I hate it too; but I still do it. To make it easier, I had a 6.5' cadet on the P-30; somewhat less of a PITA. The cadet can carry two adults with a 4-hp (two-stroke) engine.
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Travel with Dinghy
- Thread starter Shagdance
- Start date
Cat 310, dang it man, get a 12 volt power inflator! It will still take a few strokes of the foot pump to get the right PSI, but the power inflator will do 95% of the work, in a fraction of the time.
You'll hate the inflation process a lot less, I promise you.
You'll hate the inflation process a lot less, I promise you.
A 12 VDC power inflator would be great, but Catalina discontinued putting in a 12 VDC source in the cockpit sometime during 2004 production. My boat is a 2005, #307. No 12 VDC power plug. I've got it in the job list to install one.
My question is what gauge wire and do you run it from the power panel above the nav table to the engine panel on the pedestal.
Where do you connect it (assuming a fuse is put in the circuit).
I'd really like to hear from someone who has done this.
I agree with the inflator part. But we bought a 120V unit that is much more robust. We do have good size inverter, though. Energy-wise, the 120V unit actually uses LESS overall power: larger load in 12V to 120V conversion losses etc., but for a LOT shorter time frame.
Outstanding. I've copied the picture and will do the install this spring! Thank you and Merry Christmas.I added 12 volts here to panel when I added my monitor.....added fuse later when I posted picture online....comments..... where is the fuse
paylj
Up until this summer, I used a small fiberglass dinghy. It has a pointed, but bluff bow, a flatish bottom. We towed it for thousands of kilometers with out major problems. There were times, with following seas, where it would scoot along beside or just about parallel to our boat, and then get caught by a wave and pulled back in line. The conditions were nasty, and we fully expected to loose the dinghy in the middle of Lake Huron. In the end, it survived, and I still have it.
This summer, I purchased a compact RIB (hard bottom, but fold down transom). Much more stable, and much more capacity that the old fiberglass dinghy. Perfect for getting us and a big dog around. But, the first time I towed it in a moderate following sea (waves <2'), it quickly started a taking little water over the bow. Once there were a few gallons in the boat, it would start to take on more as it went down a wave, the water in the boat sloshed to the bow, and thus weighed it bow down as it hit the trough of the next wave, at which point a bit more water would come on board, just over the bow.
It didn't take long before there were 100's of lbs of water and I had to take a break and get aboard and bail it out. Not much fun, and a little dangerous. After that I tried different tow lengths, but ended up with it very close to the boat (10-12') to avoid this problem.
I was surprised at the way it handled. Makes me think that it really needs to be on the foredeck for any real passage making, and towing is for when you are really confident the conditions will remain manageable. Perhaps it is the RIB design?
This summer, I purchased a compact RIB (hard bottom, but fold down transom). Much more stable, and much more capacity that the old fiberglass dinghy. Perfect for getting us and a big dog around. But, the first time I towed it in a moderate following sea (waves <2'), it quickly started a taking little water over the bow. Once there were a few gallons in the boat, it would start to take on more as it went down a wave, the water in the boat sloshed to the bow, and thus weighed it bow down as it hit the trough of the next wave, at which point a bit more water would come on board, just over the bow.
It didn't take long before there were 100's of lbs of water and I had to take a break and get aboard and bail it out. Not much fun, and a little dangerous. After that I tried different tow lengths, but ended up with it very close to the boat (10-12') to avoid this problem.
I was surprised at the way it handled. Makes me think that it really needs to be on the foredeck for any real passage making, and towing is for when you are really confident the conditions will remain manageable. Perhaps it is the RIB design?
I would prefer to keep my 7 ft mercury inflatable on the fore deck but it doesn't fit on the C-310. This was a surprise to me but it is too wide and will not fit between the forward upper shrouds.
I have one of these handy portable 12VDC power sources.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--700-peak-amp-jumpstarter--15808504
I bought the 400Amp version. $45. You can buy other brands but mine was on special.
I can jump start my engine and genset, charges our iPads, iPhone, and run 12 VDC etc. No need for fuses or wiring size, and is small enough to keep as a House battery emergency back up too.
There are some jump starts with an air compressor for inflating tires, footballs, air mattress for a small volume/ pressure source.
Jim...
PS: I tow my empty dinghy without the 8 hp Yamaha 2 stroke mounted.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--php-310-performance-air-floor-inflatable-boat--14272447
I use a floating line "Y" to prevent line in propeller and about 20' behind me.
I am curious about your jump pack. Have you actually had to jump a depleted battery? If so, did you just hook the alligator clips onto the terminal of the dead battery bank? Any issues or tips?
Thanks,
Thanks,
I have one of these handy portable 12VDC power sources.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--700-peak-amp-jumpstarter--15808504
I bought the 400Amp version. $45. You can buy other brands but mine was on special.
I can jump start my engine and genset, charges our iPads, iPhone, and run 12 VDC etc. No need for fuses or wiring size, and is small enough to keep as a House battery emergency back up too.
There are some jump starts with an air compressor for inflating tires, footballs, air mattress for a small volume/ pressure source.
Jim...
PS: I tow my empty dinghy without the 8 hp Yamaha 2 stroke mounted.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--php-310-performance-air-floor-inflatable-boat--14272447
I use a floating line "Y" to prevent line in propeller and about 20' behind me.
