Tell me about your dinghy and what you like about it

[capnJ]

Just to complete the spectrum of preferences, I need to put a plug in here for my old Achilles 8 foot dinghy, which I love for these reasons:
1) It rolls up and stores on my foredeck tied to the granny bar. I would not go to blue-water sea with anything inflated anywhere.
2) It's steal-proof. It's little, and no one wants to steal that. It's red (and therefore distinctive), and no one wants to steal that. It's slow, and no one wants to steal that. It's old, and no one wants to steal that. We've left her unlocked on docks all over the place, even over nights. Perfect security!

Our dinghy was made in 1984. Apparently it's PVC, although I always thought it was Hypalon because it has been so durable. The floorboards have crumbled a bit and needed nursing. But she has taken us from Maine to Trinidad and back. Don't be afraid of small and slow and ugly; there are benefits!

[Shaneesprit]

Want it to last - don’t buy PVC
We have a PVC RIB that’s fallen apart from this century and an Inflatable twice it’s age from last century, that’s not PVC and erm the holding ropes on the inflatable are looking a little worn after 35 ish years - must remember to replace them.

[Strait Shooter]

My 20 yr old Novurania MX 320 (Hypalon) got a rebuild this winter with some tube seal, a few more exterior patches, and some exterior paint. This is the last time though, but I've said that before. I question whether vinyl would ever be able to be treated like that.
It's hard to beat her for stability, and her 15 hp 2 stroke Johnson although old, gets up and gets it done.
I also use my 12' nesting dory with a five hp or a set of oars quite a bit, and that's a pretty good set up here in the PNW.

[Chotu]

So PVC tends to fall apart? Is that the problem? Mine never did. But is that what people see? The seams come unglued or something?

how is the new material that they sell instead of actual hypalon? That’s off the market because of toxicity or something.

If my old true hypalon caribe didn’t get stolen in Florida I would still have that.

still considering the hard dinghy. It sure would be nice to have oars and be able to row sometimes. Be able to plane other times.

A hard dinghy would also give me the opportunity to maybe plan in for motorcycle boarding and disembarking.

[s/v Jedi]

So everyone recommends the dinghy that they own themselves, right? I didn’t read all posts but this is the normal thing on CF.

So here is what we have experienced, what we tried and what we think is the best. I have been using inflatable dinghies with outboards for 52 years but the following is only for the past 20 years aboard Jedi:

We started of with small… forget that. Not even gonna describe how bad it was.

Next was a West Marine RIB 310 with Mercury 15hp 2-stroke. This was a very nice dinghy. It actually was an Avon RIB 310. The outboard was superb and the dinghy was very nice but unfortunately a little weak, showing cracks along the stringers, signaling for me to buy something else.

Next was a Caribe 12’ so a 360 dinghy, with a 25hp 2-stroke Yamaha Enduro. This was probably the best quality dinghy I’ve ever seen. The outboard, when new, had so much compression that it was hard to pull the starter but the power was amazing and starting became easier later. Heavy.
The problem with the 360 size was that it’s just a bit too big for our hoist that’s integrated with the arch on the stern.

Next was a Highfield Classic 340 (11’) with a Mercury 4-stroke 20hp with the innovative center tiller, EFI and electric start. This dinghy has an aluminum double bottom, the front compartment that holds the fuel tank and has steps up for easy entry and exit.
The quality feels a little less than Caribe but I can’t even tell you why. I love this dinghy and the outboard. Don’t even need electric start as it uses automatic decompression while pulling the starter cord. This is the same as the Tohatsu 20hp EFI that is mentioned but it has that neat center tiller that is a game changer.

all of the above were Hypalon, forget about PVC for anything than northern latitudes. We used chaps on the avon 310 and I recommend them.

[JPA Cate]

Chotu, whether pvc can stand up to UV and whether or not it does are two different questions. I have been surprised ours has done so well, but it was touted to be of the best quality German PVC. Maybe 20 yrs ago, now, we met a guy with a 20 yr old pvc inflatable in good condition. Frankly, I was amazed, as it lived on the boat in a high UV area. From his and ours, in infer, that there are differences in the actual pvc fabrics--and so far, i have no idea how to tell which is which. It takes someone in the business who knows, and probably many of them don't or are unwilling to 'fess up that theirs are inferior quality.

Are chaps (or paint) the sole tool for pvc dinghy longevity? Probably, in the absence of any other way of limiting its loss of its plasticizers.

I think the key is quality, and as I mentioned, it was only by luck that we were able to get good material; AND it was through a dinghy sales and repair shop. We just followed their advice, and went with this pvc because it was the best alternative we found for us with our use outside of hypalon, which had got a bit OTT for us, pricewise.

I found a thread by Adelie that may have some data that will be useful for you: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...rs-256380.html

Finally you'll have to decide, but you really would do well to consider the hard sailing/rowing/small o/b dinghy option. We've a number of circumnavigator friends who went that route... Even a small o/b can plane a plywood dinghy, with 2 up.

