real boat, designed to do a real job...Given a choice on an offshore passage between the Pudgy and an inflatable life raft or the average dinghy, there's no doubt which I'd choose." Gretchen Piston Ogden, March 2007, Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors. Boats of the Year edition. |
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"The wish list… · We wanted a dinghy that would fit on the foredeck with enough room left over to work the windlass and sails. · For convenience, safety and security, it should fit on deck in a “ready to go state”… · Our new tender had to be able to carry the two of us, our dog, and a reasonable load of supplies. · In the water, it had to be stable enough to use as a fishing or diving platform. · We enjoy rowing for exercise and sightseeing, so a good rowing hull was high on our list. · A sail rig would be a nice plus. · Durability was important. We did not want to be stranded somewhere by a dinghy with a hole in the side. · Light enough to get on deck easily. · Did I mention we wanted this magic package at a low price?" Bill Kinney, one of the first Portland Pudgy safety dinghy owners, in Good Old Boat. May/June 2007, "Seeking the Perfect Dinghy (Here's one that comes pretty close to ideal)". |
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"Because of its life-saving capability, we think that any serious cruising boat owner ought to give this tender a long look. " Chris Cornell, Power Cruising. December 2006, "A Dinghy/Life Raft Hybrid"
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"The multi-purpose
vehicle craze continues, this time with a bent toward saving lives. The new
Portland Pudgy does triple duty as a rowing dinghy, a sailboat, and a life
raft...the Pudgy is exceptionally buoyant... Showboats International April 2007. "Portland Pudgy: Three Boats in One." |
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In August 2006 Sail Magazine ("Hard Times...solid alternatives to inflatable tenders"), Peter Nielsen has good things to say about the Portland Pudgy safety dinghy. |
Check out the article on the Portland Pudgy safety dinghy in Soundings magazine, May 2006: They call the Pudgy the "nautical Swiss Army knife that floats." |
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"David Hulbert had a vision ... to create a lifeboat that couldn't be deflated or sink, and would be completely proactive, meaning it could be rowed or sailed to safety....'The primary function is safety, safety, safety,' said Hulbert...The Pudgy is also designed with a double hull and can't deflate or sink. 'I think it's the safest small boat made' he attests....It hasn't been easy to create this unique and completely American-made product." "Portland company builds locally sourced life boats," Working Waterfront, Meagan S. Riedmann, October 19, 2010 |
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"Every so often a common product is revamped and turned into something really new, and one wonders why anyone hasn’t thought of this before. Such is the case with industrial engineer David Hulbert who has created a new and improved version of the dinghy. Please, raise your glasses to the Portland Pudgy..." Carey London, June 30th 2003, The Boating Channel |
"The trim little vessel…resembles a tubby nutshell pram. It has pleasing lines and is as carefully engineered as any high-end, oceangoing yacht." Adrift No More, a Lifeboat that Sails, Twain Braden, March/April 2003, Ocean Navigator |
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Regarding plans for a test of the Portland Pudgy safety dinghy in heavy seas, by Zack Smith, heavy weather sailing expert: "While Smith is no stranger to life-threatening conditions, the U.S. Coast Guard has expressed concern about this particular test scenario, especially due to the strong currents and wave patterns associated with the waters beyond the Golden Gate Bridge. ...Says Smith, 'I’m not worried about my safety for a couple of reasons: First, The USCG in Maryland has already completed a buoyancy test on the Pudgy and rated it at 1,875 lbs. before it started to submerge. Second, the Pudgy is a rotation-molded, double-hulled boat that’s made from a rugged polyethylene hull that is impact- and puncture-resistant. In other words,' Smith continued, 'it can’t sink.'" April 2005, Fiorentino Para Anchor (The Pudgy passed the heavy seas test with flying colors.) |
"Rigid multifunction self-rescue dinghies are designed to row, motor, tow, and sail. In addition to their proactive lifeboat functionality, these boats serve as everyday tenders and as recreational boats. They are extremely buoyant and/or unsinkable and have great carrying capacity relative to length." "A lifeboat (liferaft) is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes carry small proactive lifeboats instead of inflatable life rafts. These boats are unsinkable, and can be sailed to safety." |
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"I am a blue water sailor...so I am very aware of the need for a life raft that allows one to be pro-active in the event of abandoning ship...The Pudgy offers a very ingenious and efficient solution to the problems posed in such an emergency. I sailed her and rowed her in choppy water, and found her a pleasure to use...extremely stable, tracked well when rowed, and easy to maneuver and fun to sail." Testimonial letter. Chris Campbell, architect and BT Global Challenge legger. See Portland Magazine's article "Babe in the Woods": "Architect Chris Campbell’s enchanting camp on Damariscotta Lake blurs the lines between inside and outside." by Brad Favreau. |
Portland Pudgy, the lifeboat chosen for North/South circumnavigation. (Go to alphaglobalex.com or click here.) |
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Portland Pudgy, Inc., 200 Anderson St., Portland, ME 04101 207.761.2428 or 207.712.4027 info@portlandpudgy.com
