New Tender Recommendations, Please

[fishwife]

A friend has a fibreglass catamaran style dinghy that's proved very useful over the years. I'd like to find a similar tender but made from aluminium. Lots of places I tend to anchor involve beaching the tender to get ashore and it's often quite hard on the hull of my Caribe 15. Any recommendations please? I'd prefer to buy from the UK or Europe just because of the logistics involved.

Thank you

P.

[speciald@ocens.]

How about an aluminum hulled AB RIB. They are lighter than the fibreglass equivalent.

[fishwife]

Originally Posted by speciald@ocens.

How about an aluminum hulled AB RIB. They are lighter than the fibreglass equivalent.

It's an option I'm considering but I like the idea of not having any tubes to worry about.
I could make a cat style dinghy just about unsinkable with some polystyrene foam which is another factor in my thinking.

P.

[James S]

Thats a tough one....There are some pretty nice nice inflatable cats with some good rub rails/skid rails....this is a link to one of the manufacturers.
High- Performance Inflatable Boats
I cant say that Ive ever seen a small aluminum cat dink.
If this is for that big beautiful boat of yours...I'm thinking you could go a bit larger then the norm...like maybe 12ft+
I have seen some FG ones and even plastic...but aluminum...?

[fishwife]

Thats a tough one....There are some pretty nice nice inflatable cats with some good rub rails/skid rails....this is a link to one of the manufacturers.
High- Performance Inflatable Boats
I cant say that Ive ever seen a small aluminum cat dink.
If this is for that big beautiful boat of yours...I'm thinking you could go a bit larger then the norm...like maybe 12ft+
I have seen some FG ones and even plastic...but aluminum...?

At a pinch I can get up to a 16' craft on the foredeck but that can get hairy launching the thing in less than calm waters. My present RIB is 15' but at least two thirds of the time I use a little 8' Avon that I can into the water off the stern.

[James S]

If your set on aluminum...a "Jon boat" may interest you...havent really seen any that are cats...most of the ones I'm familiar with are flat bottom....but they come in all sizes.

[Palarran]

This is my favorite so far.

[Boracay]

How about his one?



Schionning could probably do a custom design to your specs.

Or maybe even the Ribcat 420

[Fixer]

Take a look at www.logoboats.com they have a Lil Quincy which is a 11' aluminum pontoon boat. May be gas OB or electric OB powered. I called about one some months back and the weight came in at around 500# sans motor.
No affilitation with the company, just looks like a neat tender.

[fishwife]

Thanks for the thought Fixer. I'm not to sure that a pontoon boat is what I had in mind. I need something that will stand up to the demands of Tierra Del Fuego. I should have explained in my original post that at the moment I'm looking at everything on the boat with that in mind.

P.

[Lodesman]

I have my eyes on one of these: Yacht Tenders, Utility Boats - Rigid Aluminum Hull - Inflatable Style Boats
And these seem like a good option: http://www.bicsportboats.com/product...tyak,3,49.html Check out their 245.

[James S]

Originally Posted by fishwife

Thanks for the thought Fixer. I'm not to sure that a pontoon boat is what I had in mind. I need something that will stand up to the demands of Tierra Del Fuego. I should have explained in my original post that at the moment I'm looking at everything on the boat with that in mind.

P.

The good news is you've got one heck of a good start with that very capable boat of yours...I'm her biggest fan.
What do the people in the Tierra Del Fuego area use for "going to shore" boats?

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by James S

What do the people in the Tierra Del Fuego area use for "going to shore" boats?

The zodiac "mil-Pro' line (Inflatable Boats | Zodiac Military and Professional Boats) is very common down there, with this model being popular (very tough and fast but also light)http://www.zodiacmilpro.com/tds/FC470Evol7.pdf

[sailing fool]

We love our Bluewater Baby - 11', fiberglass, made in U.S. but they ship anywhere. Perfect for cruising, rugged, fast, planes.

[fishwife]

I'm a big fan of the Zodiac Military spec RIB's, my late husband was a professional user of their products and had a hand in some of their innovations. He did have some things to say about them down in the Falklands though I'm quite taken with the 'Bullfrog' RIB's, the foam filled tubes makes sense to me. I'll be contacting them tomorrow. Fortuitously I'll be back in the USA on Tuesday. I really like the Sports Utility 15 though a try-out seems to be a good idea.

P.