Tell me about your dinghy and what you like about it

[CaptNemoO2]

Originally Posted by Chotu

If I don’t get that old, beat up Caribe, does anybody have any experience with this zodiac or similar? Or experience in general with zodiac?



They have the kind of PVC that Ann talked about upthread.

I have this same dinghy, one size up, I think the 310. As far as a dinghy goes, it's pretty good. It planes off with two people, barely, with a 5 hp 2 stroke. Much better with an 8 hp 2 stroke. It's fairly light weight so it's not hard to manhandle. It's pretty good with chop and handles well. But because it's a single floor, there's no good place to put the gas tank, and it's a far drop to step in due to its pretty decent V bottom. Still keep it out of the sun. The past 2 years, I have been keeping it in the water, pulling it out every other week to clean it. That means it's been in the sun from May to November. The sun turned the pvc sticky.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by CaptNemoO2

That means it's been in the sun from May to November. The sun turned the pvc sticky.

It always does, especially in tropical climate. It means the PVC is decomposing from UV exposure and needs to be replaced.

Canvas chaps is the only hope for these, or use far away from the equator.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by CaptNemoO2

I have this same dinghy, one size up, I think the 310. As far as a dinghy goes, it's pretty good. It planes off with two people, barely, with a 5 hp 2 stroke. Much better with an 8 hp 2 stroke. It's fairly light weight so it's not hard to manhandle. It's pretty good with chop and handles well. But because it's a single floor, there's no good place to put the gas tank, and it's a far drop to step in due to its pretty decent V bottom. Still keep it out of the sun. The past 2 years, I have been keeping it in the water, pulling it out every other week to clean it. That means it's been in the sun from May to November. The sun turned the pvc sticky.

Thank you so much for the response.

That’s a LOT of money to spend for another sticky dinghy. That’s the first thing that went wrong with the west marine one I have.

To anyone: chaps are very time consuming to make and not inexpensive to buy. Hypalon upgrade is about as expensive as buying chaps. So I’m wondering. What about painting a pvc dinghy?

[Chotu]

Welp, I’m heading out to pick up the old Hypalon Caribe.

It has the paperwork so it’s the best choice, as ugly and 20 years old as it is.

It’ll last longer than a brand new PVC dinghy and saves close to $2000 over one.

I can also beat it up and it will take it. I had one of these many years ago. The material is like plastic rawhide. I could transport boards with screws sticking out. Lol

And I can just use it without having to paint it or buy chaps. Convenience.

Thanks for all the input on dinghy types. This old, ugly but very functional dinghy seems like the best fit.

[Chotu]

Excited about the Caribe!

It's like an F550!

Very, VERY rugged.

Just have to swap the outboard over

[hjohnson]

I’ll go all the way to the other end of the spectrum here. We have a home built 7’7” Nutshell Pram that was built over the winter in a garage. No motor, but not really necessary because it rows like a dream. It also tracks very neatly when we tow it behind our boat, and gets lots of compliments.

Lastly, it’s the defending champion for the dinghy races at the annual Ericson Yachts rendezvous.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

We permanently attached fenders along the sides and padded the bow area as well, so it's pretty friendly to the mothership. We typically just bring it sideways behind the boat and get on/off via the swim platform and then hoist it in the davits, so it's typically not left banging against the boat anyway.

This is the sort of thing I've done although at 14' and 250# + motor it's really too large for davits (even if we had them).

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Jammer

This is the sort of thing I've done although at 14' and 250# + motor it's really too large for davits (even if we had them).

Ours is definitely a bit lighter. About 150 lbs empty, about 260 lifted in the davits with the outboard, oars, anchor, a full tank of gas, plus the added fenders. And with the outboard turned sideways it's about 12'8" long, so pushing the limit for what's workable when docking (our beam is 14', but only 12'6" at the transom at deck level, narrower at the waterline).

[Dry Rot]

I have an old MC Scow. Even though I come in last when we race, it is still a good dinghy. I strongly recommend you check them out.

[BenBowSirocco]

We have had all sort of dinghies over the 10+ years we have been cruising and living aboard boats.

Finally decided that the RIB was the best compromise and after ruining 2 of those, ended up designing a new type made of aluminum.



Its supposed to be an indestructible RIB.



https://goduadventure.com/

[akopac]

Love my sail, row, motor,nesting Danny Green Chameleon.

[Kettlewell]

It really, really, really depends on where you are cruising and how you use your dink. Coastal cruising for short periods in New England right now we love our now 30-year-old wooden South Carolina skiff that we tow everywhere. It used to fit on the deck of our catamaran, but doesn't on our current boat. Not ideal if we were making offshore runs, but we are not at the moment. I might tow it up to Maine with one overnighter, but probably not further than that, though I could do the entire East Coast if we mainly stuck to the ICW. In any case, a hard dink is far superior to an inflatable in many ways. Will last indefinitely, and can be repaired by you anywhere to as good as new. Motors fast with a smaller motor, burning less gas. Rows nicely, meaning you don't use the motor as much. Can tie up anywhere, drag it up on a nasty beach, and really lock it to something when needed. Most thieves don't want an old hard dink with a small motor anyway. But, and this is a big but, with our boat, if we headed off to the Caribbean again or places where we had to make offshore passages, and then had to travel long distances from our anchorage to do stuff, we would probably get a pure inflatable made out of hypalon for reasonable longevity. The Achilles we took to the Caribbean died after about 10 years of heavy use. I think if you get 10 years out of an inflatable you are doing well.

[akopac]

Had my chameleon for like 20 years. It’s a sail, row, motor dink. I’m a lie water cruiser. Just thinking about dinghy wheels. Heading to Tonga in a bit.
Any thoughts?

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by akopac

Had my chameleon for like 20 years. It’s a sail, row, motor dink. I’m a lie water cruiser. Just thinking about dinghy wheels. Heading to Tonga in a bit.
Any thoughts?

See photos.


This winter I'm going to try to figure out a way to make folding ones.

[Jammer]

Useful in all kinds of situations where you want to move the dinghy (possibly with a load of stuff inside) on shore. Works on sidewalks, parking lots, gravel roads, trails. Great workaround for situations where there's a ramp or beach but no dockage. Lock dinghy to something like it's a bike.


Also useful for portages on upriver journeys.