Hello, Any suggestions for a dingy to be purchased. Type, Size (family of four adults), manufacturer, dealer,. We have a 410 with davits. Motors 2 stroke, 4 stroke, etc??? First time buyer sorry for the open end questions!! Thanks
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You have two broad choices
hard or inflatable. after that you still have two choices in each catagory: roll up inflatable or rigid bottom inflatable, Or fiberglass or aluminum or wood composite in a hard dink. An inflatable is nearly impossible to row or sink. A hard dink can be swamped(they all have built-in flotation) but can be rowed, or sailed. The manufacturer always rates their boats for load and engine. If your passengers are bigger than the average bear than you must count them as more than one each. For example the boat plate will say four passengers or six hundred pounds. I hope that this answers some of your questions.
hard or inflatable. after that you still have two choices in each catagory: roll up inflatable or rigid bottom inflatable, Or fiberglass or aluminum or wood composite in a hard dink. An inflatable is nearly impossible to row or sink. A hard dink can be swamped(they all have built-in flotation) but can be rowed, or sailed. The manufacturer always rates their boats for load and engine. If your passengers are bigger than the average bear than you must count them as more than one each. For example the boat plate will say four passengers or six hundred pounds. I hope that this answers some of your questions.
dinghy selection
I just spend the last several months selecting a dinghy. I evaluated just about every option and the various tradeoffs. I summarized all my thoughts in an article - along with a list of the dinghies I looked at. I just created a Yahoo Group and posted the article there - the link below should work. As you'll see in the article, I ended up selecting a rigid nesting dinghy called the NN10. This is a brand new design. Prior to selecting this option, I looked at inflatables, RIB's, folding dinghies, rigid, kits, and finally nesting dinghies. I also evaluated all the various options for storage on our boat - including several styles of davits. The article summarizes most of my thoughts and might help you with your selection process. I also just finished selecting an outboard. I decided to go with the new Tohatsu MPS 3.5 hp that is due to ship in April. Good luck.
I just spend the last several months selecting a dinghy. I evaluated just about every option and the various tradeoffs. I summarized all my thoughts in an article - along with a list of the dinghies I looked at. I just created a Yahoo Group and posted the article there - the link below should work. As you'll see in the article, I ended up selecting a rigid nesting dinghy called the NN10. This is a brand new design. Prior to selecting this option, I looked at inflatables, RIB's, folding dinghies, rigid, kits, and finally nesting dinghies. I also evaluated all the various options for storage on our boat - including several styles of davits. The article summarizes most of my thoughts and might help you with your selection process. I also just finished selecting an outboard. I decided to go with the new Tohatsu MPS 3.5 hp that is due to ship in April. Good luck.
Excellent article Mike
Very informative. I guess the only thing that keeps me from jumping ont he NN10 is the price. I have my eye on a Walker Bay 10 if one ever comes up on the used market. My boat is a Lancer 27 so regarless, I'd probably have to drag the dink behind me. Thanks again for the article.
Very informative. I guess the only thing that keeps me from jumping ont he NN10 is the price. I have my eye on a Walker Bay 10 if one ever comes up on the used market. My boat is a Lancer 27 so regarless, I'd probably have to drag the dink behind me. Thanks again for the article.
Look at Cruisers
Full-time cruisers use their dinghy all of the time. It is their "mini-van" that gets them ashore, brings back food, water and fuel. It is their magic carpet to entertainment away from the boat. It allows them to explore places they can't go with the mother ship. It accompanies them on snorkeling excursions. I believe their experience qualifies them as being pretty good authorities on what works and what doesn't. They are not armchair sailers. They are hands-on people who don't even own an armchair.
If you will do some in-depth research, I believe you will find that, with VERY few exceptions, their dinghy is inflatable and carries the largest possible outboard.
Full-time cruisers use their dinghy all of the time. It is their "mini-van" that gets them ashore, brings back food, water and fuel. It is their magic carpet to entertainment away from the boat. It allows them to explore places they can't go with the mother ship. It accompanies them on snorkeling excursions. I believe their experience qualifies them as being pretty good authorities on what works and what doesn't. They are not armchair sailers. They are hands-on people who don't even own an armchair.
If you will do some in-depth research, I believe you will find that, with VERY few exceptions, their dinghy is inflatable and carries the largest possible outboard.
Brian
If price is important, then check out ebay. I got my 11', hard bottom inflatable for $600. I tried to find the best possible new matching and it was about $3000. It's a little big so I keep it deflatted and rolled up on the bow, which isn't the best place to put something but I can't seem to find a better place yet. As to why I got such a large dinghy, check out my next post.
If price is important, then check out ebay. I got my 11', hard bottom inflatable for $600. I tried to find the best possible new matching and it was about $3000. It's a little big so I keep it deflatted and rolled up on the bow, which isn't the best place to put something but I can't seem to find a better place yet. As to why I got such a large dinghy, check out my next post.
