# I'm over inflatables boats!



## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

I've had three, two Zodiacs (both PVC) and one Avon (my current one).

Why do I keep buying them? I dunno, seems like I keep throwing $$$ in the water.

They row like crap, cant sail em, and they leak (water & air) after just a few years of use. My floor wont hold air, even after many attempts to repair it. (BTW, I would never paint my floor again, seemed like a good idea at the time, don't do it, I swear you'll wish you hadn't), the keel wont hold air now. The rub rail is falling off and forget trying to glue it back on, and to have a professional do it...LOL!

Sure they are very stable, you can load them up, and with the right engine they will fly across the water safely...but I'm sick and tired of dropping a few grand every few years only to find myslef looking for a boat show special to often!

The traditional tenders/dingy is not very stable but properly taken care of they could last years...

So how about this thing, I know...its not so pretty, the price is right, its a tri hull so the stability should be decent, it wont deflate, its not much more weight than my current boat...the only drawback I can see is the capacity is just under 500#. Anyone have a suggestions for a frustrated inflatable boat owner?

KL INDUSTRIESBoat at WestMarineNewhttp://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...rimary Search/mode matchallpartial/10/0?N=377


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

Chef,
If you decide to make one more pass at repairing your inflatable, I've had good luck with a shop in Annapolis called Maritime Solutions (Inflatable Xperts - AB Inflatables, Achilles Inflatables, Walker Bay Inflatable Boats). They're on a little side street in Eastport right behind the Chart House restaurant.

No connection to them. They just did a nice job on my old hypalon dinghy and the price was really reasonable.

Jim


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## AlanBrown (Dec 20, 2007)

Take a look at the Walker Bay products. Their rigid inflatable looks like the best of both worlds.

I may have to dump my 8-year old Achilles airfloor this year, unless I can get the air leaks under control. I'd like to replace it with something more sturdy.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

I've got a SandPiper 8, which I believe is made of the same material as the WaterTender. Their decent little dinghies for the money, but the "plastic" material does degrade after several years of sun and water. Mine has some cracks and color fading, but she's still seaworthy.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

T37Chef said:


> The traditional tenders/dingy is not very stable but properly taken care of they could last years...


T37,

I bristle whenever I hear the statement about traditional tenders not being stable. Many people have formed that opinion, based on experience with some unstable designs that are out there in abundance. But there are plenty of very stable designs -- you just have to learn to distinguish between them.

Try to avoid any dinghy that has a rounded bottom and/or soft or no chine at the turn of the bilge. What you should look for is a flat- or slightly v-bottomed, slab-sided design. I tend to prefer pram-style in the smaller size-range, not only because you get more "volume" for a given length but also because the pram approach allows the design attributes that lead to stability to be carried further forward, improving stability.

The dinghy in your link might work, but it looks a bit heavy (for towing, anyway). I am not a fan of the plastic material, though. Plus, no sailrig, right? For me, lack of a sailrig option would be a showstopper on a hard dinghy. Sailing versatility is one of the great things about hard dinghies.

If you do plan to tow, I would get a first hand account of how well that Watertender does for towing before purchasing. Usually for towing, you want a dinghy that will easily get up on a plane. I have my doubts about that tri-hull.

I think you know what I like (check out the CLC Eastport Pram, or Passagemaker Dinghy). But if you don't want to build your own, the Dyers, while not prams, are stable and make good sail-trainers for kids or adults.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

Jim,

Thanks, I've been there more times than I would like to admit . I agree with your comments, but I just cant justify the $$ on these things anymore. I brought my boat by to get a quote on repairing the rub rail from them, I might as well buy a new boat .


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

JohnRPollard said:


> T37,
> 
> I bristle whenever I hear the statement about traditional tenders not being stable. Many people have formed that opinion, based on experience with some unstable designs that are out there in abundance.


You nailed it there, I formed my opinion from exactly what you describe, a rounded bottom sailing dingy 

Thanks for the reminder btw, another reason for wanting new dingy is I want one the kids can sail! That deletes the one I posted above.

Wow, that Eastport Pram is sweet! It would look real good hanging off my davit.


