The Perfect Tender....???

[Yachts66]

So far most of the threads here have revolved around what you have, I'd like to change the discussion just a tad to what you'd LIKE to have.

When I purchased my boat it came with a 8' Walker Bay. Not a bad small dink, but too small for my family and I. I have the WB because it cam with the boat not because I wanted it and thus the surveys are not truly representative of me. So...here I am looking for the perfect tender.....knowing it probably does not exist, but I'll try anyway.

What to makes a tender the most useful? Why is that? I'd like to hear more about this.

I have a larger boat because I have a large family and we'll probably end up with a larger tender. That means it will probably live on the davits attached to my stern arch. I'm not wholly comfortable with this arrangement at sea, but all of cruising is a compromise...right? Do many of you folks keep your ding on the davits at sea?

At what point do you think a dink becomes too heavy to lift onto the fore deck? I have been looking at a Boston Whaler, but they weigh in at near 1,000 pounds before you add the out board. That's a lot of boat to wrestle onto the fore deck I think. What about you?

We will keep the 8' WB and add a sail kit so the kids will have one more thing to keep them occupied. It will live on the fore deck. Do you WB owners feel the inflatable fenders are worth the cost and hassle?

Much thanks,

TJ

[CSY Man]

My previous tender was perfect: A Dyer Dhow sailing dink.
Living on the hook and not having an outboard, we would sail or row on a daily basis to go to work or get groceries.

The ultimate Green Machine...

[rsn48]

This new Walker Bay rigid inflatable is proving very popular in Vancouver, partly because of the stoage areas in the inflatable; this is their new Genesis line:

Walker Bay® | products | Dinghy, inflatable boats, small boats, small sail boats, row boats, small fishing boats

[High Cotton]

I'm ready to sell my 10' CARIBE and 15hp YAMAHA for one of these 10' WALKER BAYS with tube and a 3hp MERC............. I have industrial strength davits to hold a heavy RIB but I'm tired of dealing with the damn 15 horse!........ I already have a bad back and that YAMAHA is not making me any younger.

[Hubec]

I have a Walker Bay 8' rigid with the wraparound tubes. I can tell you it _S_U_C_K_S_ It's slow, it's tippy, it doesn't have much room inside, it's only rated for 2(!) and with two it rides low in the water and is quite wet.

Alone in the WB RID my max speed is 5.5 knots, but in my new Mercury 320 RIB I do twice that with the same 4 horse outboard! While at lower speeds the new 320 requires less throttle and produces less wake to make the same rate of progress.

Basically the WB has a hull that wasn't primarily designed to be powered by an outboard. It rows reasonably well and I guess you can use it as a sailing dink (though I never have) but as a tender for an active cruiser, who uses their outboard 98% of the time it just doesn't make sense.

On top of all of that; like I said it's tippy, and though it probably won't actually flip over, it has enough initial instability to drop you on your butt ... and make you drop your outboard ...

That's all to say that I'm not a fan, while WB RIDs sound good in theory, in practice most cruisers end up needing a pure utility vehicle and in that respect the WB just doesn't measure up.

Oh and if you disagree with me and you're somewhere near the Florida keys get in touch! Mine's a 2007 model in excellent shape and it's for sale!

[Kanani]

I've had 2 Livingston dinghies:
Livingston Boats - Home

I would not consider any other dinghy, unless someone comes out with something better.

I' had the 9' model on Kanani because it fit perfectly between the Main mast and dodger on my ketch.

It carries a good amount of passangers and gear for it's size. It is VERY stable (You can step on the gunnel and not overturn it). It's relatively dry under way and can handle a fair size OB. When towing, you must use a bridle (big deal). It lifts easily with a halyard and I could load it by myeslf (2 is a lot easier).

I had the 10' when I was in Hawaii. That was an amazing boat but I couldn't fit it on deck. The 9' was adaquate for 3 large adults.

[Yachts66]

I like the idea of a hard dink because my experience with the inflatables is one of constant leak repairs. It's the the Walker Bay is tippy and the 8' model is strapped to carry my 12 year old and me. I'll probably buy the 10' so the kids have a sailing dink, but that's about all we'll use it for. I'm looking at aluminum tenders now. Weight is a bit of an issue, but they sure are durable and my boats large enough to handle the load...I'll keep you posted.

Regards,

TJ

[SkiprJohn]

Kind of like asking "what's the pefect car?" I used to think that an 8 foot Naples Sabot was the pefect dink. I rowed it, used it for a dive platform, sailed it, motored it with my old British Seagull and it fit on my cabin top just under the mainsail boom just perfectly. It would carry 3 reasonably sized individuals. When I was young I could carry it over my head. During my youth that was the pefect dink. Now I've got an 11' nesting dinghy. One section is lighter but totally its heavier but takes up less space. Carries more but takes longer to put together. Oh well. Economics.
JohnL

[High Cotton]

mmmmmmmmmm..... that's the end of the WB thoughts! Thanks for the headsup!

[Charlie]

The factory is closing! Take advantage of these final closeout prices on last remaining Livingstons

[Yachts66]

Charlie, do you mean closing...as in for good? Going out of business closing? If so, too bad that. What happened?

Thanks,

TJ

[Kanani]

That really is too bad. They are fantastic boats.

I had a 15HP Yamaha on my 10' Livingston. That thing was a blast. It would do about 30kts. I once took it across the channel from Molokai to Honolulu in about an hour (flat seas). It was as sturdy as a RIB and it never leaked or Sun rotted.

If you can fit a 10' Livingston on your boat, that would be the ultimate dinghy IMO.

When mine was on deck (upside down) it covered my dog house. That allowed me to leave my doghouse opened for fresh air, even going to windward.

BTW, it is easy to mount a bimini on one and they make great fishing boats.

[Celestialsailor]

I have a Livingston 7.5. Loads of fun and planes easily. If I get a back-up, it will be the old banana style portabot.

[GordMay]

Livingston Boatsclaims to be under NEW OWNERSHIP and NEW MANAGEMENT!
Livingston Boats - Home

Livingston Boats: 406 Railroad Street, Yelm, WA 98597
Toll Free: 1.866.482.5580.
Phone: 360.458.3999
Fax: 360.458.4550

Livingston Boats are seeking a NATIONAL SALES MANAGER (posted: 12-07-2007)
BillboardJobs.com: NATIONAL SALES MANAGER - Livingston Boats - Yelm, Washington

[rebel heart]

My neighbor has a portland pudgy (Portland Pudgy multifunction dinghy--the fun boat that could save your life!). I like the price; even fully equipped as a sail / life raft / tender, it comes in under $5K, which is the cost that I've seen for an offshore life raft. It rows and sails well, and if I can keep poking aorund on it, I might grab one for myself.