Other than the space required to carry it on deck, or the hassle of towing it, would a dinghy have any downside over a raft?
Blue water, open ocean
- Thread starter anchorclanker
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Stability is certainly an issue. A raft is much less apt to roll over but the pudgy is unlikely to be punctured by debris or sharks rubbing on it and will be much more resistant to sun. It does not need to be repacked and is not dependent on a canister of gas to inflate it. Low interior volume is a downside as well. No more than two people. A liferaft takes up a lot of deck space as well depending on the size of the container. A liferaft may be easier to deploy automatically in an emergency, you would want the pudgy already in the water in event of a bad storm or a holing due to hitting a submerged object. A liferaft is there in the unlikely event you ever need it, kind of like a life insurance policy. The pudgy is useful all the time as a rowing or sailing dinghy. An inflatable dinghy is certainly useful as a liferaft in absence of a real life raft but you don't have the canopy to protect from sun exposure or the automatic deployment capability. Decent stability but not like a liferaft, more apt to roll over in a breaking wave.
Volume ... especially on a small boat anything that takes up space is liability.
Consider to rent a liferaft from one of the marine insurance carriers ... they're usually available in 'soft sided' containers and can be attached/strapped to the stern rail.
The pudgy has a canopy option for more $$$$, I think I read its inflatable via two CO2 canisters? I looked very briefly at renting a raft and the costs appeared so high as to make it more practical to just buy a good used one. Maybe I didnt look far enough?
Has anyone here ever had to abandon a boat? Any books anyone cant think of that broach the subject?
Has anyone here ever had to abandon a boat? Any books anyone cant think of that broach the subject?
This was taken during the San Francisco Light Bucket race in 2006. Worst sea state I have ever been in. Winds about 40 knots with higher gusts. The boat handled it well. It also gave us an opportunity to test our "Gale Sail" storm jib. Our big fat Catalina 42's top speed that day 15.4 knots surfing down waves after rounding the Light bucket buoy.
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