Going over to France-Belgium-Netherlands -- would you take your dinghy?

[Sybarite]

As I've said, I have hardly ever used a dinghy East of Harwich, but I don't think I would want to go on an extended cruise without having one as a resource. Although we cruised with a liferaft, I always thought the little Avon might be of some use as a back-up for emergencies.

+1 I do the same.

 

[dansaskip]

Although lot of others have said that they wouldn't take a dinghy if going to France Belgium Netherlands. I wouldn't consider going on a cruise anywhere without a dinghy as some other have suggested - I would just feel uneasy about that - you never know when it might be useful. True I wouldn't take my tender but then I have a smallish inflatable which always lives on the boat and despite me having a smallish boat is no problem to keep aboard.

 

[LiftyK]

Although lot of others have said that they wouldn't take a dinghy if going to France Belgium Netherlands. I wouldn't consider going on a cruise anywhere without a dinghy as some other have suggested - I would just feel uneasy about that - you never know when it might be useful. True I wouldn't take my tender but then I have a smallish inflatable which always lives on the boat and despite me having a smallish boat is no problem to keep aboard.

Completely understandable. I was the same. I took my dinghy and two bikes in a 27’ boat. Any cruise to these parts is likely to span numerous weeks. In hindsight I wish I had not taken the dinghy but instead used the space for something that I would have used more.

A learned friend had advised me that I would not need a dinghy, which I found hard to comprehend but now completely understand. I acknowledge that others have spoken of using their dinghy on this itinerary but for us it was really completely redundant. For leisure we used our inflatable canoe.