Dinghy/Motor Advice, Please

[Moonpie]

I have a 30' O'Day 302 and looking for some advice on dinghies and motors.

I do not have davits, but I'm pretty sure I want them. Maybe even custom ones that could hold solar panels and some surfboard/SUP racks somehow.

Rather than just motoring to/from anchorages, we will be spearfishing, snorkeling, and hopefully motoring to/from surf spots. For this reason, I believe I need something that can handle chop well and get up on a plane.

I would like to know what is the biggest dinghy and motor I could reasonably put on the back of my boat. Beam is 10'. I don't want it to be too big and to have performance issues on the boat.

What do you think would be ideal?

Thanks

[Dockhead]

I hate to tell you, but there's no good answer to that question. Dinghies are a huge compromise even on a boat big enough to have much choice about which. Dinghies on davits look hideous and really hurt performance with windage, but dinghies without davit are a PITA to launch and use. The ideal solution -- a dinghy garage with a jet rib nestled inside -- is still not ideal because it takes up interior volume equal to a large cabin.

On a boat your size, I think you're pretty much relegated to roll-up airfloor type jobs. Too bad, because you really need a rib with wheel steering for the purposes you describe. I would not put on davits, on a boat that size.

[Cheechako]

That boat is getting on the small side for using a dingy on davits. Davits are super handy though. A hard bottom inflatable is superb for going out to the surf, snorkeling etc. However, probably too heavy to put on the back of your 30 footer. You will likely have to compromise with an air floor dingy and the smallest motor that will plane it well. With 2 adults that is probably 6hp+. Remove the motor when sailing with the dink on the davits.

[Moonpie]

Thanks for the advice, to the both of you. So no davits for a boat my size? That's what my neighbor (an old salt) says. I guess I just need to get used to the idea of either deflating and storing, towing, or storing on my foredeck while sailing. While anchored, just have it tied off the stern. I will have to figure out other ways to get to the surf.

Maybe a 9-10 footer with an 8HP engine?

[Cheechako]

If you are deflating and rolling up I would go 10ft and 8hp. If you are doing a RIB on deck, Maybe 9 ft and a 10HP motor. As said, davits with an air floor dingy can save a lot of trouble between anchorages. Just lift the motor and go. You can always roll it up and store for crossing the gulf if you want to. It's a lot of screwing around pulling and stowing a dink on deck.

[bstreep]

We have an airdeck and a 9.9. With a Garhauer hoist, it makes quick work of the 9.9 (Mamma says it's the BEST Mother's Day present she's ever gotten - seriously). The airdeck remains inflated most of the time, but deflates to a reasonable sized package when needed. It IS a compromise. They all are.

[ReMetau]

If you are able to stow an inflatable rigid bottom on the foredeck, then I would suggest that. We have a WM (Zodiac) 310 RIB and have no problem getting on plane with our 9.9 four stroke and two adults. We like to take snorkeling/diving and/or fishing trips in the dink.

Not sure if your boat can take the weight off the stern, but we have Kato davits with two 180 watt panels mounted on them. At anchor or dock, we stow the dinghy with engine on the davits, but when underway we at least take the engine off and stow it on the stern rail. When crossing or expecting heavy weather underway, the dinghy is stowed on the foredeck.

[Vasco]

For your boat get a small RIB (hypalon of course) and the biggest motor it'll take. You'll need that for what you want to do.

[ranger58sb]

I can't speak well to the sailboat part, but I can hum a few bars about dinghies and davits and so forth.

A dinghy slung on davits aft and athwartships generally can create some problems -- in situations like docking stern-to, for example -- as the dinghy length approaches the boat's width at the transom. Including visibility issues. I'm guessing your 10' beam might be amid-ships? And it's much skinnier at the transom? Mostly a too-long dinghy hanging back there just becomes a big fender you can use to bounce off docks and piles and so forth... if it'll stand the abuse

Weight is an issue in several ways: balance affecting the (sail)boat; lifting/carrying capacity of the davit system (the hardware) with a decent reserve built in; and lifting capacity of the software, aka the operator, aka you). At that point the combined weight of dinghy, motor, fuel, stuff -- plus the davit system's reserve capacity -- become part of the baseline for examination of efficacy. Brings up questions about davit mounting, bending strength, backing plates, etc.

