Inflatable Dinghies

[Wheatear]

I am thinking about getting a small inflatable dinghy for my Menger 19 catboat. It looks like the prices are all over the lot, and I wonder if it is worth paying a lot of money for a dinghy I would only use once in a long while.

Also, some of them look like junk, but even the cheapest two-man dinghies look like they would be adequate, and seem to have good warranties. I like the little cheap ones (naturally) because they wouldn't take up a lot of precious stowage space, and they are light weight.

Since I am an absolute ignoramus about inflatables, I would appreciate any information that can be provided. Thanks.

[P Doug (WA)]

Do you mean like an inflatable raft? I have a 9 ft. raft and a inflatable kayak. Both from SeaEagle. The have real good equipment.

http://www.seaeagle.com/default.aspx?keycode=GA&adGroup=Sea+Eagle&gclid=CLrY8-n_jasCFRE9gwodjiRuvA

[Wheatear]

To P Doug - Not a raft. Just wanted to use it for going from boat to shore, but small enough for 3 ppl and stowage on board deflated.

Regards

[Andrew_Butchart]

You might want to look at a folding boat instead of an inflatable - http://www.porta-bote.com makes one.

[Wheatear]

To Andrew in Canada -

I looked at the Porta-Bote, but two things disqualify it: (1) folded size, and (2) price.

But thanks for the suggestion.

Regards

Wheatear

[Howard]

Most normal inflatables row like a bathtub, and those who use them almost all use an outboard motor on them. You could transfer the motor off the bigger boat when you wanted to go ashore, but that would be a lot of trouble.

Another option is an inflatable kayak, or even a pair of them. They do row pretty well and the larger sizes can handle two plus some stores.

Can't help you with brand.

[Hirilonde]

Most normal inflatables row like a bathtub, and those who use them almost all use an outboard motor on them. You could transfer the motor off the bigger boat when you wanted to go ashore, but that would be a lot of trouble.

Yeah, without a motor I find inflatables so much of a chore to row they aren't worth any of the supposed advantages. I built a Minipaw for a friend with a Marshall 19 cat who absolutely loves it. He tows it all over the SE New England area every summer. Our CharlieJ tows his behind a Meridian (25 feet) while crusing. Well worth considering.

[JeffM]

I keep a Sevylor "Tahiti" inflatable kayak rolled up together with a pump and breakdown paddle under the berth of my Core Sound 20, and use it a fair amount. It's out of the way, out of sight, out of mind until I need it. It paddles a lot better, I think, than the cheap inflatable rowboat (more like a pool toy) I bought to replace the previous "Tahiti" that I'd lost. (Tried to use the pool toy one time--immediately put it away and bought a new Tahiti.) The Sevylor Tahiti is the oldest and cheapest of Sevylor's inflatable kayaks at $100 or so on sale. It carries two (maybe three if two are smallish children). I use it whenever I weekend with crew and can't beach the big boat. (More often I tow a more-convenient cheap single-seat hard kayak to carry myself alone.) The Sevylor pumps up in about ten minutes, but takes longer to deflate fully. It's nice and stable; goes through the water okay if not as effortlessly as a proper kayak. The only annoying thing about it (other than trying to squeeze out all the air to put it away) is that it's hard to avoid a wet butt: any water in the boat will migrate to the lowest place: where you're sitting. I often put a boat cushion under my seat to keep out of the wet. If I really had to move myself and two other people to and from shore all at once (say, if it was a long distance and I didn't want to relay), I'd use both the Sevylor and my single-seater together. I have no desire for any other tenders.

[Charlie Jones]

Most normal inflatables row like a bathtub, and those who use them almost all use an outboard motor on them. You could transfer the motor off the bigger boat when you wanted to go ashore, but that would be a lot of trouble.

Yeah, without a motor I find inflatables so much of a chore to row they aren't worth any of the supposed advantages. I built a Minipaw for a friend with a Marshall 19 cat who absolutely loves it. He tows it all over the SE New England area every summer. Our CharlieJ tows his behind a Meridian (25 feet) while crusing. Well worth considering.

Howdy folks, from South Carolina, still out cruising. Now heading (slowly) back towards Texas, down from the Chesapeake Bay

Yes,, we had a MiniPaw. Good little dinghy but NOISY!!! Sitting behind the boat while at anchor it just never shut up. Towed it many many miles though.

So I sold it and we bought an Achilles- 7'6" wooden floor. I've now towed that boat over 4000 miles, including twice across the gulf stream, with great happiness with the dink. I do row it often, but when we have more than a few hundred yards to go, I install my 2.2 Merc.

The inflatable CAN be rolled up and taken aboard, the Minipaw simply would not fit on deck anywhere.

On inflatables- PVC dinks are much cheaper than Hypalon, but don't have anywhere near the life expectancy if used full time.If mostly stored and used only occasionally, they can be very good buys. One of the Bombards would be a good choice then. They make a very small one- AX5 or 6 I think.

It's all a trade off- stowage, vs carrying capacity, vs, easy rowing.

For this question, I'd go along with others and suggest an inflatable kayak or two.