Best dinghy under $3000

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

One I'm looking at is 3.1 M, about 10'2"? Yes even though quoted numbers are less than 250, I'm sure by the time you get stuff wet and have a little water in the bilge it would be 250 lbs.
?

One more thing to think about. The overall length of two dinks might be the same but the usable internal area might vary greatly as some dinks have more of the tubes sticking out behind the transom. Just compare a few of the pictures or drawings. Also tube size is a big factor, the bigger the better.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Vasco

One more thing to think about. The overall length of two dinks might be the same but the usable internal area might vary greatly as some dinks have more of the tubes sticking out behind the transom. Just compare a few of the pictures or drawings. Also tube size is a big factor, the bigger the better.

Yep, our 3.10 (10'2") is the identical interior size as the same maker's 3.40 (11'2") model. Longer tubes (more flotation) on the latter, but no additional space for people/pets/stuff.

Thoughts about motor weight should likely take into consideration whether the outboard will be carried in situ, or horsed aboard and stowed separately. Former requires heftier davit system (and maybe needs some thought about hazards of following seas). Latter argues for lighter weight, some kind of motor mount, and the strength (and access) to get it from point A to point B... and back again. Can also raise questions about willingness to do all that, every time...

-Chris

[a64pilot]

Pretty sure the gold standard dink motor, the 15 HP two stroke Yamaha weighs 40 kg (dry). that's 88 lbs. The 20 hp four stroke Suzuki weighs 97 lbs. (also dry I assume).
That's 9 lbs difference, but 5 more HP, maybe the thing is made from plastic, I don't know how it doesn't weigh more.
Mercury 15 and 20 HP weigh 115 lbs (dry), I beleive almost all the 15 and 20 HP four strokes weigh around 115 lbs, that's 27 lbs more, 27 is a lot, but I think I can live with 9 lbs

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Pretty sure the gold standard dink motor, the 15 HP two stroke Yamaha weighs 40 kg (dry). that's 88 lbs. The 20 hp four stroke Suzuki weighs 97 lbs. (also dry I assume).
That's 9 lbs difference, but 5 more HP, maybe the thing is made from plastic, I don't know how it doesn't weigh more.

I've been shopping on the Suzuki 15/20 unit, and I've read somewhere why it doesn't weigh as much more as fuel-injection would suggest... but sorry, can't think of where, just now. On-line reviews? (There are a few.) Suzuki website?

Anyway, I remember it seemed to make some sense to me, at the time

-Chris

[olegunny]

Bathroom toys (inflatables) are fine for the short haul. There are not many in the under 3000 range. Nothing beats a Fatty Knees type dink for standing up to hard usage and long operational life.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by olegunny

Bathroom toys (inflatables) are fine for the short haul. There are not many in the under 3000 range. Nothing beats a Fatty Knees type dink for standing up to hard usage and long operational life.

As long as you're just going 100 yards to shore. Fatty Knees are great dinks but not really conducive to the cruising life where, when you anchor, it's the start of the adventure. Your dink takes you there. Not just to the town dock.

[heymagic]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

OK I'm sure that needs qualifying. For a 36' sailboat with davits that can handle most anything weight wise. Want a RIB. Desire is to be able to carry four adults if possible with essentially nothing else, or two with a load of groceries etc. 100 lbs engine weight. Two stroke is not an option unless I can buy one from someone bringing one back from where they can be bought, so I was considering the Suzuki 20 HP as it's lowest weight outboard I can find. I do not mind overpowering a dinghy a little, but would think I should have one rated for 15 HP if possible. I have enough sense to keep the power in check.
Best place to purchase would also be helpful.
Thanks in advance

I purchased a Mercury dinghy from Buster's Marine a 3 years ago at the Chicago Strictly Sail show. It was on the advice of some good friends who sailed all over the world for 4 years, and loved theirs. I have been really pleased with the dinghy and the folks who sold it to me. I have a 270 Airdeck which is 8' 4". The folks at the marina have admired its stability, good tracking, and great construction. You might give them a call and describe what you need. They have been willing to give their show prices to several folks I know and if you could visit a show and compare the others to the Mercury, I am sure you could more easily make a decision.
Hope that helps.
MikeB

