# Rigid vs inflatable RIB dinghy for international cruising



## kengoodings (May 23, 2003)

We now have a 10' RIB powered by a 15hp outboard. It hangs off the transom on our Dinghy-Tow. However, for blue water legs we'll hoist it on deck and partially deflate it. Inflatables can't realistically be rowed very well. (Never motor further than you'd care to row back.) 

We undersytand that underpowered dinghys, whether inflateable or rigid, make longer trips to shore for fuel & water onerous.

Hard plastic dinghys can be rowed or sailed but are ankle biters on deck.

What trade offs have you made choosing between these types of dinghys?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

best dinghy is a yamaha waverunner 650 3 seater! tows well, reaches 40 knots, positive flotation, plenty of storage. it just wont hoist on the davits (too heavy)


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

I currently have a HPIB (High Pressure Inflateable Boat/Bottom) Inflateable. Not sure if that is what you were commenting towards in your thread, but it will plane and it will totally deflate for stowage. It is light and easy to hoist on the davits.

It is a compromise... that is all. It does not perform nearly as well as a RIB, but is much more portable and considerably lighter.

- CD


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Just remember lots of foreign ports are not so inflatable friendly... barnacles, wooden piers with nails and such, stone piers, coral, etc... a rigid bottom or a hard dinghy is far more likely to survive such conditions.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

I like the RIBS for full time cruising because:
1. You have stability when loading/unloading people and stuff
2. They can take a beating from rock and coral
3. You can put a good sized motor on them, get on a plane and go long distances quickly.

I find these 3 attributes critical in a full time cruising dinghy for the East Coast and Caribe. On the downside
1. They tend to be heavy to bring aboard...needing 2 people and a winch. They don't fit on some boats.
2. They ROW OK, but not like a hard dink.
3. Sooner or later the hypalon will wear out unlike a hard dink.
4. You can't put a sailing rig on one (yeah, I know they sell such rigs but they suck!)

Hope I've been fair in my assessment...the first 3 are most important to me. Other needs for other locations may differ.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

I have a hard dink (Sandpiper 8) and an RIB (Quicksilver 8). The Sandpiper is cheap, tippy and slow...but I'd take it 10 times out of 10 over the Quicksilver because you can actually row it when the outboard is being finicky. In my world, the outboards are often finicky. I also favor the lighweight and relatively durable characteristics of the Sandpiper. 

Granted, I only do coastal Great Lakes cruising, but I've sort of sworn off RIB's simply because of the difficult rowing.


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Ken, as you know I've thought long and hard about this...and we may already have discussed it in person, but for the benefit of the thread, here goes.

1) I already own a RIB...a Zodiac Yachtline 1 310. I also own two 9.9 HP outboards, one a stinky but fast Mercury 2-stroke from the late '90s and the other a 1985 Honda BF100 4-stroke in good working order (heavier but quieter and obviously cleaner and more fuel-efficient).

2) I had a davit failure in mere five-foot seas in Lake Ontario...with the engine running. Yes, that meant a four-foot extrusion flailing about in the water trying to pierce the half-descended RIB and snag the moving prop at the same time. This convinced me that davits are not appropriate in a seaway.

3) Getting even the empty RIB (120 lbs./50 kg.) off the foredeck in any kind of a wind has been difficult and potentially dangerous. So has lowering the motor to the transom, hooking it up, handing off a five-gallon tank, oars, crash box, bailer, etc. We decided it wasn't worth it. Were we to go exclusively to the Caribbean, I think it would be a 50/50 split decision, but then we'd be tempted to leave it on a painter. We would also have to retube our existing RIB with Hypalon, an approximately $2,600 cost, as it currently has nearly failed PVC pontoons (never get PVC...)

4) We've decided to go with a 10 or 12 foot Portabote, a 10 foot nesting dinghy with internal floatation, sails and oars, and a 2 to 3 HP 4-stroke motor with integral tank. We feel this gives us the best mix of capacity, resistance to damage, and the opportunity to have us running different errands in different tenders. Having a sail rig means our son will be able to use the dinghy for fun, and both boats together weigh about the same as the Zodiac alone. The dinghy will be lashed to the forepeak hatch, and will allow better visibility forward. The Portabote will go on the rails or the pilothouse roof, or even flat on the deck. The engine will weigh about 30-40 lbs./13-18 kgs. and my wife will be able to handle it solo. We will make up lifting bridles and use the spare halyards or even the topping lift and boom to get them aboard.

