What do you think of my dinghy plan?

[Muaddib1116]

As my efforts to buy a boat continue, I find myself planning for various things that I will need after the purchase, in this case dinghies. For some context, my plan is to buy a large blue water sailboat and after a few years of sailing locally in New England, head south and start cruising full time.

Until I have have davits built, my plan is to use a ~320 hypalon airmat rollup, with a 6hp 4 stroke. Eventually, probably right before or after I head south, I'll probably get an aluminum hypalon RIB (I'm thinking probably a ~340) and a 20hp (not sure if I'll try to find a good condition 2 stroke on craigslist or something).

The rollup will be stowed as a backup dinghy and I'll use the 6hp or 20hp on the RIB depending on the conditions and what I'm trying to do.

[JPA Cate]

Hello, Muaddib,

Should work just fine, as long as there's enough "real estate" on deck for the RIB, and a big lazarette for the 20 hp. It is big enough to be attractive to thieves. And it is heavy enough, you'll want to be sure the main halyard will reach, without obstruction (as from a bimini) to lower it. Or, you'll want a crane. A 20 hp is a little heavy to plan on horsing around.

Ann

[Sojourner]

I don't know the specifics of those, but I'm in the big dink club all the way. We run a 3.3 m all aluminum RIB-style Oceancraft with a 20 hp engine, and people stop and stare wherever we pull up (often in weather or distances that 95% of typical cruisers dinghys wouldn't go out in). I'd tell you to get the biggest thing you can safely lash upside down to your foredeck. You use the word 'bluewater' which is a catchy way to say you imagine going far and wide across the seas.... I know people have done this with a dinghy in davits, but I (and a lot of others) would never dream of it. Towing/davits is great for tooling around protected water, but anything overnight or offshore, the motor gets pulled by dedicated davit crane, and the dink gets lashed down up front.

[Minggat]

You might find that you backup dink will deteriorate and not be so "backup" when you need it, although I am a big believer in backup dinks.


36 foot boat, 2 different purpose dinks. Neither have a rollup sized footprint, but rather they both occupy the same footprint up forward of the mast.


Folding transom RIB lite nest nearly perfectly on top of my sailing dink. My mast climbing block and tackle doubles as lifting apparatus for launching and retrieving, single handed if needed. I am not a fan of davits, but my stern mounted boarding ladder with my stern arch did double duty and serve me well as davits when the sailing dink was all I carried.


I was using only the rowing/sailing dink in one long term situation. It got loose, and I was very thankful for the "backup". I deployed the RIB with my small outboard and went looking for it. Someone had snagged it and dragged it up into the mangroves with intentions of coming back for it. Although I seriously doubt they had any intention of returning it to me, I silently thanked them.


Going from one dink to zero dinks would be a really hard thing.

[Paul L]

Unless you are on a really large cruising boat, I don't think the tradeoff of having a second dinghy is worth it. The space and weight can be used far better for other cruising needs. Long distance cruising boats collect a lot of gear.

If you feel you really need some back up then get an inflatable SUP or two, or a kayak.

[Muaddib1116]

Thanks for the replies. The boat I'm negotiating for has a large flush foredeck, so it should be able to accommodate a large RIB for when I feel the need to lash it to the deck. I will of course, measure things, before I buy, but I think it should be fine with a 340.

The Oceancraft dinghies are pretty impressive, but they are pretty heavy (almost 50% heavier for the same size). They also are all long shaft transoms, I was planning on getting a short shaft transom for my RIB, so the two engines could both be used on both dinghies.

My plan was to keep both engines on opposite sides of the stern pushpit, possibly the small one in the foredeck locker with the rollup.

A little while ago, I asked on this forum about hypalon rollups and how durable/longlasting they are, even when rolled up a lot. There was a lot of very positive responses about that, which are informing my decision to keep it rolled up as a backup.

[Minggat]

Didn’t participate in your thread about the durability of hypalon roll ups, but I can tell you first hand that the glued seams get crunchy and let go. Long term storage is best inflated.

You can take any of the free opinions you get here anyway you want to make you feel good about your choices. But I find that talking to people who professionally deal with things to be a great deal more accurate and helpful.

[slug]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

As my efforts to buy a boat continue, I find myself planning for various things that I will need after the purchase, in this case dinghies. For some context, my plan is to buy a large blue water sailboat and after a few years of sailing locally in New England, head south and start cruising full time.

Until I have have davits built, my plan is to use a ~320 hypalon airmat rollup, with a 6hp 4 stroke. Eventually, probably right before or after I head south, I'll probably get an aluminum hypalon RIB (I'm thinking probably a ~340) and a 20hp (not sure if I'll try to find a good condition 2 stroke on craigslist or something).

The rollup will be stowed as a backup dinghy and I'll use the 6hp or 20hp on the RIB depending on the conditions and what I'm trying to do.

Tenders come and go

When you are in a region that is suitable for a minimum fold up ... use a minimum fold up

When you move to a region that needs a seaworthy rib .... use a rib

This is the reason that second hand tenders are easy to buy

It’s clumsy and s poor use of space to carry two tenders on s small craft

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Didn’t participate in your thread about the durability of hypalon roll ups, but I can tell you first hand that the glued seams get crunchy and let go. Long term storage is best inflated.

You can take any of the free opinions you get here anyway you want to make you feel good about your choices. But I find that talking to people who professionally deal with things to be a great deal more accurate and helpful.

Are you a dinghy maintenance professional?

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by slug

It’s clumsy and s poor use of space to carry two tenders on s small craft

Really?

Gee, wish I had known that before I put both of mine in the same footprint years ago.

In truth, I agree with you, as far as the OP plan is concerned.

At the same time, my favorite toy aboard is my sailing dinghy. The fact that it’s also transport works very nicely though. If my second dink were only a backup inflatable, I totally agree with you.

[Muaddib1116]

If it wasn't so pricy and had a deeper v hull section, I would be really interested in the octender sailing version instead of the RIB, with a roll up as a backup to that.

What type of sailing dinghy do you have?

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Are you a dinghy maintenance professional?

I did support myself doing that in my past. So I cannot answer yes now.

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by Minggat

I did support myself doing that in my past. So I cannot answer yes now.

Cool.

I try to take in as much information as I can handle and intuitively come to a position based on the information and its source.

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

If it wasn't so pricy and had a deeper v hull section, I would be really interested in the octender sailing version instead of the RIB, with a roll up as a backup to that.

What type of sailing dinghy do you have?

Walker Bay 8 ft.

As I said before, my Achilles folding transom RIB nest nearly perfectly on top of it.

[Mike Banks]

10 HP is more than enough for a dinghy--the extra horsepower comes with extra weight--and even a ten horsepower engine being handled or lifted aboard in the mildest of swells is a handful and is usually a two person job.
.