Trying to pick my dinghy poison

[KimSails]

I have a PT11 nesting dinghy that I store on the foredeck of my 34’ boat. Rows and sails very well. Easy to assemble. Each half weights less than 50 lbs to haul on deck. I have a torqueedo, from a previous inflatable, but have not tried it yet on the PT11.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Mike is right about the Porta-Bote. It is a great mix of the benefits of a hard dinghy with the convenience of an inflatable.


https://www.porta-bote.com/the-dinghy/

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by slug

With a 35 footer I would buy a small high quality inflatable floor tender and power it with a small put put motor

This dingy lives below for passages and serves as your primary tender

When you get on station you purchase a 3 meter rib powered by a 8 hp two stroke

This sport tender would always be towed

When you must move out , cross an ocean , you sell the 3 meter rib to the next cruiser

Lots of problems with that idea. Dinghies of any sort are hard to find in remote areas, or any third world country. Towing is almost never a good idea unless you stay inside the reef or harbor. Inflatable floors will quickly wear out if often beached, so dinghy wheels are necessary unless the crew is strong, and the motor not too big.
I am fairly sure he can fit a small RIB on the foredeck and carry a 10hp or better 15 hp 2stroke on a bracket near the stern. As long as the anchor windlass is in the clear.

[Cheechako]

Definitely have to compromise. To me a planing dingy is absolutely necessary. I used mine for trips even 15 miles or so. The places you can get to that the mother ship can't go to are some of the best, and not heavily traveled.
Having said that, my friends went to NZ with an Avon vinyl floor rollup that worked fine. The floor slats just stay in the dink and you roll it up. No air floor to worry about. Then they stored it strapped down on the aft deck.
-Hypalon
- Not as good as a rib, but good enough.
-Half or less of the storage size of a nesting dingy.
-My experience with rigid dingys is they have to be much larger to be as stable as an inflatable.

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

...3 HP won't plane it.

A generalisation I know, but why are North American Yotties who've been happy to sail the hundreds/thousands of miles at 5 or 6 knots to reach wherever, so insistent that they need a dinghy/outboard combi capable of blasting them the last half mile through the anchorage at twice that speed? Having shared innumerable Caribbean anchorages with such high-speed US/Canuck dinghies, we wondered what it was going to be like when we sailed the US east coast? We were amazed but pleased to discover that it was much quieter/slower; it seems that well policed local ordinances control dinghy speed most everywhere and nobody complains, but once they're overseas...

Our last dinghy was a 2.4m/8' Walker Bay Hypalon rib with a Mercury 3.3hp 2-stroke outboard; absolutely brilliant, will fit easily on the foredeck of a 35 footer, light - less than 110lb all up - to hoist aboard or up the beach and set it up right it will actually plane, though that rarely happened as the noise that it produced doing so was intolerable.

[rslifkin]

Some people feel the need to be able to use their dinghy to explore anywhere and everywhere within 10 miles or make a 5 mile run to the next town without having to move the big boat. Those people tend to like fast dinghies.

Plenty of others just plan to use it for shorter distance boat to shore transport. In that second case, speed doesn't matter much. I fall into the second camp, as I don't see moving the mothership a few miles to check out a new place as a big deal (and in my case, the mothership can get up and plane anyway, so the only penalty for doing 17 kts with it vs the dinghy is fuel).

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by bobnlesley

A generalisation I know, but why are North American Yotties who've been happy to sail the hundreds/thousands of miles at 5 or 6 knots to reach wherever, so insistent that they need a dinghy/outboard combi capable of blasting them the last half mile through the anchorage at twice that speed? Having shared innumerable Caribbean anchorages with such high-speed US/Canuck dinghies, we wondered what it was going to be like when we sailed the US east coast? We were amazed but pleased to discover that it was much quieter/slower; it seems that well policed local ordinances control dinghy speed most everywhere and nobody complains, but once they're overseas...

Well, I'm a Canuck and happily live with my 3.5 hp outboard. I too have wondered the same as you.

[Scorpius]

I have an older (no transom) 8' Porta-bote that I absolutely love. Normally it stays apssembled lashed down on the foredeck but folded it lashes (on edge) to the lower shrouds and almost disappears. The seats on the older models are much less bulky (just a couple of pieces of plywood) than the new ones (thank you USCG for your flotation requirements ).

