One more vote for Tinker
Besides the advantages already mentioned by the other Tinker lovers, I want to add that Tinker's 10-year warranty is the best in the business. They cost a lot, are a pain to sail (if anyone wants to buy a nearly unused sailing kit for the Tinker Star Traveler; just make me an offer) but are very well made. Against all common wisdom we carry our Tinker high up on davits during passages. First of all, our Legend 43 has such a buoyant stern that she has never been pooped yet. Heck, I can only remember getting wet feet 2 or 3 times (in spite of the open transom), whereas the lower edge of the forward tilted Tinker clears the cockpit floor by 1-2 feet Fully inflated and fitted with its inflatable canopy, while tightly wrapped in a tarp to avoid catching rain water and spray and secured with extra webbing loops and spring lines to minimize motion and chafe, this Tinker is our life insurance against the effects of collisions or other catastrophic leaks. In addition we carry a compact, low-cost inflatable coastal raft to provide more breathing room for the crew under favorable weather conditions. The idea is to grab both the abandon-ship-bag and the compact raft (as well as a couple of crucial hand-held items) before cutting the Tinker loose. I hope never to have to tell you how well this worked, or not.... Flying Dutchman
Besides the advantages already mentioned by the other Tinker lovers, I want to add that Tinker's 10-year warranty is the best in the business. They cost a lot, are a pain to sail (if anyone wants to buy a nearly unused sailing kit for the Tinker Star Traveler; just make me an offer) but are very well made. Against all common wisdom we carry our Tinker high up on davits during passages. First of all, our Legend 43 has such a buoyant stern that she has never been pooped yet. Heck, I can only remember getting wet feet 2 or 3 times (in spite of the open transom), whereas the lower edge of the forward tilted Tinker clears the cockpit floor by 1-2 feet Fully inflated and fitted with its inflatable canopy, while tightly wrapped in a tarp to avoid catching rain water and spray and secured with extra webbing loops and spring lines to minimize motion and chafe, this Tinker is our life insurance against the effects of collisions or other catastrophic leaks. In addition we carry a compact, low-cost inflatable coastal raft to provide more breathing room for the crew under favorable weather conditions. The idea is to grab both the abandon-ship-bag and the compact raft (as well as a couple of crucial hand-held items) before cutting the Tinker loose. I hope never to have to tell you how well this worked, or not.... Flying Dutchman
