Recommend me dinghies please

[RickG]

We're happy with our AB ultralight aluminum hull 9' hypalon RIB, bought used with a Tohatus 9.8hp 2-strike for $1,700. Me and my lady can lift it easily. The aluminum hull is great on rock/coral beach. But, with two dogs, I would be looking at 10' dinks.

Cheers, RickG

[Cowpoos]

What are your over all thoughts of the Takacat lite? and why you wouldn't consider a new one?

[Peregrine1983]

Originally Posted by Cowpoos

What are your over all thoughts of the Takacat lite? and why you wouldn't consider a new one?

The good:
- I appreciate how light the takakat is for it’s size
- It planes easily
- it packs up tightly for its size
- it’s stable to stand on

The bad:
- the oar locks constantly pop out
- after just one and a half seasons of use, the left tube is deflating
- the multiple pieces separate easily unless you tie them together
- if anyone (like a dog) stands on the forward part of the floor, you scoop up water and flood the boat

[Group9]

We took an 11 foot Boston Whaler to the Bahamas twice:

Pros
Unsinkable
Laughs at coral beaches, nail filled pilings, and upturned outboards at the dinghy dock
Holds four adults
Tows well
Economical
Planes well with 15 hp or more

Cons
Heavy
Heavy
Did I say heavy?

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

Hi all,

Looking for suggestions for new dinghy to replace the aging Takakat Lite that came with our boat. I would like a "traditional" dinghy this time with a hard floor.

About us:

- We are a cruising couple with two dogs (50 and 35 lbs)

- I normally tow the dink behind the mothership
- I have a 4hp Mercury outboard that I would like to continue to use
- Will spend up to $2000 if I need to, but would rather keep it $1500 or lower.

Thank you in advance for any input.

I think we have one of every type of tender made and for taking dogs ashore, nothing beats our Porta Bote. The 10' would be ideal.

[Andrez]

I have a Portland Pudgy . Very happy with it. It is also has US coast guard certification as a life boat. So although intially expensive you do not need a life raft hence no servicing costs . Long term cheaper. Very stable can take a motor and has a sailing rig.

Dinghy | Lifeboat | Yacht Tender | Sailing Dinghy | Portland Pudgy

[Visarend]

Over many years, I changed more than 10 inflatable dinghies: pvc wears out in 4-5 years, even hypalon is easily punctured. My life changed when I decided to opt for a rigid dinghy, 3 mts overall, unsinkable (3 compartments), not easy to be punctured (epoxy/glass coated), carries 2 persons and 2 large dogs, rows fine can even be used with heavy diving gear adding further stabilizers in the form of 2 inflatable rolls strapped on the sides (useful for putting the dinghy on shore when needed). Payload 400 kg. Design: Nuthatch 10 by Warren Messer, self built in just a few days

[powsmias]

Originally Posted by Andrez

I have a Portland Pudgy . Very happy with it. It is also has US coast guard certification as a life boat. So although intially expensive you do not need a life raft hence no servicing costs . Long term cheaper. Very stable can take a motor and has a sailing rig.

Dinghy | Lifeboat | Yacht Tender | Sailing Dinghy | Portland Pudgy

great dinghy.. bought one in montana and towed it back to new jersey with a bike. at the sale the owner told me the original owner was a famous person so i did some research.. whatta life this guy has led. he's about 86 now and goin strong but here's his story..

The previous owner was named Georges de Giorgio. He is donned as one of the true global explorers of our time.
“His father was Italian Count of Santoponte and his mother was of Chilean Indian/Spanish decent. Georges was born in a car wreck in France on the way to Italy in 1928. George’s father moved the family to Chile at the age of 4 where he grew up working in his father’s wooden ship boatyard.
In 1947 at the age of 17, Georges joined an American Expedition to Antarctica becoming the youngest person to ever spend a year there. Georges lived a month alone on the Palmer Peninsula plateau, was the first to cross from the Atlantic to Pacific by dogsled with a joint British/American party, and has a mountain named after him, de Giorgio Mountain. The expedition also was accompanied by two women, this is the first time women had wintered in Antarctica. Did Georges really sleep with 50% of the women on a continent? (yes)
Because Georges was Chilean, his presence secured the Chilean claim to Antarctica. So Georges returned the next year as technical adviser for a Chilean government polar expeditions.
Georges then spent the next 30 years sailing the world’s oceans. Georges was the navigator on the ship Mischief for the famous English explorer HW Tilman. He also hunted for Sir Francis Drakes lost treasure on Robinson Crusoe Island.
Georges was on a boat offshore of Chile when the 1960 Chilean Tsunami hit. His boat survived landing in a field while all others were smashed on shore.
Georges lived and raised his children in Acapulco. He was the Harbor Master for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, a dive master, worked numerous years for Alter Hobi molding Hobi Cats, and won the San Diego to Acapulco sailboat race.
Georges chaperoned the Olympic Gold Canadian Synchronized swim team in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Georges was friends with Marlon Brando, Cliff Robertson, and also dated the actresses Stephanie Powers and Irene Papas. Georges has met Nobel Prize winners Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Nerudo, and Gabriela Mistral. Georges was Chiles first motion picture actor having roles in La Caleta Olvidada, Love Has Many Faces, and The Big Cube. [He also stars in 2-3 other movies].
Georges is also fluent in three languages French, Spanish, and English. He was recently featured in a documentary on the expedition to Antarctica called The Ends of the Earth, Finn Ronne’s Antarctica (www.ronneantarcticexplorers.com).
For the past eight years, George worked at the Lewis and Clark interpretive Center and Cascade Historical Society in Great Falls. George truly is the most interesting man in the world…”
There is a ton left out of this biography, but George keeps dropping bombs on us. I’m not sure if there’s anything he hasn’t done, anywhere he hasn’t been, or anyone he doesn’t know.
This man was smuggled out of Chile into England, I believe. He was trapped in a snow storm on a mountain, for four days, at the age of 11 with three other boy scouts (one with a broken leg).
He learned to fly a plane back in the 30s before he even knew how to drive a car.
He still bikes everywhere and goes for daily hikes, and is knowledgeable about history.

