Inflatable dinghy suggestions

[captron]

Hey guys & gal's I'm in the market for a new dinghy (want an inflatable) just saw on line the AB brand they have a rigid aluminum hull in 8', 9' and 10' I'm considering the 9' in has oversized Hypalon tubes, non-skid floor and only weighs 68 lbs, which cant be much more if any than an air floor model which I was orginally considering.
by chance does anyone have one or are familar with this brand/model any comments are appreciated.

Thanks much,
Capt. Ron

 

[Graysailor]

Cruising down here in Mexico and what I find is working best is something like a Walker Bay hard dingy with tubes around the side. Not a Rib and not an inflatable but a good old fashion hard dingy. They key for stability is putting the tubes around the sides. Leaks with the inflatables and scuffing the bottom are the issues. I currently have an inflatable with inflatable keel and floor. Pretty much a waste of money.

 

[Skipper Dave]

Hey Capt. Ron,
I know you said you were interested in an inflatable, but, I just wanted to suggest you looking into the Walker Bay dinghy, before you buy. We purchased the Walker Bay 10 with the sail kit, then added the inflatable tubes. The tube adds stability, will help the boat hold extra weight, and allow a larger engine. The kids love the ability to go sailing, and we know they will be safe and can't tear it up. We have had two inflatables and will never go back. Check out the videos on YouTube or their web site.
Good Luck with your choices,
Dave

 

[Florida sail]

Ron,

Check put the Porte-Bote. Comes in several lengths and is easily stored. I've had one in the past and high on my wish list is trading in my inflatable for one.

 

[Tim R.]

AB is one of e better brands out there. Not familiar with the aluminum floored models but AB is definitely a quality boat.

 

[tsheie]

A wise old salt once said: "There are only two types of inflatable dinghies: those that leak, and those that will." After several used inflatables, and one new one, we are now using a 'Walker Bay style' hard dinghy. Don't say we didn't tell you..

 

[Bill Roosa]

While I will not debate the load carring abilities of an inflatable I'm not thinking that the extra capacity is useful unless you are hauling a lot of heavy gear. you volume out with people long before you get close to the weight limit. I've not found that they are not any more stable than a hard shell either. they do row much harder and the wind effects them more though.
After swamping my 8-ball stitch and glue DIY several times while sailing it I can attest to the unsinkable-ness of the design

 

[navigator97]

My 18 year old Achilles was finally breaking down and needed leak repair too often. I replaced it with a new Achilles Hypalon LEX-96 (9' 6" LOA). I have used it 3 years with no problems. We are very satisfied with it. I use a Honda 2 HP Outboard on it to minimize engine weight, and it is adequate to get us to and from the mooring. Got both at Defender.

 

[Steve Dion]

Looking at a hypalon unit is the smartest thingy can do.

Caribe, Apex, AB , Avon, and Achilles are all good units. Stability and weight are the next issues. Then you need a motor. If you go with anything that is rigid then there is issues with repairability .

Best of luck with your selection

 

[capta]

Hard or soft

Almost everyone cruising down here in the Caribbean uses well powered inflatables in one form or another. Right now, we "commute" 1.2 miles from Honeymoon Bay on Water Island to the marina's dinghy dock for groceries, etc. which would really suck in a Walker Bay, w/ or w/o inflatable things. Throughout the Caribbean, the nicer anchorages are away from "town".
Even cruising the East Coast I found my 11.6" Zodiac w/15hp (not RIB; so I can deflate it & put it below in a very bad blow), I found that it was nice to "beat the rain" or get above the chop in a fast dink. And exploring around anchorages or marinas (we went up all the rivers around Charleston SC & Providence RI, for instance) is a blast.
Since 1972 I've always owned non-RIB inflatables, but I believe the AB brand rigid aluminum hull will be my next dink. I've friends (several in the charter industry) with the AB brand rigid aluminum hull and they give rave reviews, again using them daily and hard..
As for leaking, ours is five years of very hard use & just fine; no leaks. The secret is to keep any inflatable light & very hard (like a basket ball). If you do get a hole, it's usually an easy fix or you get an inflatable boat repair place to fix it.
I guess it's really about the comfort you desire from your dink. Ours is our Ferrari, fast, well built and a blast to drive.

 

[captron]

Re: Hard or soft

Thanks all for your comments, all good points to ponder,

Capt. Ron

 

[Gunni]

The RIB is the F150 4WD of the boating world. Check out the versions with a folding transom - they pack down to a flat bag but offer the utility of a tough bottom. Walker Bay has a great one (Genesis RIB ) but Zodiac, Achilles, Avon etc offer their own version.