Im Looking for Used Dinghy Advice Please

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Would love a good hard dink that rows well and even has a sail rig but don't have room on my boat to carry one the size I would want.

Another advantage to inflatables in general, if you're diving or swimming out of your dink an inflatable is much more stable and easier to climb into than a hard dink.

and they dont beat hell out of the side of your boat.
and they dont scratch heck out of the deck if you have to pull it aboard.
and they dont submarine as easy if you get caught towing when you shouldnt be! (shame on you!)
I guess it depends a little on how much time you want to spend managing your dingy.

[barnakiel]

Bombard ax, PVC, slat flor, 10 years of pretty hard use. Gr8 bang for the buck. Alas, reds no longer available ;-(. I think the dink is close to its expiry date by now but it was worth every cent of its price.

I think somewhere in the 90'ies companies changed the grade of PVC they used - new inflatables, also the top shelf ones, tend to get UV degraded much sooner.

Hypalon seems to last longer but it is also more expensive.

b.

[Solex]

Im in Melbourne fl USA

And I just bought 34" silverton convertible .

[capttman]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Would love a good hard dink that rows well and even has a sail rig but don't have room on my boat to carry one the size I would want.

Another advantage to inflatables in general, if you're diving or swimming out of your dink an inflatable is much more stable and easier to climb into than a hard dink.

Hmmm depends on the hard dink. In my 40 years of sailing I've never had a real unstable dingy. Wooden or glass.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by capttman

Hmmm depends on the hard dink. In my 40 years of sailing I've never had a real unstable dingy. Wooden or glass.

Not saying that hard dinks are inherently unstable, just inflatables are more stable. Maybe I didn't have the right hard dink but have never been in one that didn't tip way over when trying to climb in, especially loaded with SCUBA gear.

Still doesn't address the size and how to stow the hard dink. I haven't seen a hard dink much under 11-12' that would suite my preferences and I just don't have the space to carry that.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Solex

Im in Melbourne fl USA

And I just bought 34" silverton convertible .

In FL I have found a lot of dinghies on craigslist. Might have to try different search terms: dinghy, inflatable, RIB, etc to avoid reading through dozens of listings. Click here for listings in the space coast area. space coast boats - all classifieds - craigslist

Now comes down to what kind. RIBs are faster, drier, carry more load than the same size soft dinghy but take more room to stow. Soft bottom dinks you can roll up and store below or take home and put it in the garage.

On your boat you have a least two options, on the fore deck and on the stern. I've seen a lot of power boats, mainly those with swim platforms, that lay the dinghy sideways across the swim platform then tilt it up to the transom.

[John Galt]

I carry both. I bought a used Mercury 9 foot with a 9 HP Nissan both circa 2006. $900. I step off my boat 4 feet onto the starboard tube 150 lbs. and my inflatable hardly leans.

I also carry a 9 foot Sampson hard dink on the foredeck. It has a rig with a new sail. Lots of fun zipping around anchorages.

I always wanted a Caribe. From what I've seen at dinghy docks they're the workhorse of the lot. If you notice, you'll see lots of weathered Caribes out there.

They're doing something right.

[Solex]

Thank you all .