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## Siamese (May 9, 2007)

I don't own a WaterTender, but I borrowed one once. It rowed surprisingly well. MUCH better than an inflatable. You row your butt off in an inflatable, but the WaterTender actually had some "glide" to it and has good directional stability. 

I've soured on inflatables for the same reasons as you.

My cat doesn't like the inflatables becuase there's always a little water sloshing around in them somewhere that's hard to get out, and his paws get wet. Awwwwww.

The WaterTender has a nice interior that's easy to keep dry. And drink holders! 

The plastic they're made of doesn't seem to be as thick or as durable as what's found in a kayak, or in the Walker Bay hard dinghies, but they seem to hold up for many years here in Michigan...couldn't say how they'd do in southern climes. 

If we weren't getting kayaks, the Walker Bay 10 would probably be first on my list, as I perceive them to have a little more rugged bottom. The WaterTender would be a close second. Maybe not as rugged, but when you factor in the low price of $599, it's a contender.

Third on my list would be the Porta Boat. I believe they make 8, 10, and 12 footers (I"m too lazy to check). They cost more, but are impressive. Nicely made, with the obvious advantage of folding flat. Ask Sailing Dog about them.


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## SailorNate (Sep 19, 2009)

ever look at something like dinghy-dogs? Basically strap on tubes for you dinghy that add stability and weight capacity

Nate


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## alwheeler98 (Oct 6, 2008)

I think you're looking at the dingy we bought last year for family use (ie "kids on board").

It has been described as "just right" for what we were looking for. A stable boat that could be rowed and handle the engine we have. No worries with small kids on board.

We have not tried pulling it behind our boat while sailing. 

For the last 7 years prior, we used an inflatable that we picked up at Costco for $70. It became difficult to repair, but we decided after that much time it didn't owe us a thing.


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## Sabreman (Sep 23, 2006)

I too dislike inflatables for all the reasons that Chef says plus the fact that when black rubber gets old and oxidizes, it gets on everything. They fill with water when towing, etc, etc.

A long time ago, I built a Joel's White's Nutshell pram. It's the best towing and rowing boat that I can imagine. With a sail, it's fun even it it points terribly. But it's a rowing boat with a sail so I don't really care.

See the following picture:
Toys


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## Michael K (Feb 27, 2006)

Chef,

I own a Watertender 9.4. Have had it for possibly 8 years. Back in 2004 I wrote about it in another thread, as follows:

"Although you started this thread by saying you wanted to build a dinghy, others have suggested some manufactured alternatives. Here's another one for your consideration. I've been using a Watertender 9.4 for a couple of years now. No, it won't fold up and it won't deflate but it has many great virtues. First, its cathedral hull is incredibly stable. Second, 10 years from now I will not be spending time patching tubes. I do wonder how I'd get a patch to stick to it in the event of cracking or holing the hull as this dinghy is constructed of polyethylene (light yet apparently durable). Third, it planes with a 3 hp outboard. Finally, fourth, its load-carrying capacity is far greater than its rating: I used this dinghy to set a 200# mushroom anchor with about 200# of chain, rode, a big float, the outboard and me (180#) aboard all at the same time - maybe 650# total or so! I also didn't hesitate to make a 12 mile coastal trip in the Watertender last Fall. Yes, I trust it."

There is one caveat: nothing you want will adhere to polyethelyne so bottom paint is a waste of time. A few barnacles and plenty of slime will adhere to it though, at which point planing will require at least a 4hp outboard.


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## Michael K (Feb 27, 2006)

The biggest drawback about the Watertender 9.4 is its weight and bulk. Hefting it up on deck is quite a chore. And so, I'll quote myself from that 2004 thread again:

"While here replying to Kelldog, I might as well also make mention of a product/concept I came across a few months ago. It's called DinghyTow and, yes, there's a web site. Essentially, it enables one to hoist a dinghy's transom up to stern rail height; sort of a semi-davit system. You end up dragging your dinghy backwards but with only the bow still floating. Advantages: it eliminates the hassles and clutter of putting your dinghy on deck; if your dinghy has an o/b it would be high and dry; it eliminates painters to foul your mother ship's prop; the dinghy remains in position and, thus, under control; finally, if the dinghy ships any water it will only be as much as the bow can hold.

