What you look for in a dingy?
I'm wondering if I need to replace my dingy with a hard bottom type. My existing dingy is an inflatable floor model with a 5hp 4 stroke motor. It will plane with just me in the boat, but not my wife and I. Many people advises get the biggest dingy you can, and make sure it will plane with your expected load. We plan to leave this August for a 2 year cruise down the West coast, through the Panama canal, up the East coast of the US, back down, and into the Caribbean. We expect to anchor out 50% of the time. We don't have dogs, so we don't need to make multiple trips to the shore each day. The few times we've used the dingy to date it's been adequate, but nothing to write home about. I'm concerned about durability of an all inflatable dingy, when coming ashore in isolated places.
I'm considering purchasing a Walker Bay Super Tender at the Seattle boat show. It seems you get the benefits of an inflatable and the ruggedness of a RIB. It's rated for 7 hp, so I'm still a bit concerned about planing. I do want a 2 stroke, because of the improved performance and less weight. I don't mind mixing the gas and oil. I'd like to keep the boat and motor below 200lbs just to make loading and unloading easier
I'd appreciate hearing what priorities people place on different features, and if my concerns about an all fabric dingy are justified. Thanks!
Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle WA
We plan to leave this August for a 2
year cruise down the West coast, through the Panama
canal, up the East coast of the US, back down, and
into the Caribbean. We expect to anchor out 50% of
the time.
Personally, my choice is a rigid-bottom inflatable
with the largest tubes possible, hypalon fabric (more
durable and sun resistant than PVC, but tends to leak
down a bit - also more expensive due to construction
is a more manual process). I'd probably look at an
11-12 foot model, with at least a 15hp on it. I think
2-strokes are no longer available in California, and I
suspect the same is true elsewhere - they are being
phased out, though I agree with you and would prefer a
2-stroke if available. Either way, 200 pounds would
not be feasible for me (much as I like the thought).
When anchored along the Pacific coasts of
North/Central America, I think you'll often find
yourselves some distance from where you want to be -
either the nearest landing, or some distance from
interesting exploring. Or there's another boat
anchored 2-miles away. Or something - seems like
there's always reason to speed away in a dinghy.
You'll often have to battle some minor wind chop in an
anchorage, or in more populous areas, wakes from jet
skis and passing boats. Any combination of which will
make the ride very wet and uncomfortable so the bigger
tubes are helpful - speed is your friend with a
dinghy.
While I can only comment on the Walker Bay from afar,
they seem a little lightly built - the tubes are
small, the hull seems pretty flexible. My guess would
be it would be better suited for occasional use, not
as your 'daily driver,' which is what a cruiser's
dinghy becomes.
I have a slight aversion to rigid dinghies because
they always knock against the hull when tethered to an
anchored boat. Lots of marks on the hull too. Over
course, they do well when coming alongside a crusty
pier or piling in a third world country.
It's been a few years, but Caribe used to have a good
reputation - and come with really big tubes (great for
sitting while driving, keeps spray down, more stable,
etc). I'd certainly look at Practical Sailor for a
recommendation.
Good luck Scott - I'll be very interested to know your
ultimate decision.
Peter
www.SeaSkills.com
The Portland Pudgy is an interesting alternative.
http://portlandpudgy.com/
Carl Martin
Scout 30
Hudson Beach, FL
----- Original Message -----
From: scottebulger@comcast.net
To: "PUP" passagemaking-under-power@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 12:53 PM
Subject: [PUP] What you look for in a dingy?
I'm wondering if I need to replace my dingy with a hard bottom type. My
existing dingy is an inflatable floor model with a 5hp 4 stroke motor. It
will plane with just me in the boat, but not my wife and I. Many people
advises get the biggest dingy you can, and make sure it will plane with your
expected load. We plan to leave this August for a 2 year cruise down the
West coast, through the Panama canal, up the East coast of the US, back
down, and into the Caribbean. We expect to anchor out 50% of the time. We
don't have dogs, so we don't need to make multiple trips to the shore each
day. The few times we've used the dingy to date it's been adequate, but
nothing to write home about. I'm concerned about durability of an all
inflatable dingy, when coming ashore in isolated places.
I'm considering purchasing a Walker Bay Super Tender at the Seattle boat
show. It seems you get the benefits of an inflatable and the ruggedness of
a RIB. It's rated for 7 hp, so I'm still a bit concerned about planing. I
do want a 2 stroke, because of the improved performance and less weight. I
don't mind mixing the gas and oil. I'd like to keep the boat and motor
below 200lbs just to make loading and unloading easier
I'd appreciate hearing what priorities people place on different features,
and if my concerns about an all fabric dingy are justified. Thanks!
Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle WA
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The Portland Pudgy is an interesting alternative.
http://portlandpudgy.com/
Every small dinghy I have been in has been squirrely
once on plane - uncomfortably so. I'm with Dave -
bigger is better, though every boat has finite space.
Scott's N40 has a decent boat deck, but my guess is
12-feet is max, thus my thinking of 10-12 feet.
Personally, while the center console of the Nouriana
(sp?)-style boats are cool, I'd stick with the
standard tiller-steering setup.
One last thought for Scott. Several years ago, Jim
Leishman really liked the Livingston catamaran-hull
hard shell for the N40, around 10-feet as I recall. He
said you could store a kayak in each hull - a huge
benefit as he was headed to Alaska on the sea trial
for the Around The World N40.
Peter
www.SeaSkills.com