What hypalon inflatable?

[lastgreatgeneration]

So, I just moved aboard a few days ago. All is going well, it was overwhelming at first because of all the spring cleaning that needed doing. I have been in the market for a hypalon dinghy in a sailfar fashion. I have looked for something used in the usual places but to no avail. I would not hesitate to purchase a new one, but I cannot find a used one in the length I need. I am singlehanding so it will need to be light enough to wrestle on board myself.

There are two that I have in mind right now,

Achillies Lex 88 $1429
Achillies Lex 77 $1280

Does anyone know how good these are? I would like to get something that will last me a long while and not have any issues with. These seem like they are on the lower end of the hypalon inflatable market, I am going to make sure I get the right one the first time. Since my boat is so small and the marina I am currently at charges for dinghy storage an inflatable would be suitable.

I already ruled out:
Portabote
kayak
inflatable kayak
hard dinghy

All for various reasons, it seems like the option to add an outboard is a plus. But for the time being I will be rowing it. Is there any other hypalon options out there that would fit my budget of $600-$1,500?

Thanks for your time,

-TD 

[CharlieJ]

Been really happy with the Achilles LS2RU from Defender. Hypalon, 7'6"  Been towed a whole lotta miles with no problems

[lastgreatgeneration]

I see that on you have there.. That is reassuring that the Achilles are as good as people say they are. But still, I cant wait to have a dinghy so I can get away from the marina. I have been busy installing new running rigging, so the Ariel right now is incapacitated.

This place is driving me crazy! Other than being in Annapolis and visiting bacon sails, and the larger WM I have been going bat-crazy sitting here without knowing anyone. The most interaction I have with people is on the dock, and even then its just small talk.

The Ariel is a prison
I wish I could leave the monotony
I have no friends here

[Godot]

You are in Annapolis? Shoot, I'm just up the bay a tad in Baltimore. Maybe I should come by sometime for a chat...

[CharlieJ]

Auspicious (Dave) is in Annapolis. I love that town. Anchored up Spa creek in 81, then in almost the exact same spot in 11.

Go visit the Naval Academy- tour the chapel basement- John Paul Jones crypt is there

[Captain Smollett]

I love that town. ...

Yep, a very cool place.

If you don't mind doing the touristy thing, take the carriage tour.  It is touristy, but also pretty cool (and informative).

I have been going bat-crazy sitting here without knowing anyone.

...

I have no friends here

Make some new friends! Isn't that what cruising is about?  ;D

[David_Old_Jersey]

Making freinds is easier said than done - especially as a transient.

The questions that I used to get most commonly asked when I travelled a lot for extended periods solo (on land) were "didn't you get lonely?" and "did you meet many people?"........the assumption was that these were the same, they were not. Meeting new people was never a problem (and I ain't the most outgoing of people!), but an endless stream of new people simply got annoying and boring and that as much about having to recount own background (life story?!) ad nauseum as it was about listening to someone else's.

Despite being pretty self-contained (in real life I am not really a people person - albeit I find them fascinating!) over the years my travels decreased into a few well trodden (for me) paths that involved familiar people. Not all of them (most?!) in the category of real freinds, but a shared past does go a long way - if only by no need to start the intros all over again! And knowing some people is an easy way to get to know / be introduced to others (who you may like a bit more!). Nonetheless over a decade or so of doing the same, the endless travel thing did pall and life moved on / changed / fell apart / whatever  ::)

Endless travel does have plusses - but also minuses. Whether onshore or afloat.

[Captain Smollett]

Making freinds is easier said than done - especially as a transient.

I was going for light-hearted encouragement.  On the more serious side, I am the classic, textbook introvert.  People, in general, annoy me.  Thus, I don't "make friends" easily, as least as far as how most people mean that phrase.

That, however, does not stop me from being "friendly" to others or allowing them to be to me.

I cannot stand doing things in "groups;"  I'd much rather be "alone" or with a VERY small number of people.  When I say alone, now include my family.  There was a time when it meant really by myself.

But, I don't associate that kind of introverted "comfortable alone" with posting on the Internet "I have no friends here, my boat is like a prison."  It was an assumption on my part, I confess, but I took that to mean he WANTS to interact with other people.

And, Annapolis is a GREAT place for interaction - at whatever level...shyest introvert to most outgoing "people person" around.

I suspect if one is tied up in Annapolis and feeling "in prison," it is the oppression of the 'touristy' nature that is causing it, not the town, or the people.

One thing I like/try to do in a "new location" or one I am just visiting transiently is to sit back and for a bit and observe...and try to see the community beneath the "tourist town."  There are people that live there all the time...they work, they play, the endure tourists and transients.  What the town has set up to be "fun" for visitors is drudgery and work and tedious to a lot of them.

I try to identify those people...not just talk to the waitress while she's waiting on me, but to see her when she's 'out and about.'  In trying to identify those people, I try to find out what THEY do, where THEY go.  Where do they eat or hang out?