Now, I can't say if this is a good solution for passagemaking. It certainly does permit many coastal cruisers to have a larger dinghy and greater convenience. I'll probably try to make a facsimile rather than buy the actual product but, before I do, I'd like to get other opinions."


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

I rowed a borrowed Watertender once. Maybe I'd been spoiled by better rowboats, (probably not, I'd been using a Glen-L topper) but I thought it was like rowing through peanut butter. They are very stable though.


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## RobertKWFL (Apr 3, 2009)

We've had a WaterTender 9.4 for about 6 years. It has held up well in the South Florida sun and is stable _for its size_. It towed well behind our old slow monohull. (Not so well behind our new fast cat.) We've routinely overloaded it with three large adults, gear, and three large dogs. Not that I would recommend overloading, but it works. It rows acceptably, though not great, probably better than inflatables.

My biggest gripe is that it slaps like the devil in any kind of chop. After this cold, windy winter, I'm desperate for a v-bottom dinghy and a drier ride.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

I suppose if you took the cost of a good inflateable (oxymoron?) and spent the same money on moorings and launch tips....It would make the mooring & launch fees seem much cheaper.

Never walk on water in front of witnesses, it tends to start religions.<G>


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## scottyt (Jul 19, 2008)

I just wish i had a real dinghy, not a pool toy, but it only costs me 40 bucks or so to replace when it leaks


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## joethecobbler (Apr 10, 2007)

I've collected a few inflatables- they all leak ! I've yet to get any favorable information on repairing them. It seems that if I could locate the "coated" canvas material and a sutable glue I could not only repair, but possibly make one myself. I've made canvas "chaps" for them that fit snuggly it wouldn't seem to be much more involved.
Until I can address that I'm sticcking w/ the inexpensive hard dinghy.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Build a dinghy. Seriously. It is not nearly as difficult, costly or time consuming as you might think, and you don't need to be a master boatwright with a vast collection of tools to build something perfectly serviceable. 25 hours of build time and $250 will get you this:










I did it last winter, and it was a LOT of fun. lightweight, stable, easy to row, hard to sink, decent payload. yeah, it's no lapstrake and teak traditional showstopper, but it does the job. And if it lasts two seasons, i have more than gotten my money out of it.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I personally like the PortaBote that my wife bought me for use as a fishing boat... it works quite well as a dinghy as well. One bonus is that it is relatively compact when folded up.


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## Cal28 (Jul 6, 2009)

try looking at a porta-boat Porta-Bote Folding Boat Makes Inflatables Obsolete Also Portaboat

as sailingdog suggested

compact .. easy to assemble .. stable .. and cute (well I have a Cal28 flushdeck .. and believe her to be beautiful) ..

also .. if you look around .. you can find one fairly reasonably

paid $400 for mine (with Minn-kota motor) in excellent shape


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## southshoreS24 (Aug 31, 2009)

i got a watertender 9.4 for work around the marina last year and a 5hp for it this year. it works great, one person can easily launch it from a dock. it is taking some scraping on the bottom and if the hull punctures I am not sure how to patch it as nothing will stick to the damn plastic. but for not its great! look into the walker bays, the wb8 is a great little dinghy also!


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## 2Gringos (Jan 4, 2008)

I was just looking at some porta bote videos on youtube. That "4 inches thick" claim is a little bit misleading. that's just the boat hull itself. the mass of the other stuff you need, seats, transom, etc. doubles the mass, doesn't it.

Still, looks like a nice little boat. No way ever as stable as an inflatable, but also no air leak issues. Easy to hide on the big boat. 

What do you do when you rub a hole in the keel of a porta bote?


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Chef

Ealker Bay makes a sailer. I have a WB Odessey and love it.
One thing I have notice is that people do no cover their dighys.

