Hi All,
Looking for some input--we are in need of a new dink and are leaning heavily toward an air floor as our number one priority is ease of off season storage. It's just two of us and no pets. Looking at the new air floors, it appears they have come a long way, however a friend mentioned that it may not be rigid enough to store on davits.
Anyone with direct experience storing the dink on davits with an air floor would be greatly appreciated!
You do not mention how you will be using it; over long distances or short--lumpy waters or protected harbors/inlets, etc. Nevertheless, there's no really good solution for sail boats in our size range, IMHO, even if you load up the boat up w/ lifting devices. Nearly 30 yr of coastal cruising (where the boat is in its slip most of the time) brings me to the conclusion that an 8.6 ft hypalon inflatable with an air floor is the best all 'round choice for that type of use. It's easily large enough for two, it's (barely) light enough for me alone to muscle up from the water, to drag around the deck, or to remove from the boat; it's stowable below in the cockpit locker (or in the trunk of the car) so I do not have to tow it if I wish not to, or to always carry it lashed on deck, or install lifting davits ($$), or otherwise leave it out in sun most of the time; it's not terribly expensive (many pre-owned ones around); it does not require a large engine to plane
with one person aboard; and I can row it easily with just the admiral and me aboard. Consider that a recommendation. Conversely, the major downsides are that it sometimes flexes too much in lumpy water, it's not that easy to board from above (i.e., from the boat) due to the unstable, "squishy", air floor; it's not generally fast [i.e., needs a large (heavy), 6 to 9 hp, engine to plane w/ two people aboard], and when lugging along off plane in even
minimal chop, it's wet up front.
P.S. It's really a poor use of always-limiting boating funds, IMHO, to install a davit system to lift a dinghy out of the water a few weekends a year, if even that often. Unless you're distance cruising where you feel you need to pull the dink from the water daily for dozens of days on end over periods of several months to a few years cruising, I would not recommend installing one. Use the money to up-grade your safety gear such as to install jacklines, equip lifejackets w/ proper signalling devices, stock spare parts, and so forth. If not that, then up-grade your ground tackle, and forth.