For exploring mangrove creeks and other sheltered waters, we tandem row our RIB, for the silence, but it also has the capacity for leaving the mother boat safe and going miles to a dive spot and back. [carry a spare prop.]

Ann

[Strait Shooter]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

So everyone recommends the dinghy that they own themselves, right?

As you stated, this is indeed the case for the majority of threads that ask for opinions on CF.

But in this case, and I can only speak for myself (I didn't read them all either), he asked specifically to be told about our dinghies and what we liked about them.

I certainly wouldn't/couldn't recommend to anyone that the way to go was with a 20 year old dinghy with more 5200 holding it together than most big boats do. But that is what I have, he asked. I DO like that it goes fast. I told him that too.

I've never seen a center tiller outboard, THAT would be cool.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Strait Shooter

As you stated, this is indeed the case for the majority of threads that ask for opinions on CF.

But in this case, and I can only speak for myself (I didn't read them all either), he asked specifically to be told about our dinghies and what we liked about them.

I certainly wouldn't/couldn't recommend to anyone that the way to go was with a 20 year old dinghy with more 5200 holding it together than most big boats do. But that is what I have, he asked. I DO like that it goes fast. I told him that too.

I've never seen a center tiller outboard, THAT would be cool.

There’s the matter of cost as well. I think there may be a very good Caribe but it’s price and also availability is probably not looking good compared to a Highfield. I think they were the first to come with an 11’ or 340 size dinghy.

The center tiller is great, you can adjust it in every direction.

[malbert73]

Well Chotu, there is a dinghy you can row, and will plane, and last forever. you can even sail it
But, it comes at a price

https://octenders.co.nz

Btw in my earlier plug for my Highfield CL290 forgot to mention how awesome the double floor is- so that stuff stays dry and water stays in the bilge. Regardless of brand I’d look for that feature

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Well Chotu, there is a dinghy you can row, and will plane, and last forever. you can even sail it
But, it comes at a price

https://octenders.co.nz

Btw in my earlier plug for my Highfield CL290 forgot to mention how awesome the double floor is- so that stuff stays dry and water stays in the bilge. Regardless of brand I’d look for that feature

That's crazy!!!

That's exactly what I was dreaming of building last night. A foam core dinghy with the above water profile of a square RIB for weight carrying capacity, a V hull for chop and tracking. Able to take a 9.9 and last a lifetime. Yet light weight and v hull meqns you could also row, especially in high outboard theft areas.

Just like I built a poor man's Gunboat 48, I think I could whip one of these up in a fairly short amount of time.

I have a lot of foam core scraps and glass. Some polyester or vinylester and I'd be good to go.

Since it's not so hot in the north, these things are attainable because I can wear safety gear.

It's a "maybe" but is the ideal solution.

Lots of other projects to do... So a maybe.

[wholybee]

I have an Achilles Hapylon Fiberglass hull with a folding transom. Its 9 feet 10 inches. I like that it is light, under 100lbs if i recall. I can inflate it on my foredeck and easily hoist it into the water with a halyard by myself. It planes easily with a 5hp, even an adult and child, but not 2 adults. 9.9 would be perfect. It is much drier than my old inflatable floor dinghy, but is not a deep v, so in really rough chop i sometimes need to switch sides. Lastly, and why i chose this model, despite being a rigid hull because of the folding transom it folds pretty small and flat, and fits into a nice storage bag on my foredeck. (38' mono}

[hpeer]

Then there is this….

https://www.offcenterharbor.com/drea...arriba-dinghy/

[hpeer]

Jedi;

A center tiller would he sweet. I have some rotator cuff issues in my left shoulder, and the damn OB is stiff as heck. Not a great combination.

It is a Yanmar 8hp 2 stroke, great motor. I am taking it to someone tomorrow who is to remove the swivel and clean it up. I suspect some “outboard mechanic” (not me) put the wrong grease in it. I should have had it serviced in St Martin where I know a good OB mech. But I should have done a LOT in St Martin I did not do which is now costing me.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up on center tiller OBs.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Franziska

We have currently two dinghies. A bit much for a 35ft cat, unfortunately we will have to part with one eventually.
I'm leaning towards keeping the hard one:

Since inflatable dinghies are available the world over, if you take the Spindrift and in time it's not working out, just change it. Meantime it's the low maintenance option. Just some paint every couple of years rather than having to fix seams and punctures. We shredded one of our tubes on the top of a stanchion last year on day one of a 3 week cruise. The dinghy 10 years old, material shot. We bought another within a hour to save the holiday but it wouldn't have been my first choice of model.

Take the dinghy and give it a try, we may yet follow you.

Pete

[cottonsail]

Has anyone considered Sea Eagle boats?