Show me your little Dinghy / Tender / what have you....

[Godot]

I have a SeaEagle dinghy, maybe 8', that came with the boat.  I inflated it once while I had family visiting.  Now, I've always heard how much better an inflatable is for a small boat, so I didn't expect any trouble.  But I found that using the darn thing is easier said than done.

The biggest problem was inflating the beast.  Frankly, I just don't have anyplace big enough on-board to put the thing as I inflate it, so it ended up half over one of the life lines up on the fordeck.   I can live, sort of, with the location; but reaching all the different inflation points (I don't remember, maybe three or four different points) with the manual (never again) pump turned out to be one of the toughest things I've yet done on a small boat.  I never did get the inflatable floor up to the pressure it should be at. 

Pulling it back on-board, deflating it, and stowing it was worse.  It's not THAT compact.  In fact, finding a decent place to store it below decks is another challenge.  It is always in the way.

Hard dinghy suits my personality; but not the way I currently use the boat.

So I'm thinking that an inflatable kayak might be the answer.  They should paddle reasonably well.  They should store compactly and I think be easier to inflate.  Carrying capacity might suffer.  Also, getting into the durn thing without going swimming might be an issue.  I think I'm going to buy one of the cheaper sevylors next spring and give it a shot.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Pulling it back on-board, deflating it, and stowing it was worse.  It's not THAT compact.  In fact, finding a decent place to store it below decks is another challenge.  It is always in the way.

Hard dinghy suits my personality; but not the way I currently use the boat.

So I'm thinking that an inflatable kayak might be the answer.  They should paddle reasonably well.  They should store compactly and I think be easier to inflate.  Carrying capacity might suffer.  Also, getting into the durn thing without going swimming might be an issue.  I think I'm going to buy one of the cheaper sevylors next spring and give it a shot.

I agree that Inflating and deflating onboard is like struggling with a greased pig. Day to day I tow it or leave it on the mooring. Going somewhere, I sometimes tow it when I know I should deflate her, but can't be bothered! Have acquired a s/h electric Dinghy inflator / deflator, will see how this goes in pratice next year.

On the Kayak front, I was thinking of something similar - mainly for a bit of excercise, but i also thought that the shape may be easier deal with onboard.........hope springs eternal  ;D

[s/v Faith]

..... I've always heard how much better an inflatable is for a small boat, so I didn't expect any trouble.  But I found that using the darn thing is easier said than done.

..... I just don't have anyplace big enough on-board.... I can live, sort of, with the .....back on-board, deflating it, and stowing it was worse.  It's not THAT compact.  In fact, finding a decent place to store it below decks is another challenge.  It is always in the way......

  Having had a few of these things in the quest for a happy dingy aboard a small boat I believe I would rather try to maintain a small heard of goats aboard then stow the average inflateable.


  Yes.  You heard me right.  I said goats.

[Fortis]

I don't get it. We have never had a problem stowing inflating or deflating our dinghy and we have a 26foot boat, with a babystay that renders the foredeck useless for dinghy storage.

Lesson one was to get a dinghy with only two airchambers. We also own a sevylor 3.8meter dinghy that has about 7 or 9 and some are underneath and some are boston valves and some are the inlfatable toy squeeze-valves....nightmare.

So firstly, TWO airchambers and secondly boston valves. Thats it. We use a 12v high-flow electric airpump that I rigged a 1meter hose to and made a nozzle that exactly fits the boston valve and does not pop off unless you give it a half twist.

Pull out the rolled up dinghy form the aft deck locker.
Attach the two loops of rope that live at the pointy end of the pontoon to the top pushpit rail, allow to unroll just far enough to expose the valves.
Attach nozzle into the chamer that inlfates botht he side and the bow of the dinghy and inflate (takes a little under 1 minute)...this also introduces the force to unroll the dinghy fully (it is held curled up by the painter).
When this is inflated, transfer the nozzle and inlfate remaining chamber.
Now tie the painter onto the stern cleat and release the loops that had been holding it to the stern rail. The boat is now in the water.
Climb into the boat with the floor panels and arrange them, then take the double-action hand pump and top up the chambers to the correct stiffness. I always like to finish this with a hand pump as it gives better control and you never ever really get a boat properly inflated with an electric pump. Stow the hand pump in one of the onboard bags for later adjustments of pressure, grab the outboard and stuff off the stern of the boat and hook up...Your set and done.

No hassles and no "greased pig" moments. Those happen when you get caught out in a bad situation and feel you need to do big drastic things to fix everything fast.
As things stand it takes about 5-8 minutes t fully launch the dinghy from opening the locker to puttering away...I could do it faster in an emergency but that is  the relaxed version. Stowing takes maybe a minute longer. Using the stern rail to help provide the base for rolling the boat and getting the painter arranged ready for next time you need the boat and a few other little details are the key. You come up with a proceedure and you stick to it.

[Cmdr Pete]

I've been looking at inflatable kayaks also.

Lots of information here

http://www.theboatpeople.com./index.html

http://www.paddling.net/

Trying to find one of decent quality, but not too expensive. Something tough enough for exploring rivers and creeks, not just a tender. Enough capacity for 2 people, but can be used by 1 person. Not too tippy. Should move along nicely, not a pig, and have a tracking skeg.

Pretty soon you're talking real money.

