I'm looking for a dinghy, I've read about the inflatables advantages, (space, weight, floatation,) and the plus' about solids, (price, rowability, ect. ) Where do you find second hand dinghys? Which do you recommend for overall use? I've got a 33' Cal, and need a tender for a protected harbor (transport to island 1/4 mile away) and for launch use, and maybe even some fishing (great fishing outer harbor) Most harbors I visit have launch service, but it would be nice to explore a few of the less populated harbors.
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If you have room,
get an inflatable with a hard bottom. Then you have the best of both worlds. Air floor inflatables are a pain to inflate. The hi-pressure floors require over 10 psi to inflate.
get an inflatable with a hard bottom. Then you have the best of both worlds. Air floor inflatables are a pain to inflate. The hi-pressure floors require over 10 psi to inflate.
Check this out
A great article with some resources for small boats listed at the bottom go to www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/dinghy.htm
A great article with some resources for small boats listed at the bottom go to www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/dinghy.htm
I've Had Them All and ................
for your size boat the roll up inflatable is the best. They are lightweight and can be rolled up and stored in a quarter berth. Add a small motor if you don't like rowing. The hard bottom is heavy and tows like a brick when it has a motor on it. The solid fiberglass dingy is unstable and you'll end up swimming sooner or later.
for your size boat the roll up inflatable is the best. They are lightweight and can be rolled up and stored in a quarter berth. Add a small motor if you don't like rowing. The hard bottom is heavy and tows like a brick when it has a motor on it. The solid fiberglass dingy is unstable and you'll end up swimming sooner or later.
Air Floor inflatable
I have an air floor inflatable Avon 9'4". It weighs 66 lbs. It is tough to deal with when deflated, but I carry inflated on the bow or towing. Launch with a spinnaker halyard. I have a 4HP Yamaha 4 stroke and it works fine with it. It is no trouble to inflate the floor as the pump has two locations for high and low pressure. I use an electric pump to fill all of the areas and then top off the 10psi floor with about 60 strokes of the foot pump. My friend has an 10'4 Avon, 1 foot longer on davits, with the combination air and fiberglass. It is more stable and planes better and does not have as much resistence rowing in low wind/current because of the fiberglass hull. He has a Yamaha 8HP 2 stroke. We were both in a charter last month, anchored in the Dry Tortugas, in 20 knots of wind and when returning to the boat from the fort, the prop spun off due to somebody chartering prior to us leaving off the cotter pin on the prop. We were in a combo air and fiberglas just like above, but due to the high wind, couldn't row at all, and were quickly drifting out to sea. We called the NPS on vhf and they had to retrieve us before we ended up in Mexico. Point is, get a motor with either of these type dingys, carry an anchor and handheld vhf. Rowing is not easy in an inflatable. A kayak would be much better for rowing.
I have an air floor inflatable Avon 9'4". It weighs 66 lbs. It is tough to deal with when deflated, but I carry inflated on the bow or towing. Launch with a spinnaker halyard. I have a 4HP Yamaha 4 stroke and it works fine with it. It is no trouble to inflate the floor as the pump has two locations for high and low pressure. I use an electric pump to fill all of the areas and then top off the 10psi floor with about 60 strokes of the foot pump. My friend has an 10'4 Avon, 1 foot longer on davits, with the combination air and fiberglass. It is more stable and planes better and does not have as much resistence rowing in low wind/current because of the fiberglass hull. He has a Yamaha 8HP 2 stroke. We were both in a charter last month, anchored in the Dry Tortugas, in 20 knots of wind and when returning to the boat from the fort, the prop spun off due to somebody chartering prior to us leaving off the cotter pin on the prop. We were in a combo air and fiberglas just like above, but due to the high wind, couldn't row at all, and were quickly drifting out to sea. We called the NPS on vhf and they had to retrieve us before we ended up in Mexico. Point is, get a motor with either of these type dingys, carry an anchor and handheld vhf. Rowing is not easy in an inflatable. A kayak would be much better for rowing.
Something different
William, there are lots of posts about this, but if you are willing to look beyond hard or soft floors....try a portabote. They are great and fold down to only 4 inches when not in use. Not too expensive and they row in a straight line everytime.
