How small is too small?

[zedpassway]

Small is relative if you get a RID(rigid inflatable dinghy).

Rigid Inflatable Dinghy 275 RID Light | Walker Bay

Unsinkable. Carries more than one person easily. Lash to your cleats on the sail boat and then simply step on the gunwale and up into the boat, no need ever for a ladder. While you shouldn't overload them, they won't sink eaisly if you do. Handles a big OB easily.

I have the 10 foot model. Even the admiral likes it, especially since it was her money which bought it.

Rigid Inflatable Dinghy 310 RID Light | Walker Bay

[tuffr2]

Look at the Hurricane 116 skimmer kayak or Eddyline 120 Caribbean kayak. Both are light and are on my list of dingy possibilities. Plus I can explore up to 4 miles away with these easy to paddle kayaks.

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[tuffr2]

Ugh...failed to mention no gasoline to worry about. Nice simple solution IMHO.

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[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Simonsays

i'd imagine jugging will be interesting with a Kayak.
i'd worry about davits that much on a boomless rig only

With gasoline I carry 1 x 5 gallon.

With water I've carried as many as 3. Toss 2 in the water and tow them. Sounds odd, a little slow, but works just fine. And how much water does one guy use? I bet it's faster than launching and recovering an inflatable from the deck. I've towed inflatables with broken motors long distances; the kayak paddling position is far more efficient than most dingies, certainly inflatables.

Like I said, I'd get a proper tender if I had davits, but without davits, as a single-hander, I would use a kayak, no question. single-handed recovery is just not worth it, no way. I can do it, but I would not.

[waterman46]

5 hp won't plane that dink if you are adding significant cargo or a passenger. Use 2 stroke 10 hp and you will be much happier on those long rides. To get both dink and motor on foredeck together use jib or better spinny halyard if you have it. At night use halyard to raise dink and motor just out of water to prevent theft.
Get inflatable kayak for those quick trips or exploring the mangroves.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Ol Dave

Is 240cm (7' 10") too small to consider for a tender/dinghy for one person?

Other pertinent info ... 5hp motor ... high pressure air floor ... 16 inch tubes ... 155cm (5'1") beam ... 6 months in the Bahamas ... back and forth with groceries ... no long trips ... no fishing tackle or dive tanks ... and deck storage with no davits.

IF NOT ... what IS the smallest/lightest I should consider.

Yours truly,
Scrooge McDuck

Sounds plenty large to me.

[capt-couillon]

Couldn't get anything more than 6' on my small foredeck, so had to build one...





Since I could build another one (for sale) for one more sheet of plywood, went ahead and build a 7'-6" which as you can see is surprisingly stable


At 45# the little bathtub toy is easy to get off and on deck, and will carry 2 5gal jugs and another 30# of groceries no sweat.

That being said, now that I am in a semi permanent location, I am looking for an 8-9 footer for the daily commute. Wider and a little less tender, room for a passenger, and eventually a motor instead of oars.

However, when I pull out of here, the bathtub toy will be on deck, and the bigger dink off to a good home.

[Terra Nova]

7'10" does indeed sound way smaller than I'd choose. Why do you need one so small?

Mine is an Avon 2.85 roll-up--must be close to 9' long (2.85 meters?) Has the large tubes and enough capacity for my use. It will take up to 10 hp but I have a 3.5 hp Tohatsu 2-stroke that weighs only 27 lbs.

[GrahamHO]

Originally Posted by Ol Dave

Is 240cm (7' 10") too small to consider for a tender/dinghy for one person?

Other pertinent info ... 5hp motor ... high pressure air floor ... 16 inch tubes ... 155cm (5'1") beam ... 6 months in the Bahamas ... back and forth with groceries ... no long trips ... no fishing tackle or dive tanks ... and deck storage with no davits.

IF NOT ... what IS the smallest/lightest I should consider.

Yours truly,
Scrooge McDuck

I wouldn't go much smaller than a stand up paddle board myself. You could take your dog on it. They love them. Carry your groceries in a backpack. You can get inflatable SUPBs

[hoppy]

I don't understand the "too small" comments? How fat are you guys?

I have a 2.4m Honwave with inflatable keel and find it perfectly fine for 1. I have a 6hp 4-stroke and it planes nicely when I'm alone. A 2nd person kills the planing.

Sure a bigger rib with 15-25hp would be better and more fun but then you need davits.




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[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Ol Dave

And susswein I was hoping to keep and use an existing 5hp Nissan. The previous dinghy that came with the boat (8' 6") Zodiac roll-up, lost its floor ... in a most spectacular fashion.

So use it without a floor...now its even lighter. Not kidding.

[Cadence]

For the OP's original intent it sounds fine. Maybe if it has oar locks or 3HP outboard.

[GrahamHO]

Quote "you could run the Colorado river in that"

How they run the Colorado River

[Drift Woods]

This may sound strange but why do you carry water in 5 gallon jugs. I spend most of my time in southern Florida and keys. I don't think I've ever paid more than 10 dollars to fill my water tank.

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[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Ol Dave

Is 240cm (7' 10") too small to consider for a tender/dinghy for one person?

Other pertinent info ... 5hp motor ... high pressure air floor ... 16 inch tubes ... 155cm (5'1") beam ... 6 months in the Bahamas ... back and forth with groceries ... no long trips ... no fishing tackle or dive tanks ... and deck storage with no davits.

IF NOT ... what IS the smallest/lightest I should consider.

Yours truly,
Scrooge McDuck

Am I right in thinking you have a 36' yacht?

If that's the case a 2.4m is good enough for two adults. More to the point your motor is probably too big though. And possibly illegal unless the boat is designed for it.

I have a 2.4m smart wave which is plastic with a 5hp and its ok, but a bit hard to get down from my cockpit. But, recently I lent a blow up, same size and my engine on the back of it would have sunk the dingy in any sort of water other than dead calm.

I went for a 2.4m because my transom is just 1m wide, so I didn't want something swinging too wide on my davits. Starting from this summer I'll be keeping it on my Bow though, so in future I may be able to have something bigger anyway.