How many sail without a tender ?

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Just interested .... lets say you are going on a 3 - 4 day jaunt ... marina berth to marina berth ... etc. Unlikely to be anchoring off or need a dinghy for access to shore.

How many forego the towing of a tender or stowing that rolled up flubber on such ?

Obviously this question is aimed at the small to medium size of boat where its a serious limitation .....

Where does this question get its source ? I sail a 1970's 25ft motor sailer .... my tender is an Avon Redcrest ..... usually I would partially deflate and fold in half to stow on foredeck. Its too big to stow anywhere else. Dragging it behind is a pain.
I have reservation whether that partially deflated dinghy is a life saver ... imagine abandoning ship into such ..... imagine trying to pump it up while wallowing around in it.

I do keep thinking about a Coastal Valise raft ....

Interested in other small boat owners thoughts .....
 
I have a smaller Soviet 2 man inflatable ..... but it would still need to be stowed and not really be a life-saver ... it also cannot carry an outboard.
 

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On Live Magic (Vivacity 20) I never took a tender unless I specifically needed one. On the new boat (Sun Odyssey 36.2) it's in the locker waiting to deploy. Last week we were cruising the Solent and used it once just because I wanted to play with my dinghy. The rest of the week we used paddle boards to get to beaches. Only one night in a marina the rest of the week was anchoring.
 
We used to tow a rigid 8ft tender with a 27ft boat. Lashed in on deck when going further. BUT, this was before the marina days, so unless up against a quai, always anchored off.
 
I don't take one unless I know I am going to be doing something where I will need one. Pain to tow and very bulky to try and keep on deck. I used to have a light weight one with smaller tubes but we got too wet in that even if we were more likely to have it on board.
 
Paddle boards have changed the dynamics a lot. I see many boats that have given up tenders and just use them, they are good for taking a dog ashore
 
I admit that I was tongue in cheek asking .....

I am going on a Baltic short trip ...... 12hrs to kuressaare or Ruhnu .... open sea. Day there enjoying the 'old world' character .... then 12hrs back ...

Usually I would fold the Avon on deck ... but it really is a pain ... and in all the Baltic sailing I've done - it only was used once.
 
Inflatable kayaks as well, I had a Gumotex on my Bowman 26. The single skin ones are less hassle you can dry it off with an old towel, roll up & you're off. The double skinned ones get water between the layers and take some time to properly dry out...
 
Appreciate the ideas ..... all going into the pot to decide how to proceed.

I admit I feel a bit naked without a dinghy to fall back on to if needed .... open waters - I like idea of a 'life-saver' ...... but a folded flubber is not really viable in that ...
 
I have never sailed without a tender, usually an Avon folded in a locker and would also feel that my options were restricted without one. I might end up grounded and need to row out a kedge, or several other scenarios, including an urgent need to visit another boat at anchor for drinks. You never know.
 
johnalison said:
I have never sailed without a tender, usually an Avon folded in a locker and would also feel that my options were restricted without one. I might end up grounded and need to row out a kedge, or several other scenarios, including an urgent need to visit another boat at anchor for drinks. You never know.
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So what you are saying is that without a tender your liqueur cabinet might be raided by someone who has one?‍♂️ I would definitely not be without a dinghy
 
Well with my little boat I have never towed a dinghy. Most sailing these days is out and back non stop. However in the past when going to an island I will lift the keel and pull the boat to the shore where I can wade ashore from stern. No never felt the need for a life raft. Rather make the boat unsinkable. ol'will not much help at all
 
I did take a deflated dinghy on a long trip south back in 2004, but it just cluttered the foredeck & never got removed from its bag. Since then I have never taken one with me. Cannot see the point ,as I am able to get close enough to the pontoon to step ashore.
 
I'm fortunate that I can easily get a deflated 2.7m aerodeck into my bow locker and it will also fit (inflated) in front of the sprayhood, but I now find myself using the anchor more than marinas.
On my 25ft MG Spring there was no room for a tender and I did without. On my 33ft Beneteau I strapped it to the transom year round, but this led to sun damage on the exposed tube.
Never regarded a tender as a significant safety feature. In a real emergency I'd want a dedicated instant deployment life raft.
 
I bought one of those tiny Plastimo 180 dinghy's for my 27f boat. Roll's up really small and suits me.
 
On our 24ft Cornish Crabber we had a dinghy, but it never left the garage at home! And this was before the days of paddle boards.
A lot of replies have mentioned the need to "go ashore", but as per your OP, for marina hopping (which was the vast majority of what we did on the Crabber too) we never needed the dingy. Even at places with pile or river moorings there is always a water taxi - we have even grabbed a lift from another boat in their dinghy after a particularly long night at the folly inn once!

On our current boat we have davits so the dinghy remains permanently stowed ready to go, which increases it's use infinitely. However, our paddleboards get used equally as much now, and as someone mentioned, they are ideal for nipping to shore. With a dry bag you can be quite creative and versatile with one.
 
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