Advantages of Inflatable Kayak as a Tender?

[nevis768]

I've got both a dinghy and an inflatable kayak. The kayak is an Itwit 3 person from Decathlon. The floor is similar to a stand up paddle board, and it is extremely stable, and tough. The only downside is that it it is susceptible to the wind, but so are dinghies. The main advantage is that I wont have to be man handling an outboard. You do get some water over the front in large waves, and I wouldn't go in it in winter without waterproofs, and also, I use a buoyancy aid.
It is pretty big, so plenty room for supplies. I've had it 3 years now and its had a fair hammering with no punctures, despite being used on grade 3 rivers etc. Previously I had a Sevlar, much inferior, which exploded one of it's chambers on Ullswater, and I narrowly avoided divorce from my non swimmer wife who was aboard during the explosion.

Anybody else been using one as a tender?

 

[B27]

What does it weigh and how tough is the fabric?
How long does it take to pump up?

I think there might be some interest in a 'backpackable' tender for people who can't park near their boats but don't have far to go on the water?
I thought Sevylor (sp?) was a reasonable make? I'm sorry your wife blew yours up.

 

[Slowtack]

Lateral stability concerns?

 

[ashtead]

I guess it depends on your usage of tender,crew weights,kit to be transported etc -we have a sevlor which has been fine but also a quicksilver around 2.9m plus 2 paddle boards and a small 2.3m seago - the quicksilver is good for distances with 4 but as a lone explorer I like the sevylor so just like thunderbirds you have a number of options to deploy depending on situation.

 

[Slowtack]

Consider boarding and stepping off from a moored yacht in conditions where the sea state is pitching the boat... I've seen people try kayaks and quickly change to a dinghy for safety reasons.

 

[KevinV]

Consider boarding and stepping off from a moored yacht in conditions where the sea state is pitching the boat... I've seen people try kayaks and quickly change to a dinghy for safety reasons.

That'll be me. It seemed like such a good idea.

 

[dunedin]

We have a 2.7m dinghy on davits, with outboard attached. With grand kids on board we also took an inflatable canoe as a play thing, I think the same one the OP has.
Was good fun to play in, but personally would never consider as an alternative to a traditional tender. The canoe is very stable in canoe terms - but the tender is still massively more stable. Also can carry bikes and other bigger stuff in a dinghy.
And paddling a canoe generally get wet - whereas rowing the dinghy can stay dry.
The canoe was also quite long. We carried over the top of the davits, but would be awkward to stow on deck on many boats.

Good fun - just as a SUP is. But to me not a tender replacement, and start to get stowage issues if carry every toy.

 

[ashtead]

The best way for a blow up kayak is to sort of role into it from the stern ramp if you have one . Completely different to jumping into a rib

 

[srm]

Depends a lot on your boat's freeboard and where you will use it. Getting in and out of even an inflatable canoe can be a challenge as they tend to skid sideways, (I have two, one with catamaran hulls that are used for fun and exploring rocky areas, not as a tender). Passing heavy items up and down between deck and kayak could be a safety challenge if you have to kneel or stand to reach the deck.

The only answer is to try it in calm conditions and see how that works for you. Suspect that it may be OK for a walk ashore in summer but probably not for a shopping trip or shifting tool boxes/batteries/etc.

They also tend to get very wet if of the usual open canoe type. Proper decked kayaks would be dryer but much more difficult to get in and out of and have a frame to assemble. You will also need to get a good double paddle rather than the short ones with small flat blades that usually come with them.

 

[Kettlewell]

We used inflatables for many years, even when living aboard, but eventually found their load-carrying capability too limited for extended cruising. Now with our 38-footer I carry two hard kayaks on deck and tow a skiff for local cruising. But, if I was to head off for long-distance cruising I would probably go to the usual inflatable with an outboard. They can't be beat for load carrying, safety in all weather, ease of use, stability, etc. Their main downsides are cost and the need for a motor. It really depends on where you are going. In many parts of the USA, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean one might be using the dinghy to go miles to get to a town or a diving spot.

