Scott asked: "I'm wondering if I need to replace my dingy with a hard bottom
type"

Scott asked: "I'm wondering if I need to replace my dingy with a hard bottom type" =========== We spent 11 years cruising our sailboat on both coasts & central Am and Europe. In general I agree with Peter & Dave, large tubes, big enough motor to plane fully loaded, security (chained when ashore -- out of the water when anchored). We found different places suggested different solutions. For example in Alaska we had to be really careful about oyster shells, sharp rocks & big tides when landing. In Mexico & Central America we almost always landed on a beach which required us to drag the dingy up the beach above the tide line to secure it -- weight was the enemy. In Scotland, you can't by gas at a marina (above the Clyde anyway) which meant you had to lug the gas from a gas station in the village or town. No one there had large motors or large dingys. We still have our original 10.4 Avon sportboat, with the too small hapalon tubes, but it served us well these past 15 years as did the 8HP Nissan motor. When it dies I'll probably replace it with a similar sized RIB with large tubes and a bigger motor which we'll keep on davits. We also have a smaller (cheap) west marine roll-up dingy which would be a poor choice for a primary dingy, but is really great if you want something light, possibly with a 2-hp motor. It stores well, the PVC isn't much of an issue if you aren't using it much and keep it under cover, but there are times something small is the difference from going ashore to explore and not going. Also I'd recommend obtaining flip-up large wheels for the primary dingy when you want to drag it up the beach. Dolores & I couldn't move our 180 lb Avon w/motor without the wheels. Robby "Dolores E." San Francisco