Rigid versus inflatable dinghy

[Shrew]

Consider that many dinghy docks have a length limit. Many I've seen are around 12 ft. That might be a limiting factor to consider when going with a larger runabout.

[a64pilot]

I'm one of those that never plan on deflating and stowing aboard.
My reason for a RIB is real simple, stability. You can stand on the side tube of a RIB and it won't flip, plus sitting on that big inflatable pillow is much more comfortable, but it really is about not having a tippy boat.

[ZULU40]

really its a matter of safe placement on the boat while underway
if it isnt, let me know how you go rowing your inflatable in a breeze

[fatherchronica]

We like a rigid. The only place it has made a difference so far though is going up little channels through mangrove swamps. Our friends with inflatables were too leery to go. Our dinghy has a 12" x 12" and a 12" x 18" Lexan window on either side of the keel so we check our anchor set, when we anchor before dark anyway. Our boat is 36' and we store our 12' dinghy in two nesting pieces on the cabin in front of the mast. For us it only obscures our vision when entering slips, so we have to stand up then, which so far I always did on everyboat I have owned anyway.

[kelbylinn]

We have owned several inflatables through the years, and got good service out of most of them. Finally got tired of soft tubes over time, and we picked up a 10' Bullfrog rigid tender with a 15HP 4 stroke. We have owned it now for about 6 years and it hangs on the back of our 42' Grand Banks on Lester Davits (Hydraulic). It has a hard aluminum bottom that handles all types of beaching, and while a bit heavy for one person to drag up above High water line, I just use a small anchor in the sand. Have not experienced any negative problems when tied to or arriving or departing from the mothership. All has to do with tying it off correctly or using small fenders when needed. Each to his own though!

[SJFK]

Hi,
We agonised over the same question. if you intend going ashore on coral sand beaches then a RIB is better; although many folk will leave their SIB anchored off the beach with a couple of feet of water beneath it. Repairing them is dead easy with some contact adhesive and a patch. You could do the same for a RIB I guess as a temporary measure, but you will need to get it welded at some point if the hull is breached. Stowing the SIB is much easier (and safer) for long distance cruising and for when you might get into some heavy weather. But a RIB can take a larger outboard and has better capacity. Its always a compromise. We have stuck with our SIB, and have a torqeedo outboard, so not fast but very quiet, very light, easy to stow and no petrol to worry about.
I guess it just down to your preference; just go for it, see how it works out and then adjust as necessary. Good luck

[jkleins]

We have a 50ft boat with a rigid dinghy on the foredeck. Remember that boats like the whaler are heavy so getting them off the foredeck can be a challenge. Our Trinka is about all I would like to deal with in any wind and that size boat limits you to displacement speeds often times. If you are going to have something heavy on the foredeck really think about the system you use to move it around. The great thing about displacement boats is that the little electric motors like the Torqueedo work great and are light and easy to handle.
We keep a PVC inflatable in a locker for the few times we need the speed or carrying capacity/range but we only pulled it out this year to check it and run the engine since we never really needed it.
The inflatables are nice though for guests as the Trinka is at it's max capacity with 4 people.

Jim

[Cheechako]

The only real downside to inflatables is rowing. They don't row that well. Why? I'm not sure but I think it's two things:
Oar length: Most people don't have appropriate length oars on an inflatable so blame the boat.
Weight: They are light and blow like a leaf on the water. My guess is if you had a rigid non inflatable as light as the inflatable with short oars it would be just as bad.

[tiopirata]

Research OC Tenders, the best tender out there, and the best of both types.
https://octenders.co.nz/

[davewtsnape]

I've had both.

Sold the rigid.

It's heavy, it bangs the mother ship, it's less stable, you need to add buoyancy, they don't actually row that much better, you can't shove it in the back of the car, etc., etc., what everyone else said. Other than aesthetics I can think of no good reason to get a rigid dinghy.

[Ida_Lewis]

I've been looking at these lately: F-RIB | Revolutionary new Foldable RIBs (F-RIBs)

You can deflate it, then fold up on the foredeck.

I'm just dinghy shopping, so no real world experience with these.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

The only real downside to inflatables is rowing. They don't row that well. Why? I'm not sure but I think it's two things:
Oar length: Most people don't have appropriate length oars on an inflatable so blame the boat.
Weight: They are light and blow like a leaf on the water. My guess is if you had a rigid non inflatable as light as the inflatable with short oars it would be just as bad.

Another, I think, is that the tubes bend a bit under pressure while rowing, don't provide consistently rigid resistance for the oarlocks.

-Chris

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Another, I think, is that the tubes bend a bit under pressure while rowing, don't provide consistently rigid resistance for the oarlocks.

-Chris

Good point, there is a bit of that going on. In flat water not much of a problem, but when the rowing gets tough...

[zedpassway]

Of course, there is the mixed genre, the Walker Bay 10 foot rigid hull with the inflatable baby bumpers all around. Its virtually unsinkable, and you can stand on the gun'l getting into your boat. If you overload it, you won't sink.
Walker Bay 310R RID Kit

Really too beamy for rowing unless its pretty calm, so they need an OB. I have a 2 HP honda air cooled since it sits on the dock most of the time.

[Mike Banks]

Inflatables are very stable craft. That is about it for me. They row like a pig, wind blows them around and they are hogs on fuel because they seem to push a lot of water rather than cleaving it, but an RIB will solve most of those problems for you.

I now use a Polycraft tender--the foam filled ones are accepted by SOLAS as a life raft as well, they are almost as stable as an inflatable so they are easy to get into and out of. They are a tad heavier, certainly a bit heavier than the lightest tinny. Mine is safety yellow. If I ever have to take to the water, I want to be easy to see.

It is easy to row, tracks well, is easy on fuel, and is an excellent little fishing boat. I have a Bimini on mine for just such a purpose, something inflatables do not, so I can fish in the shade, and it is easily launched from a trailer, easily beached, and two people can carry it above high water mark. It is about three metres in length, carries two people plus gear with ease.

Model Range | Polycraft

Mine is the Tuff Tender--you may need something larger--but they last well and are fully UV resistant. A pal has one over ten years old now--with no apparent problems.



I used to use Zodiacs. They do not last long before something goes wrong with them, but they are expensive and some design faults exist. Considering how long they have been around, that is pretty poor. Of the inflatables, I think the Swift is probably one of the better ones. Also one of the more expensive.