AB Dinghy

[Tommee]

I have had an AB dinghy which I bought in Margarita Island Venezuela for 20 years, it has been amazing. Sadly it is understandably on its last legs. I now live in NZ & they do import them here but Kiwis are a greedy bunch & the prices asked for a new one are staggering!!!
Does anyone out there know if they are still available from Margarita or are they now made elsewhere? Has anyone any experience of having one shipped to them? They are such a great dinghy I can't imagine settling for less.
Any ideas???
Tommee

[JPA Cate]

Don't know about the AB, but someone will chime in.

FWIW, friends of ours had a Caribe hypalon dinghy shipped into Sydney. Presumably those who can ship to SYD, can also ship into Auckland.

Ann

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Tommee

I have had an AB dinghy which I bought in Margarita Island Venezuela for 20 years, it has been amazing. Sadly it is understandably on its last legs. I now live in NZ & they do import them here but Kiwis are a greedy bunch & the prices asked for a new one are staggering!!!
Does anyone out there know if they are still available from Margarita or are they now made elsewhere? Has anyone any experience of having one shipped to them? They are such a great dinghy I can't imagine settling for less.
Any ideas???
Tommee

AB is available in Venezuela but by the time duty and taxes were paid, I'm not sure you'd save. Assuming you're talking a RIB, you'd probably want to get it shipping unassembled, but that leaves the task of assembly. AB does have an office/distributorship in Venezuela.

[colemj]

AB is now manufactured in Colombia.

People your way have been speaking highly of Highfield RIBs.

Mark

[JPA Cate]

Tommee,

Another rib to consider is the SWIFT, hypalon, made in Queensland. When we looked at them, they were well made, and with good quality hypalon. Friends in the inflatable boat business here say it is getting more and more difficult to access good hypalon, which just confuses the issue.

For us, it meant, ultimately, re-tubing our Gemini (originally hypalon) with German made PVC tubes, heavy duty, and making "chaps" for it to protect it from the UV.

Should you go the PVC route, I strongly recommend making or having made "chaps". If you choose to make it/them yourself, suggest you read the SailRite blurb on how to do it before you start to work. If we had done that, our job would have been easier.

Ann