Trying to pick my dinghy poison

[hpogue123]

I would suggest looking at a Saturn Cat Dinghy https://www.saturnrafts.com/96-saturn-catamaran.html.
I had one on my previous sailboat and it works great!
It has the high pressure floor so you can unroll (rolls up around solid transom)and inflate in water if no deck space. It has such low drag when towed it doesn't even take a knot off sailboat speed. I'm 300lb and it can plan with me with a 6hp motor. Great for beaching and lots of space for hauling.
You can deflate the HP floor and move the two hulls together to form a V that fits great on the front deck.
There is a version that they do 2 man speedboat racing in Austrialia!

[Gpryce]

Take a look at Seahopper folding boats. Much more attractive in my view than the Porta-Bote and being plywood easily repairable.

http://www.seahopperfoldingboats.com/
They're a plywood folding pram, they've been around for 45 years in the UK with apparently over 7500 having been built to date. They come in 3 sizes, 6'8", 7'10" and 10'. You can row, motor or sail with the choice of Lug or Gunter sail rigs. You could add a set of inflatable sponsons from Easystow Fenders for added buoyancy and to protect the mother ship. Perhaps the 8' version could even fit below in the quarter berth for long passages.


The builder will ship worldwide. I have one, the quality of materials and the workmanship is first class.

[MicHughV]

something to consider....a plywood dink, or a straight fiberglass or aluminum dink is very difficult to get back on board from the water...you've have to literally throw your body across to the other side, in a rib crushing move, to prevent the dink from capsizing...without flippers on your feet, this is an extremely iffy maneuver.

Being a tad overweight adds to the complications. A RIB with the inflatable tubes, even just a regular inflatable, is pretty easy to climb back on board.
I knew a guy that must have weighed 300 lbs....he had arranged some homemade wood and rope steps which he could flop into the water to assist him getting back on. It was a sight to see, but he did it. That would have been impossible with a wood dink.

Finally, practically every sailor I've met, sits on one of the tubes while going somewhere. The inside of the dink is usually so cluttered up with " stuff" to making sitting "in" the dink impractical. Yes, the dink's comes with a seat, but I've never actually seen this seat being used by anyone, as it's usually the first thing that gets thrown away.

[MicHughV]

on the subject of outboards, yes, most modern small outboards are all 4-stroke now, but 2-strokes are still available, which are much lighter, just have to search around. If all else fails, you can install a motor hoist/crane on the transom and pull the engine of the dink and swing aboard.

[tomtriad]

I've been very happy with my Achilles LSI 290E, hypalon inflatable with high pressure inflatable floor. It planes me and my wife plus dive gear with a 3 hp Merc. 2 stroke. I've had good experience with the brand, first dink lasted 20 years. I have very limited space on my trimaran, and always stow it down below.
https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=6062271#

As a more durable alternative, you could get their aluminum RIB Here's a new smaller one at Defender for $2,575
https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=4505250

Here's another Defender special: a display 310E aluminum roll up for $2,200:
https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=4504825 A bit bulkier to stow than the HP floor.

I'd shy away from pvc or Chinese knockoffs as they don't hold up in my experience.

[Cheeks]

Sanibel sailor, go for a Takacat...https://www.takacat.com
It will plane with a 6hp motor and will easily carry 3 crew. Folds up nicely and has an option to mount wheels. I love mine.

[MicHughV]

yes, I've had several Achilles brand dinks...always been very happy with them

[jazzgtr]

The takacat mentioned is worth a look, I just replaced my aluminium rib with one, after much hand wringing. Will have to be careful around rocks/coral, but there are a lot of advantages.
Really light to tow hardly any drag, tropical downpours no problem they don't hold any water, my 5hp gets it up on plane easily and uses about half the fuel as my old rib.
It packs down into 2 carry bags if you need it to and if you are into water sports snorkeling/surfing/diving the easy access into front is great.

[sanibel sailor]

The Takacat has an open transom that seems like a poor idea to me, both from a wetness standpoint as well transmitting outboard thrust to the tubes. A NZ company sells a similar model called TrueKit Discovery. Looks similar to the Saturn pictured. Saturn brand seems like it is value oriented and optimal for occasional light use.

[MicHughV]

let's talk about those damned aluminum dinghy oars strapped to the top of the tube...take them off and stow 'em along the bottom of the dink somewhere where they belong, out of the way........I'm trying to think here...have I ever seen an inflatable being rowed...hmmmm....?????...anyone on this thread ever tried to row an inflatable ??...I mean more than about 50'...???....I think I may done it once, when I ran out of gas...luckily only 50' from the gas dock. Felt like I was rowing a cardboard box....

