Inflatable canoe as a tender?

Applescruffs

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Anyone use an inflatable canoe as a tender??

I have about 100 yds to my mooring so it seems like a plan..

Once on board I'd deflate it, and stow, (are they big when deflated ?), and when needed I can use my electric pump to inflate.

I have a small. 19', boat with low freeboard so I'm guessing getting in and out won't be too bad...

Any one done it ?

As an aside I'm thinking I could add a small sail....a la Monsewer Wylan Dinters 'Puck Dunt'

Any thoughts...ideas..??
 
I use a Bic Yakair2 which is brilliant, but its still quite heavy and about 40x30x60cm in its bag. Electric pump is fine. Make sure you get one with a keel so it tracks well through the water.
 
They are used quite often in warm waters. Obviously you will need to choose your canoe carefully depending on the conditions of use ...... tough bottom for beaching, raised seat/kneeling position to keep out of the water in the bottom, multi-chamber for safety, well designed for stiffness, etc.. They can be good in surf to, depending on the experience of the crew.

Although I am not fond of inflatables, they are a considerable advantage over hard dinghies for the smaller size of yacht. Even folding dinghies take up too much room on 20' ers.
 
I love this place...

replies within seconds from,

Wales, Tyne and Wear ...and New Zealand....(most likely on a boat !)

Quite seriously...it's mad...

stop and think what we did just there.....3-4 guys across the world comunicating in the blink of an eye....about nothing of any great importance....and for free !!

Bloody brilliant !!
 
I have an inflatable canoe I bought off eBay. Its 3.5 metres long and 1 meter wide, same construction as a normal inflatable dinghy and the side compartments are the same. I have not used it yet but I can assure you they are heavy and bulky deflated. Probably weighs 40 kilos and would fill the cockpit of a normal 19 footer. I intend to just carry it when away and it will just have to stay in the main cabin if I can get it through the hatch.
 
Apples,

I've got a cheap two man inflatable kayak that I have used, occasionally, as a tender.

If you're anywhere near London, or the East Coast, you're welcome to borrow it to give it a try.
 
We carted First Mate Rik's inflatabubble canoe around for a fortnight last year and never got around to blowing the damn thing up and using it. It took up a fair bit of space on board and wasn't what I'd call light either

When I'm allowed to get anywhere near the bank account again (the dear lady wife has said she might forgive me the expenditure on the boat LAST winter in around a decade or so) I'm looking at a Bombard AX2 because it's lighter and packs down smaller than the canoe (and in our case will, with some relocation of the bilge pump pipework, squeeze into the space under the cockpit floor)
 
I have two inflatable kayaks, a three man and a two man. The two man kayak is light and can be carried easy, but still I find it easier to carry and pump up a small light inflatable than a kayak.
 
I use one of these

but as a transport of last resort

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2013-SEAS...ng_Goods_Sailing_Boats_ET&hash=item20cceb1c55


it is pretty stable, folds down small, is easy to carry and inflate

no worse to paddle than a real inflatable

I would not use it to carry much stuff but it can get you back to the shore from the mooring or the other way around

at £33 it is a great price



of course real sailors will tell you that I deserve to die for using such a thing

of course you could always build a duck punt and use that - easy to car top, it sails, tows well, a right bugger to stow of course
 
Thanks for all the replies,

we went to 'Go Outdoors' for a look-see at the canoe they've got on offer.....

Quoting Mrs Scruffs....." if you think I'm getting in that stupid thing...etc...etc".

So sticking with the Avon it is then.
 
It certainly seems stable in the absence of water.

I use one of these

but as a transport of last resort

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2013-SEAS...ng_Goods_Sailing_Boats_ET&hash=item20cceb1c55


it is pretty stable, folds down small, is easy to carry and inflate

no worse to paddle than a real inflatable

I would not use it to carry much stuff but it can get you back to the shore from the mooring or the other way around

at £33 it is a great price



of course real sailors will tell you that I deserve to die for using such a thing

of course you could always build a duck punt and use that - easy to car top, it sails, tows well, a right bugger to stow of course
 
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