DinghyGo as a tender

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AHoy2

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My Avon Redstart is on it's last legs and rather than get "just" a basic inflatable replacement I intend getting a DinghyGo for the sailing option it offers (not just from the mothership). The larger DinghyGo 2 model is favourite but storage space on my 23' boat is at a premium so the smaller DinghyGo S may have to do, does anyone have practical experience of either model, i.e. as a boat, as a package for handling/storing? Yes, I do know they are expensive for a tender but I intend using it as a car portable boat as well.

To be clear on the option I prefer see

http://www.nestawayboats.com/page8.htm
 
We are the UK importer for the DinghyGo range. These were launched to UK public at Southampton Boat Show 2013 but first shipment of the new 2014 model (DinghyGo 2.0) did not come into Holland until about 3 weeks ago, and we picked up our stock about 2 weeks ago. So the reason there were no replies to the OP is simply that there were no UK owners, until last week.

The few reports back so far are that DinghyGo works well as a general purpose tender and that the sailing is better than you might expect, although obviously you're not going to be challenging racing machines (not successfully anyway). It will definitely make progress to windward, unlike some previous attempts at sailing inflatables. Sailing Today (if I dare mention on this forum!) did a review in October last year (of the similar DinghyGo 1.0) and said pretty much the same thing. Their main criticism was the lack of a kick-up rudder, which we now offer to UK customers as an option.

The obvious comparison is to the very popular Tinker Tramp sailing inflatable (no longer made) and I have sailed both. The DinghyGo is much quicker to put together (freestanding rig, no fiddly stays to mess about with etc) and in my opinion a better tender, not least because of the more conventional bow shape and massive tubes. They will potter along nicely with an electric outboard (Torqeedo 1003 will achieve approx 5 knots), plane with 3-4hp, and are very quick with an 8hp. In this market the sailing aspect is probably more about killing time than distance but I am fairly certain the sailing is better too (not yet had the opportunity to sail them alongside each other).

If you want a general purpose inflatable dinghy that can also be sailed, we think it's a good option. That's why we've taken it on alongside our many other portable watercraft, including sectional nesting dinghies (Nestaway), folding skin-on-frame Coracle-type dinghies (Nautiraid), and folding plastic panel dinghies (Portabote).

Potential customers are welcome to come to us in Christchurch, Dorset (by arrangement), and try one for themselves.

Ian Thomson
Nestaway Boats Ltd
 
nestawayboats said:
We are the UK importer for the DinghyGo range. These were launched to UK public at Southampton Boat Show 2013 but first shipment of the new 2014 model (DinghyGo 2.0) did not come into Holland until about 3 weeks ago, and we picked up our stock about 2 weeks ago. So the reason there were no replies to the OP is simply that there were no UK owners, until last week.

The few reports back so far are that DinghyGo works well as a general purpose tender and that the sailing is better than you might expect, although obviously you're not going to be challenging racing machines (not successfully anyway). It will definitely make progress to windward, unlike some previous attempts at sailing inflatables. Sailing Today (if I dare mention on this forum!) did a review in October last year (of the similar DinghyGo 1.0) and said pretty much the same thing. Their main criticism was the lack of a kick-up rudder, which we now offer to UK customers as an option.

The obvious comparison is to the very popular Tinker Tramp sailing inflatable (no longer made) and I have sailed both. The DinghyGo is much quicker to put together (freestanding rig, no fiddly stays to mess about with etc) and in my opinion a better tender, not least because of the more conventional bow shape and massive tubes. They will potter along nicely with an electric outboard (Torqeedo 1003 will achieve approx 5 knots), plane with 3-4hp, and are very quick with an 8hp. In this market the sailing aspect is probably more about killing time than distance but I am fairly certain the sailing is better too (not yet had the opportunity to sail them alongside each other).

If you want a general purpose inflatable dinghy that can also be sailed, we think it's a good option. That's why we've taken it on alongside our many other portable watercraft, including sectional nesting dinghies (Nestaway), folding skin-on-frame Coracle-type dinghies (Nautiraid), and folding plastic panel dinghies (Portabote).

Potential customers are welcome to come to us in Christchurch, Dorset (by arrangement), and try one for themselves.

Ian Thomson
Nestaway Boats Ltd
Click to expand...

I don't suppose there is any chance of the liferaft canopy option similar to the Tinker?
 