 

[nevis768]

Thanks for all the replies. Somebody mentioned Sevlars, mine had inflatable bladders, which were very thin and prone to puncture. The seams also tend to rip. It was fine for a year or so, then basically exploded.
The more modern Itwits are similar to a SUP and very strong. I agree you will get wet in it if there is a sea running, but it is very stable to step into. I use a double paddle, and the main advantage is there is no outboard to haul in and out.I will see how further sea trials go and report back(hopefully :})

 

[Stemar]

In sheltered water, I can row my inflatable dinghy quite easily as long as there isn't too much wind, and I often do.

The difficulty I would see with an inflatable kayak is getting out of it onto the boat and into it from the boat, especially if you're carrying a fair bit of kit. I'd want to be very sure everything was in dry bags, including wallet, car keys and phone. Early in the season, with cold water, I reckon a dry suit would be a useful safety precaution as well as a buoyancy aid.

 

[Neeves]

We have a Foldabote , we have a swing mooring - we carried an 80l fridge and on another occasion 2 x 200amp/hr battery. We refuel at service stations, 20l jerry cans (cheaper, potentially cleaner fuel) I would not fancy carrying the same in any form of kayak. Our folding bikes would be a challenge.

We do carry solid kayaks

Horses for courses.

Jonathan

 

[rotrax]

Had a Stearns 'Back Country' two man inflatable kayak for nine years. Dont use it every year, did not this year.

Still good, no punctures or explosions.

Easy to paddle, quite wide, very stable but subject to wind. Far easier than rowing a flat botton inflateable dinghy.

Useful bit of kit IN THE RIGHT CONDITIONS!

 

[nevis768]

I'm lucky Ive got both, and it looks like from the replies I will need to use both.

 

[Kettlewell]

One criteria for a cruising boat is can I carry an anchor out and deploy it in a gale? And, could the dinghy take me and the full crew ashore safely in one trip in a big blow? The situations are rare, but I have had to do it. IMHO the inflatable kayaks I have used would be incapable of doing this. In fact, I think it would be difficult carrying out an anchor in calm conditions, which I have had to do many times. I have rescued people a few times who had inflatables of various sorts that were incapable of making way against the wind and current.

 

[nevis768]

In my kayak, the more modern type with SUP type construction, it takes 3 large adults easily plus a 40 kg dog who has a liking for leaping off it, so I think I could fairly easily take an anchor plus 2 passengers.Also if there is an outboard failure its far more easy to paddle. The older types of inflatable kayak/or modern cheap ones, were/are definitely not up to that.
I do see pros and cons of both though, I also think your dinghy size is important as some I have had in the past were pretty poor.

 

[Kettlewell]

In my kayak, the more modern type with SUP type construction, it takes 3 large adults easily plus a 40 kg dog who has a liking for leaping off it, so I think I could fairly easily take an anchor plus 2 passengers.

The Itwit looks nice! I hope it serves you well. You would have to be careful taking out an anchor not to damage the boat. The flukes on a Fortress anchor are quite sharp. Same problem with an inflatable motor boat too. I think ultimately whether or not it suits your cruising needs is up to you. When I was using inflatable kayaks every day people thought we were crazy, but now I see them everywhere and today's boats are much better than the ones we were using. OTOH, when we were down in the Caribbean people thought we were crazy not to have a dinghy that could plane with four people onboard. We did fine, though there were some long slow slogs to distant destinations.

 

[Mark-1]

The reason I don't use my rigid kayak as a tender is you get wet.

Sitting on the thwart of a dinghy is way dryer.

If you're willing to paddle a kayak why not row the dinghy and still leave the OB at home? I'm not clear where the kayak adds.

 

[srm]

If your dislike is the outboard engine our dinghy outboard has not been used since it came with this boat in 2009. I carry a rigid dinghy on the forward coachroof that is launched and recovered with a four part tackle on the spinnaker halyard. Dinghy is propelled by a pair of wood oars, longer than those supplied for a good length of stroke. Dinghy is stable and double skinned for buoyancy. Greater carrying power, easier than paddling, and less influenced by wind.
Also, bear in mind that inflatable = deflatable. Getting an unexpected hole on a beach can spoil your day (don't ask how I know, just imagine a sharp bit of rusty steel in the sand).