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Old 20-08-2012, 08:47   #16
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Re: Dinghy Advice

it's an oft discussed problem. an inflatable will definitely be far more stable and comfortable. There is also a huge difference between an 8 ft and a 10 ft. RIB's are by far the best but deck stowage will be a hassle. The most reliable and good working non RIB inflatable would be one with the floor boards you have to remove. Unfortunately, these are a hassle to disassemble or assemble, but you wont have problems with your floor that way. West Marine's boats have been terrible in t he past, I dont know if they have improved or now....
and another HUGE vote for davits!
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Old 20-08-2012, 09:36   #17
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Re: Dinghy Advice

so, what I'm reading here is that West Marine RIBs are made by Zodiac and are junk that will turn to goo in two years.

We just got a two year old WM 10' RIB with the used boat we bought. It's been in the sun for two years but looks almost new. Should I start looking around immediately for a replacement to have lined up on the day the Zodiac turns to goo? Zodiacs have long had a bad reputation in the tropics.

Any input on the Walker Bay hard dinks with the inflatable collar? I was thinking one of those with an outboard, oars, and the sail kit would pretty much have it covered.
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Old 20-08-2012, 10:55   #18
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Re: Dinghy Advice

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so, what I'm reading here is that West Marine RIBs are made by Zodiac and are junk that will turn to goo in two years.

We just got a two year old WM 10' RIB with the used boat we bought. It's been in the sun for two years but looks almost new. Should I start looking around immediately for a replacement to have lined up on the day the Zodiac turns to goo? Zodiacs have long had a bad reputation in the tropics.

Any input on the Walker Bay hard dinks with the inflatable collar? I was thinking one of those with an outboard, oars, and the sail kit would pretty much have it covered.
Do you know whether it is hyplon or PVC? Hyplon is amazing stuff -- 2 years in the sun is nothing for it.

I just sold my Walker Bay Super Tender recently, used it while cruising for a couple of years many seasons ago. OK for a cruising couple, but not the right "tool" for the job of running charters (which is why I quit using it). Great little dink, rows well, has a sailing kit, very stable (I could stand on the gunnels), easier than RIB for boarding from the water (due to small tubes and less free board), and motors OK too, but is not a planning hull and is limited to about 7HP. It will "semi-plane" with one person aboard but that's it. Over all really liked it a lot. The tubes are easy to replace because they are mounted using bolt-rope/track mechanism. Support from Walker Bay was excellent. They even sent me replacement tubes once when really the tube damage was mostly my fault (I bought one of the first ones and was giving them cruising use updates...so I think that was a thank-you).

Sold it to a couple who plan to use it as a second dink for the kids.
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Old 20-08-2012, 11:01   #19
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Re: Dinghy Advice

Hypalon is amazing. I just sold a mid 80's Achilles.... bright blue hypalon. These Achilles are vastly overlooked bargains if you are wanting a cheap, reliable dingy. I pulled it out of the shed neglected for 2 years.. I put no air in it and after in the sun for an hour it was full and tight! They still sell all the parts, oars etc too. 10ft Hypalon inflatable with accesories, they usually go for about $350.... The floors they used inthose things appear to be 9 ply Bruynzeel marine ply!
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Old 20-08-2012, 13:24   #20
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Re: Dinghy Advice

Hypalon fabric hasn't been produced for more than two years.

Hypalon®

Perhaps some manufacturers "stocked up" but it seems to be gone as an option long term.
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Old 20-08-2012, 13:49   #21
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Re: Dinghy Advice

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Hypalon fabric hasn't been produced for more than two years.

Hypalon®

Perhaps some manufacturers "stocked up" but it seems to be gone as an option long term.

The material is still being produced, but under it's chemical name rather than the trademark name of Hypalon. Lookup CSM.
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Old 20-08-2012, 14:24   #22
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Re: Dinghy Advice

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Looking to buy an 8-10 foot dinghy, that can carry 4-5, can be towed easily, and can get up on a plane with a normal load.
Time for a reality check. An eight-footer won't carry five passengers. To get a ten-foot RIB to plane with four passengers, you'll want at least a 20 hp engine, at which point it won't tow "easily."