The reason ours has lasted so long and still is in goodshape is we reliously keep its cover on it. My wife custom made our cover from a commercial on to put on it while the dinghy hangs in the davits. It keeps the rain out, and most importantly the run off of it. It adds 3 minutes to our rouotine when exiting the dinghy to climp up the steps back onto the boat. It has an electic rim sewn into the bottom edge so it can go aound the tubes and i put 3/4 on before getting out of it. the bottom edge also has loops so I have lines installed so i can pull the cover tight after it is lifted up on the davits and the lines go under the dingy so the cover is secure no matter how much wind. When have reinforced "slits" where the dingy lifting straps come through the cover. We put a cheap air filled beach ball (wilson) in the dingy to "tent" the cover so the water runs of when it rains and doent collect in a low spot.

The cover is the savior of the dingy.

Dave


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

The Porta Bote is a good suggestion, but not for me. The smallest one they have, 8' which has even less capacity then the Water Tender, plus I don't see them sailing very well. I must say they are also ugly as sin 

bljones, nice looking boat there! Tell me more...

Dave, you're absolutely right about covering the dingy, the sad thing is I have a cover for ours and have never used it...its working nicely covering our outside furniture though...someone say duh!  (btw, you going to be down the boat anytime this week, I would like to see your chart-plotter and dingy set up?)


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## Cal28 (Jul 6, 2009)

T37Chef

I hear what you say about ugly ... but then I have heard that about my flushdeck ... 

To me .. they both possess a certain ... je ne sais pas quoi ... style and simplistic grace ... that most do not see ... nevertheless appreciate ...

but then ... I spent many many years in the auto industry ... drove an AC bristol ... owned my share of classic corvettes ... all while working for Ford ...
the only 'modern' car to me that has any styling is the Audi tt (because it looks like the cockpit of a Folk Wulf 190) .. and my ideal is a GT 40 .. although I'd never be able to get in and out of one .. pity what age will do to a body ...


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## Fstbttms (Feb 25, 2003)

My 25-year-old Avon takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Never buy PVC junk. Hypalon only.


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## Lookin4Freedom (Dec 2, 2008)

Hey now! Who says inflatables can't sail?


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

I have a 1987 Avon Hypalon rib. still going strong.


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## CaptKermie (Nov 24, 2006)

Is there a rubber compund paint available out there that we can paint the sticky PVC dinghies with to get another couple years out of them.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Clean them with goof-off or something similar and then paint them. That will limit the UV damage to the material and give you a bit more time.



CaptKermie said:


> Is there a rubber compund paint available out there that we can paint the sticky PVC dinghies with to get another couple years out of them.


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

Kermie,

We tried a product off the internet called SRC Tuff Coat or something like that. It looked good for a short time but quickly rubbed off and looked pretty ratty after a season.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

sd, if they are breaking down and oozing from UV damage, cleaning and painting them will work. But if the goo is uncured plasticizers leaching out of the plastic, repainting them won't help as the goo will continue to seep up and it will just blow the new paint off as it does.

PVC materials may have the leaching plasticizer (uncured vinyl chlorides) problem, hypalon shouldn't. But older glued hypalon may fail at the glue joints. So unless a raft/dink is welded hypalon...they're like fresh fruit and fish, eventually they've just got to be replaced.


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## beidson (May 26, 2009)

*Porta-bote*

I, too, am over my inflatable. Just spent an inordinate amount of time chasing leaks. I bought a gently used Porta-bote this winter, haven't tried it yet. And yes, it is ugly, but hopefully that makes it less attractive to thieves.

On paper, it seems to be a good balance of portability, light weight, stability, and toughness. I'll find out this summer.


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## Mollybear (May 27, 2008)

Hey T37
I have a portabote. It is a ridgid plastic boat that folds up. Mine is a 10 footer and when folded up is about the size of a surfboard. The hardware on the Porta Bote is a little lacking (aluminum and some galvanized steel), but the system is sound and it is very stable. My next dink will be a Portland Pudgy - nice boat.
Thanks
Ed


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## blackjenner (Feb 5, 2010)

Someone recommended this in another thread...

Row, sail and/or lifeboat.

Portland Pudgy multifunction dinghy -- the fun boat that could save your life!

No, it's not cheap but I bet you never have to buy another dingy.


