The Frankton is a type of
folding boat. The name is a reference to
Operation Frankton
Operation Frankton was a commando raid on ships in the German occupied French port of Bordeaux in southwest France during the Second World War. The raid was carried out by a small unit of Royal Marines known as the Royal Marines Boom Patrol ...
.
Design
Martin Walford conceived the concept of the Frankton in the late 1990s; Michael Howard then worked out the design. It was designed as a dinghy that is usable on rivers, lakes and open water.
It should be usable as a
tender, yet be foldable to be easily transportable.
Features
Open, the Franklin is 3 m × 1.5 m × 0.69 m.
It can hold three adults. It can be both rowed and sailed. Its hull design allows it to double as a life raft. In that case it has a flat deck that will allow two adults to sleep on it.
The Franklin's hull has a W-shape, which supplies the dinghy with lateral resistance and also increases its stability.
Folding
The hull folds in two steps. First, the
coaming
Coaming is any vertical surface on a ship designed to deflect or prevent entry of water. It usually consists of a raised section of deck plating around an opening, such as a cargo hatch. Coamings also provide a frame onto which to fit a hatch cov ...
folds in: The bow and stern boards fold in, followed by the side coaming. Second, the ends fold over the centre part of the boat, creating a smaller box shape.
The result is a bundle of approximately 5 by 5 by 3 feet.
See also
* Other meanings of
Frankton.
References
Folding boats
{{ship-type-stub