What to look for in an inflatable dinghy as a yacht tender?

[Farrari 4]

We have a Farr1020 (33ft) and when it came time to replace our dinghy we decided the priorities were

• Low weight (our inflatable keel dinghy was 42kg without motor and was too heavy for the Wife and I to load/carry on shore)
• Rigid hull (our previous one was an inflatable keel and it made us nervous when going over rocks/sharp objects etc.)
• Size - i.e. would it fit on the under the boom and on the back transom.
• Cost
• ideally new with warranty etc.

We looked at a number but ended up settling on a 2.4m Seafarer with the German Tiger Fabric (an alternate/replacement for Hypalon).  They can be found at http://www.nkconsultancy.co.nz/nk-services.html

 

What we liked about them was

• Neil(the owner) was ex. Southern Pacific so had a good reputation.
• The weight was only 25kg.  Other fibreglass hulls I looked at were 38+ kgs.
• All the seams were welded,  not glued (most of the other imports were glued including the Zodiac)
• The hulls were power coated after the holes were drilled in them
• The German fabric was a bonus and meant we ought to expect 10+ years life without handles falling off etc
• He would customise as required (He designed and built the 2.4m version for us.  It's now listed as a standard part)
• The price was competitive

 

We have had it for nearly 2 years now and I am very happy with it.  In hindsight the only change I would have made would be requesting proper rowlocks and oars.  The dinghy rows well but the fitting let it down a bit.  It tows off a bridle (an extra I asked for).

[cj! 19]

I have looked at the Seafarer site as I've heard good things about them but the information about the different models is a little sparse. No capacities and no pricing plus there are a couple of different designations but no details about what they mean.

[Farrari 4]

I have looked at the Seafarer site as I've heard good things about them but the information about the different models is a little sparse. No capacities and no pricing plus there are a couple of different designations but no details about what they mean.

 

Give Neil a call and he can provide all the details.  He is an easy person to deal with and price is somewhat negotiable.  He is certainly very flexible when it comes to options.

 

Where are you located?  PM me if you want to have a look.

[B00B00 329]

Tempting but I'd probably need to deflate it to stow on the foredeck which would be for longer passages and rough weather like yourself. How wide is it and how far do the pontoons extend past the transom?

About 1.6m wide I think, transoms probably extend around 400mm at a guess.

[cj! 19]

Thanks for the offer Farrari. Currently, I'm sitting in Melbourne but will be back in the next few weeks so trying to sort things out online where possible and getting the family to run around for me where necessary.

[southernman 73]

Due to a change in plans I also have some inflatables for sale.  See my auctions here:  

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1300346060

 

and

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1306370146

 

I got given a dingy by my old man which he built for me so I'm forced to use it so to speak!  I also have another 3.0m full inflatable for sale if anyone is interested which is really good quality also.  

 

021884827 if you want any of these - discounted for crew.org of course. 

[Fish 0]

My favourite dingy (I have a few) is a tad under 2mts long, can hold 4 adults easily, can do 5kts with a 2hp outboard, rows like a dream, can be towed at 14kts but much faster and it does become a kite, is one hand to lift in weight and as yet is unbeaten in any race. It never comes aboard, we have no where to put it.

 

My racing compliant ding is 2.7mts, lives downstairs.  When cruising it usually lives in the above ding.

But you forgot to say what type your magic dinghy is...

[John B 113]

Curious as to why you think the raw alloy hull is not better than a painted one?

When I enquired about fixing the bubbles on a 3 or 4 year old boat I was told that getting glue to stick is harder when its raw ali. That makes sense.

[Steve Pope 253]

alloy doesn't need paint for protection, it forms a natural barrier. Paint is for aesthetic reasons only.

[Island Time 1,293]

Yes Steve, true, but that natural barrier is what makes later additions (welding - gluing in this case) more difficult. The thinner the sheet, the harder to do anything to it after prolonged exposure to the marine environment. 

[cj! 19]

Yes Steve, true, but that natural barrier is what makes later additions (welding - gluing in this case) more difficult. The thinner the sheet, the harder to do anything to it after prolonged exposure to the marine environment. 

 

I had the same thought as Steve but this makes sense.

[Battleship 100]

Anyone used one of these? They look quite good, narrow to fit on the foredeck, might be a bit small on room for their length tho.

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/kayaks-canoes/kayaks/multisport/auction-1302652341.htm

[waikiore 477]

Still using my nutshell pram, ply glassed, it has to tow in all conditions carry the whole crew and sail around the bay for social visits as well, was amused this year to hear a youngster exclaim as I approached the dinghy dock off Lidgard house -hey look at that rowing a wooden boat -old school ! 

[Fish 0]

Still using my nutshell pram, ply glassed, it has to tow in all conditions carry the whole crew and sail around the bay for social visits as well, was amused this year to hear a youngster exclaim as I approached the dinghy dock off Lidgard house -hey look at that rowing a wooden boat -old school ! 

That is the sort of dinghy I'm thinking about.

What length is yours, and do you know the weight?

The key question for me, how tippy is it when stepping in from the boat? And for people (kids and mums) moving around to sit down after stepping in?

 

The skylark 8 ft indicates a weight of 27 kg, which sounds good, the 9 and 10 ft versions are 36 kg. Load carrying sounds good, 2 adults 3 kids in sheltered water.

I built the 4 ft version for the kids, very pleased with it. I would post photos but its too damn complicated.

http://www.selway-fisher.com/Skylarkup13.htm

[John B 113]

alloy doesn't need paint for protection, it forms a natural barrier. Paint is for agesthetic reasons only.

That's what I thought ,Steve. But it's the glue to raw alloy joint which is causing me problems. I would not recommend AB to anyone. One of my bad buying decisions.

These weights being quoted are a bit scary. If you're going to have something in the plus 50 kg area you might as well have a big Ole glass delta or something. A dinghy needs to be in the 35kg thereabouts band to be comfortably throwing it on deck without popping a foo foo valve or pranging up the topsides.

[tuffyluffy 76]

alloy doesn't need paint for protection, it forms a natural barrier. Paint is for aesthetic reasons only.

 

Not necessarily true. Green zinc chromate primer is often applied to alloy boats and most often planes to reduced long term corrosion. Its that opaque green stuff you'll often see on alloy plane interiors.

[waikiore 477]

Those skylarks are all takes on the original nutshell, designed by Joel White. Unfortunately like the local copy dont quite look as good.

For our Nutshells we did a bit of FAA  and reduced the thickness of most bits knowing that they would be glassed with 6oz .

So built out of Gaboon  ply  the hull glassed without paint is under 20kg . they are meant to be 7'7" long -though mine ended up as 7' 8" .

Because of the hull shape she stays dryish inside except for extreme conditions, I have seen her clear the water in 45 knots on the nose but never flips, likewise with our keels they tow straight. Rowing ashore she takes four 100kg plus males and you arrive dry!

I may still have the laminating jigs at home and building frame.   

[waikiore 477]

They are great fun to build, though the liver takes a hammering during the friday night -"oh I wouldnt have done it like that sessions" with visitors, there is a house in Orakei with many marks on the beams downstairs -one for each bottle of red wine. 

[cj! 19]

I enjoy rowing so this is making me want to build a Nutshell now. Plans?

[Fujo 3]

I built a Pelin Gemini 7'3"  close 17 years ago that's spent most of it's time outside. It's 3mm meranti and has been painted in 2 pot urathane with no glass or epoxy. Weighs 18kgs and still gets used over the winters when it's just two of us cruising and the outboard gets left at home.