Hardshell VS Inflatable

[Mark]

I am new to sailing and own a 1988 Cat 30 moored in Bellingham. Can anyone give me any practical advice on which type of dingy is better all around? Safety is very high on my list of priorities.

 

[Paul]

Inflatable vs Hard

I just recently bought a Catalina 30 and had the same dilemma. I opted for an inflatable. At this point in time, I enjoy the stability of an inflatable. I purchased plastic floorboards which allows you to stand up in the boat. However, don't expect an inflatable to be lighter than a fiberglass or wood. It's not like you can just wing it on board on a whim. I purchased a Seaeagle and I am so pleased so far. Hope this was helpful.

 

[Joe Luciano]

Inflatable

There are pros and cons. I have the same boat, only an '87 and I'm happy with my inflatable. It is an older West Marine model with wood floor boards. I keep it up at the pointy end of the boat and lash it down to keep it in place. It is very stable which is important to me safety wise. The biggest con is if you intend to take it to lots of remote areas, dragging it up on rocky beaches with barnacles can lead to wear and tear on the bottom and potential leaks. Mine has lasted for years and I've only had minor leaks which I've repaired easily. If you put a small outboard on it, it won't move as fast as a hard dingy, but speed wasn't high on my list. Check out the swap meets in the area that occur locally. Often you can find a good used one for a decent price. Anacortes is having a swap meet on Sunday, May 21st, 10am. I saw two nice ones there last year. Good luck!!

 

[Mark Gale]

power

My biggest considerations were room for 4, ability to fold it up to cross Lake Michigan and an outboard that wasn't too heavy. Found a nice, used West Marine inflatable with floorboards and a 3hp Evinrude in the classifieds on this site. The guy lived about 90 miles from me. A friend made a mistake in buying too big an outboard. He has a 5 hp Nissan (I know that's not large) but finds it's a pain to lift off the stern rail and install in the dinghy. Plus you always have the fule tank. My setup moves us along just fine and is very compact. My previous outboard was 2hp which was a little small.Good luck.