Ron, Larry is right
I thought I would add a little help (http://www.ssca.org/sscabb/index.php). That link is to a cruiser forum. As Larry said, they are the experts. Their advice was that women hate the instability of hard dinks...they want an inflatable. If you ever plan on doing any cruising, go ahead and get one that can carry a lot of weight and at least 4-6 hp. They say that you will find yourself in situations where you need that extra hp. It could be the difference between being washed out to sea or not...or at least they say so. That's why I have a 11' dinghy that can support over a 1,000 lbs and am saving up for a new 6 hp outboard. Note: they also say it comes in handy to have a 4 stroke because it's quieter. They say when your motoring out to the mothership late at night, you will be happy your not waking up the other cruisers. If no cruising plans, the just go with a light rollup dinghy with a 2-3 hp outboard.
I thought I would add a little help (http://www.ssca.org/sscabb/index.php). That link is to a cruiser forum. As Larry said, they are the experts. Their advice was that women hate the instability of hard dinks...they want an inflatable. If you ever plan on doing any cruising, go ahead and get one that can carry a lot of weight and at least 4-6 hp. They say that you will find yourself in situations where you need that extra hp. It could be the difference between being washed out to sea or not...or at least they say so. That's why I have a 11' dinghy that can support over a 1,000 lbs and am saving up for a new 6 hp outboard. Note: they also say it comes in handy to have a 4 stroke because it's quieter. They say when your motoring out to the mothership late at night, you will be happy your not waking up the other cruisers. If no cruising plans, the just go with a light rollup dinghy with a 2-3 hp outboard.
Walker Bay boats
Below is a link to Walker Bay Boats, only buy one with the inflatable around it, this option provides much more stability and increased capacity. I bought the Walker bay 8 foot RID (is what they call their inflatable hard bottom instead of RIB). I added a Merc 3.3 motor to it. You spend most of your dingy time at 6 MPH or lower so a large motor to plane the hull of a RIB or RID is somewhat of a waste (but probably more fun). The weight of the motor can be an issue for some; it was for me. The 3.3 weighs only 27 pounds.
Below is a link to Walker Bay Boats, only buy one with the inflatable around it, this option provides much more stability and increased capacity. I bought the Walker bay 8 foot RID (is what they call their inflatable hard bottom instead of RIB). I added a Merc 3.3 motor to it. You spend most of your dingy time at 6 MPH or lower so a large motor to plane the hull of a RIB or RID is somewhat of a waste (but probably more fun). The weight of the motor can be an issue for some; it was for me. The 3.3 weighs only 27 pounds.
Rigid Bottom Inflatable
If you want to know why most cruisers use inflatables....try stepping into a walker bay or hard dinghy from your sail boat, even in calm weather. Then again in a moderate wind day. I weigh over 200 lbs. and I cab stand on the edge of an inflatable without rolling it over, actaully without hardly moving it. Why the rigid bottom....so you dont have to worry about tareing it up on a rough beach. Why high HP?....so you can move forward id a headsea. with a 4 HP, you will be standing still if not moving backwards. With a 410, you have the room for it.
If you want to know why most cruisers use inflatables....try stepping into a walker bay or hard dinghy from your sail boat, even in calm weather. Then again in a moderate wind day. I weigh over 200 lbs. and I cab stand on the edge of an inflatable without rolling it over, actaully without hardly moving it. Why the rigid bottom....so you dont have to worry about tareing it up on a rough beach. Why high HP?....so you can move forward id a headsea. with a 4 HP, you will be standing still if not moving backwards. With a 410, you have the room for it.
inflatable vs. hard
The two biggest advantages for an inflatable (IMHO) is the stability and load carrying capacity. A pure inflatable (vs. a RIB) also has the advantage of storing in a bag roughly 3.5' x 1.5' x 1'. The can also support (but also require) a larger HP engine. I also had the "requirement" that I wanted a sailing dinghy which, in the end, eliminated any inflatable from consideration. The Walker Bay 10 with the inflatable tubes and the sail kit had the stability of an inflatable plus the sailing/rowing performance of a hard dink. It's also indestructible! A Walker Bay 10 with high performance sail kit and inflatable tubes is about $2,800. In my case, I wanted the extra option of storing the dinghy on deck or even below (not just on davits). That's what finally led me to buy an NN10 nesting dinghy. If it turns out to be too unstable, I will buy the Walker Bay inflatable tubes and add them to the dinghy. Dinghy Dogs are another "tube" option buy I like the Walker Bay tubes better and they will fit any ~10' hard dinghy. This will give me a high performance rowing and sailing dinghy with the stability and load carrying capacity close to an inflatable - albeit at a higher cost.