William, there are lots of posts about this, but if you are willing to look beyond hard or soft floors....try a portabote. They are great and fold down to only 4 inches when not in use. Not too expensive and they row in a straight line everytime.
Inflatable Dinghy
I kinda agree with Daryl about the rollup but it depends on your needs. I've got the same type boat you have and I pull a hard bottom inflatable with a 9.9HP on it. I do this for the convenience since we need it to get out to our mooring and to get us around once we're on the Vineyard. I do hate the extra drag it causes because we likely lose a knot or so but it sure is easy to use. I put electric start on it too. A rollup doesn't need to be rolled up because they're so light weight especially if the OB is on your stern rail. You won't lose much speed. Just get a small, light weight, OB so it's not too much of a hassle to get it on/off the stern rail. Either way, check out the "Want Advertiser". There's always a few dinghys for sale there.
I kinda agree with Daryl about the rollup but it depends on your needs. I've got the same type boat you have and I pull a hard bottom inflatable with a 9.9HP on it. I do this for the convenience since we need it to get out to our mooring and to get us around once we're on the Vineyard. I do hate the extra drag it causes because we likely lose a knot or so but it sure is easy to use. I put electric start on it too. A rollup doesn't need to be rolled up because they're so light weight especially if the OB is on your stern rail. You won't lose much speed. Just get a small, light weight, OB so it's not too much of a hassle to get it on/off the stern rail. Either way, check out the "Want Advertiser". There's always a few dinghys for sale there.
It depends on your cruising grounds
I have always had a hard dingy. It has never been a problem on my 33 footer and fits on the bow. If you are crusing the waterway this dingy is best. It also work well for the Bahamas and coastal crusing. If you are doing more long distance you may want the inflatable. I think if you can fit a hard dingy it is always best. If you boat doesn't have the room for a hard dingy you have to tow it which is fine for waterway crusing but should never be done offshore.
I have always had a hard dingy. It has never been a problem on my 33 footer and fits on the bow. If you are crusing the waterway this dingy is best. It also work well for the Bahamas and coastal crusing. If you are doing more long distance you may want the inflatable. I think if you can fit a hard dingy it is always best. If you boat doesn't have the room for a hard dingy you have to tow it which is fine for waterway crusing but should never be done offshore.
Wooden dinghy?
You mentioned inflatables and fiberglass but not wood. I just finished building an 8 ft plywood and epoxy D4 dinghy for under $500 using free plans from bateau.com (see link below). It rows really well and if you beef up the transom you can also power it with a 2.5 hp outboard or trolling motor. It would be a nice winter project. Check out the pic (not mine). A couple of suggestions. If you've never built anything in plywood before, buy the plans as the downloadable ones are really small. If you're really unsure of your woodworking skills, buy a kit. If you're over 5-10" and 200 lb, get the D5, which is a slightly larger version. Peter H23 "Raven"
You mentioned inflatables and fiberglass but not wood. I just finished building an 8 ft plywood and epoxy D4 dinghy for under $500 using free plans from bateau.com (see link below). It rows really well and if you beef up the transom you can also power it with a 2.5 hp outboard or trolling motor. It would be a nice winter project. Check out the pic (not mine). A couple of suggestions. If you've never built anything in plywood before, buy the plans as the downloadable ones are really small. If you're really unsure of your woodworking skills, buy a kit. If you're over 5-10" and 200 lb, get the D5, which is a slightly larger version. Peter H23 "Raven"
FB11 might work for you too
I don't know anything about it personally but this might work for sailors with limited storage space aboard. See link below. Peter H23 "Raven"
I don't know anything about it personally but this might work for sailors with limited storage space aboard. See link below. Peter H23 "Raven"
Source for dinghies (dinghys?)
William, Go to WWW.Defender.com. They have an annual inflatable sale, and you can save $$$$ big time, on inflatables,combos, and hard dinghys. With the size of your Cal, any of the above should work, for what you're considering. I've towed an inflatable with a folding floor, and I've carried it on deck. Either works, but you still have the option of rolling it up and stowing it in the quarter berth, or tying it down to the cabin top. I launch mine off of the deck with the boom and an old boom vang. You can also use a spinnaker pole attached to your halyard, and rig a block and tackle easily enough. Of course, davits are another alternative, as are brackets attached to the transom that cradle the dingy. Just google Dinghy, or yacht tender, and do some research into what will work best for you. I've found some good deals on E-bay, and Craig's List.
