Is this dinghy salvageable?

[colb218]

The dinghy is a Bombard AX3 which I understand to be a pretty basic/budget friendly dinghy. The tubes hold air well, but the floor has separated from the tubes in numerous places with numerous patches. I finally decided to try to fix it a few nights ago, but in addition to the area I was planning to fix some of the previous patches are also failing. We have not used the dinghy in the almost year since we bought the boat. We have done lots of day sails and stayed dockside when going out overnight, but I would really like to take advantage of some anchorages. We have 2 younger kids and a dog so would like to have a reliable/safe/ideally dry means of transport to the shore.

The main area I was planning to fix. There is a smaller area as well, but this was the big one

Separation near the transom. There were two patches here and they both lifted off with minimal effort.

Overall condition, there are a lot of patches between the floor and the tubes. One of the wooden slates is also broken but that is an easy fix

 

[markwbird]

Not really. I went down this path a couple of years ago with a dinghy that had similar issues with the seams coming apart. I kept patching it and it still kept coming apart. I could not stay ahead of it. The problem with this, of course, is that it kept coming apart while I was using it. It's toast.

 

[colb218]

Not really. I went down this path a couple of years ago with a dinghy that had similar issues with the seams coming apart. I kept patching it and it still kept coming apart. I could not stay ahead of it. The problem with this, of course, is that it kept coming apart while I was using it. It's toast.

Bummer! But kind of what I assumed. Any suggestions for a new dinghy? I have been looking on OfferUp and similar sites. Is the adhesive in this area of the dinghy something that typically wears out? Should I try to avoid 'older' dinghys? or is it that this model is not the best quality?

 

[Sailm8]

With a dog even if you could fix it you are doomed. You need a dink with a hard floor like wood, fiberglass, aluminum etc.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

It's probably no better or no worse than the other manufacturers ... With all the patches, yours obviously went thru a fair amount of abuse and probably a lot of neglect as well. It served it's purpose for the previous owner. They wore it out and weren't about to replace it before selling the boat. It's a throw-away that simply got left in the package.

What do you mean by avoiding 'older' dinghys? I don't think I would ever buy a used dinghy, but that's just me.

 

[colb218]

With a dog even if you could fix it you are doomed. You need a dink with a hard floor like wood, fiberglass, aluminum etc.

She is a 35ish - lbs golden doodle, but that is a good point.

 

[colb218]

It's probably no better or no worse than the other manufacturers ... With all the patches, yours obviously went thru a fair amount of abuse and probably a lot of neglect as well. It served it's purpose for the previous owner. They wore it out and weren't about to replace it before selling the boat. It's a throw-away that simply got left in the package.

What do you mean by avoiding 'older' dinghys? I don't think I would ever buy a used dinghy, but that's just me.

Interesting. I guess I didn't think dinghys were consumable products, at least not to the extent of not wanting to buy one used?

 

[MikeHoncho]

Completely fixable. I had the whole front of my floor separate from the tubes. I recommend two part adhesive ( expensive), exceptional prep work making sure it is clean and overlaying additional material bridging the repaired seam. Don’t cheap out on the adhesive. It will fail in short order and then you will have double the work getting it off . I’ve been very happy with Poly Marine.

 

[heritage]

I have had two pvc inflatables that had their floors come unglued after a few years. Both of them eventually wound up in the trash. Spent many hours and dollars (the specialty glues are very expensive) reattaching the floors only to have the floors separate again from the tubes. Both tubes were still in great shape as were the floors, it's just that there seems to be no way to thermally attach the floors to the tubes and the glues don't last long.

I had a dingy made of Hypalon several years ago that held up nicely but it was a bit heavier. My present dingy is an older wooden sailing and rowing pram with a small Torqueedo when I'm feeling lazy.

 

[jssailem]

With two floating tubes I wonder if there is a tubular frame you could use to repurpose the dinghy?

 

[NotCook]

I e always heard a rule of thumb that inflatable dinks last 10 years. I suppose that could vary depending on if it is ever used. In our case, our Hypalon Dink gave out at… 10 years. Couldn’t patch it as fast as it developed new leaks. Currently we have a hard sailing dink while we try to decide what to get next.

 

[NotCook]

My present dingy is an older wooden sailing and rowing pram with a small Torqueedo

So do we. Love the Torqeedo!

 

[Rich Stidger]

My Achilles hypalon dinghy is 15 years old and looks like it could pass for 3-4 years old. I added hoisting rings with a 2 part glue and they are solid. The only repair I've done is to reglue the rub rail around it this Spring. Only use the 2 part adhesive designed for the material. Proper prep is a must. And take care of it. Be mindful of dragging over rocks and other abuses. The first Achilles I had lasted 20 years and I only replaced it to get something larger.

 

[RoyS]

Dogs are hard on inflatables. My previous standard poodle was extremely athletic and weighed 70 pounds. He could leap from the dinghy up onto the deck of the boat as long as someone held it firmly against the boat. He could also leap from the deck into the dinghy (and often did) landing on the soft floor with his front paws hard. My pvc inflatable somehow survived this abuse for about ten years, so far. Now with a more timid and only 50 pound standard poodle we gently guide him down into the dinghy while holding his life jacket handle. I would toss your inflatable and purchase a new one of better quality with welded (not glued) seams and treat it well. My PVC Mercury roll up is still in great shape.