The two biggest advantages for an inflatable (IMHO) is the stability and load carrying capacity. A pure inflatable (vs. a RIB) also has the advantage of storing in a bag roughly 3.5' x 1.5' x 1'. The can also support (but also require) a larger HP engine. I also had the "requirement" that I wanted a sailing dinghy which, in the end, eliminated any inflatable from consideration. The Walker Bay 10 with the inflatable tubes and the sail kit had the stability of an inflatable plus the sailing/rowing performance of a hard dink. It's also indestructible! A Walker Bay 10 with high performance sail kit and inflatable tubes is about $2,800. In my case, I wanted the extra option of storing the dinghy on deck or even below (not just on davits). That's what finally led me to buy an NN10 nesting dinghy. If it turns out to be too unstable, I will buy the Walker Bay inflatable tubes and add them to the dinghy. Dinghy Dogs are another "tube" option buy I like the Walker Bay tubes better and they will fit any ~10' hard dinghy. This will give me a high performance rowing and sailing dinghy with the stability and load carrying capacity close to an inflatable - albeit at a higher cost.
Same Boat
To save the cost of a slip, I will be "on the can" this year. I have davits that should support a decent amount of weight. The thought of spending 2k plus on something you blow up make me cringe. My guess is you wont be able to wear out a walker bay type dinghy. I'm not a cruiser but I do need to get from the shore to the boat once each week. It would be nice to do this (with four people) in one trip. We also want to anchor out and motor / row to marinas for dinner. My most recent thought was a walker bay 10 ft but I question the stability. Wish there was a place to test one out before purchase. I've had my marina looking for a used dinghy for months with no response. Any other thoughts on the topic would be appreciated.
To save the cost of a slip, I will be "on the can" this year. I have davits that should support a decent amount of weight. The thought of spending 2k plus on something you blow up make me cringe. My guess is you wont be able to wear out a walker bay type dinghy. I'm not a cruiser but I do need to get from the shore to the boat once each week. It would be nice to do this (with four people) in one trip. We also want to anchor out and motor / row to marinas for dinner. My most recent thought was a walker bay 10 ft but I question the stability. Wish there was a place to test one out before purchase. I've had my marina looking for a used dinghy for months with no response. Any other thoughts on the topic would be appreciated.
walker bay reviews
Practical Sailor had a favorable review of the Walker Bay in 2005. While doing my research, I also found a couple of reviews on the web. If I remember correctly, Practical Sailor had a favorable review regarding the stability with the inflation tubes. At least one review on the web also was a generally favorable review but noted that the seating position while sailing was not very comfortable - while sailing, the boat was difficult to balance and the main sheet block is in the middle of the boat which is a little in the way. I actually like the Hunter Liberty ACP hull more than the Walker Bay. The ACP hull is very light and very strong. One of the reviews on the Walker Bay 10' commented that the hull flexed a little towards the bow while under way. All in all, I would have probably picked the Walker Bay if I had not concluded that I'd be better off with a nesting dinghy that I could easily store either on deck or down below. (If anybody had problems with the link to my dinghy summary before, I'm trying a different link below)
Practical Sailor had a favorable review of the Walker Bay in 2005. While doing my research, I also found a couple of reviews on the web. If I remember correctly, Practical Sailor had a favorable review regarding the stability with the inflation tubes. At least one review on the web also was a generally favorable review but noted that the seating position while sailing was not very comfortable - while sailing, the boat was difficult to balance and the main sheet block is in the middle of the boat which is a little in the way. I actually like the Hunter Liberty ACP hull more than the Walker Bay. The ACP hull is very light and very strong. One of the reviews on the Walker Bay 10' commented that the hull flexed a little towards the bow while under way. All in all, I would have probably picked the Walker Bay if I had not concluded that I'd be better off with a nesting dinghy that I could easily store either on deck or down below. (If anybody had problems with the link to my dinghy summary before, I'm trying a different link below)
Zodiac fast roller
In 32 years of sailing, we have owned many dinghies, inflatable and hard. Last year we bought an 8ft. 6in. Zodiac fast roller from Defender. It's the best dinghy we've ever owned and we have owned other Zodiacs, an Avon and a Walker Bay 10 which we hated. It was so unstable, I refused to use it. The Fast roller has an inflatable bottom, it is light and has very little drag while towing.WE use a 3.3 Merc. and it's fine. We don't care about going fast in the dinghy and we like the light weight of the outboard. This works for us. Alice C.
In 32 years of sailing, we have owned many dinghies, inflatable and hard. Last year we bought an 8ft. 6in. Zodiac fast roller from Defender. It's the best dinghy we've ever owned and we have owned other Zodiacs, an Avon and a Walker Bay 10 which we hated. It was so unstable, I refused to use it. The Fast roller has an inflatable bottom, it is light and has very little drag while towing.WE use a 3.3 Merc. and it's fine. We don't care about going fast in the dinghy and we like the light weight of the outboard. This works for us. Alice C.
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