That's the town I want to see.  Those are the people I want to meet.  Not necessarily meet them to become "friends" (in one sense of the word), but to hang out 5 minutes or an hour...to hear THEIR life story if they want to tell it, or just...drink a beer.  Whatever.

(Maybe I am sensitive to this "town beneath the town" idea because I grew up in a tourist town in the mountains).

Endless travel does have plusses - but also minuses. Whether onshore or afloat.

As I wrote about here:

Bittersweet Cruising Friendships

[David_Old_Jersey]

I too grew up amongst Tourists - effin' Tourists as they were known  ;D

Of course being on an island we are kinda insular and not quite as welcoming as we first appear. But one thing I found is that Tourists really appreciate a taste of the local (the real side, not simply the veneer sold to them). Same applies to me when abroad!, 2 streets back and turn left often enough does the trick. and willing to part with a bit of beer speeds a few intros.........

[lastgreatgeneration]

I really need to get out more. I was talking to Collin at bacon sails and he said that "mothers" was the place that sailors go to hang out. I might make my way over there tonight. Today I went out sailing for the first time on this boat, and I came back and single handed docked like a master! I love this boat! I also ran aground near Gibson island (I wanted to make sure the depth sounder was working properly. Well I ran aground in 9 feet of water, so I don't know what the problem was and my draft is 3'8".

I'm going to be buying an inflatable dinghy in the next few days.

[Captain Smollett]

Today I went out sailing for the first time on this boat, and I came back and single handed docked like a master! I love this boat!

Excellent!  Grog to you!

I also ran aground near Gibson island

Hopefully not this bad:



Yes, that's us.  I love showing off the beachable Alberg 30.   ;D ;D

[David_Old_Jersey]

Lol - reminds me of Northern France, not unusual to see yachts up to around 30 foot at all sorts of crazy angles moored permanently in tidal estuaries. Of course the French invented the term Laizzez faire  :P

[David_Old_Jersey]

Just re-reading this thread, probably about time I gave my tuppence on OP's original query  ;D

My vote is for an Avon, not the cheapest or the lightest and whilst not as indestrucible as their reputation suggests, nonetheless with a bit of TLC and not abused can get a decade (or 2!) out of one. If buying s/h gotta have an inflation test for a day or so - if the seams are leaking it is pretty much not worth buying (albeit if own can live with slow leaks - fixes to the seams never work 100% / last). The valves are also not a cheap replacement - DIYable, but not easy to do. But scuffed and battered alone not a deal breaker. and they hold paint well for marking up with a name and some anti-theft / own dink recognition strips and markings.

[Auspicious]

This place is driving me crazy! Other than being in Annapolis and visiting bacon sails, and the larger WM I have been going bat-crazy sitting here without knowing anyone. The most interaction I have with people is on the dock, and even then its just small talk.

I really need to get out more. I was talking to Collin at bacon sails and he said that "mothers" was the place that sailors go to hang out.

Welcome to Annapolis. We're glad you are here.

Which marina are you staying in?

If you're really "in Annapolis" there are much better places to go than Mothers. In Eastport is the ultimate (since the long lamented passing of Marmadukes about 18 years ago) local sailing hangout Davis Pub at 4th and Chester. There is a big social group at Port Annapolis that meets in the community room regularly for everything from Spanish lessons to BYOB happy hours - look for Dan and Jaye on a CSY 33 named Cinderella on the docks for an introduction. Check out the Annapolis Sailing Club (ASC) at http://www.meetup.com/Annapolis-Sailors-Club/ . Also very welcoming. There is an SSCA group that meets sporadically at Leeward Market in Eastport for breakfast. In the Eastport Shopping Center is a small deli many people in the industry have breakfast - delivery skippers, yacht brokers, and sailors of all stripes.

Are you getting the feeling that Eastport is the sailing center? *grin*

Other places to meet people are the tiki bar Proud Mary at Chesapeake Harbour Marina (free dockage while you are there) and Boatyard Bar & Grill in Eastport.

Go introduce yourself to the folks at J/World Annapolis and get signed up as crew on the Thursday night races - you'll meet more sailors than you can imagine.

You'll mostly meet tourists at Middletons, McGarveys, and the other places downtown.

Arnold and Pasadena are really not sailing places. Collin must have a piece of the action at Mothers. *grin*

[lastgreatgeneration]

Thanks for all the great replies! I will be following up on all of the suggestions thanks. I do need to put the coast guard safety course on my to do list. Where can I find out when they have the classes? I went to the coast guard website and it was not helpful.

Oh, I did end up going to mothers. Not too many sailors, I met a few though. I ordered the hot wings and was disappointed because they were not very hot. They promised an 8 on a 1-10 scale and on my heat scale it was like a 2. I have been organizing the boat like crazy last few days. There is a surprising amount of space on this boat.