I am looking at an Aquamarine fiberglass transom, 11' dinghy. Can anyone give me pros and cons of this model, or recommend a good dinghy brand with a cost under $1,000 US?
Dinghy reviews
- Thread starter Jerica Carsberg
- Start date
Don't have any direct experience with the Aquamarine inflatables.. but based on info from their web site, the biggest drawback for me would be that they are made out of a PVC material; which combined with the fact they are made in China also explains the low cost. Depending on what you want to use it for, that may not be a concern for you though. If you are not dead set on buying new, you can find some pretty good deals for inflatables made of Hypalon on Craigslist, E-bay, etc.. (Avon, Zodiac and Achilles seem to be the top three).
Cheers,
Brad
Cheers,
Brad
Make your own for $350. Stitch and glue construction is so easy even I can do it. Built an 8' rowing, sailing, motoring dingy in about 3 weekends.
Rows GREAT, much better than inflatables, beaches well, sails and tows great too. Google "8-ball dingy"
Rows GREAT, much better than inflatables, beaches well, sails and tows great too. Google "8-ball dingy"
If you are talking about inflatable dinghies, I would recommend not buying PVC no matter who manufactured it. PVC breaks down in UV pretty quickly. You can buy a pretty nice used inflatable made with Hypalon for $1000 but probably not with a fiberglass transom. The downside of Hypalon is that it will weigh more then PVC and that can be considerable difference considering you want to buy and 11 foot dinghy.
Here are a pictures of my 8' PVC Aquamarine dinghy. It's 6 years old and has sat in the sun behind a boat for the summers in Sarnia Ont. Canada. It's for sale...
I'd stay away unless you are going to keep it covered. Ie; Dinghy chaps.
By the way. I bought that in Jan. of this year from a power boater. He said it needed the ore locks re-attached... It was -20c out and I couldn't unfold the boat to look at it. Power boaters...
I'd stay away unless you are going to keep it covered. Ie; Dinghy chaps.
By the way. I bought that in Jan. of this year from a power boater. He said it needed the ore locks re-attached... It was -20c out and I couldn't unfold the boat to look at it. Power boaters...
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I've had mine (Peanut Pram) for nearly 15 years. It's been a joy. It does need some maintenance, I'll admit. But if you build it, maintenance is an act of love. Stitch and glue makes a very strong and light hull. One time leaving a slip I got the dingy caught between a post and the boat and it bent nearly in half. My wife was yelling I killed the dink. It sprung back to shape and has served faithfully ever since. Over the years there is less varnish and more paint but that's the way it goes. BTW the $350 number is a little light if you use high quality plywood, but not that far off. Did I mention it tows like a dream. I hardly ever look back at it since it just seems to love playing around in my wake.
My wife wants an inflatable.
you may want to look at a puffin i think its called....its a hard dinghy but they are very impressive.......Roger Long has one and it is by far the coolest dinghy i have every seen...granted i have only seen about ten different ones but i think for a good stay with you the rest of your life investment you will be hard pressed to do better that that ...jmho
regards
woody
regards
woody
I have owned 7 inflatable dinghys. They are far safer and much more stable than hard boats of same size. Hypalon is nice but costs much more. PVC is fine, and if covered lasts for years. Go online, China makes some quality ones for less than $1000. I have owned a 11 ft. Chinese Maxum for 6 years and it still is in great shape! Chief
In the past I would have been inclined to take it back and shove it some ware.
But now a days I'm more inclined to just write on peoples lawns with fast growing rye grass seed.
I hear it lasts for years...
The Aquamarine dinghy comes with a PVC layer then a high tensile polyester layer that is impregnated with PVC then another PVC layer. It also comes with a fiberglass transom (our Zodiac wood transom rotted out even though we painted it and kept it covered on a dinghy dock.) PVC can be sprayed with a UV protectorant which served our Zodiac for 8 years. PLUS the Aquamarine dealer is throwing in a Hypalon cover. We bought a Titan RIB that also came with a Hypalon cover. It was only 8'6" and my husband has vision problems and was unsure about the stability for him entering and departing so now we are selling it. Only used it twice. I think the Aquamarine will work OK for us we got the 9'10" for $813 including the Hypalon cover and no shipping charge as we are close enough to pick it up.
Thank you I agree, Hypalon is too expensive. UV protective spray on, and a Hypalon cover work just fine, at least here in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands.
Don't blame the mfg
I think you got swindled, but don't blame the mfg. this dinghy wasn't taken care of. Leaving a PVC dinghy in the sun, on the water is not good maintenance for any dinghy. If you sell it, you'll just be passing on the swindle.
I don't want a hard dinghy, they are far less stable and my husband is 74 with vision and balance problems, but thanks for your input.
You. Might look at a small hard dinghy and the add www.dinghydogs.com to,it. Like the walker bay system.
Yes, the Walker Bay is very stable, but it only allows about a 300 lb. load, not enough for 2 adults, a dog and all our gear.
I'll also give a good recommendation for the West Marine 9.4 water tender. We had one when we cruised in the early 2000's. We hung in on a davitt and used a 4 hp outboard to push it. Wonderful, stable and solid boat. You can buy 10 of these for the price of the hypolon dingy and it won't go flat.
Ray
Ray
Just for the heck of it, I was reading some of the reviews on the WM dink. I will agree that a hard shell might be unstable for older people, I have about fell out of mine many times. But, someone actually wrote a negative review because it didn't have a bimini. Say what? No bimini? Probably doesn't even have a reliable watermaker either.
Are people this dumb? Or just like to write negative reviews? A bimini. Sure would want that to protect the teak and holly flooring..
Are people this dumb? Or just like to write negative reviews? A bimini. Sure would want that to protect the teak and holly flooring..