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## Flybyknight (Nov 5, 2005)

*Out of the Box*

This may sound heretical, but I drag a 16' square stern Old Towne Canoe.
2 hp Johnson. 
It has never flipped, even in some snotty seas.
It works for me.

Dick


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## poopdeckpappy (Jul 25, 2006)

inflatable boat sealant for sealing leaks in inflatable boats


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

This may sound like a stupid question, but I'm going to ask any way!

Do you use fenders on hard dink when you come along the mothership? In the past, I had a boat with a swim platform to unload and prevent damage to the main boat, but now with our new boats reverse transom, I was thinking of using our inflatable just to help prevent damage from the Sabre. Would small fenders work on the hard dinghy, or would they just roll from side to side? 

I would love to use the hard dinghy I made last year due to aesthetics, but not at the cost of the gel coat.


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

> Do you use fenders on hard dink when you come along the mothership?


I do, and when we tie the dink up alongside too.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

funjohnson said:


> This may sound like a stupid question, but I'm going to ask any way!
> 
> Do you use fenders on hard dink when you come along the mothership? In the past, I had a boat with a swim platform to unload and prevent damage to the main boat, but now with our new boats reverse transom, I was thinking of using our inflatable just to help prevent damage from the Sabre. Would small fenders work on the hard dinghy, or would they just roll from side to side?
> 
> I would love to use the hard dinghy I made last year due to aesthetics, but not at the cost of the gel coat.


What worked best for us in our hard dinghy days was to put a section of foam piping insulation over the gunwales of the hard dinghy to act as a soft edge for protection and quiet.

In our experience the lightly loaded fenders can tend to tap the hull in any wave action, an annoying noise in the middle of the night, also when the dinghy rolls hard in a major wash the fenders can get flipped out or over the edge, losing your protection.


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

Faster said:


> What worked best for us in our hard dinghy days was to put a section of foam piping insulation over the gunwales of the hard dinghy to act as a soft edge for protection and quiet.
> 
> In our experience the lightly loaded fenders can tend to tap the hull in any wave action, an annoying noise in the middle of the night, also when the dinghy rolls hard in a major wash the fenders can get flipped out or over the edge, losing your protection.


I know people hate the looks of them, but I'm adding davits this weekend. I don't think the dinghy will spend much time in the water at night or even during the day... except when we are going out to our mooring. I just remember using the hard dinghy last year in some pretty heavy chop and it still had a tendency to smack into the old open transom a ton! My wife and I are young and limber, but we bring our 65 pound dog with us. I think I will have to give it a try both with the hard dink and the inflatable.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

*Sailing dingy has arrived...*

I'm still working on the floor of the inflatable  If todays patch work doesn't take I will resort to expandable foam

But the cool thing is I picked up a sailing dingy from a friend for $100, including a brand new sail  I'm going to spruce her up a bit and see how she sails. She was home built out of plywood and glassed over. I'll be curious to see what it weights as my davits are designed to hold about 300#.

I'll load some before and after pics...


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Chef.. most of the plywood designs really don't need glass covering although some have it for the bottom just to protect the epoxy coated plywood. it does add a goodly amount of weight.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

Its FB on the outside only...hey, the thing only cost $100  And cant deflate...but thanks for the insight


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

It probably weighs a lot less than 300. I've owned several and built a couple. The only one over 300 is a 19' dory.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

I really would be quite content to put together one of those Eastwood Prams. For sure, that is a very pretty looking thing and appears to row and sail more than adequately.

Porta Bote has obvious benefits but man that thing is pug ugly and their advertising alone would just about convince me never to buy one. 

So fine, Eastwood Pram (with wheels) for getting out to the mooring but I'm still gonna need a puffball for when we go away. I am not sailing up and down the NSW coast either towing or davitting an 8' pram.

Interesting point here...while I've owned only two infatables (1 x Avon, 1 x Zodiac) the only major problems I have had with leaks has been through the valves.


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## foxglove (Dec 27, 2002)

*How fast can my port-a-bote go?*

I have 10 foot port-a-abote with a 40lb thrust electric. It was fine in the Chesapeake where tidal flow is slight in most harbors but I was afraid to try it in the fast tides of Carolinas and Georgia. I might have been swept out to sea.

