best tender?

Like TQA, we are in the Caribbean with an old but perfectly functional 2.6m AB rib with 10 HP Honda. Gets you where you want to go fast and dry. However, on the principle of greener grass, I now lust after a Walker Bay, having seen folk messing about on them under sail in Tyrell and Admiralty Bays. Obviously, would have to get used to slow trips to shore(3.5HP appears to be tops, according to most). Quite worried about how wet the Chief Pretty Officer and her shopping would get in any kind of chop. Would therefore value comments on that from the 4 WB enthusiasts. Ditto on whether I could ship a WB in the same way as we carry our AB i.e. bowsed up against the stern, where it fits neatly enough and is tied on using the 4 lifting eyes built in. This is in fact how it crossed the pond in january.
 
fliti said:
Like TQA, we are in the Caribbean with an old but perfectly functional 2.6m AB rib with 10 HP Honda. Gets you where you want to go fast and dry. However, on the principle of greener grass, I now lust after a Walker Bay, having seen folk messing about on them under sail in Tyrell and Admiralty Bays. Obviously, would have to get used to slow trips to shore(3.5HP appears to be tops, according to most). Quite worried about how wet the Chief Pretty Officer and her shopping would get in any kind of chop. Would therefore value comments on that from the 4 WB enthusiasts. Ditto on whether I could ship a WB in the same way as we carry our AB i.e. bowsed up against the stern, where it fits neatly enough and is tied on using the 4 lifting eyes built in. This is in fact how it crossed the pond in january.
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You can have eye bolts on the outside edge of the seats so that wouldn't be a problem.. We've had ours on the fore deck and also tied up side up on the bathing platform.
I'll be making some davits to put her on eventually..
3.3 hp is what we have, so its not going anywhere real fast.
If your CPO wants dry shopping and its raining there is a bimini that can be bought...
 
Oscarpop said:
We need to buy a new tender for when we finally sail off into the distance.

It is going to go on a 40ft yacht, either on deck or towed.

I am still undecided about solid floor rib or inflatable v keel.
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I often sail with a pal who carries a small Avon rib on his 39 footer. He carries it on the foredeck. He's a big burly ex plod and can manage the lifting on and off both of the rib and the 6 hp outboard. I'm a reasonably fit 67 year old but I couldnt do that. Just too heavy for me on a moving deck.

So if you do go the RIB route I recommend you think of davits

But it has to be said that in use the rib is brilliant as long as you dont mind getting wet.
 
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Oscarpop said:
We need to buy a new tender for when we finally sail off into the distance.

It is going to go on a 40ft yacht, either on deck or towed.

I am still undecided about solid floor rib or inflatable v keel. Would like the option to deflate it all I guess,but open to solid floor.

I was thinking about 2.4-2.6 m.

Can anyone recommend a make that will suits us for a couple of three years of use during a circumnavigation?

ta
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For what its worth, ive been living aboard in the uk for the past eight years and mainly on a swinging mooring or at anchor in that time ive had several different tenders, my advice to you would be to get the largest rib you can fit on deck and get covers made for it , even in the uk the first thing to die will be the tubes from uv light.

Ive had roll up inflatables and whilst light and easy to store , they are heavily restricted in what you can carry and the size of engine that can be fitted, watching your freshly done laundry floating around in the bottom of your tender on the way home isnt much fun , neither is watching your shopping floating off over the transom as the dinghy is literally full of water.

Using a soft bottom or inflatable floor will eventually end in tears as you will find there is shingle or glass on most beaches in one form or another, pumping whilst bailing and rowing is even less fun than watching the bread drift away and sink.

Id agree with the comments of weight, one small rib i had , was of a v shaped floor and reasonably light weight, sadly i hadnt appreciated at the time just how much damage the uv was doing to the tubes and they deteriorated beyond repair, i purchased another rib but this had a v hull and a moulded in floor which proved to be to heavy and water inevetibly found its way in between the floor and the v of the hull.

I discovered the aluminium floored ribeye tenders , large, light weight and single floor, ive had a cover made for this one and fitted wheels for beaching it on shingle just to protect the alloy hull, its light enough to heave on deck with the engine removed, it also doubles up for storage once on deck.

The choice of engine for me was a two stroke, simply because of the weight and having had several four stroke honda outboards that weighed loads and proved to be not so reliable the simplicity of a two stroke 15 hp has been a welcoming relief, it starts when i want it too and i can store it upside down if i wish , the only concession is to run the fuel out of the carb each time by turning off the fuel tap and leaving it running until it dies , that way the petrol doesnt evaporate leaving the oil to clog the jets .

So far this has proven to be a really good choice and one im happy with, yes the likes of a walker bay as a toy at anchor may be some fun, but its more to store and a much lower freeboard makes for a wet ride , collars fitted or not .

Good luck
 
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