Perfect tender?

[Dockhead]

I am amazed that I never saw or heard about these:

Nesting, Portable, Folding Boats & Dinghies UK - Nestaway Boats Ltd - F-RIB Folding hull RIBs

Has anyone tried one?

It looks to me like a superb solution -- large RIB performance and load carrying, but easily stored on deck with the hull folded.

The 360 model has 43cm tubes, weighs 48kg and can take a 25hp motor.

On the down side, the tubes are PVC and not Hypalon, and they're expensive.


I am still getting the feel of my new Avon Lite Compact 310, which achieves a similar result but with a folding transom. The folding transom is flimsy and limits engine power to 10, but 8 hp seems to be plenty of power. Downside is lower gunwales and less stable and seaworthy than a normal RIB.


It folds up to a surfboard type dimension which fits pretty well on my foredeck, but the shorter dimension of the folded one would be even much easier to store. The folded one also comes in rather larger sizes, good for carrying loads, and probably more seaworthy.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I am amazed that I never saw or heard about these:

Nesting, Portable, Folding Boats & Dinghies UK - Nestaway Boats Ltd - F-RIB Folding hull RIBs

Has anyone tried one?

It looks to me like a superb solution -- large RIB performance and load carrying, but easily stored on deck with the hull folded.

The 360 model has 43cm tubes, weighs 48kg and can take a 25hp motor.

On the down side, the tubes are PVC and not Hypalon, and they're expensive.


I am still getting the feel of my new Avon Lite Compact 310, which achieves a similar result but with a folding transom. The folding transom is flimsy and limits engine power to 10, but 8 hp seems to be plenty of power. Downside is lower gunwales and less stable and seaworthy than a normal RIB.


It folds up to a surfboard type dimension which fits pretty well on my foredeck, but the shorter dimension of the folded one would be even much easier to store. The folded one also comes in rather larger sizes, good for carrying loads, and probably more seaworthy.

Looks very interesting. Here is a video on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYz4sWL8IZo

[levm]

Looks interesting but I see no volume advantage here, also the encapsulation can scratch the deck. Last but not least I suspect that it will cost much more than a run of the mill dink.
My dink was purchased this summer in Greece, she is 3.10 with aluminum floor 14" tubes, and can reach planning with two adults using 5 hp engine. It cost me €1800.


May the good winds always be with you

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by levm

Looks interesting but I see no volume advantage here, also the encapsulation can scratch the deck. Last but not least I suspect that it will cost much more than a run of the mill dink.
My dink was purchased this summer in Greece, she is 3.10 with aluminum floor 14" tubes, and can reach planning with two adults using 5 hp engine. It cost me €1800.

Expensive, yes -- about double what yours cost.

But it looks very compact indeed -- like a roll-up. Would easily go in my lazarette I think.

I guess the volume is no less than my Avon Lite, but the Avon is too long to store anywhere but on the foredeck (possibly on my after deck, but that would get in the way more than on the foredeck). This would be easier to find a place for for sure.

A non-folding transom RIB like yours will be practically impossible to store on deck, even on a large boat (54') like mine.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I am amazed that I never saw or heard about these:

Probably because they are pretty new. I have visited that website many times, because I have long had an interest in nesting dinghies, and their's seem to be some of the best. Last time I was there was probably only 5-6 months ago, and they did not have anything about the folding-RIB at that time.

So, my guess is that, as time goes on, you will be hearing and seeing more about these. Right now the price is a little prohibitive, but if that comes down some this seems like an excellent option.

[olaf hart]

I have a zodiac rib with a folding transom and a tinker that folds up like that three pice rib.

I find it impossible to fold either of them into the flat packages you see in the ads.

The oars are useless and the row locks on the zodiac rotate in two planes, make it impossible to row properly.

I use hard dinghies and good oars in preference to either of the ribs.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

I have a zodiac rib with a folding transom and a tinker that folds up like that three pice rib.

I find it impossible to fold either of them into the flat packages you see in the ads.

The oars are useless and the row locks on the zodiac rotate in two planes, make it impossible to row properly.

I use hard dinghies and good oars in preference to either of the ribs.

Hard dinghies are a joy to row, but scratch your topsides and are less stable, and have less load capacity, than inflatables. I have one of each so know whereof I speak. It's not an accident that 99% of tenders are inflatables.

My Avon Lite came with a bag, and it's fairly hard to get it in there. I hope this will get better with practice. But it certainly folds up to the advertised thickness -- otherwise it wouldn't have fit in the bag at all . It's surprisingly flat, about like a Portabote. The claimed dimensions are 255 x 100 x 30, which seems about right. That's the 310 model, which is a bit more than 10 feet long when inflated.

[HopCar]

The Fliptail folding dinghy
I've been building one of these for about a year now. Should be pretty easy to stow.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by HopCar

The Fliptail folding dinghy
I've been building one of these for about a year now. Should be pretty easy to stow.

That's a coracle. Looks exceptionally simple to fold and store

The other designs on that site are ingenious as well. Really interesting.

[HopCar]

Dockhead, I hadn't thought of that but you're right, it's a folding coracle.
It's turning out to be harder to build than I thought. The curved hoops were a lot of work.

[Minggat]

Interesting. I'll be watching this.

A few years ago I picked up an Achilles RIB lite with the folding transom. I have none of the complaints you speak of with the Avon. In fact, I was hoping to put my 8 horse on it but would up with a 15 as a replacement when my 8 was stolen. The boat is rated of a 10, but handles the 15 very nicely. I will admit to being a touch spooked when I got the feel of all that horsepower the first time.

My Achilles does nest beautifully on top of my 8 ft Walker Bay, which this would not do.

Oh the trade offs. They can make you crazy.

When I read the thread title I thought "yeah, right". But this really does look good.