Editing Dinghy (section)

==Hardware and materials==
A dinghy should have a strong ring on the bow. The ring secures the painter (the line that anchors the boat to a dock), and is used for towing and anchoring. Ideally, the dinghy should also have two other rings (one on each side of the stern transom) which, with the bow ring, are used for lifting and securing the dinghy for stowage.

The only other essential pieces of hardware are [[rowlock]]s (also known as oarlocks). Conventionally, a dinghy will have an oar on each side. A single sculling oarlock or notch on the transom is less common, but requires less space; and is used with a single sculling oar moving back and forth, never leaving the water, as used on a [[sampan]].

Many modern dinghies are made of synthetic materials. These require minimal care and do not rot but can suffer from fibre glass pox which is caused by the ingress of saltwater through the gel coat. Inflatable dinghies can be made of fabrics coated with [[Hypalon]], [[neoprene]] or [[PVC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boatus.com/boattech/inflatables.htm|title=Inflatable Boats|last=Casey|first=Don|year=2007|publisher=Boat Owners Association of The United States|access-date=24 April 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125131607/http://www.boatus.com/boattech/inflatables.htm|archive-date=25 January 2010}}</ref> Rigid dinghies can be made of [[Glass-reinforced plastic|glass-fibre reinforced plastic]] (GRP) but injection-moulded one-piece hulls are also available.  Other materials for modern rigid dinghies include [[aluminium]], marine [[plywood]] which tends to be much lighter than most types and, with the advent of sturdy, [[ultraviolet|UV]] resistant polyurethane varnishes, wood. Some wooden dinghies (especially of classic or historical form) are built using the [[Carvel (boat building)|carvel]] or [[clinker (boat building)|clinker]] methods. Favoured woods, in order of rot-resistance, are white oak, [[black locust]], species of [[Cedrus|cedar]] and [[pine]], true as well as African and Asian [[mahogany|mahoganies]], [[fir]] and [[spruce]]. Rot resistance depends on paint as well as protection from rainwater. Plastic hardware is sometimes used, but [[bronze]] and [[stainless steel]] are good [[corrosion]]-resistant materials for hardware, although stainless steel can be subject to [[crevice corrosion]] after many years especially in a boat using an outboard or other motor and must be inspected. Stainless steel should never be used for fittings permanently in the water. Owners should check that the correct grade of stainless steel is used in a fitting. Working boats may use lower-cost [[galvanized]] [[steel]], but the hardware may need to be re-galvanized or replaced eventually.

The dinghy is generally carried inverted amidships on yachts, on top of the coachroof where there is the most space. It is useful for a dinghy carried this way to have handholds built into the bottom, making launching easier and providing handholds on deck.

Most yachts launch their dinghies by hand or with a simple lifting tackle rigged from the main mast. Davits over the transom is convenient and elegant, but sailing in a heavy following sea could cause the loss of a dinghy. If a dinghy is towed, an extra line with a loop in the end (known as a lazy painter) can be attached to a dinghy so that if the towing line breaks, there is a line to grab with a boat hook. This makes retrieval easier at sea, especially if the boat is partially swamped.

In some countries dinghies have names or registration numbers. On hard dinghies these are usually on the bow, on inflatables on the inside of the transom.