William, Go to WWW.Defender.com. They have an annual inflatable sale, and you can save $$$$ big time, on inflatables,combos, and hard dinghys. With the size of your Cal, any of the above should work, for what you're considering. I've towed an inflatable with a folding floor, and I've carried it on deck. Either works, but you still have the option of rolling it up and stowing it in the quarter berth, or tying it down to the cabin top. I launch mine off of the deck with the boom and an old boom vang. You can also use a spinnaker pole attached to your halyard, and rig a block and tackle easily enough. Of course, davits are another alternative, as are brackets attached to the transom that cradle the dingy. Just google Dinghy, or yacht tender, and do some research into what will work best for you. I've found some good deals on E-bay, and Craig's List.
To rescue a man over board you need inflatable
I am a relative newbe to sailing so must relate other peoples comments. My sailing instructor is a frim beleiver in inflatables because you can climb into them from in the water. A hard hull simply tips over on top of you. If you are rescuing someone, you both land up in the water.
I am a relative newbe to sailing so must relate other peoples comments. My sailing instructor is a frim beleiver in inflatables because you can climb into them from in the water. A hard hull simply tips over on top of you. If you are rescuing someone, you both land up in the water.
So rescue in a canoe is impossible
According to your instructor, rescuing a man overboard with a canoe is impossible because it is too tippy. Perhaps he should talk to the canoe instructors.
According to your instructor, rescuing a man overboard with a canoe is impossible because it is too tippy. Perhaps he should talk to the canoe instructors.
ouch
Hi William, I used to think I would prefer a hard dingy, but borrowed a friend's small boston whaler last summer for a Catalina trip. My experience was that hard tenders really annoyingly bang into your boat and they are way less comfortable in general. The inflatables can be lazily tied off to your boat and they are more like a big lounge couch. The whaler really beat the heck out of us. TM
Hi William, I used to think I would prefer a hard dingy, but borrowed a friend's small boston whaler last summer for a Catalina trip. My experience was that hard tenders really annoyingly bang into your boat and they are way less comfortable in general. The inflatables can be lazily tied off to your boat and they are more like a big lounge couch. The whaler really beat the heck out of us. TM
Hard
I have a Dyer Dhow and I cruise the Chesapeake Bay. I tow mine. Works like a charm and with a nylon/canvas bumper rail it does not bang or scratch the hull (of either craft) at all. Mine is 12' long and I could do with a 9' version but either one tows just fine. Kevin
I have a Dyer Dhow and I cruise the Chesapeake Bay. I tow mine. Works like a charm and with a nylon/canvas bumper rail it does not bang or scratch the hull (of either craft) at all. Mine is 12' long and I could do with a 9' version but either one tows just fine. Kevin
don't forget
how much weight the dinghy will support. I bought my 11' inflatable with a 3 piece wooden floor and inflatable keel on Ebay for $600. I think I saved a ton. I haven't used it much so it's been sitting on the bow deflatted and folded up and secured. With all the wood and everything, it weights 80 lbs but the important thing is it hold air and supports 1200 lbs. That comes in handy when I need to transport food, water and fuel and two people when I start my cruising. I use my spinacker haylard to lower it into the water. The footpump pumps it up in about 3-5 minutes.
how much weight the dinghy will support. I bought my 11' inflatable with a 3 piece wooden floor and inflatable keel on Ebay for $600. I think I saved a ton. I haven't used it much so it's been sitting on the bow deflatted and folded up and secured. With all the wood and everything, it weights 80 lbs but the important thing is it hold air and supports 1200 lbs. That comes in handy when I need to transport food, water and fuel and two people when I start my cruising. I use my spinacker haylard to lower it into the water. The footpump pumps it up in about 3-5 minutes.
