3D Inflatable Dinghies

[typhoonNige]

I'm also looking for a new inflatable but I'm not sure black PVC is a good choice in the tropics. Hot to sit on and I assume air pressure would rise considerably in the sun!! Are the O2Lites and 3D offerings only available in black?

 

[Tranona]

3D were available in grey, but I have not seen them advertised in that colour recently. You are right black not good in tropics, but maybe one of the latest lightweight RIBs might be a better bet (assuming you have space on deck to carry it)

 

[typhoonNige]

3D were available in grey, but I have not seen them advertised in that colour recently. You are right black not good in tropics, but maybe one of the latest lightweight RIBs might be a better bet (assuming you have space on deck to carry it)

No space for a rib unfortunately. I have been looking at hypalon roll up tenders but they are expensive and heavy. Maybe a Seago will do for a few years before it succumbs to the UV like my Waveline has! Thanks for the suggestion though

 

[CFarr]

3D are also available in white. I know cause we've just received one. I thought it would be a more normal pale grey but it's definitely white!
I think I'll feel a tad conspicuous the first time out.

 

[Tranona]

No space for a rib unfortunately. I have been looking at hypalon roll up tenders but they are expensive and heavy. Maybe a Seago will do for a few years before it succumbs to the UV like my Waveline has! Thanks for the suggestion though

Alternative is a basic PVC roundtail which now have inflatable floors and which are cheaper and easier to pack than hard transom. Not so good for motoring but good load carriers.

 

[emandvee44]

We are in the market for a new dinghy as our trusty Avon 7 roundtail is not suitable for us. Getting in and out with the soft floor, and a wet ride to the shore is no longer what we want! (I do like rowing it alone however)
I have been following this thread and others, and watching the 3Dtender website. There are a lot of models available in the roll up styles, but they now have a new model - the fastcat, designed for lower powered engines (we would like to keep our little Honda, if only for cost reasons). This seems ideal for us and although there are no real suppliers in Portugal I am planning to bring one back when we go to Plymouth next month. At around 35kgs package weight I think we can check it in as an extra bag on Ryanair without too much extra cost.
Has anyone looked at/seen this new model?

Cheers,

Michael.

 

[maby]

We are in the market for a new dinghy as our trusty Avon 7 roundtail is not suitable for us. Getting in and out with the soft floor, and a wet ride to the shore is no longer what we want! (I do like rowing it alone however)
I have been following this thread and others, and watching the 3Dtender website. There are a lot of models available in the roll up styles, but they now have a new model - the fastcat, designed for lower powered engines (we would like to keep our little Honda, if only for cost reasons). This seems ideal for us and although there are no real suppliers in Portugal I am planning to bring one back when we go to Plymouth next month. At around 35kgs package weight I think we can check it in as an extra bag on Ryanair without too much extra cost.
Has anyone looked at/seen this new model?

Cheers,

Michael.

Don't know the new model. I would point out that ours is now effectively useless after three years of hard use - and misuse. We did leave it inflated and dangling off the back of the boat for more than a year - at the end of which all the lifting handles deteriorated and tore out and the fabric became sticky. It did come in for a lot of use in those three years and I don't feel cheated - YMMV.

 

[pvb]

I have been following this thread and others, and watching the 3Dtender website. There are a lot of models available in the roll up styles, but they now have a new model - the fastcat, designed for lower powered engines (we would like to keep our little Honda, if only for cost reasons). This seems ideal for us and although there are no real suppliers in Portugal I am planning to bring one back when we go to Plymouth next month. At around 35kgs package weight I think we can check it in as an extra bag on Ryanair without too much extra cost.
Has anyone looked at/seen this new model?

Haven't seen it, but as you mention 35kg you're presumably considering the Twin Fastcat 330, which the 3D website says weighs 34kg. Might be worth checking, as the Ocean First Marine website lists it as weighing 40kg.

Frankly, I can't see that its performance with a small engine is going to be much different from any other similarly-sized inflatable.

 

[emandvee44]

I was estimating the package weight as it (the 260) is supplied in a carton and I prefer to keep it packed for air transport.

If I go ahead I will try to remember to post here with some info and pics.

M.

 

[pvb]

I was estimating the package weight as it (the 260) is supplied in a carton and I prefer to keep it packed for air transport.

I think 3D's quoted weights are suspect. Their website says the 260 weighs 25kg; their catalogue says it weighs 34kg! And there's no information on the PVC fabric thickness.

 

[rudolph_hart]

I replaced a perfectly good Wetline 250 with a 3D 270 (the black one) for the same reason as the OP. It did exactly what it said on the box - weight almost halved, similar reduction in bulk. It's doddle to inflate in the cockpit, launch, retrieve & deflate/roll up/pack on the foredeck & takes up less space in the cockpit locker.

Downside: Tubes are smaller, so you can get wet in a chop. Inflated floor works well, but lighter weight + flat floor encourages Honda 2.3 to cavitate if you 'floor it' :highly_amused:

Yes, it's flimsier, but I've had it 3 years & no problems with build quality.

3-D also do range with larger tubes (grey colour), but they're almost as heavy as the one I got rid of.