Octenders - New Dinghy

[ohdrinkboy]

Just came across this new dinghy design while surfing. Looks interesting

Offshore Cruising Tenders

[ErBrown]

I've seen this one pop up a few times in various threads but have yet to see any first hand experience. My requests for info to them have gone unanswered so I'm left with the impression they might be a little too small of an operation to be a realistic option for me in the US.

Still, since we're in the market and I find the design interesting, I'm curious if anyone can comment on overall quality, performance and support?

[TabbyCat]

Just got one! Love it! Fast, no annoying leaky tubes, planes instantly. Fun to drive, fantastic maneuverability. Loads of storage under the side decks. It's going to be easy to maintain with ordinary materials that we keep on the boat. Rows way better than an inflatable. The finish is excellent.And it looks really great on the back of our MaineCat! Russell & Karin circumnavigated in their own cat, and are really great to work with. They let us customize our OC 345 quite a bit. We are hoping they can produce a sailing rig in the next 6-12 months.

[Panope]

Thanks for the review Susan. Can you tell us what horsepower engine you use and also how much weight it will plane?

Thanks, Steve

[TabbyCat]

We have an existing 18hp Tohatsu 2 stroke for our VL12 AB. We needed it to get two adults and dive gear moving in the AB. It's way overkill for the OC tender, but we're too cheap to replace an engine that's currently running great! Our friend Rich has a 15 engine on his OC-345, and we got that to plane easily with 5 adults onboard. Russell has a 4hp on his 330, and it planes with two adults easily. I counted 1- one thousand, 2-one thousand, and by the time I got to 3-one thousand we were on a plane and backing off the gas. Will have to do a more scientific weight test for you.... But it's not just the planing, it is so maneuverable - turns in a crazy tight circle. We've been world cruising for 10 years, so by now we're don't get too excited about dinghy rides, but when a bunch of us went out in the demo boat for the first time, we were all howling with delight and screaming "I gotta have one" by the end of the ride!

[Boatguy30]

I contacted these folks (last year) about the possibility of building some here in St Augustine under license or some type agreement. The reality is that shipping from a high wage county across a huge ocean to another high wage country doesn't add up. Or adds up to much.

They do seem nice and would love to see one in person.

[Jolly Roger]

Really, they should be good for US $3300.00 plus shipping from New Zealand which has got to add another pile for a single unit. If they want to grow, the best thing they can do is licence a good manufacturer here in the US.

[Boatguy30]

That's response is basically why it will be a niche product. It's what $5000 for an alloy AB and people will drop that all day long on a 3rd world sweat shop product.

$3500 for a quality first world product? Doesn't happen. Crazy....

[TabbyCat]

I know one OC client has already had one shipped in to the USA. And yeah, with the lower NZ wage scale and the exchange rate, this was quite a lot more cost effective for us than buying another AB.

[daletournier]

The US dollar is very strong therefore quite affordable for you guys. I like them, looked at them a while back, but in Aussie dollars they were just to expensive for me, and more difficult to carry on my boat. But currently my favorite dinghy on the market.

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Pelagic]

Do they make any larger version yet?

[KJB]

No experience with one, but it looks very nice! The pic under the "Stable" heading looks mighty photoshopped though. Just saying. Wonder why that one couldn't be real like the other photos. (I reserve the right to be wrong)

Not trying to sound like johnny raincloud, just a casual comment. I like the design though.

[boatpoker]

Too bad ... $4397 Cdn + 13% tax and thats before shipping from NZ makes it unrealistic.

There was a time when the Canadian dollarette was quite a bit stronger.

[ErBrown]

I've been interested in these for a while know. But had given up because they've been completely unresponsive to my (multiple) inquiries about shipping to the US. Sounds like others are starting to make soem progress with them, so maybe I'll try again.

Thanks for the update,
EB

[ErBrown]

For those in the US who successfully bought one of these, how did you do it? I still can't get anyone to respond to a basic request for price on one delivered to Texas.