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Inflatable Dinghies - the good, the bad and the ugly?


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It's time to replace my old inflatable dinghy that is falling apart at the seams. It is beyond repair!!  :mad:

 

What I need is a roll-up rather than a RIB, length 220 - 240cm, that is light enough for one person to lift out of water and onto deck. Inflatable keel seems like a good idea so that it would track better underway or when towed.

 

Some research on line and talking to a couple of retailers seems to indicate German manufactured PVC with welded seams likely to be more durable. My current piece of crap (an old Aquapro roll-up) has glued seams but I will never go there again.

 

Has anyone out there had any experience / opinions - good, bad or indifferent - with some of the current products in the NZ market??So far I have looked at Southern Pacific "Shearwater", Zodiac "Cadet" and Aakron "Yachtmaster"models.

 

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Aquapro certainly had some serious issues when they took production to China. My old NZ made Aquapro RIB lasted 15 years of real abuse. It was a great boat, but at nearly $5 k for a 2.7m  replacement (I understand that the quality issues are sorted now) I could not bring myself to buy another.

I bought an Aquastar  RIB recently - (off trademe) paid $1800 for it new (but with a scratch in the hull, so discounted) If it gives me 5 years or so I'll be happy. Time will tell. It is not as well thought out as the Aquapro - and is harder to push (slower with the 2.5hp). But it fits on the foredeck, and is light (ish) at 38KG. The oars are crap alloy ones, and the seat is rubbish. otherwise OK. So far...

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 One of the things I do is that I repair the damn things for a living, my advice would be the Zodiac Cadet it's nearly all welded but the glue they use where they use it is an environmentally friendly wall paper paste. Or the Southern Pacific's a good light weight boat but I haven't seen their new Shearwater Air floor yet which would be the only one that has a V shape to the hull. Air floors are great but if they're a glued construction once they start to let go they're on their last legs. I've got an Avon with an air floor but it's welded. Also Zodiac are doing a cheaper brand called a Zoom. These are Chinese and glued together, nothing wrong with them but they are what they are and they're not a "Zodiac". For a light weight roll up it's hard to beat the Southern Pacifics. As for a V shape in a small 2.2-2.4mt the benefits would be very small and they end up heavy if they have a ply floor. If you got a small S'Pac you'd be able to shorten your painter right up to the push pit or easily drag it on deck.

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Ocean Inflatables of Dunedin. They will freight free, so don't worry about extra cost of freight. I have been really impressed with it's value for money. It is up there with the best of them, but the cheapest on the market. At first I was worried about buying one due to it being cheap, but as I said, I am really impressed. Apparently they designed the range themselves based on their own Fishing and Diving use and then got them made to their spec in China. But they use the Korean 1100 fabric. They have lots of little "extras" you only see on the real expensive names, like a bow roller, pad/strap for fuel tank, Ally floor, a splash fence right around the top that has a line threaded through it, an extra large scupper, good quality air valves and a decent solid resin seat.
Also several choices of colours.

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I may be a bit biased here, but from long and painful experience, if it's made in China then it is rubbish.

Maybe if you are exceptionally lucky you will get 5 years from a Chinese build, but I've never managed more than three. I took good care of my deflatables- stored under cover and all that - but I do cruise full time for three months each summer which probably stresses them a bit. So far, I've had Zodiac, Force 4, Aquapro and Java.

I met a couple of chaps on two boats in Te Kouma a few weeks back. They were cruising in company and each had a Lancer which they'd had for 25 and 28 years respectively. That would seem the way to go but are fantastically expensive. Otherwise do what I'm doing and build a nice lightweight clinker dinghy. Mine's a nesting one so easy to stow and unlike those deflatables, it will give you a long life with minimal maintenance, and you can row it as well.

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I  have had a 2.3 metre quicksilver with an inflatable keel and floor for the last 6 years,its nice and light i can lift it onboard easily by myself and carry it on my shoulders up the beach,its starting to show signs of wear and i may only get 2 more seasons out of it,but it has had a lot of use the kids give it hell.I will buy another one when she dies.

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looked at a Akron yachtmaster at last years boat show,the rep was busy and took my details and never made contact,so no contact whats their service like?ended up with a maxxon and very happy!

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I had a Takacat light for a few months. It was wetter, and not as good a dingy as the Aquapro 2.7 rib. I sold it, and even though it had only a few hours (less that 3) use, once the new owner got it it did not last a month. The manufacturer would not accept any responsibility. :-(

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As a counter point, the people I know with a taka cat wouldn't have anything else, can take 6 without issues, no problems with build quality, and handle like a small thunder cat. A solid floot is a lot better than the inflatable. Can't comment on how they row though

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I quite like my Takacat. They are lightly built but that means you can lift it on the roof easily. Best rowing inflatable I have had. Having said that we thrashed our alloy hulled Aqupro more or less daily with a 15hp water skiing with the kids etc and it was great. We did get one of those velcroed on sun covers though.

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If you want the best inflatable brand and money's not a huge issue, get an Achilles. Japanese hypalon it will last you for decades. I've had one in the workshop that lives under a tree in a paddock and is rolled out once a year. 20 years old and it's still shiny.

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Hey Pumbaa, I could do with your advice.

 

I have RED brand paddleboard where the foam deck has let go, it was a lemon from day 1 unfortunately but I was in denial and didn't give it back.

anyway , now the deck, the foam walk on/ decorative stuff is delaminating. A SUP guy here in akl says i can glue it back on with F2 , which would suit me , I have it.

Does that sound right to you , or do I need something more aggressive/ specialised. They are hypalon boards.

Pisses me right off of course. We bought one the first year and then bought a second of the same model the next year. The 'new' board is the lemon.

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apparently

 

the best inflatable glue repairs use a special activator mixed with the contact cement

 

the activator is not needed for normal contact glue use, like sticking down a carpet tile, but as the activator makes the glue bond much harder and more waterproof it is what the pros use to fix inflatables 

 

bostik seem to be the best suppliers of the in nz

 

http://glueguru.co.nz/shop/PRODUCT+TYPES/PRIMERS++ACTIVATORS/B050232.html

 

ideally you'd match it with one of the associated bostik contact adhesives at the bottom of the page above

 

i hear 999 is the best

 

nothing to stop you using whatever contact glue you have around, esp. as you're not trying to seal in air along a seam and probably don't mind doing it again next year along with other bits that start to lift

 

if you dig around on the net you can find inflatable repair kits in nz that include a small bottle of activator in the $40-$70 range

 

https://www.smartmarine.co.nz/products/boats-outboards-trailers/inflatable-boat-spare-parts/56703/inflatable-boat-pvc-repair-kit-w-valve-tool-white/details/

 

https://www.smartmarine.co.nz/products/boats-outboards-trailers/inflatable-boat-spare-parts/53455/inflatable-boat-repair-kit-hypalon-w-valve-tool-gr/details/

 

http://northlandinflatables.co.nz/inflatable-boat-repair-kits/

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