If I bought a 3hp gas engine, would I keep up with my neighbor's inflatable with 8hp outboard?


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Does a portabote plane?


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

T37Chef said:


> The Porta Bote is a good suggestion, but not for me. The smallest one they have, 8' which has even less capacity then the Water Tender, plus I don't see them sailing very well. I must say they are also ugly as sin


I don't know if it has been mentioned, but you should check out John's Passagemaker, now that is a nice boat! 

It also comes in a nesting version ...

Edit, I just got to the post where T37 has a new dinghy!


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## ehmanta (Sep 12, 2006)

I have two friends that have the Porta-boat....neither one _ever_ takes it apart. They may have taken it apart when they first got them, but the novelty wore off and they just tow them now. They are basically left with an _very ugly_ (sorry, owners) rigid dinghy. Might as well have one that looks good!!! 
I built one from a Dudley Dix design several years ago and love it. I modified it a bit by adding a longer keel to help it track when rowing, which it does with grace. She is pretty light, well under 100 pounds (I think it's close to 75). She has high free-boards to keep her dry and seems to be stable enough to stand well off center without worry. The plywood-epoxy construction makes it easy to repair and is cost effective.
I have had several dinghies from prams to an inflatible to a commercially built "Dink". The "Dink" had an inner hull that added stiffness, but also added tremendous weight. The inflatible I had was difficult to store and it did leak a bit (slowly). I wound up giving it away when I finished my plywood dink. 
Bottom line: Dinghies are like the mother ship, there's a style for every taste and use.....just make sure it's light


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

I just found a suspected leak in my AB (hypalon) RIB, tubes are soft so I think I have a leak, waiting for it to warm back up so I can tell for sure. 

I went the hard dinghy route first, built a 10 foot V bottom. It lasted 5 years while sitting on the hard in the garage or in the yard; lasted less than one after I gave it to a friends son to use.

If I'm leaking I'm going the patch route and then exploring options all over again. Having spent 2300 for a used AB 4 years ago it dang well better be patchable.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Jeez my 9 year old AB Rib takes about three pumps of air every twelve months, and has since new. I have not added air to it since last April and she still looks like new and performs just as new and is still full of air. 

I had Stephen, the owner of Defender, have one of his sales people top up all the AB Rib's with air on a Wed and I showed up the next Wed and picked the one that was still the hardest. I find this is a good way to buy them.

I did have a problem with a PVC Zodiac and the company would NOT stand behind the written warranty. Finally got the US CEO/President involved and got a new hull & floor but it took two years of constant fighting and a lawyer. I will never buy any product made by Zodiac/Avon ever again as I feel they are a horse sh&t company when it comes to customer service and honoring their own WRITTEN warranty.... 

I think when the time comes again, perhaps another ten years based on the current condition of my AB, I will consider only Caribe, AB & Achilles. 

I own and have owned many hard bottom dinks, currently own three, and none of them is as stable or can carry as big a load as the inflatables can, even the hard chined ones I have owned and built.. With a three year old the only dink we'll use, for safety, is an inflatable.

If you need the contact info for the US CEO of Zodiac I can PM it to you..


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## remetau (Jan 27, 2009)

We have a Zodiac 310 rib with a folding transom sold by West Marine. After 3 years, the wood transom separated from the tubes. We went in to West Marine and found out that it was still under warranty from Zodiac and all we need was proof of purchase. Since we bought it using our West Advantage, we were able to easily get a receipt of our purchase. Zodiac completely covered the cost of the repair and we haven't had a problem with it since.


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

> If I bought a 3hp gas engine, would I keep up with my neighbor's inflatable with 8hp outboard?


We have a 3 hp Johnson on our Portabote. It will get me and the dog up on a plane, but not me and the wife. We tried a 4hp on it last weekend. It would get all three of us up on a plane, but it took some leaning forward and a bit of a run with a tailwind.


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## foxglove (Dec 27, 2002)

Thank you ERPS. May I ask the length of your porta-bote?