If the magic do-it-all dink were out there, we'd pretty much all own one. As someone already mentioned, the 10' Caribe is the closest thing so far. I own one with a 15 hp outboard, and have gotten amazing use out of it. However, I almost never tow it, and wouldn't expect it to transport 4-5 passengers at planing speeds.
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Old 20-08-2012, 15:22   #23
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Re: Dinghy Advice

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The material is still being produced, but under it's chemical name rather than the trademark name of Hypalon. Lookup CSM.
Thanks, Sailmonkey. You are correct of course. I guess my point was that if people think that they are still getting good ol' proven Dupont "Hypalon", they aren't...
Most of (all?) the CSM fabrics available now are made in China it seems. Not bashing the country of origin, but just wonder if they are being produced to the same specs and quality of the "original".
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Old 20-08-2012, 15:45   #24
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Re: Dinghy Advice

Just sold my old reliable Boatex 10' dinghy. A great sailor and a lot of fun, but limited for transporting folks at speed. Replaced it with a 350 'Hypalon' RIB from West Marine (11'5") and the MSO says it's made by Zodiac. It has a 5 year warranty and with the 25 hp Outboard will plane with 4-5 on board, no problem. However we have a ACMY and space is not an issue. A 10' RIB with a 20 hp will plane with 3 adults or 2 adults and two tykes with ease and weigh much less. Our other candidate was the Ocean Runner RIB from Mercury with a 10 year warranty. Price was better on the WM which is built from the Pennel Orca 215 fabric. CSM is not inferior to Hypalon, it is a newer, different material with proven properties. Any inflatable is made from a 'sandwich' of material (here's a link to the Orca mfg. site PENNEL & FLIPO) so you must consider not only the outer covering but the neoprene and textile layers.
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Old 20-08-2012, 15:48   #25
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Re: Dinghy Advice

Made in China is not necessarily a bad thing. Many sails are made in china these days including sails with big names on them. It all depends on quality control and supervision.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-17609.html#13

http://www.china-sail-factory.com/

Until I sold my business, I had three racks of Compaq servers that were all made in China. Excellent supervision and quality control.

Designed, fabricated, and marked by a Chinese company to a low price point is a different animal. Cruise around on alibaba.com for interesting view of Chinese made products.

A French company produces, maybe in China, a Hypalon like fabric.

PENNEL & FLIPO

AB Inflatables uses that fabric in some if not all of their boats, I checked the Ventus and the Navigo models.

NRS makes their river rafts from the French material.

Pennel Orca Boat Material at NRSweb.com

Those folks are a good source for fabric, adhesives, vales, etc., for inflatables.

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Old 20-08-2012, 17:10   #26
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Re: Dinghy Advice

Yes, planing with more than 2 is asking too much. So looking at a Walker Bay Odyssey 310, which has an air floor and can be rolled up and stored on deck. Sounds like a 9 hp outboard would be enough to get one or two passengers around fast, and you could probably squeeze 4-5 on board (as long as some are kids).
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Old 20-08-2012, 18:07   #27
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Keep in mind that towing with the engine off vs on the dingy will make all the differende in the world, I can barely feel my rib with no motor while towing, but with the 4 stroke attached. I slow significantly. Towing for short day trips or coastal cruising may work fine, just look back frequently. For longer passages, stow.

I also can raise my engine with a halyard attached to a nylon 3 strand bridle I made around the engine.
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Old 20-08-2012, 18:12   #28
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Re: Dinghy Advice

How can you tell the diff between Hypalon and PVC? Is it the strings in the fabric?
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Old 20-08-2012, 18:59   #29
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Re: Dinghy Advice

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How can you tell the diff between Hypalon and PVC? Is it the strings in the fabric?
I don't know any definitive way to tell by looking. Look up the specs on the dinghy or maybe someone here with the same model can chime in.
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Old 20-08-2012, 18:59   #30
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Get the absolutely biggest dinghy you can manage- if you think pulling a 90lb inflatable floor dinghy out of the water is that much easier than a 125 or 150 lb rib there is really not much difference- an AB ultralight rib is very nice- also to plane 3 or 4 you need 15-20 hp and they weigh 90 (2 stroke)- 120 lbs. We have two motors evinrude 15#and a nissan 2.5(weighs 22 lbs) for when we dont have to fast or really far. Ribs are great. Tougher more durable but yes take slightly and i mean only slightly more space deflated then a roll up. Get hypalon or csm id take a 5 year old used hypalon over a new pvc dingy. Also dont even think of a hard dink they suvk. All they do is row a little better. Makes no diff in nasty wind or current and they motor like turds. Bang your boat up and are as tipsy as a dunken wino
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