Your ideal inflatable tender - please reply

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

And here is what I use with the sweeps:

Attachment 165201

Yep had some like that on my old RIB, much prefer the new ones though, less bits to lose

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Yep had some like that on my old RIB, much prefer the new ones though, less bits to lose

I still have the OEM ones like yours, for when under power. The advantage of these is that I can put them in my pocket and one less reason to steal the dinghy. Of course I also lock the oars to the dinghy (to something stout) so I don't lose them either. I started with roughed-out blanks for the oars and finished them myself so not happy about the thought of losing them either. Edit: But of course the main reason is that I can use my big wooden oars, including feathering them.

Greg

[mowerandy]

Agree for the most part with what Hamburking said. I would only add that I want an inflatable keel under an air-deck, right down to the smallest size, because I a) want it all to roll up and pack away into a cockpit lazarette without having to mess with floor panels, and b) want it to be able to plane easily at low horsepower, which it wont do without a keel to help it climb out.

I have installed my own keels into a couple of small (2.2-2.5) inflatables in the past and got good results down to 6HP with only one aboard. If you are rowing or going electric you don't need to bother inflating the keel, though you might find it also rows better once loaded enough to sit in trim without leaning over to one side.

[Boatguy30]

Avon 3.11 rib

[Mithril Bham]

I hope you have a ton of money.
8 to 10 ft wood sailing dinghy. No motor.

[LoudMusic]

I realize you specifically asked about infatibles, but I recently was told about OC Tenders and had a look through their website and videos. They look pretty amazing. Unfortunately I think they're out of my grasp as they're in NZ and I'm US so the shipping alone would be outrageous. Maybe if/when I make it down there aboard a sailboat I'll pick one up

https://octenders.co.nz/

[ausaviator]

Originally Posted by Mithril Bham

I hope you have a ton of money.

Why do you suggest that? There's a lot of businesses out there...

[ausaviator]

Those OC tenders certainly do look neat! At 42kg's for a 3 metre example they certainly are light.

Don't worry about the cost... with the US$ against the NZ$ you'll be laughing :-)

Freight can be a funny thing. 1cubic metre from China to Australia is US$65 but I would hate to think how much it would be to go the other way!

[ausaviator]

What do you guys think of the air-floor models with inflatable floor panels?

I can't help but think that they would fold in the middle if you hit a half decent wave.

My 4.3 with aluminium floor tends to fold where the front triangle plywood piece meets the aluminium. Whilst it seems that it's designed to, it's a little un-nerving!

[TheThunderbird]

Originally Posted by BandB

Last thing the market needs is another imported no name inflatable. You really want to compete with Cabela's, West Marine, Defender and whoever else?

We're lousy candidates for your product as we only use jet RIB's and we have one or more of each of the following:

325 with 100 hp Weber/Textron
385 with 100 hp Weber/Textron
445 with 120 hp Weber/Textron
445 with 110 hp Yanmar
565 with 180 hp Yanmar

at a price of anything between 18k to 35k ??
And a weight of 259/350kg ??

Mine: hypalon, 1'-5" foam of tubes, safety lights, a front box + decent removable seat.

A chain for security already set ON!

[Siberian Sea]

When looking to buy an inflatable as you already know they come in two different materials. PVC is cheaper and indeed tough but have one flaw. PVC gives off a gas that over time attacks the glue holding the boat together. This problem is most most apparent in regions of warm weather like the tropics. There are a few PVC rafts however that are not glued but rather welded together but this process is mostly reserved for special whitewater rafts and it’s also expensive.
Hypalon is your other choice. This material will last longer without the problems found in PVC but you do pay more. I own both kinds and without doubt the hypalon is a much better boat. On my sailboat I have two roll up inflatables made by Achilles and after years of hard use in the tropics still preform like new.
Of course a good quality PVC will last years too if taken care of and you save some $$ in the initial price. I bought a real clean only used a few times 10ft Achilles on Craigs List in Seattle for 500.00 and it came with pump, paddles, repair kit, nice storage bag. There was no shipping cost because I happened to be driving through and could just pick it up myself.
If color is a choice and your going to warm areas I like the lighter colors as they don’t absorb solar heat so fast.

[KD8NPB]

Originally Posted by Siberian Sea

PVC is cheaper and indeed tough but have one flaw. PVC gives off a gas that over time attacks the glue holding the boat together. This problem is most most apparent in regions of warm weather like the tropics. There are a few PVC rafts however that are not glued but rather welded together but this process is mostly reserved for special whitewater rafts and it’s also expensive.

Zodiac innovation

The word you're looking for is "phthalate plasticizer migration". It's the oil that makes the PVC flexible. Hydrocarbons and ozone cause it to migrate to the surface of the material. I can't vouch for other manufacturers, but the Bostik France adhesive that Zodiac uses is resistant to plasticizer migration, which is why even the glued components on French origin boats have an extremely good service life. Eventually, the adhesive itself becomes victim to oxidization, and the sacrificial elements which prevent damage from plasticizers will disperse, and parts debond. Debonding is accelerated by extreme heat.

There is such a thing as non-migrating plasticizer, but there are only a few manufacturers in the world that produce it, and it is very expensive.

This is why Zodiac France origin welded PVC boats / welded PVC tubes are awesome. No adhesive to fail. As long as you keep up on the cleaning and try to prevent UV damage / oil exposure, they will last comparable as long as a CSM/CR "Hypalon" boat.

[Dockhead]

Russian women have this saying about the "ideal man" --

He doesn't smoke
He doesn't drink
He doesn't chase women
And doesn't exist.


The same absolutely is true of tenders. The ideal tender would be:

* A RIB
* At least 14' long with massive tubes
* 75 hp
* weighs under 100 pounds
* folds up to fit in a locker

Since that's impossible, every tender is a massive compromise.

And everyone will have his own view of the right compromises to make.

For me, folding up compact turned out to be an absolutely essential quality because of the many big drawbacks of carrying a large tender in davits on rough, long ocean passages.

So that was the end of the Avon 340 wheel-steered 25hp RIB I used to have.

I traded it in on an Avon 310 Lite RIB with folding transom, with 8hp 4 stroke tiller steered motor.

Compared to the old one, it is far less seaworthy and far less comfortable for long distances. Will plane, but not with more than 2 people on board. Not really seaworthy enough for open sea, unlike the previous one. I used the old dinghy for crossing the Solent on a regular basis -- several miles over fairly open water. And even for short trips around the Solent from port to port. We used it for actual "dinghy cruises" -- a day up the Wareham River; a day up the Dart estuary, exploring rivers of North Brittany, and other wonderful adventures. A proper little motor boat, she was.

But the new one is vastly easier to handle -- I can get it on deck and fold it up single handed. Very easy to inflate/deflate fold up/deploy. Its lightness is wonderful -- can be carried up onto beaches unlike the old one. Uses something like 1/10 of the fuel.

So it's a big compromise but a reasonable compromise for my specific purposes. Every cruiser will have his own, and possibly very different set of requirements.

[boatman61]

Been using these Seago 230's since '08.. great little boat and with a 5hp Tohatsu go like poo off a shovel..
Mind.. they've gone up £80 since then.. but at this price a great buy for the economical small boat sailor.
Plus.. they roll up without having to remove the slats.

Windward ECO Inflatable Tenders
£299.95

[Cheechako]

Small boat owners need someone to invent a rigid bottom inflatable that comes apart like a nesting dingy into two pieces that will store fairly flat.