Anyway, I'm leaning towards getting an Innova Sunny. Best price I found was here

http://www.bbskis.com/pages/inflatable_kayaks/sunny.htm

Ugly beast

[psyche]

there is a string of responses about delays and some production problems with the Walkers but the owners have been very happy withthem once they have been received. this was posted on the SSCA discussion board.

[Lynx]

I looked at the question of dinghy's for a long time. The main question  would be - Do you need to store it? How often do you want to fix it?

For an Off Shore passage, Yes. Going to the Bahamas, Well. Not really if you have a good weather window and willing to waite. You also must be willing to replace the painter often with 1/2 poly.

I would buy a dinghy only as large as a storage place below. 

I bought a Portland Pudgy and the 8 foot dinghy does fit on deck of my MacGregor 26M with a few inches to spare. Although a real pain to put there and hard to see over with more windage than I would want. I only put it there during storage. It does not plane but I have a boat that has 1 foot draft, 5 mph is fine. It also is 100% plastic and is very rugged. The abuse that I put this binghy through the first day I would have had to repair an inflatable. No dinghy butt, does not take water when boarding, holds 600 pounds, small and cute (girls think so), tows well, ect..

Just to mention the alternative.

[Captain Smollett]

I bought a Portland Pudgy and the 8 foot dinghy does fit on deck of my MacGregor 26M with a few inches to spare. ...  No dinghy butt, does not take water when boarding, holds 600 pounds, small and cute (girls think so), tows well, ect..

Just to mention the alternative.

For those curious, you can see more about the Portland Pudgy Here and a quick pic:

[AdriftAtSea]

IIRC, the Portland Pudgy also has a sailing kit and a "liferaft" kit that you can buy for it.  It does win bonus points in my book since it isn't the standard grey of most inflatables...  I like the fact that it is relatively easy to spot.

[Cmdr Pete]

Everybody knows chicks dig purple

[Zen]

Hmmmm, where does one get info on this?

[AdriftAtSea]

Hmmmm, where does one get info on this?

Ummm... can you clarify your question a bit... Capn Smollett posted a link to the Portland Pudgy homepage, so if you're asking about that....look there... if you're asking about chicks digging purple... I couldn't tell you where Pete is getting his info..

[Cmdr Pete]

Works for me

[Lynx]

You can get custom colors, Purple too. I mine is white.

[boblamb]

Has anyone had any success with the Coleman inflatables?  I'm wondering about one for 2-300 yard rowing trips to the dock/shore in local waters.

[s/v Faith]

Has anyone had any success with the Coleman inflatables?  I'm wondering about one for 2-300 yard rowing trips to the dock/shore in local waters.

Bob,

  Grog for having the courage to ask.   ;D

I have a Coleman (or similar) raft stowed in the bottom of my cockpit locker.  I have had 3 different inflateables, and all have either been too big to stow on a small boat (in my opinion). 

  Faith is not a boat used to scheduling much, she pretty much can wind up taking off on a moments notice, and Rose and I have been known to turn a daysail into a couple night trip.

  I have the hard dink, that I take when we 'plan' to go overnight, but our son (four legged) needs to have his shore call a couple times a day so we got the raft just in case.

  When we brought the boat down from Yorktown, we did not bring any kind of dingy at all.... it was a real pain not having anything that you could go ashore in.

  I think the raft idea is ok, so long as it is not going to see any kind of weather.... and you are far enough away from other boats when you use it to not embarrass yourself.   ;D

[Captain Smollett]

and you are far enough away from other boats when you use it to not embarrass yourself.   ;D

You mean like this:



;)

The Coleman 2 Person looks pretty similar.  For $43.00, I'd say it's worth a little embarrassment.

[BobW]

For $43 it would be worth having to access the blackberry bushes at this anchorage at Mandeville Point on the San Joaquin River in the Delta!



Prelude has enough room in the cockpit lockers to stow one of those!

[Oyster]

Anyone here can do it. I read a lot of times that folks don't have the nohow and tools, and even the location to build a small dinghy. Well I am her to tell you thats just not true.

This is a finished dinghy of 13 foot, 12 foot on the bottom, made out of a couple of sheets of good plywood. The thicknesses can vary depending on your uses, whether it be 1/4" in the bottom or 3/8" for heavier duty. Of course if you wish to reduce it to the eight foot size, 1/4" and a ibt of epoxy doing it tape and glue works fine too.

This boat was built on  a set of sawhorses, with a skillsaw, jig saw and a grinder to clean the edges and to shape a couple of parts. I shaped the bottom and installed a few framing components, and then used 1/4" luan and a couple of battens to get my patterns and  then transfered these to some good okume plywoods. Of course if you purchase any small boat plans, they will already give you what you need. Just transfer the measurements to the good sheets of plywood. Or if you are new use the 8 bucks a sheet plywood for practice before you cut the good stuff up.

Like I stated, you can still do this type of hull with epoxy fillets and glass tape. But I chose to go a different route because I had the parts of wood and the issue of sensitivity of the epoxy. This boat was built in 40 hours to launch. Its run by a 6 hp Yamaha four stroke engine.

[CharlieJ]

Folks- I should point out here that Mike had this idea for a small outboat boat on Feb 1st. The pics taken of him running the boat were on Feb 21st.

TWENTY days from concept and design to afloat under power.

He done GOOD ;D