Dinghies - PVC or Hypalon - soft or hard floor.

[Annabell]

Bought a Waveline 290 Rib in Inverness in June 2011, arrived in August in the Canaries, use it daily with a 6 HP Suzuki and there is up to now nothing to complain about . Price was GBP 840. Will buy a cover for it and hope that I did not get what I paid for

Klaus

 

[vyv_cox]

I have had a Waveline and it didn't last 18 months, Canaries and the Carib, I have had a Quicksilver for the last 3 years and no problems at all, used nearly everyday, inflatable floor and v, it's incredibly stable 2.4m with a Mercury 6hp so very fast. Pays your money and takes your choice.

My Quicksilver is now nine years old, most of them in the sunlight in the Med. Apart from failure of the original Airdeck, replaced under guarantee when it went sticky, no problems whatsoever. The Airdeck problem was common to most dinghy makes and all have adopted the same solution, a change of material. Friends have a Quicksilver also, theirs is about the same age but with slatted floor, also no problems.

 

[duncan99210]

We have a Bombard AX4 which has an inflatable deck and keel. No idea how old it is as it came with the boat. This is now its 4th summer in the med. Last summer it got a bit sticky but we attacked it with a scotch pad and removed the stickness. It's been fine since with no return of the stickies. Goes well with a 3hp Yamaha Malta and is big enough and stable enough to cope with 3 adults, a load of kit and a couple of little, yet light enough to be lifted by the 2 of us to stow on the deck without usuing a halyard.

 

[GrahamM376]

Bought a Waveline 290 Rib in Inverness in June 2011, arrived in August in the Canaries, use it daily with a 6 HP Suzuki and there is up to now nothing to complain about . Price was GBP 840. Will buy a cover for it and hope that I did not get what I paid for

Klaus

Our last Waveline lasted 5 years, exposed to Algarve sun 365. Big mistake not having made covers or it would still be in service.

 

[pyrojames]

I bought a Rover airdeck in 1998 and it is still going strong, despite spend 2 years in the tropics.

Just bought an 2nd Hand Avon rib from fleabay, at reasonable cost and expect it to last too. Why not go for a older Avonb off fleabay?

 

[bazobeleza]

I'm with Graham on this, make covers, I have a 7 yr old suzamar from new,6 years in the algarve and is a sticky unpleasant mess. I wish I'd made covers for it when new, but I'm going to get a wavline like Grahams and then nick his covers, they real are superb

 

[CodStewart]

There's only one dinghy that never gets mentioned on the sailing nets worldwide, and that's the Porta Bote, because they last and last and last. No need to hunt for patches, that is for sure. I don't know why folks still bother with those things you have to inflate. They are so Jurassic.

 

[CodStewart]

Not that I've been 'worldwide' but you get my gist.