What we had on our E-286.5-ft Zodiac Cadet and 2-hp outboard.
What we had on our E-286.5-ft Zodiac Cadet and 2-hp outboard.
@Brian D Respectfully, you might not be able to do so safely -- if conditions are bad enough for you to think about jettisoning the dink.how can you deploy an anchor/sea anchor in an emergency? Never had to, however, as mentioned above, the dinghy would go overboard if need be.
how can you work your sails? That is not an issue. Although sailing close hauled is a little harder
how can you work your mast? There is ample room between the stern of the dinghy and the mast.
windage = drag= slower sailing/complicates storm control - in that case, I would put the dinghy overboard and pull it behind me.
Get a de-flatable inflatable instead of a RIB and you can partially deflate it and have many more stowage options. They are also lighter, so if you wanted davits, without the motor you aren't talking about much more than 100# hanging off the stern, about one small person aft.with boats over 50' this certainly more doable, on my 42' it is not
Coral reefs versus pebble and barnacle beaches. What's your point?I have a 10' RIB because up here in the PNW we have pebble and barnacle beaches.
I figured that hard plastic would be tougher than soft rubber. I have to admit at 80lbs. the RIB is a bit heavy but still doable with use of the halyard. A smaller engine or engine crane would be easier too but the speed is nice.Coral reefs versus pebble and barnacle beaches. What's your point?
Our Zodiac would take all in stride; that's what it was made for.
The good inflatables use hard rubber on their keels and the bottom of the tubes that is pretty good at resisting tears or scratches. Probably about the time the gouges in a RIB bottom were allowing water intrusion into it, you might need to renew the chafe strips on an inflatable.I figured that hard plastic would be tougher than soft rubber. I have to admit at 80lbs. the RIB is a bit heavy but still doable with use of the halyard. A smaller engine or engine crane would be easier too but the speed is nice.
I admit I cannot deploy or recover my also-near 200# rib+outboard in a couple of minutes. If I needed to get underway in a hurry I would have to tow it until arriving to a place where I could hoist the outboard & then the dink back aboard, and secure it. I don’t like the set-up that much, but davits are the only alternative. In terms of cost, I think installation of davits would far exceed the cost of a lost outboard + rib after the insurance paid off on the loss. If you get my drift. I recognize that w/ long-distance cruising, loss of a dink might be a serious set back to cruising happiness. BUT, I often carry a second inflatable stowed below, and sometimes a second outboard, etc.I get it, davits are expensive, you don't want a poorly designed davit, and there are probably 20 reasons a smart guy could come up with to justify why they are not necessary on a boat. But then you have to come up with all the ways that yanking one onto the foredeck, securing it, and sailing with it; is OK. Or tow it. Seen below is a 200# of RIB, it can be launched or recovered by one person in less than 1 minute (with motor attached) thanks to position and block and tackle. Sometimes I swim with it hanging, sometimes I drop it in. One of the best features of a cruising boat - dink ready to go for whatever comes along. For coastal cruising it is an acceptable life raft.
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IMHO the “disposable dinghy” is not an acceptable solution. You should consider environmental damage by leaving such major “trash” and hazards to other boats from running into your lost dinghy. An engine or fuel tank would also eventually leak oil and gas.I admit I cannot deploy or recover my also-near 200# rib+outboard in a couple of minutes. If I needed to get underway in a hurry I would have to tow it until arriving to a place where I could hoist the outboard & then the dink back aboard, and secure it. I don’t like the set-up that much, but davits are the only alternative. In terms of cost, I think installation of davits would far exceed the cost of a lost outboard + rib after the insurance paid off on the loss. If you get my drift. I recognize that w/ long-distance cruising, loss of a dink might be a serious set back to cruising happiness. BUT, I often carry a second inflatable stowed below, and sometimes a second outboard, etc.