Dinghy; Mediterranean cruising

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I ask this question by proxy for a friend who cruises from Greece in a 44' Jeanneau. He asks:

What dinghy recommendations might Mediterannean cruisers have given the below criteria:

• Needs to be reasonably resistant to UV light so which of hypalon vs polyurethane?
• 3-4 people capacity
• 4 hp engine
• Not too heavy to lift back onto the boat
• Are inflatable floors good feature
• LOA 2.7 metres max

Note that budget is not a criterion so this isn't necessarily a cheap vs expensive discussion.

Any advices gratefully received.

Regards

Rob
 
Robih said:
I ask this question by proxy for a friend who cruises from Greece in a 44' Jeanneau. He asks:

What dinghy recommendations might Mediterannean cruisers have given the below criteria:

• Needs to be reasonably resistant to UV light so which of hypalon vs polyurethane?
• 3-4 people capacity
• 4 hp engine
• Not too heavy to lift back onto the boat
• Are inflatable floors good feature
• LOA 2.7 metres max

Note that budget is not a criterion so this isn't necessarily a cheap vs expensive discussion.

Any advices gratefully received.

Regards

Rob
Click to expand...

A different approach:

http://www.portlandpudgy.com/

You would probably need a dedicated halliard or davits though.
 
V1701 said:
If money no problem get an Avon, made from Hypalon & will last much longer...
Click to expand...

My hypalon Avon has had all it's thick bits (rubbing strake and the like) fall off. The fabric has delaminated too. Quality aint what it used to be. Incidentally Hypalon isn't made anymore. The Du Pont factory closed down some time ago.
 
We went for the cheap and cheerful, ex-Sunsail multiply patched Caribe rib as we found those to be pretty sturdy when chartering out in the Caribbean. Our biggest issue has been the weight of a 3m rib, but I like the fact we can scrape the bottom against rocky beaches etc without worry. Fine for up to 6 people so possibly oversized (12 people if French)

So, main change we've made is to set up spinnaker pole as a Derrick to get it onto the foredeck with just two of us, but mostly we just tow it.

Given a fresh start I would still go for old Caribe rib but a 2.3 not a 3m.
 
Nothing unusual about the requirements which can be met by a whole range of alternatives. As said, Hypalon is no longer available and the life of PVC has improved dramatically and with care (including use of a cover) will last a long time. An airdeck floor is the most popular option now, with an inflatable keel, but with the size of parent boat, a small RIB becomes a possibility if you have the manpower to get on board or davits.

As to choice of brand, the differences have become less within price brackets, and more money spent usually gets better and more add on features such as rowlocks, seats, trim, davit points etc. Main things to look for are heavy material (1100 denier +) large tubes and weight, which can become high with more features.

Buy in UK as prices here (and choice) are better than in Greece.
 
If money is not a problem buy a PVC inflatable (Waveline etc) with V inflatable keel 2.9 long; they are light, able to row well, thick tubes, plenty of room, can take up to 10hp engine and will last anything between 5 to 10years; then throw away and buy another one.
 
Somebody said the other day that all inflatables made in two factories in China, maybe not strictly true but it is the trend. I notice the Avon site is copyrighted 2009 - I thought they were completely bought out around that time, so maybe nobody has bothered to update or delete the site? The two things you need to do in the Med is to minnimise UV exposure and keep it cool enough that the adhesive doesn't ooze out and the whole thing falls apart. Deflated in a cockpit locker can be like putting it in an oven so it unglues - remember that repairs are done by using a hot air gun to unglue patches, rubbing strakes, etc.

Rob.
 
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