A davit and storage system for motor alone can be quite efficient given the footprint of the load is very much smaller than a whole dinghy.

Around here, it's quite common for sailors to tow a dinghy -- usually with motor dismounted --- that's larger than they could otherwise carry on davits. I expect that may significantly impact your sailing performance, though...

-Chris

[boatman61]

I have bog standard 2.90 inflatable, removable floorboards with a 5hp Tohatsu (boat and dinghy use)... planed just fine with me (75kg) but chuck another in there and she sat in the water... still got me around just took a tad longer.. keep her semi inflated on the fore deck... to big inflated fully.. my boats only 21ft

[foggysail]

I moved from an 8' Ely fiberglass dinghy when I had my 30 Hunter to an Avon 10 RIB.

I used to haul the dinghy with a jib's halyard and attached it to the stern, crank it up so the dinghy was vertical and out of the water. Next I grabbed the dinghy's painter and swung the dinghy over the life lines onto the bow of the sailboat. I had Wifey then lower the halyard while I twisted the dinghy was upside down on the forward deck. Next covered it and tied it down. STORING IT ON THE FORWARD DECK CAN BE DONE!

If your in decent shape this approach does work but work is involved to remove the outboard, fuel tank, seats and so forth before lifting the dinghy. I used to carry my 8HP Yamaha off the dinghy, up the ladder and then down into the sailboat. I did not want my outboard left on deck although I guess I could have tied it down on the stern railings.

Finally-- back to YOUR questions. First, I strongly recommend that whatever dinghy you purchase, do not purchase one made with PVC! My Avon RIB now rests on the bow of my powerboat and it is over 25 years old! Personally I prefer a ridged, hard bottom for stability. ENGINE---- I do NOT recommend an new 4 stroke unless you have muscles coming out of your ears. Sure, you can use some sort of crank up but you certainly will get better performance with a lighter two stroke which thanks to Carol Browner (EPA Administrator under Clinton) whose fiat outlawed 2 strokes. There are many used ones in good condition that can be considered.

Foggy

[bytownboy]

I'm going thru a lot of the same thought process as you. I have a 9' AB inflatable with a 9.9 two stroke, and I don't like it. Won't fit properly on the davits - and I'm over 13' wide (midships). Weighs a ton and is a lot of work to get on the foredeck when alone. I'm about to build an eight foot wooden dingy and go for a 2.5 hp propane motor. Dinghy will be way easier to deal with and great to row - inflatables don't row worth a %&#$.

[Prairie Chicken]

As reiterated time and time again above, dinghies are a pain in the bum. We went thru three configurations on our 38' Beneteau before settling on an 8' Zodiac with 3 hp o/b. There are only the two of us so ease of handling is a big factor. Now, whenever possible, the tender is deflated and in the big locker; we use the big boat to go everywhere and rarely break out the inflatable. We've tried all of the suggestions for storage--and they all have drawbacks we're not willing to put up with.

[zeehag]

my ideal dinghy is an older avon rollup with a small outboard --easily handeled by only one female and stored on deck under main boom....
i HAVE a walker bay 8 that stows on foredeck and rows nicely in under 20 kts of wind....
my huge boat has no davits. i think i dont want those. i have only cruised this boat 2000 miles so far, and am still sorting out needs vs desires vs dontwants.....

cruising marina to marina, one does not need a dinghy. when you anchor out, can be a desirable necessity.

[rebel heart]

I think everyone wants a big stern arch configuration with all kinds of rad places to put things. It's the $8K price tag that keeps me from having one.