Being "humble" tenders, they may also prove to be less attractive to thieves, and their ease of handling and stowage will never tempt us to leave them in the water at night.

I may be wrong in my decisions here, and they aren't cheap ones, but I believe they represent a good compromise for long-term cruising/liveaboard lifestyles. Now, I have enjoyed bombing around on the plane in my RIB on calm nights in Lake Ontario, but the number of times I've carried serious cargo (does a case of beer count?) have been few indeed, and with the 1,000 lbs. my RIB can carry split between two tenders, I think we'll do OK.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Valiente-

Who makes the nesting dinghy?


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## soul searcher (Jun 28, 2006)

We have a ten foot RIB with a fiber glass bottom It is heavy especialy when the bone head (ME) forgets to take out the drain plug for the hull and water builds in the bilge. I think if I had to get a new one I would consider the same dink with an aluminum hull. So far its a good family truckster. I wonder if the alum. bottoms row better than frp ones.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> Valiente-
> 
> Who makes the nesting dinghy?


SD, SD, SD,

Are you telling me you don't know ?

Shocked and stunned, am I.

http://www.niccollslite.net/page1.html

Yes I know I'm not Valiente but excuse my presumption.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

LOL... I knew it looked familiar...


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> Valiente-
> 
> Who makes the nesting dinghy?


A guy named Barry Niccolls out in British Columbia. Apparently, I am his first customer in Ontario. I expect delivery within 10 days or so. He builds them himself.

http://www.niccollslite.net/page1.html


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## tinker (Nov 19, 2006)

*Portland Pudgy*

Assuming I had the space for a proper dinghy, I would be very much drawn to the Portland Pudgy as it would serve as both dinghy and liferaft.

portlandpudgy_com


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## jerelull (Jul 7, 2000)

We've had a 12.5' PortaBote for 9 seasons and have little but good to say about it. The only drawbacks are climbing in from the water and stowing the seats and transom.

The website is, in my opinion, conservative about its claims. porta-bote.com See the Practical Sailor review, in particular. 

---
Jere Lull


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## geary126 (Jul 11, 2006)

We had a Zodiac and a custom hard dinghy on our 4 year cruise through the South Pacific. As a kid, I liked the latter, because it had a sailing rig and even a jib.

I used to race it in Fiji, in our weekly sailing race.


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## gilsurf (Dec 12, 2006)

We live aboard full time in the USVI with 2 kids. We went with a Caribe C-12 and Yam 15 and love it. It is the family car. But, when we are cruising, it is a toss up... it sure is nice for diving, fast runs to offshore cays, etc. But dealing with it for sailing is a chore. Twice we have not hauled it and then watched in horror as we towed it in too big of seas.

Hauling to the bow and flipping could wreck a marriage. Last haul we placed it on 4 fenders top up and it worked great! Viability was not an issue and the tubes were wide enough to straddle the granny bars at the mast and that gave us enough room to get to the anchor locker. This is on a Beneteau 440.

Now I am looking for a small, light, cheap rowing/sailing dink for the kids that will hang in the davits which can not handle the C-12.

So, no right answers, just many ways to do the same thing.

Gil


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I'd second the Porta-botes... since they store fairly compactly, and have the durability of a rigid dinghy. They also row fairly well, and plane with a fairly small outboard.



jerelull said:


> We've had a 12.5' PortaBote for 9 seasons and have little but good to say about it. The only drawbacks are climbing in from the water and stowing the seats and transom.
> 
> The website is, in my opinion, conservative about its claims. porta-bote.com See the Practical Sailor review, in particular.
> 
> ...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Valiente said:


> A guy named Barry Niccolls out in British Columbia. Apparently, I am his first customer in Ontario. I expect delivery within 10 days or so. He builds them himself.
> 
> http://www.niccollslite.net/page1.html


3 _K_?

Ouch. I _like_ it, but ouch none-the-less...........


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Yeah, I know. But I have neither the skills nor the time to make something with those attributes.