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

let's talk about those damned aluminum dinghy oars strapped to the top of the tube...take them off and stow 'em along the bottom of the dink somewhere where they belong, out of the way........I'm trying to think here...have I ever seen an inflatable being rowed...hmmmm....?????...anyone on this thread ever tried to row an inflatable ??...I mean more than about 50'...???....I think I may done it once, when I ran out of gas...luckily only 50' from the gas dock. Felt like I was rowing a cardboard box....

Sure, MicHughV, Jim and I do. If we're exploring up creeks, and want to hear the birds, for instance. '...Sometimes slow and quiet is better!* We also row it ashore for cleaning the bottom. We sit side by side on the seat, and each uses one "oar". My job is even strokes, Jim does balancing and correcting strokes when the wind tries to blow the bow off. It actually works okay. Not for strong winds, though. No inflatable we've ever had rowed well, they just don't carry their way like a nesting dinghy would. The best was the first old Zodiac we had: we bought 7' oars for it, and tandem rowed, like now, but the better oars really helped. Sold the oars with the dinghy that replaced the Zodiac, iirc.

*but having the capability to zoom about it also important to us.

Ann

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

let's talk about those damned aluminum dinghy oars strapped to the top of the tube...take them off and stow 'em along the bottom of the dink somewhere where they belong, out of the way........I'm trying to think here...have I ever seen an inflatable being rowed...hmmmm....?????...anyone on this thread ever tried to row an inflatable ??...I mean more than about 50'...???....I think I may done it once, when I ran out of gas...luckily only 50' from the gas dock. Felt like I was rowing a cardboard box....

Sure, MicHughV, Jim and I do. If we're exploring up creeks, and want to hear the birds, for instance. '...Sometimes slow and quiet is better!* We also row it ashore for cleaning the bottom. We sit side by side on the seat, and each uses one "oar". My job is even strokes, Jim does balancing and correcting strokes when the wind tries to blow the bow off. It actually works okay. Not for strong winds, though. No inflatable we've ever had rowed well, they just don't carry their way like a nesting dinghy would. The best was the first old Zodiac we had: we bought 7' oars for it, and tandem rowed, like now, but the better oars really helped. Sold the oars with the dinghy that replaced the Zodiac, iirc.

*but having the capability to zoom about it also important to us.

Ann

PS, each of us have rowed it by itself at times, but imo, it works substantially better with both of us.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

something to consider....a plywood dink, or a straight fiberglass or aluminum dink is very difficult to get back on board from the water...you've have to literally throw your body across to the other side, in a rib crushing move, to prevent the dink from capsizing...without flippers on your feet, this is an extremely iffy maneuver.

Being a tad overweight adds to the complications.

I am not thin. I can get back into a canoe in deep water if necessary.


Some of the best plywood dinghies have bow transoms and are easily boarded at the bow.

Finally, practically every sailor I've met, sits on one of the tubes while going somewhere. The inside of the dink is usually so cluttered up with " stuff" to making sitting "in" the dink impractical. Yes, the dink's comes with a seat, but I've never actually seen this seat being used by anyone, as it's usually the first thing that gets thrown away.

Sitting on the tubes while under way is unlawful in some jurisdictions, including my cruising grounds.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

on the subject of outboards, yes, most modern small outboards are all 4-stroke now, but 2-strokes are still available, which are much lighter, just have to search around. If all else fails, you can install a motor hoist/crane on the transom and pull the engine of the dink and swing aboard.

Depends where you are. No new 2-strokes in the USA for years and the supply of good used ones is drying up. Australia and NZ soon to follow.

It's hard to compare like to like because the horsepower breaks are in different places.

2.5 hp 4-stroke Suzuki 29 lbs 11.6 lbs/hp
4 hp 2-stroke Yamaha Enduro 46 lbs 11.5 lbs/hp
5 hp 4-stroke Honda 60 lbs 12 lbs/hp
6 HP 4-stroke Suzuki 55 lbs = 9.2 lbs/hp
8 HP 2-stroke Yamaha Enduro 61 lbs. 7.6 lbs/hp
9.8 HP 4-stroke Tohatsu 81 lbs. 8.3 lbs/hp.
15 HP 2-stroke Yamaha Endruo 83 lbs. 5.6 lbs/hp
20 HP 4-stroke Tohatsu 95 lbs. 4.8 lbs/hp

[Buzzman]

Originally Posted by Captain Puget

I lust after some of the small, Light and durable skin on frame designs. Especially with flotation collars. Unfortunately, it seems no one sells one😢. Therefore, I am considering building one for my next winter project,.

Two words = pool noodles.

Make / have made up 'sausage-skin' covers that attach via clips on sheer and tabs-to-clips on inside sheer.

One 4' pool noodle floats a 100kg human - semi submerged.

Another trick for rigid SoF kayak/canoe/dinghy is to glue EVA foam on the inside sheer below the gunwale. If it fills it will still float, especially with you out of it to bail it from outside