Dinghy

[ElizabethG]

I recently purchased a C350 that came with an inflatable dinghy and a 6 HP Merc 4-stroke engine. The dinghy is pretty much shot, but the engine is fine.

The boat is berthed in Charleston, SC and we plan to cruise near shore and the ICW. As we become comfortable with our new boat and our sailing skills, we would like to cruise to the Bahamas.

I am looking for recommendations on a new dinghy that will accommodate two adults and a medium sized dog on short shore excursions, snorkeling, boat to dock, etc.

I have a motor hoist (pole w/ block & tackle) on the stern, but no davits. I'd also like to keep her on the foredeck when not in use using a halyard with a four point hoisting harness to lift her on board.

Shopping for a dinghy is like going to a Baskin Robbins with dozens of flavors to choose from, i.e. weight, length, material, etc. Currently, I'm leaning towards an aluminum hull inflateable (RIB).

I'd welcome any recommendations..

Happy New Year,

Bill
Atlanta, GA
Hull 193

[KevinMc]

We got a Highfield aluminum hull inflatable and it's great. 9.9hp Honda gets it up on plane with two people. We have davits for lifting since it's probably 130# with the 3gal fuel tank, battery for start, etc. Honda is another 120# so it's on a separate motor davit.

[wolfe10]

Just as in choosing the sailboat, choosing the dingy is all about trade-offs.

Variables include:

Number of passengers/weight capacity

Whether you want ability to row the dingy (our choice for quick short trips, taking out second anchor, etc) where a hard dingy is preferred over RIB's and certainly over inflatables.

Speed

"Beach-ability": how susceptible to damage is pulling it up on a beach, coral.........

There is no "one best" dingy. For our needs a fiberglass hard dingy is best. May not fit YOUR needs.

[ElizabethG]

Kevin & Brett,

Thanks for the responses.

I keep coming back to AG and Highfield brands.

Hard to get my head around on the pricing of PVC vs. Hypalon tubes. You can almost buy two PVC dings for the price of one Hypalon.

Bill

[KevinMc]

I read a lot about hypalon and how it provides better protection for UV damage. I went with PVC. If we were full time cruisers in the tropics hypalon would be the better choice. We live in the Chesapeake Bay area and when the dinghy is on the davits we use the UV cover. We are heading to the Bahamas in a few weeks and the cover will be off the dinghy (so more UV) but we will only be there for a few months. So looking at our situation we went with PVC. You're right, the price difference is huge.

We had to wait a few months to get the Highfield delivered once it was ordered. With whatever dinghy you decide on - ask how it's being packed and shipped. When our dinghy arrived it came inside a semi trailer on a 5 x 8 pallet. The marina we were at luckily has a crane which was needed to get the dinghy from the truck to the boat. Just something to think about.

[zman18]

Anybody have any experience with the Mercury inflatables? I was looking at them online and they look decent and are at a reasonable price.
Thanks
John
Hull #484

[dedgell]

Bill,

I have two dinghies: a 10'2" Caribe fiberglass RIB (hypalon) and a 9'6" Zodiac inflatable floor (PVC).

The RIB is very stable, has a high load capacity, will plane with a light load, and is incredibly durable. In fact, it is a 1997 model and is still in good shape and very usable. It is also good in rough water and higher winds. But, it is heavy and difficult to launch, retrieve and store. It is stored on Kato davits while underway. It is too big to fit on the foredeck.

We bought the Zodiac because it is light (60 lbs) and easily and quickly rolls up and stores in a bag which can be transported down below or on deck. It will also fit inflated on the foredeck. I do not like to sail offshore with the dingy on davits for a number of reasons, and this was the alternative. It is so easy to handle, launch, retrieve and store that it has become our main dingy that we use all the time. It does 90 percent of what the RIB will do, which has been all we've needed the last two seasons.

My advice is to think seriously about storage and weight vs. your intended use. If I was living aboard for a year or more in the islands I would probably want my RIB. All other times the lighter Zodiac is preferred.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask me any questions you have since I have both types of dingy.

Best regards,

David Edgell
S/v Blue Wing
C350 #442

[agoss60]

Bought a Hyperlon Mercury Inflatable with fiberglass floor 8 months ago and so far all is good. I went for the more expensive option due to being more robust (uv rating ) and generally longer lifespan. Living in the tropics certainly helped with my decision but in the end if you want quality then you do have to pay a premium. If i am correct Mercury bought out quicksilver brand and have since expanded range.
more robust

[Interlude35]

We have been very happy with a 8' Porta-Bote as our dingy.  We like having a dingy but did not want to tow it or have davits blocking our access to the stern. We do not use it too often  but when we want it it is available. In its folded state it looks like a surfboard and stows neatly along the lifelines near the forward end of the boat.  It does not take up any deck space.  I unfold the boat on the forward deck and usually launch/retrieve it using the  spinnaker halyard or it can be simply be tossed  overboard. The Porta-Bote can be rowed, sailed or powered with an outboard.  We have a Honda 2 HP outboard which is a perfect match as it is light and with one person will get up on a plane.  A Torqueedo would also work very well. In the water it is stable and dry. It very durable and unsinkable. A small point is that we transport our Porta-Bote inside our 2007 Prius.  

John & Marilyn Feguson
Interlude #316
New London, CT

[Triumph]

I think David on Blue Wings puts it well. It depends on your usage plans.

I'll also offer this. To fit on the foredeck without blocking access to the anchor locker, 9.5 feet is max. 8.5 would be better. Weight; Since you'll be lifting it, go with a lighter model. Some of the Ribs come in a "Lite" version, single floor, etc, and can weigh 50 lbs less than the identical model with a beautiful double floor and storage compartment. An example is the AB rib, the lite weighs 106 lbs, the std one weighs 156 lbs. At one time I had an Apex 8 foot rib lite that weight only 68 lbs I think.

Once again, if you plan on a lot of cruising where you'll want to go far and wide with the dinghy, then look for something that will plane off with the three of you in it. If you'll just be taking short rides to shore daily for the doggy, then go light weight, and be satisfied with only planing off with one person and a dog.

What others have said about Hypalon lasting longer in the tropics is correct. But if you can store the dink out of the sun and use it part time, the PVC will do ya. What others have said, and common sense says, that a hard bottom dink will withstand the bumps and scrapes you get while landing ashore sometimes.

I've had a total of 12 different dinghies. I currently have two. One for long distance, 2-3 months in the Bahamas, the other for coastal cruising in Florida with short dinghy rides. The first is an (Hypalon) AB Lite Rib 9.5 feet long, 106 lbs, with a 2 stroke 15 HP Yamaha. The other coastal cruising dinghy is a 8.5 foot (PVC) Zodiac roll up with a 2.5 HP 4 stoke motor.

Bill
TRIUMPH
www.thebookofsail.com