Today I'm going to unbolt my diesel prepatory to hauling it out for rehab. That's more my line.


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## RandyonR3 (Oct 2, 2005)

We also own both, A hard bottom inflatable (avon) and an 8 foot hard ding (nutshell).. The avon folds down to the size of a surf board and goes into a bag.. The nutshell sets bottom side up, over the top of the bag..and both fit well between the dogger and mast..
The hard ding gets more use, unless we go shopping... Saving up for a fatty knees...


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## KB1NNN (Jun 1, 2007)

*Rigid vs inflatable RIB dinghy for international cruising Reply to Thread*

I'll just add my 2 cents on this debate. I purchase my boat this summer and to my delight it came with a 10' Trinka (high end hard dink). The dinghy also came with a 2HP Honda 4 stroke and a complete sailing rig. I was deciding on whether to sell this dinghy and buy a RIB for an extend cruise my wife and I will be going on this spring. After sailing/rowing this dinghy I would not give it up for the world. It sails very well and rows even better (It's actually fun to row!). The best part is it moves right along with a 2HP motor conserving on gas and the need for an external tank. If you are looking to make it to shore in record time then a RIB is a good choice.


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## craigjohnston (Aug 7, 2000)

We have both Zodiac with high pressure floor (Cadet Fastroller 340, ~11' long) and an 8' plastic Ranger sailing dinghy. Took both around Vancouver Island in 2001, but for our trip across the South Pacific in '03-'04 we left the Ranger on shore. It rows well enough, but having it on the foredeck makes it very tight. I used to use a 4 hp two-stroke on it, but traded it in on a Yamaha 9.9 two-stroke for the zodiac. It is a real truck but it will plane with 2-3 aboard and rolls up into the size of an XXL duffle. Stowed below, this is the most seaworthy choice for crossing an ocean.

BTW, this is made of pvc. It certainly lasted two seasons in the tropics, although I have had to make a few patches. Just have to be careful about coral or rocky B.C. shores. Incidentally, those rocky shores scratch the hell out of the fiberglass dink...

RE the 9,9 Yamaha, it is powerful enough to allow me to use it for longer fishing expeditions, and fixable in the third world. (I would check carefully before taking your four-stroke to the Caribeean or S. Pacific- most warrantees require return to US for service when I last checked.)

Incidentally, almost every time I have towed either one, something BAD has happened. Except for moving within the anchorage, I just don't do it anymore.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

RandyonR3 said:


> We also own both.


Same here. The hard dinghy (a B&B Minipaw) which fits neatly on the coachroof is deliberately kept looking as tatty as possible.

That way it can be left without worry on any third world beach, or Chicago for that matter. No hassle with boat-boys either. There's nothing worse than coming back to the beach late at night to find your dink/outboard gone. Even the oars (to another yachtie who couldn't get his outboard started) - we always padlock them.

The inflatable+outboard is strictly for where its too far (>1 mile) or too windy to row the small hard dinghy.


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## SYMandalay (Nov 9, 2007)

You will find that any dinghy will work in sheltered waters like the ICW or various smaller harbors, but when you are really out there and there's two or three foot chop between you and your destination, a RIB with a 15 hp outboard is the only dinghy you will want (unless the alternative is a 15 ft Boston Whaler).

There are lots of anchorages in the Bahamas for instance where small hard dinghies simply are not safe.


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## donradclife (May 19, 2007)

All dinghies are compromises, as you want one which is big enough for at least 4 people, light enough for you and your wife to pull up on the beach, comfortable and dry in big chop, doesn't bang up the boat, tough enough to chafe against a pier all day, strong enough to blast over waves with a 15 hp motor in 25 knots of wind, stowable on passages, sun-damage resistant, and fun to drive. The perfect dinghy doesn't exist.

I would guess that 85-90% of the dinghies on world cruising boats are RIBs, with about half of those stowed on davits (if the davits didn't start out strong enough, they soon got reinforced). Nobody rows their dinghy unless they want exercise or the outboard won't run.

We started with an Avon with plywood floors (too wet, and not strong enough) and currently have an aluminum 3.10 RIB made by Swift in Australia. It weighs less than the fiberglass models, but is plenty strong and has a high bow to keep us drier.


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