Roll-Up vs RIB

[Sabbatical II]

I've done anchors and made my choice, now I have to solve the dinghy question. What I'd like to know is, How many of you leave your dinghy on the davits when crossing oceans? The general opinion seems to be that it's a no no, but in practice it seems to happen quite a bit. My new 42' boat being built will have an arch to carry the solar panels and includes davits. Because it has an extended sugar scoop a RIB on davits will be half over the sugar scoop and only half over the water, meaning it would take an absolute breaking monster to swamp it. If it sounds safe enough, I'd rather buy the RIB, if not I would buy a roll-up as I don't like storing dinghies on the foredeck. There is a picture of the set up on the same type of boat at www.bluewatercruisingyachts.com/bluewater420RS_gallery.htm and go to image #24.

Any opinions ?

Greg

[Troubadour52993]

Assuming you're going to be doing extended cruising, I'd get the RIB and bring it up high on the davits. Cruisers who had rollups usually wind up switching to a RIB. If I'm doing anything except going between islands in a chain, I take the outboard off and store it in the lazarette, and remove the rest of the stuff from the dinghy. Ensure you have crossed "spring lines" to keep it from rocking back and forth, and watch for chafe. I haven't crossed the Pacific, YMMV. Good luck!

[maxingout]

We used an avon inflatable floor sportboat. We always removed the dinghy before going on passage. I don't want to strain the davits, rip off the hypalon attachment points, and have chafe on the hypalon from the inevitable movement of the dinghy against ropes when sailing offshore.

[Factor]

RIB - all the way, unless you arent going anywhere near the queensland and any other tropical coastline, or a place with ricks or oysters etc etc. And try and row a roll up, not much fun. Like troubadour I dont leave the motor on the dinghy unless i am just in the bay. And if I am just in the bay I usually dont bother with the outboard and row.

One photo shows the dinghy in place - off shore it goes much higher and is titled into the boat. The other photo shows a bracket (white plastic thing on the Stainless targa bar) where the outboard lives occasionally

[Dave852]

Another vote for the RIB, and a big enough motor to put it on a plane with your normal crew and gear.

[donradcliffe]

RIB, and make the davits so you can pull the dinghy up tight so it doesn't swing around. Aluminum RIBs are best because they are lighter--both for pulling up on the davits and pulling up on the beach. We bought a Swift in OZ and its lasted 10 years and half a circumnavigation upside down on the foredeck, but that's because we don't have davits.

[zeehag]

i traded my caribe c-9 for a roll up avon with inflatable floor and smaller engine for cruising so i can handle it my self. i loved zooming and planing and all that, but reality dictates to me to keep it light as it lives on my coach house roof when i am not using it. caribe c-9=145 pounds empty, and engine was 87 pounds. is a lot of weight. my current rig is liftable by my self.

but i f i had a cat like you all do , i would DEFINITELY go for the c-10 rib and a good sized yamaha. makes a difference with the beam and stowage area you guys have
is almost cheating.

[craigsmith]

Originally Posted by Eleebana

I've done anchors and made my choice, now I have to solve the dinghy question. What I'd like to know is, How many of you leave your dinghy on the davits when crossing oceans? The general opinion seems to be that it's a no no, but in practice it seems to happen quite a bit. My new 42' boat being built will have an arch to carry the solar panels and includes davits. Because it has an extended sugar scoop a RIB on davits will be half over the sugar scoop and only half over the water, meaning it would take an absolute breaking monster to swamp it.

Where will you be doing your passages Greg, it makes a lot of difference and you will get very limited feedback on the less milk-run stuff. Kiwi Roa uses a aluminium [Fyran] tender which lashes on the foredeck, you can see it in several photos on Peter's website [www.petersmith.net.nz]. No davits but a halyard and the anchor windlass makes it a 60 second job to deploy and retrieve. Aluminium tenders are lighter, rowable (properly), more efficient to motor, give better internal volume for their size, resistant to scratching/cutting on docks and rocks/reefs and 100% UV resistant.

We don't like davits for deep sea work, you can and may lose the dinghy and do whatever damage to the stern. Kiwi Roa's a 25 tonne 15 m boat with a high freeboard, and I've seen sufficient seas in the southern ocean that would definitely put a hung dinghy at risk. That's not worrying about the extra windage, pain in the a*** with regard to the windvane, etc.

Even on the foredeck it's not safe, ex South Georgia Is to Falklands had a freak wave bomb the foredeck, caught the dinghy, bent and split open the plate, and bent staunchions.

Others will be thinking this is crying wolf if you're not headed across the Southern Ocean, or Southern Atlantic. But even in more popular waters closer to home - Peter delivered a Lagoon ~50' cat from NZ to Tonga, had a roughish trip. Apart from nearly sinking the damn boat which practically broke up around them, they lost the davit'ed RIB just like all the horror stories might predict.

If you can get the foredeck arrangement to work, I would look at it for passage making, but keep and use the davits for shorter more predictable trips.

[swagman]

Hi Guys,
If you are planning a regular cruise as opposed to Southern Ocean ice breaker - suggest a regular RIB would be easier on your boat and other peoples you visit.....
We tended to carry our dinghy on davits for day sails or short hops only packing it on deck for significant ocean passages.
Ift is possible to keep a RIB on davits without chafe, even our Simpson Laurence removable davits were strong enough to carry dink and engine through pretty big seas with never an issue.
I'm with the others about a rigid floor being 200% better than high pressure alternates and suggest you might want to look at the Bombard and Zodiac PLASTIC floored ribs. They are cheaper lighter and with a folding transom, plus pack flat into a cover just like a large surf board. Making it easy to strap them down on deck for those few longer ocean passages you'll do, but provide you the advantages a RIB gives when in use.
Good luck
JOHN
PS Our research showed the Bombard AX500 worked best for us - and it did.

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by craigsmith

Where will you be doing your passages Greg?

I'm planning a slow circumnavigation and if the Red Sea situation settles a bit it I'll be sticking to the warm water routes all the way. Of course most of the time will be at anchor where a RIB would be perfect. I don't like the foredeck option because it's a flush deck in front of the mast and being a centre cockpit there's not a lot of room aft of the mast. At sea on the davits means I can't use a vane although I haven't thought that one right through yet.

Anyway as usual, thanks for all your input. Is there anything on boats that isn't a compromise? I'll keep thinking on this one for a while.

Greg

[CAELESTIS]

I have owned both and ended up selling the rollup and keeping the RIB.

The on water performance of the inflatable was horrible--too flexible on plane, and had to worry about punctures on a beaching.

Avon makes a RIB Lite with a folding transom that lays very flat on the foredeck (deflated).