[charly]

I had a Achilles Hypalon first for 10 years. ...would not by again. Hypalon is very difficult to repair.
Last dinghi is a PVC, easy to repair, cheaper ...for me seems the better solution for a cruiser.

[DeValency]

well, better compare apple to an apple... The Costco offering is great by all means, but it is made of sectional flat aluminum floorboards while the Mercury is a fiberglass floor RIB - better for a longer trip on choppier water, less pounding etc., but heavier and can't be folded. If you only plan on very short trips over calmer seas, the one of Costco (or alike) with a flat floor would be great (and the dogs would definitely like it more).

Personally, I prefer an aluminum RIB with 8-10HP outboard (and I'm still waiting to see a strong enough electric one), but these would cost at least twice the price of the Mercury and 6X the Costco...

Happy shopping! there are great deals out there!

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I think you'd be paying three times as much as you'd need to pay for the same thing at Costco. HydroForce.

https://www.costco.com/Hydro-Force-M...100341175.html

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I think you'd be paying three times as much as you'd need to pay for the same thing at Costco. HydroForce.

https://www.costco.com/Hydro-Force-M...100341175.html

Wow! That is a deal! Sure it's PVC & won't last as long as Hypalon but at this price who cares? Make some chaps for it & you might get 10 years.

[Mctar]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

Hi all,

Looking for suggestions for new dinghy to replace the aging Takakat Lite that came with our boat. I would like a "traditional" dinghy this time with a hard floor.

About us:

- We are a cruising couple with two dogs (50 and 35 lbs)

- I normally tow the dink behind the mothership
- I have a 4hp Mercury outboard that I would like to continue to use
- Will spend up to $2000 if I need to, but would rather keep it $1500 or lower.

Thank you in advance for any input.

Hi
I have a used Aquasport10’3” (guessing 10-15 years old) that I loved. It is second one I owned.
Aluminum bottom, light (110 lb I think), Hyperlon, has a couple of patches, would still be using it but the Admiral insisted on new dink with electric start. We have 2 dogs and they loved it
It is in Newport and would take $1000 for it
Michael
416-728-6300

[apirate]

This looks like an excellent option, and one that would last.

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

This is what we use in the Land of Oz. They are VERY popular once they came on the market--cost less than a quality inflatable, almost as stable as the fat 3M Zodiac, and unlike the Zodiac rows like a dream, and some of them are ten years old and still look like new.

Foam filled they are as a life-preserving device accepted by SOLAS. In that they are unique.

If you can not get one of these--try for an American equivalent. Unlike the one in the video--mine is safety yellow in colour. If I ever have to take to it in an emergency--I want to be as visible as possible from the air.
.

Before I bought mine--I had a Zodiac. It was made from PVC and I was NEVER happy with the constant parting of seams and the endless glueing. Eventually there was replacing of rotten transom wood. In the finish I replaced the entire floor and transom with honeycomb glass sandwich in a v-profile with twin keels for stable deck storage, making an RIB out of it--but it was heavy, although a far superior vessel than previously.

In the finish though--the leaks beat me and I cut it all up and dumped it.

The Polycraft on its trailer fully registered with a spare wheel all new cost me under five grand. The Polycraft was far less expensive a new high quality inflatable such as a Swift on its own. The fuel use fell by half--it is a nice stable hull easily driven hull--but tinnies have almost no stability if one stands on the gunwale to climb into one's parent vessel. Also--they have to have fenders or they will scratch you paint or damage your gel-coat.

If these are not available in the US--someone ought to get a license and build them. For the money there is nothing else that comes even close. Yews--they do look strange--but one soon falls in love with them. Mine has a Bimini on it--so I can fish in the shade. Try that on an inflatable.\

Mine is the heavy one which will take a 15 HP outboard--but there is now a lighter more easily lifted version for those without help to haul aboard--but it is limited to 6 HP outboards. The lighter one might be more suitable for davits. Mine was lashed down on the foredeck I never used more than a 3.5 hp Yamaha on mine anyway--so the lighter one would have served me well--it just was not being built when I bought mine some years ago.

[syorca]

Bought a Port-a-bote 12 last tear and we are very satisfied with it. With a modified Mercury 2,2 hp outboard it planes with 2 adults and 2 11 years kids. We certainly don't miss our old inflatable, in any way.

[arcticmonkey]

an age old question.. once met an old fisherman from NFLD who retired to west coast... he owned a large and somewhat cumbersome "dinghy" which lived comfortably behind his boat.. his philosophy was if you can't trust your dinghy to save your life.... rethink your dinghy.... good plan