Opinions on WM RIB-310 Aluminum Dinghy

[onavegador]

After eight years of use as a tender for my catamaran during two circumnavigations I had to buy a new tender and bought a Highfield with Aluminium double hull, length 2.9m at Island Waterworld in St. Marteen. Reason: The Valiant was in need of costly repair after some locals used their Machetes when trying to burglar my cat w/o succes. Reason for Highfield: this was lighter than my previous tender and was sold for a good price to me.
After one year of use I have to say that that Valiant was much more comfortable than the Highfield as this one is (to say so) very nervous in its mouvements it also rides the strongly battering.
The Highfield is far away from the behavior of the Valiant (about the same price in Europe) and the Carib, but the latter one is much more expensive and needs a stronger motor.
I never used a WM Tender but have seen some under way.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by hmarkhoff

The Highfield has a flat bottom internally.

Not all ..... My Highfield has a single skin bottom (V) which I chose because it was lighter. My previous Aqua-pro was the same and it never bothered me at all.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by kryg

Changing the Dingy subject to another type, “none inflatable”, I have a porta-boat about 11 years old I bought second hand 4 years ago in good repair. When I don't use it as a dingy, I use it to collect fresh water when at anchor and it is cleaned and stowed on deck, it is an easy way to fill my water tanks are empty with a double filtering system and a small pump connect with hose to get the flow started, then I let the siphon take over and turn off the pump.

Also I find as a dingy it is light easier to setup and row and more stable then a fiberglass dingy or inflatable to wind. I had a number (3) of rubber flat & V shaped bottom Zodiac’s from 12' to 15' all failed badly. Also good name brand 12 v electric air pumps fail after a few years as well.

I would never buy an inflatable again they can’t be trusted not to fail in warmer climates, plus they take up far too much room. Because a new porta-boats is expensive, I would buy another good used one again, but not the 14' models they are just too difficult to setup when folded.

Totally the same experience. While in La Paz, listening to the morning VHF net, every morning there was someone looking to get their inflatable repaired. At the time, I had a Livingston 7 1/2' with a 6hp, 4 stroke Tohatsu. I could take t off deck with a unsupported halyard, drop it in the water and crane the motor to it before a neighbor could blow his up.
Like you, I now have a like new/used 10' Porta-bote on Kayak racks, outside my lifelines. We'll see how this works out.