Kayaks for Tenders ?

[otherthan]

wondering if kayaks are a practicle alternative...wich sit on top or regular?

[ozskipper]

Neither. There is nowhere to carry food, booze and other passengers as a general rule. They arent as stable when trying to board or dissembark a boat that is bobbing at a mooring either.

Cheers
Oz

[daddle]

Used inflatable single-hole kayaks frequently in Mexico. Much better at crossing surf. Greener. Probably won't catch on as most cruisers are so fond of burning fossil fuels and saving a few minutes rushing to do laundry and whatever. Would work well here in Palau, too. I'm shipping them out soon. Save the expensive smelly inflatable dinghy for longer runs.

[BlueWaterMD]

I do a lot of kayak fishing and would argue that a sit-on-top kayak could carry a decent amount of gear, especially if you get a shorter/wider model. I have no problem launching in choppy water, and with practice find them very stable. With 2 people it may be a bit difficult.

The real problem I see is they are wet. Even if I am careful, I always get wet when kayaking... so unless you are just going to the beach, there are probably better alternatives.

[aclmck]

have alook at "www.wavewalk.com they have plastic moulded cats that look like they may work for you . should be able to take a load as well

[Capn Morgan]

I got a sit-on-top single seater last year (Feelfree) and have used it more times than the RIB since then. Ideal for playing and exploring short distances, I would say. Mine has a round rubber lid that allows for limited quantities of shopping to be loaded inside and be kept dry. It also has a small wheel at the aft end for easy towing once ashore. With hindsight, I should have gone for the two seat version of the same as it is probably faster and has more space. I chose this one to keep it light but the difference is probably negligible.

[Jim Cate]

G'Day jobi,

It really depends on what sort of sailing you are contemplating. For a serious live-aboard, long term cruiser, IMO a kayak isn't a good choice as a tender. As a fun thing to have on board, sure! But a cruiser's tender is like a farmers ute... it must do a lot of different things. Lugging stuff is paramount! Consider simple tasks like topping up your water tanks in places where alongside water taps are not available. Carrying several 20 litre jugs full of water (20 kg each) is gonna tax most kayaks pretty severely. Carrying your recently washed and dried laundry back to the boat without getting it wet will be difficult. And so on... I won't get into the rowed vs powered dink argument, but even a smallish hard dinghy seems better adapted to the tasks than a kayak.

Of course, if you intend to spend your time in marinas, then the kayak gets more useful, but I got the feeling from your other posts that you'd be anchoring out most of the time.

Cheers

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Towlers Bay, NSW, Oz (swanning about in their RIB/ute)

[Roaring Girl]

I'd agree with Jim about the role of your dinghy. We have a hard dinghy (which we do row a lot, Daddle) with a small outboard for the really long trips or when it's pouring with rain. That takes everything - washing, water, shopping, guests - and keeps them dry.

Also have an inflatable kayak which is great for trips to the beach and exploring but not for lugging stuff about in any quantity. The other nice thing is that if one of us goes ashore, the other isn't imprisoned aboard till she gets back.

[Mark Johnson]

I carry a Sterns inflatable Kayak. It can be a lot of fun and is a great toy. NOT, however, as a tender! It is hard to board from the boat, can't carry the necessary gear, and at a crowded dinghy dock... you can't get in and out over the bow like you can on a RIB. 90% use RIBS for good reason! Just remember to keep your motor down at dinghy docks...
M

[Charlie]

I have two inflatable kayaks. They are easier to use for short trips ashore to shallow beaches when the outboard is too long to use. You are going to get wet with them though. I especially liked having them when I didn't tie the dink on properly and it drifted away in the night. Otherwise we would have been stuck on the boat. But I don't see them as a substitute for a good dink.

[Bash]

I have two kayaks on the bow, and an RIB dink on the stern davits. Here's a list of things my dink can do that my kayaks can't:

1. transport fuel, water, or anything else that comes to the boat via jerry can;
2. pick up guests ashore, especially guests with luggage;
3. serve as a scuba diving platform (some sit-on-tops can do this)
4. transport bicycles to the dingy doc
5. hoist crab rings
6. run out a kedge anchor on chain
7. haul my 54-quart cooler during a grocery run.

[troymclure]

Ok singlehander, living aboard and my only dinghy is a kayak.

I've had two kayaks since switching to kayak as dinghy. First was a 3m sit on top (which was a wee bit difficult to paddle), that was alright but not suited to long distances at all, I also spent a night drifting on it without a paddle:/.

It also got nicked, since then i've gotten a hobie revolution. It's 4m+ and has a peddle drive system which makes it alot easier to get to and fro. Ie with the hobie i've been fine anchoring a few NM's out of Aerlie beach and the peddling the kayak in to do grocery shopping.

So far I'm defiantley enjoying the switch from dinghy to kayak, it makes general exploring/cruising about alot more enjoyable as i can get closer to wildlife, get closer to shore and don't have engine going the whole time.

I also tend to spend a few nights at a marina once a month and that's when i do laundry etc.

So it's defiantely possible, OTOH i am defiantely going to purchase a dinghy+outboard once I get the funds to do so. Simply because there are times when a dinghy would have been handy. It's not top of my priorities however. Still having spent the last 10 months with only a kayak as a dinghy and only maybe 2 months of that time at marinas I'd say that the best solution is a kayak and a dinghy. I chose the kayak instead of the dinghy because of my situation (i had a dinghy but couldn't find anywhere too stow it on passages so just opted for the kayak).

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by Bash

I have two kayaks on the bow, and an RIB dink on the stern davits. Here's a list of things my dink can do that my kayaks can't:

1. transport fuel, water, or anything else that comes to the boat via jerry can;
2. pick up guests ashore, especially guests with luggage;
3. serve as a scuba diving platform (some sit-on-tops can do this)
4. transport bicycles to the dingy doc
5. hoist crab rings
6. run out a kedge anchor on chain
7. haul my 54-quart cooler during a grocery run.

You forgot tow the mothership.

And, get you and your loved ones out of the way of a drunken go-fast.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

You forgot tow the mothership.

That list is of things my dink can do that my kayak can't.

I can certainly tow the mothership with a kayak. It only weighs 15 tons.

We don't go fast, of course.

[zeehag]

i have to laugh at everyone--i use a sit inside entry level flatwater kayak for my tender and have for 11 yrs.i love them i also have a walker bay8 ft---dont use it much at all. prefer the kayak-is only 38 pounds and is easily brought up and tied off to caprail..i can pack in it, i can play in it--is perfect for me. i live on board and use a mooring not a dock.