[aquaslav]

I have had a Walker Bay 10 RID with sail kit for about 5 years. The boat with inflatable collar has lasted very well. It spent 2 summers as a dinghy on the back of my catamaran in the Whitsunday Island, Northeast Australia, and was sailed occasionally at home near Brisbane. After changing to another cat I found it was too heavy for the davits so I bought a 10' Zodiac inflatable. In the meantime, all the plastic parts on the Walker Bay began to fall apart. The rudder hinge went first, then the anti-skid inserts on the floor rotted, then the tiller extension insert and the plastic knob fell apart. The new hinge also failed and I am now in the process of getting another replacement. Fortunately the last rudder failure occurred in a busy waterway and I got towed to shore - the way the oars are configured it is impossible to carry them when sailing. I would like to hear of your experiences with this boat and how you solved any issues.

[Visarend]

IMHO, for extended cruising I would place on davits a rigid dinghy (I built a Nuthatch 10' some years ago), and keep a small inflatable as spare. As for motors, a 4HP (Suzuki ?) could do 90% of times, and a (maximum 10-15 HP) two strokes for longer trips.
BTW, I built the rigid dink (marine ply-epoxy) for less than 1K, it carries easily 3-4 persons and luggages, or two and two big dogs, or just me and the flexi tank with 150 liters of water to replenish the boat tank via an electric pump . It goes very well under oars, rides the waves high and dry. For 3K you can may be have it all - with some personal work and effort.
Here you can see the dink upside down on the deck, and in the water:



Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Visarend's Album: Osprey - Picture

[Visarend]

One of the above links was boroke, here it is:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...cture19404.jpg

[Bohemian]

I am sure you can pay a builder or local woodworking place to build this one.
The Fliptail folding dinghy

I will be building the 9' one as it is quite a convenient design.

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by Bohemian

I am sure you can pay a builder or local woodworking place to build this one.
The Fliptail folding dinghy

I will be building the 9' one as it is quite a convenient design.

That looks quite clever! My concern would be the fragility of the fabric over the long term, as any hole would mean a sinking, unlike an inflatable with separate compartments. Flat bottom in rough water seems an issue too.

[Sailing fast]

i have always heard that 2 strokes are so much better. we had a yamaha 9.9hp that worked for a short time and then we ran some "new" gs through it (i.e. with ethanol). never could get it running right, so I sucked it up and took it to a professional. It was then promptly stolen from the back of our truck, so I can't say if it was better or not.

regarding weight, if you look on yamaha's web site they state that a 15 hp 2 stroke is a minimum of 111 lbs (depending on the shaft length). A comparison with a 4 stroke honda on their web site talks about a 15hp weighing in at 104. so I am not seeing much difference there.

As for the best dink, I can say bigger is better, but i am a multihull guy with a nice protected spot with davits. I never did like the idea of hanging it off the back of a mono especially in large following waves. That would probably place a premium on weight in terms of storing it on deck.

I would think searching for a used setup would be the best route if you are definitely going to resize later. We often see smaller (4 to 8 hp)_ outboards on craigslist. If it runs wheen you buy it, for a little money, you can refurbish it, or have it refurbished. If you are really going cruising, i would recommend new. being away from dirt for a long time puts a premium on reliability in my mind.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Sailing fast

i

regarding weight, if you look on yamaha's web site they state that a 15 hp 2 stroke is a minimum of 111 lbs (depending on the shaft length). A comparison with a 4 stroke honda on their web site talks about a 15hp weighing in at 104. so I am not seeing much difference there.

If you look at Yamaha's website for U.S. sales here, the 111-lb weight is for 2-cylinder 4-stroke outboards:

Portable Specifications | Yamaha Outboards

No 2-strokes listed.

-Chris

[a64pilot]

pretty sure the 15 HP Yamaha two stroke currently available else where is 40KG, or 88 lbs