What's the Best Dinghy ?

[Low Country Home Builder]

Working on long term plans to get a used Lagoon 440 in a few years.
Are the best dinghies inflatables? I'd like it to be able to carry 8 people.

[Jeannius]

Originally Posted by Low Country Home Builder

Working on long term plans to get a used Lagoon 440 in a few years.
Are the best dinghies inflatables? I'd like it to be able to carry 8 people.

Caribe with 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke. Most charter companies use Caribe for very good reasons... They last forever, they have big tubes for large carrying capacity and they aren't too expensive.

[Double-Wide]

I second that recommendation. I would say 50% of cruisers in the Bahamas have that combination.

Cam
Double-Wide

[David N]

AB, the Italian maker, has a line very competitive with Caribe, and good dealer support. We have a Yamaha 9.9 4 stroke on a 10' and feel it's plenty of power. 15 hp is only slightly heavier. Your choice. Sure, the 2 strokes are great, but getting very hard to find new. We had a 2 stroke 8hp, and it was lighter and more powerful than the 9.9. Traded it with the old boat and wish we hadn't. A welled cared for used 8 or 15 hp 2 stroke would be a good choice, if you find one.

David

[Free Agent]

The more money you spend the better the quality with just about all lines.
We like Achilles for their quality.
New lower HP 2 stroke outboards are no longer available in the USA.
Most every new outboard out there is made by Tohatsu no matter what brand name is on it except Honda.
We like the Hondas best.

[Efraim]

Originally Posted by Low Country Home Builder

Working on long term plans to get a used Lagoon 440 in a few years.
Are the best dinghies inflatables? I'd like it to be able to carry 8 people.

If you plan on carrying around 8 people, inflatable is probably your only choice. It's going to be a fairly large dinghy at that.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Caribe with 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke. Most charter companies use Caribe for very good reasons... They last forever, they have big tubes for large carrying capacity and they aren't too expensive.

Yep. You are going to need the largest RIB that will fit between the hulls though for 8 people... 12 ft?

[dan360]

Per AB the 14AL Aluminum rib (14') is specified for 8 people. The 12' for 6, and the 13' for 7, YMMV with kids etc.

[Cheechako]

on my Lagoon 42, a 10 ft rib and 15hp motor seemed like a close fit on the davits... might have to remove the motor to have a bigger dingy.... and not bang the hulls

[Southern Star]

I too have had good luck Achilles, although Caribe and Avon also have terrific reputations. So long as you choose Hypalon rather than PVC you should have very few problems with any of the brand name inflatables. As to an outboard, I have owned both Honda and Yamaha 4 strokes and have been highly satified with both (and no, the Yamaha is not made by Tohatsu).

Brad

[Free Agent]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

I too have had good luck Achilles, although Caribe and Avon also have terrific reputations. So long as you choose Hypalon rather than PVC you should have very few problems with any of the brand name inflatables. As to an outboard, I have owned both Honda and Yamaha 4 strokes and have been highly satified with both (and no, the Yamaha is not made by Tohatsu).

Brad

The new ones under 15HP are

[georgetheleo]

Originally Posted by David N

AB, the Italian maker, has a line very competitive with Caribe, and good dealer support. We have a Yamaha 9.9 4 stroke on a 10' and feel it's plenty of power. 15 hp is only slightly heavier. Your choice. Sure, the 2 strokes are great, but getting very hard to find new. We had a 2 stroke 8hp, and it was lighter and more powerful than the 9.9. Traded it with the old boat and wish we hadn't. A welled cared for used 8 or 15 hp 2 stroke would be a good choice, if you find one.

David

My friend with a Gulfstar 43 trawler inherited a AB 11ft with a 25 HP Yamaha 4stroke--even with T&T and doel fins the ass end is way up unless you get a 200 lb friend to sit on the bow and get soaked---- it either wallows going slow---making a huge wake or goes 20 mph -no inbetween which is where you you usually want to be A&B =very costly and overrated Ill take either Achilles or Avon with large sise no stupid console and medium HP OB with long tiller extension......and dinghy s are very important never lend yours.........Dinghy management and anchoring are hardest things to really learn in cruising.....PS FT Lauderdale s premier Inflatable repair man says Caribe has the thinnest grade fabric of all Hypalon boats