dinghy as mooring taxi
Sometimes the devil is in the details--I'm out on a mooring and noticed that the inflatables that were being kept at the marina dinghy docks for the owners to use to get to their moorings were taking a beating from sun, rain, careless neighbors, etc. Some ended up deflated by the end of the season and one with an attached outboard even sank. My thinking is evolving on what to do, but at present I went with a hard plastic Walker Bay 8' to use strictly as a taxi to the mooring, and intend to get an inflatable to keep aboard for the actual trip. I'm anticipating just tying off the Walker Bay to the mooring ball. The Walker Bay was light enough to stack in the dinghy racks by myself, though it's unstable and the version with the inflatable collar would be safer. We'll see whether it's too much in the way when picking up the mooring.
Sometimes the devil is in the details--I'm out on a mooring and noticed that the inflatables that were being kept at the marina dinghy docks for the owners to use to get to their moorings were taking a beating from sun, rain, careless neighbors, etc. Some ended up deflated by the end of the season and one with an attached outboard even sank. My thinking is evolving on what to do, but at present I went with a hard plastic Walker Bay 8' to use strictly as a taxi to the mooring, and intend to get an inflatable to keep aboard for the actual trip. I'm anticipating just tying off the Walker Bay to the mooring ball. The Walker Bay was light enough to stack in the dinghy racks by myself, though it's unstable and the version with the inflatable collar would be safer. We'll see whether it's too much in the way when picking up the mooring.
Depends on what you want
We used to have an inflatable. It was very stable with good carrying capacity and with a 9.9 hp outboard on it would go fast and could cover long distances. On the downside, the bottom leaked all the time and we could never fix that problem and it didn't row worth a darn. And it looked ... well it looked like an inflatatable. We now have the hard dinghy that's in the picture. She is gorgeous and makes me smile every time I look at her. She rows like a dream. I love to row and rowing 3 or 4 miles is not a problem for me. We haven't had the outboard on her in two years of very extensive use. With the sailing kit on, she's lots of fun to sail. But she can be tippy for guests getting in and out and her load carrying capacity is more limited than the inflatable. She can bump into our Hunter 37.5, but not if she's tied up properly. We tie her down on the foredeck for open water passages, and she's easy to haul aboard with the spinnaker halyard. When we tow her on the face of the second wave beyond our boat, she exerts almost no drag in comparison to quite a bit from the inflatable. So it's really up to you. What do you want from your dinghy? Hope this helps. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
We used to have an inflatable. It was very stable with good carrying capacity and with a 9.9 hp outboard on it would go fast and could cover long distances. On the downside, the bottom leaked all the time and we could never fix that problem and it didn't row worth a darn. And it looked ... well it looked like an inflatatable. We now have the hard dinghy that's in the picture. She is gorgeous and makes me smile every time I look at her. She rows like a dream. I love to row and rowing 3 or 4 miles is not a problem for me. We haven't had the outboard on her in two years of very extensive use. With the sailing kit on, she's lots of fun to sail. But she can be tippy for guests getting in and out and her load carrying capacity is more limited than the inflatable. She can bump into our Hunter 37.5, but not if she's tied up properly. We tie her down on the foredeck for open water passages, and she's easy to haul aboard with the spinnaker halyard. When we tow her on the face of the second wave beyond our boat, she exerts almost no drag in comparison to quite a bit from the inflatable. So it's really up to you. What do you want from your dinghy? Hope this helps. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
Bumper Dinghies
Rich, when we are on our Catalina Island Mooring and move off, we leave the Watertender 9.5 hard dink attached to the mooring. If it's in the way when we come back, we just bump her aside. No worse for it. We too have an inflatable which I use for races, etc, but when cruising to Catalina, we use the hard dink. After chewing up a couple of inflatables on dinghy docks, it's nice to know no one can hurt it. Rick D.
Rich, when we are on our Catalina Island Mooring and move off, we leave the Watertender 9.5 hard dink attached to the mooring. If it's in the way when we come back, we just bump her aside. No worse for it. We too have an inflatable which I use for races, etc, but when cruising to Catalina, we use the hard dink. After chewing up a couple of inflatables on dinghy docks, it's nice to know no one can hurt it. Rick D.
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