Best dinghy for the Med?

[RupertW]

Fine with heavy 3m rib but needs 80 percent power in a chop with 4 people and bags. Normally use 30 to 40 percent in an anchorage.

 

[RupertW]

Whats the charging regime like for a Torqueedo ? How long do you get for each charge and how many amps does the charge consume ?

Mostly don't think about charging as even a half kilometre trip uses about 10 percent. Just put it on charge when we are connected to mains or if calm weather motoring then by inverter. The only time I have had range anxiety was last week when we were a mile from town in a chop and used 30 percent each way for an afternoon explore then wanted to go out for dinner just two hours later. So although the domestic batteries had 10 times the juice needed the time was too short to completely recharge.

 

[whiteshythe]

Hi Nikia,
Have just bought our boat back from the Med, (similar size to yours) We have been through two Zodiac (not Hypalon) dinghies in the 14years that we were there. In retrospect we should have bought a Hypalon dinghy in the first place. Even with a cover on the tubes started deteriorating after about five years.
We considered a rib, but not really practical when it has to be stowed on the fordeck of a 39ft boat. Weight, both of dinghy and engine is important, especially with our advancing years. We opted for a 2.8m dinghy which will take two people with luggage/shopping comfortably or four people at a pinch. We could lift this with the help of a hallyard winch. We decided on the the smallest engine available, a 2hp Honda, which we could lift on & off without some sort of crane. With this combination we were limited to about 4 knots dinghy speed , but quite sufficient for most Med anchorages as the distances to shore are usually modest, in any case high speed planing in busy anchorages is not to be recommended. Just some of our thoughts.

 

[RichardS]

Thanks to everyone for your replies.
Quite a lot of consensus which is good!
Looks like max size which will fit on foredeck, with large tubes, is the way to go
I think I prefer the idea of a solid floor (ie RIB) rather than airbed, more robust maybe.

Thanks again

If you want a lightweight with solid floor and hypalon then look at the Highfield Ultralight range. We have the alloy floor 260 UL hypalon/orca and it's light enough to be carried by one person. The Suzuki DF2.4 which powers it is also light enough to carry with one hand so I can carry the dinghy whilst the Mrs can carry the engine and we can go anywhere.

The 240 is even lighter if you want to go small, although not in price.

Richard

 

[Cinderella66]

Can highly recommend the Suzuki 2.5 outboard. I can carry it! It's easy to lift on and off and I believe the lightest for its size other than the electric outboard. We also considered them but as we spent so little time anywhere with mains couldn't rely on being able to charge it.

 

[Fluvial66]

Can highly recommend the Suzuki 2.5 outboard. I can carry it! It's easy to lift on and off and I believe the lightest for its size other than the electric outboard. We also considered them but as we spent so little time anywhere with mains couldn't rely on being able to charge it.

I second that.
Bought one after reading the reviews on YM a few years back.
Weight is an important factor, and have never regretted the choice.

 

[Kelpie]

Only issue I've had with the Suzuki is that the breather cap threads strip very easily and now if you tilt the engine up your dinghy will have petrol dripping into your dinghy. Anybody found a suitable replacement breather?

 

[Nikia]

Lots of good info, thanks everyone.
I maybe should of said, the engine isn't too much of an issue as I have a block running from my solar panel frame on the stern, which I use to hoist and lower the engine to and from the dinghy.

I think we will be going for something we can keep inflated on the coachroof/foredeck, which doesn't compromise our sailing, and which we can lift on and off the boat using a halyard.

Cheers,
Brian

 

[GHA]

I think we will be going for something we can keep inflated on the coachroof/foredeck, which doesn't compromise our sailing, and which we can lift on and off the boat using a halyard.

Tip - if you run the halyard through a block which in turn gets pulled towards the end of the pole through another line/block then getting the dinghy onboard complete with outboard is much easier >

 

[Cinderella66]

I think we replaced our breather strip after 2 years from Suzuki. Easy to replace.

 

[RichardS]

I think we replaced our breather strip after 2 years from Suzuki. Easy to replace.

I've a DF2.5 but I'm not sure what the breather strip is?

Richard