The porta-boat is extremely light and rows like a dream with decent oars (not the silly little things it comes with). Plus it's tough as nails. I drag it up on the oyster-covered rock beaches around here without concern.

It'll also take a small outboard. I have a little electric job that I rarely use. I enjoy rowing and the exercise does me no harm either!

The only downside is, being so light, it's pretty skittish and tippy.You need to be careful getting in and out.

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Well, I'm a Canuck and happily live with my 3.5 hp outboard. I too have wondered the same as you.

I asked the question why on many occasions whilst in the Caribbean and believe that only once did I get an honest answer - from Steve on Sailacious: "Why do we scream around everywhere at high speed?...Because we can."

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by bobnlesley

A generalisation I know, but why are North American Yotties who've been happy to sail the hundreds/thousands of miles at 5 or 6 knots to reach wherever, so insistent that they need a dinghy/outboard combi capable of blasting them the last half mile through the anchorage at twice that speed? Having shared innumerable Caribbean anchorages with such high-speed US/Canuck dinghies, we wondered what it was going to be like when we sailed the US east coast? We were amazed but pleased to discover that it was much quieter/slower; it seems that well policed local ordinances control dinghy speed most everywhere and nobody complains, but once they're overseas...

Our last dinghy was a 2.4m/8' Walker Bay Hypalon rib with a Mercury 3.3hp 2-stroke outboard; absolutely brilliant, will fit easily on the foredeck of a 35 footer, light - less than 110lb all up - to hoist aboard or up the beach and set it up right it will actually plane, though that rarely happened as the noise that it produced doing so was intolerable.

Yea, I hate that too. Wake from a dinghy won't rock the ship much, but it is still annoying and unnecessary.

[Apollo366]

This West Marine one is cheap & warranty is 5 yrs on PVC, what will you do with in in 5 years?
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-...88?recordNum=1

[Tortuga's Lie]

I know a few people with Port-a-Botes and for the most part, they love them. I personally think they are an engineering marvel but.......ugly as sin! They do solve a few problems if you take the time to assemble and disassemble. I am in the hard dinghy camp with a Fatty Knees and a 4 hp kicker. I know it doesn't solve the on-deck storage problem but I keep her on davits (not offshore). It is stable and although it doesn't plane, it goes about 6 knots with 2 people with the 4 hp. Mine is going on 25 years old and still in great shape, so the longevity-cost ratio is pretty darn good. Throw in a sail rig and it's a fun harbor sailor.
If I were to build a dink, it might be the Dudly Dix Argie 10 and make it a nesting and fully glass the hull for protection. This one should get up on plane with a 5 hp.

[SteveSadler]

We store our rib right side up, inflated, transom touching mast, engine still mounted. Do I like it there on passages? No, but it does fit, I rarely go fwrd except to nap in it, and I really like it at anchor. It planes 4 with a 20hp and foil, it's dry, stable and tows well so rarely goes on deck. If you distrust outboards, you need to install a transom mounted fuel filter, as water and dirt in fuel are always the reason they won't start. The porteboat is a second option, electric motors solve the distrust issue, but the real winner is an inflatable SUP. Great for long distance exploring if it's not windy. Sit on it with a kayak paddle if it is.

[picklesandjesse]

PT 11 is my dream tender, but I have a Danny Greene Chameleon which stows nicely on deck on my 32ft boat. Has a sailing rig too if you want like the PT 11. And either one will last a lifetime as you can restore any time seeing as you built it in the first place. Hate inflatables !!!

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by bobnlesley

A generalisation I know, but why are North American Yotties who've been happy to sail the hundreds/thousands of miles at 5 or 6 knots to reach wherever, so insistent that they need a dinghy/outboard combi capable of blasting them the last half mile through the anchorage at twice that speed? Having shared innumerable Caribbean anchorages with such high-speed US/Canuck dinghies, we wondered what it was going to be like when we sailed the US east coast? We were amazed but pleased to discover that it was much quieter/slower; it seems that well policed local ordinances control dinghy speed most everywhere and nobody complains, but once they're overseas...

It is indeed curious. I think there's more to it than speed limits. Deeper water, shorter dinghy rides, more weekenders and vacationers and fewer year-around cruisers. More slips and therefore less need to use a dinghy for laundry and groceries.