West Marine Classic Dinghy
- Thread starter Mikem
- Start date
Mikem,
Don't you mean, "Waste Marine?"
I have not heard many good things about their inflatables over the years pal, many separation problems. It might behoove you to check the local marine adds. People are always selling hard & soft dinks.
You may find one that works & the $$ is right. I have a great 8' Achilles inflatable that is pretty heavy duty & fits on my foredeck nicely. It has a good angled bow rise & I don't get the sprayed when running in light chop conditions.
Take your time, look around first.
CR
Don't you mean, "Waste Marine?"
I have not heard many good things about their inflatables over the years pal, many separation problems. It might behoove you to check the local marine adds. People are always selling hard & soft dinks.
You may find one that works & the $$ is right. I have a great 8' Achilles inflatable that is pretty heavy duty & fits on my foredeck nicely. It has a good angled bow rise & I don't get the sprayed when running in light chop conditions.
Take your time, look around first.
CR
The one he is talking about is a hard dinghy. http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--classic-dinghy--11985512
No experience there, but I didn't buy a Walker Bay dinghy because the one I was looking at wouldn't hold enough weight for it's size. I ended up with a used 8 foot Livingston that goes unused today. The Livingston stability is really good but the modern inflatables are even better. The up side of the hard boats are better rowing. If you motor it isn't a big factor.
Ken
No experience there, but I didn't buy a Walker Bay dinghy because the one I was looking at wouldn't hold enough weight for it's size. I ended up with a used 8 foot Livingston that goes unused today. The Livingston stability is really good but the modern inflatables are even better. The up side of the hard boats are better rowing. If you motor it isn't a big factor.
Ken
Well I had a long reply typed but my cat stepped on the key board and deleted it so rather than typing it again I bought a boat show special West Marine Classic Dinghy and will give some feedback.
Capn Ron, I have looked at hard shells and RHIBs for several years and own a perfectly serviceable 9.5 inflatable with an air floor but since we will do some remote cruising in the PNW (rough beaches) I decided on the hard shell. Speed is not a factor and my outboard is a 43lb 5hp 2 stroke Tohatsu. I don't want to go bigger (heavier) outboard wise. I purchased the WM hard shell for less than one third the price of the nearest lt wt RHIB. Keep you posted on the performance. Cheers, Mike
Capn Ron, I have looked at hard shells and RHIBs for several years and own a perfectly serviceable 9.5 inflatable with an air floor but since we will do some remote cruising in the PNW (rough beaches) I decided on the hard shell. Speed is not a factor and my outboard is a 43lb 5hp 2 stroke Tohatsu. I don't want to go bigger (heavier) outboard wise. I purchased the WM hard shell for less than one third the price of the nearest lt wt RHIB. Keep you posted on the performance. Cheers, Mike
I've never seen that particular dinghy except in the catalog, but I do know it's made here in Muskegon by KL industries who also make the Watertender 9.4. Those are extremely popular around here and many of the owners have bought more than one. The West Marine dinghy looks a lot like the Walker Bay 10 which is a pretty decent boat, although not as commonly seen as the 8 footer. I'm on my second WB 8 and an pretty happy with them, except that they are quite tender as any round bottom boat would be. I especially like the light weight for hauling in and out and hosting to the cabin top.
Well my son, 2 year old grandson and I did a sea trial and that's when I noticed to my chagrin that the 3 person limit also had a weight limit as well. Would you believe that three persons had a weight limit = to 348 lbs. Well My son and I total 390 and the little guy was 25 lbs and add 10lbs for oars and oarlocks so at 425lbs and 2" of freeboard in the stern we thought this wasn't the right dinghy. It is intended for use on his Cat 25 as a tender and a liferaft should the Cat 25 have an issue of some sort. West Marine to their credit said bring it back no problems.
So does anybody have feedback on a Quicksilver 275. Some on clearance at a local store. This particular model has a very robust rubber (?) hull and is advertised as a beach inflatable which would be handy on the rough and sometimes rocky shores around Puget Sound. It has a payload of 705lbs and weighs 100lbs. Thanks
So does anybody have feedback on a Quicksilver 275. Some on clearance at a local store. This particular model has a very robust rubber (?) hull and is advertised as a beach inflatable which would be handy on the rough and sometimes rocky shores around Puget Sound. It has a payload of 705lbs and weighs 100lbs. Thanks
I have never understood the West Marine bashing. While their salespeople are usually not at the same level as a independent chandlery, their stores are usually well stocked and priced reasonably. If you don't think so, don't shop there.
What I like is that for many people, and in most areas, they are the only ones wiling to set up shop selling sailboat parts. Dallas?? Minneapolis? Denver? Try and find another place to buy a snap shackle the same day you need it.
The kids that work there don't often know much, but that's OK. I do. I'm just happy they are there, and have the part.
What I like is that for many people, and in most areas, they are the only ones wiling to set up shop selling sailboat parts. Dallas?? Minneapolis? Denver? Try and find another place to buy a snap shackle the same day you need it.
The kids that work there don't often know much, but that's OK. I do. I'm just happy they are there, and have the part.
lol i agree with that Jack ...convenance is worth something....but you know how tight we sailors are.....and it was told in the military that a man is at his happiest when he is complaining .....