Well, I took the uninformed but confident decision to buy a DinghyGo 275 so appear to be the ultimate "early adopter" in the UK. So far I can report that it appears of good quality and, as expected, it is too large and heavy to stow away on a small boat like mine although it may stow deflated on the foredeck (yet to be tried). One comment on the "bagged" dinghy is that the straps/handles are intended to lift it flat, trying to manhandle it in an end on plane is awkward. I have yet to put the DinghyGo to proper use as a tender or recreational sailer but will report back here as I do.

For the record Nestaway Boats proved a good one stop source for various dinghy bits and Ian very knowleadgable about the products.
 
Regarding Tinker Tramp style add-on life raft canopy potential I don't know the full history/details but as I understand it at some point the "powers that be" ruled they (the Tinkers) couldn't be sold as standalone life rafts any more. That meant you couldn't class it as your life raft for an offshore race, doing the ARC, etc.

I am no great fan of such dictats from on high but having assembled our Tinker Tramp with life raft canopy on the quay at La Gomera (westernmost Canary Island), prior to sailing across the Atlantic about 15 years ago, I would say they might have had some grounds for this. As we didn't have enough money for another life raft we still sailed to Barbados with the Tinker as our only life raft option, but knowing what it was like with three people inside - that's on solid ground, not in a storm, dry, and not having just lost our yacht - was certainly a big incentive not to sink!

It's a bit off topic but I also once did a sea survival course in a swimming pool, in a conventional life raft, and that was extremely unpleasant inside too. The argument for a taking a dinghy that you are familiar with and can sail, row or motor to safety, perhaps in addition to a dedicated life raft, is for another thread. Not long ago there was a hard dinghy on exhibit at the National Maritime Museum that had saved the lives of a shipwrecked (Bailey or Robertson?) family - after their conventional life raft had chafed itself to pieces, after a surprisingly short period.

At further risk of drifting off topic, I also once watched a demo of a brand new life raft fail to open in the pool at Earls Court London Boat Show...

Anyway I'm not aware of DinghyGo having any plans to offer a life raft canopy option. And I suspect such a thing would not be viable under current regulations.

Ian, Nestaway Boats Ltd
 
Looks terrific fun, vastly better than any tender which can't be sailed. I always wondered why Tinker didn't have competition in their market, or a successor.

The music is worthy of an Indiana Jones film trailer, so I may possibly have been more excited than the product deserves...

 
AHoy2 have you tried sailing your DinghyGo yet? I am planning to have one for daysailing at Sant Carles where there is a large sheltered lagoon. It seems ideal as it can be stowed in our boat when we are away from there, so no need to pay expensive yard storage charges or mooring fees, as it will fit in our berth alongside the bow of our boat and will be much easier than stowing everything just to go out for the afternoon.
 
I saw one of these at Beaulieu recently which appeared to be the new model. A man and child were on board sailing and appeared to be making way into wind and tide. This surprised me enough that I made a note of the dinghy name to later look up and hence looked at this thread so they certainly seem a capable compromise. Obviously the price is off-putting, and it won't sail as well as a proper dinghy but it looked great as a tender, very well built, and fun to sail while at anchor. If they didn't cost twice what my yacht did I'd probably buy one :D
 
DinghyGo

lustyd said:
I saw one of these at Beaulieu recently which appeared to be the new model. A man and child were on board sailing and appeared to be making way into wind and tide. This surprised me enough that I made a note of the dinghy name to later look up and hence looked at this thread so they certainly seem a capable compromise. Obviously the price is off-putting, and it won't sail as well as a proper dinghy but it looked great as a tender, very well built, and fun to sail while at anchor. If they didn't cost twice what my yacht did I'd probably buy one :D
Click to expand...

Regarding performance, yes the DinghyGo sails much better than most people expect. Even, we discovered recently, in light airs, if you get enough weight to leeward to "fly" the windward hull - reducing wetted surface etc. The rig was developed by the Dutch importer for Laser etc, so he had a reasonable idea what to do, and the boats can definitely make progress to windward (even with both tubes in the water if heeling over's not your thing).

Regarding price, well it's a very nicely made and relatively low volume product. So yes to make one comparison it is more expensive than some secondhand 20ft yachts that were built nearly half a century ago. :)

Ian, Nestaway Boats Ltd (DinghyGo UK importer)
 
nestawayboats said:
Regarding price, well it's a very nicely made and relatively low volume product. So yes to make one comparison it is more expensive than some secondhand 20ft yachts that were built nearly half a century ago. :)

Ian, Nestaway Boats Ltd (DinghyGo UK importer)
Click to expand...

Sorry Ian, I wasn't digging at the price. They seem priced well for what they are when compared to other options in the market.
 
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