If you have at least 10VDC on the starter battery, I have just direct clipped the Jump Start (JS) to the battery and my 700 amp ( I thought it was 400Amp, so I got 50% off
). Check your owners manual for Cold Crank Amps needed. Mine was 500 CCA so the 700 jump start is more than enough. The Switch on the JS can be OFF until ready to crank.I don't think a completely dead starter battery ( 0 VDC) would run your engine. Although I never checked to see if the JS would accept a charge from an engine alternator. The way to check is to disconnect your starter battery Positive terminal ( leave Negative connected. Typically it is you boats ground reference) the hook JS to negative on battery and dangling positive lead to the engine starter. Positive lead should be about ≈14 VDC with engine alternator running, and turn on the JS battery state indicator. If JS goes back to full charge Green, you could run that way till you can berth and replace dead battery after finding why the battery died.
On my boat, my genset's (200CCA) alternator charges and uses the engine starter battery. If I have the weak battery ( brrrrrrr brrr br...) I get the JS hooked up and start my genset, which then charges the engine battery and house batteries. I have a set of Jumper cables too, for House battery assist to engine battery if needed.
Since I manage my batteries, I only used the JS to help my Inverter/Charger restart from it low voltage shutoff at 10.5 VDC because of an electrical storm took out shore power.
But...
the harbor master knows I have jump start and jumper cables. So my JS has been borrowed 10x more than I use it. So it works well. I use the 12VDC to charge up to 4 iDevices from the cockpit. Plus it could still inflate a dinghy at the same time.
Jim...
PS: I you have 120 VAC to charge the JS, it is a battery charger too. Hook up a battery and the JS will charge it for you.
Sorry to join late, but here are some of my thoughts:
Dinghy, we have a 9'6" Highfield aluminum RIB. The boat weighs about 110 pound and the engine another 57 pounds for a 9.8 hp 2-stroke. We tow it a lot, often with the motor on it. We lose about a half a knot from towing. We have towed through many conditions including steep chop in Buzzards Bay, Long Island Sound and the Ablemarle Sound and through 8-12 foot seas following and on the beam in places like Vineyard Sound and offshore of New Jersey. Never had an issue. We use a double bridle with a large SS ring about 4 feet off of the dinghy. Two lines go to the dingy and two lines two the boat. This keeps it centered behind the boat. When pounding into steep seas we keep the dinghy close, around 8 feet from the stern. In larger rollers we tow about 20 feet behind us.
We also have the Dingy Sling. The guy who makes them is in Hingham, MA, our home port. I have met him and his son and seen how they make the units. Great product. My next article in Mainesheet is on the Dingy Sling. We tend to lift our dinghy higher off the water than the photos of hull #1 using it and we have it come down to the rail often so that any spray that gets in there drains out. When we cross to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks we will have our dinghy in the sling. It really does a great job of holding the dinghy. It could work on a hard dinghy if you get creative with some pool noodles. We have used ours for our kayak and have considered getting a second for that purpose.
On the 12v outlet, we added one before we left. I used the screw terminal on the ignition for power. It's always on when the battery switch is turned on and we wanted that to run things like backup anchor lights, etc. I did put a fuse in line. I installed the outlet in the fiberglass base for the cup holders below the shifter. Eventually I will replace the euro style buss with a terminal block and move the power point to there. I will write this up for the spring Mainsheet.
Sorry no pics to offer, they are on the laptop and my Bride is using it to pay bills while we wait out some rain in Indiantown, Fla. We are on the hard to do a quick bottom job, fix a bad gelcoat repair from the previous owner and some other maintenance.
Fair winds,
Jesse
Dinghy, we have a 9'6" Highfield aluminum RIB. The boat weighs about 110 pound and the engine another 57 pounds for a 9.8 hp 2-stroke. We tow it a lot, often with the motor on it. We lose about a half a knot from towing. We have towed through many conditions including steep chop in Buzzards Bay, Long Island Sound and the Ablemarle Sound and through 8-12 foot seas following and on the beam in places like Vineyard Sound and offshore of New Jersey. Never had an issue. We use a double bridle with a large SS ring about 4 feet off of the dinghy. Two lines go to the dingy and two lines two the boat. This keeps it centered behind the boat. When pounding into steep seas we keep the dinghy close, around 8 feet from the stern. In larger rollers we tow about 20 feet behind us.
We also have the Dingy Sling. The guy who makes them is in Hingham, MA, our home port. I have met him and his son and seen how they make the units. Great product. My next article in Mainesheet is on the Dingy Sling. We tend to lift our dinghy higher off the water than the photos of hull #1 using it and we have it come down to the rail often so that any spray that gets in there drains out. When we cross to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks we will have our dinghy in the sling. It really does a great job of holding the dinghy. It could work on a hard dinghy if you get creative with some pool noodles. We have used ours for our kayak and have considered getting a second for that purpose.
On the 12v outlet, we added one before we left. I used the screw terminal on the ignition for power. It's always on when the battery switch is turned on and we wanted that to run things like backup anchor lights, etc. I did put a fuse in line. I installed the outlet in the fiberglass base for the cup holders below the shifter. Eventually I will replace the euro style buss with a terminal block and move the power point to there. I will write this up for the spring Mainsheet.
Sorry no pics to offer, they are on the laptop and my Bride is using it to pay bills while we wait out some rain in Indiantown, Fla. We are on the hard to do a quick bottom job, fix a bad gelcoat repair from the previous owner and some other maintenance.
Fair winds,
Jesse
Thanks for the info. I just "upgraded" to the new style sling with flotation all around. Will use it in the spring. If you can possibly post some pics later of your dinghy in the sling I would like to see how you carry yours because your dinghy is much longer than ours. Hope the Bahamas trip is great.
bob
bob
Will do next time I put the dinghy up at a dock so I can get a pic.