I own and love our mercury quicksilver 310 RIB. I have a 5hp 4 stroke that moves it along just fine. I got a good deal several years ago at the Miami boat show from Busters Marine. Mine is Hyperlon and so far no problems. It does weight 110lbs but I can lift it when I need to like out of the water for garage storage. It is very stable when getting in and out or mounting the motor. I bought a crane to mount the motor which for me is the hardest part of getting set up when I arrive at an anchorage.
The West Marine stores of old (mid-1980's) were fantastic places to shop and buy stuff for the boat. Not so much now, IMHO. It's often a frustrating experience in that the stores DO NOT, in my opinion, maintain good inventories of stuff that I'm typically seeking for my EU (European Union) manufactured yacht. Yes, the "Associates" are good folks but they can work only with what they have. The stores here in the LA area have reassigned floor space to stock A LOT of apparel and fishing equipment. One "WM" in Dana Point was entirely accessories, apparel, and nautical do-dads; maybe could buy some engine oil there. I don't need a completely "new something" everytime I go a marine store; usually, I need to fix something--- so try finding components or parts of some gear a few years old at a WM store. Few chanderlies remain about. If the WM are going to take over the marine hardware business, then the company should be more attentive to its customers needs!!
Take a look around at people's back yards. If you see a hard dingy that has been sitting for a while offer the owner $200 for it. You would be surprised how well that works.
That is how I bought my current dingy. Take a look at Craigslist also.
That is how I bought my current dingy. Take a look at Craigslist also.
Right about their inventories. The few times I've gone in looking for something, I would have had to order it. I can do that from home, cheaper. And their delivery is to the store on the next truck, which is next week Friday. I don't even try anymore unless I absolutely need our today, and usually I'm still SOL. There is another store here in Muskegon (Torreson) which gets bashed on this site a lot, but at least they have stuff on the shelf and their people know what they're doing.
I've ordered stuff from Torresen marine that I could not find here! You're lucky. There's another good store in Portland ME, Hamilton Marine, which has lots of good stuff!! Good place to shop for foulies.
I haven't taken one out yet, but I stood in one tied up. I was satisfied with its stability, though the setting was calm.
I had ordered one, but I thought it was getting discontinued, so I gave up hope on ever getting it. Low and behold, I revisited the page and found out it DID restock after all, and my order is being fulfilled as we speak. I will return here to give full thoughts after I finally receive it
I had ordered one, but I thought it was getting discontinued, so I gave up hope on ever getting it. Low and behold, I revisited the page and found out it DID restock after all, and my order is being fulfilled as we speak. I will return here to give full thoughts after I finally receive it
Is the insistence on a RIB for beaching based on experience or opinion? I have used a $500, 9.5ft budget Saturn inflatable for 5 seasons (so far) in ME. We beach it every time we go out, on all manner of rocky shores and rough beaches, and it has held up just fine. I actually rather like that it’s light enough to pick up and carry when the tide leaves it high and dry, and also that I can fold it up and throw it in my trunk to bring home at the end of the season.
We have several people in our club with the water tender. No one has the classic. I've looked at them in the past, and was going to pull the trigger, then found a Walker Bay 8. It's tender, and with 2 of us in there you really need to look at weight placement, but it works and was cheap. I put a small cooler forward of the main bench and sit there. My wife sits in the stern. Not great. but it works
We had no issues with our Walker Bay 8. It worked better than the previous inflatable. The sail kit offered recreation at anchor.
I don't know the West Marine Classic Dinghy. I've never seen one directly. I was looking at the images on West Marine and note a couple things:
1) It doesn't seem to have a sailing option.
2) It looks like there is only one set of oar locks for the middle seat.
I have a Trinka 8' sailing dinghy. So it's smaller than the West Marine Classic Dinghy. That could have repercussions on my comments. It also looks like the Trinka is probably less stable than the West Marine Classic Dinghy. I've gotten used to that aspect.
I like to being able to sail. I don't have a motor for my dinghy although I've considered getting one but as it rows so well, the "need" is just not there...
If you don't care about sailing your dinghy, then the lack of a sailing option doesn't matter. I personally quite like that option.
I really like how my dinghy rows. My Trinka has two sets of oar locks so that it can be rowed from either the middle or forward bench. I've found that very useful depending upon how many people and how much equipment I may be carrying. I'm able to balance the boat much more efficiently having the option of the two different oar lock positions. I've often rowed from the front bench with someone sitting in the aft bench.
The West Marine Classic Dinghy says it handles only 3 people. That's probably some sort of safety thing. I've had 4 people in my Trinka and it's smaller that the West Marine Classic Dinghy. Now, I wouldn't say 4 people is a good idea all the time, but I've made it work. 3 people in my Trinka is no problem at all so I'm a bit surprised that the West Marine Classic Dinghy states 3 people max. It's larger than the Trinka 8 by quite a bit. Both state 3 people max in their original documents.
The West Marine Classic Dinghy looks like quite a nice hard dinghy. If you are going to row a lot, you may want to think about installing a second set of oar locks for the forward bench seat depending upon your usage. Adding in a sailing option would be very difficult. That dinghy looks like it is aimed at primarily being driven under motor.
dj
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