Foxglove


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

*You wont believe this...yes you will*

Okay...so we took the sailing dink mentioned above for a spin last Friday. We had a blast, unfortunately its not going to work as a tender. With the four us it was pretty unstable and I couldn't imagine trying to cut through some chop in it and feel safe. We'll keep it for sure, it will serve its intended purpose well, Elizabeth (my 5 yr old) can't wait to learn how to sail it so she can take it out on her own, either around the creek or up at our cabin at Deep Creek Lake.

Now I'm back to square one. I want to make a decision rather quickly as our summer cruise south is coming up very soon...12 days and counting  yikes. I have tried pretty much everything I can think of to repair the inflatable floor of our current dingy with the exception of cutting a piece of plywood and fitting it to the bottom, and thats not the only problem with it, the transom is rotting, the rub rail is about to fall off completely, etc. etc. etc.

I like the Portland Pudgy, but not enough. The portabote is out. I love the CLC boats mentioned, but now having a sailing dingy its not as much of a incentive...so guess what? I cant believe I am saying this, we're looking at inflatable boats...AGAIN  :laugher  What is wrong with me?

Okay...dont answer that.

Defender has a sale going on for the holiday weekend. I'm thinking we just bite the bullet and go for it. A RIB, 8' to 9' with a 9-10 Horsepower motor.

Right now we have a Avon Rover 310 (10') Inflatable floor with a Honda 2HP = slow but easily manageable.

Heres some boats & motors I have an eye on, thoughts:

Avon RIB 8'6" Rigid Hull Inflatable (RIB) 8' 6"
Avon RIB 9'2" Rigid Hull Inflatable (RIB) 9' 2"
Achilles RIB 9'2" Lite Rigid Hull Inflatable (RIB) 9' 2"
Achilles RIB 9'2" Deluxe Rigid Hull Inflatable (RIB) 9' 2"
Caribe Dingy Caribe Dinghies Series Inflatable Boats
Caribe Lite Caribe Lights Series Inflatable Boats
Tohatsu 9.8 hp 9.8 HP 4-Stroke


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## christyleigh (Dec 17, 2001)

T37Chef said:


> I cant believe I am saying this, we're looking at inflatable boats...AGAIN  :laugher  What is wrong with me?


 Probably the same thing that would be wrong with me if I didn't know how well a - good inflatable $,$$$.$$ - can stand up and was considering spending a few grand for a couple tubes full of air 
But.... the 11 year old Caribe 9' (Hypalon of course) that came with my boat 5 years ago is still going strong. It leaks the same couple pumps of air a year as when I bought the whole package. It is - Scary Fast - with the Yamaha 15hp (also part of the package) when up on plane at half throttle. I have never used full throttle for more than a couple seconds...... but it gives me a clue to the thrill of motor boating... or I should say Drag Boat Racing  The thing weighs 145 lbs and is so stable I use it to stand on while I'm shrink wrapping my boat with a 20 lb tank of propane and me standing up on the seat stretching up to blast more heat. It feels like a Raft not a Boat when not in motion. Big Bucks ....... but the old saying is sometimes true - You get what you pay for ....... if you can afford it


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## w1651 (May 2, 2010)

Why not just row a yawl or a small wooden boat?


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

foxglove said:


> Thank you ERPS. May I ask the length of your porta-bote?
> 
> Foxglove


10 footer.


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## okapi3 (Apr 14, 2007)

I tend to prefer pram-style in the smaller size-range, not only because you get more "volume" for a given length but also because the pram approach allows the design attributes that lead to stability to be carried further forward, improving stability. 



John,

How do you store your pram on your PSC 31? I am actively in the market for a tender for my PSC 31 but can't picture a hard dinghy on my relatively small deck so I feel obliged to look at roll-up inflatables to stow below. I have been pondering this problem for 3 years now and haven't arrived at a solution. any advice would be appreciated.

Paul


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

*Cha Ching*

I've gone and done it...I'm not really sure yet if I'm excited or sick to my stomach 

In defense of all the previous inflatables I mentioned in the first post, they were all purchased used for cheap...perhaps my initial post was unfair? (Or I could just be trying to rationalize the $$ we just spent  

You can bet this one will be well cared for!

Thanks for all the input everyone, much appreciated.


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