Inflatable Choices

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Inselaffe

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I need to get a dinghy as Bulli will be on a drying mooring in Brightlingsea this year (Marvelous! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ).

As usual I am ummmming and errrrring as to which one to get. So far I have got three choices narrowed down;

Inflatables.jpg


I Think I want the Bombard as its lightweight, packs up small and I know for certain that it will lay upside-down on my foredeck, fully inflated (I have tried this).

But I'd like some comments on a few points, (or any others that anyone can think of);

-What is the tube diameter like for the AX2 (too small?)
-Is the lightweight & small pack size really an advantage that warrants the extra cost?
-What are the inflatable seats like?
-Is the smaller beam of the AX2 likely to be a problem?

Some more info:
ETAP 22
I am not a lardy (55kg!)
Budget tight, but would pay more if I'm getting sufficiently more for my money

Cheers!
 
I bought an AX2 last year. I chose it because I wanted one that wasn't too heavy and would roll up small. It fits that bill very well - can get it in the locker. The tube diameter seems OK but it is a two person - I weigh 95kg and wife about 60kg and is fine but with the occasional small third person wet bums prevail. There are no seats. Mine has the airdeck which works very well but adds to the cost. I got mine from Barnet Marine (now in Welwyn) and it was £540. No complaints, but no experience of other makes.
 
I think you may have the weight a bit wrong.....it's usually quoted as 18kg, though that's still light for the size. I went through a similar excercise earlier this year, and for me weight was a very important factor especially as I usually am single-handed. I ended up with a WETLINE 240L at £319 which is also around 18kg. Fine so far, but only time will tell how it (or any other!) lasts. Certainly like the look of the AX2, but when I was looking price was too high

Incidentally, RonHaleMarine (Portsmouth) is currently listing the Bombard AX2 (slatted) at £399, which sounds very good.


Vic
 
Add the wetline 230 round tail to your list, packs small, good weight , compared to our friends AX2 it will carry family of two adults and 2 children comfortably, the AX2 is definatly wetter due to its smaller tube size. Biased as we have the 230R.
 
Re: Inflatable Choices .... first point IMHO

Is not weight or packing ...

It's tube diameter ... Many are now using smaller tube diameters and this leads to wet-bum syndrome. A couple of cm's may not sound much ... but journeys to and from mooring soon show that up.

I used to have a Narwhal 240 - never had a dry ride in it ... Now I have the Avon Redstart (2nd hand 8 yrs ago ... still going strong ... incl. o/board at £250). Now that has only a slight increase in tube diam - but bum usually dry now ..

Many people I suspect ride a dinghy only when on piles / visitors moorings away from their marina where dinghy not used. Then the info / results of use are a lot different to one who rides same to and from swinging mooring as only means of getting aboard. A few wet rides and you start to think about ... Why ?

Then its look at size / packing down etc.
 
I have one of the SE9's from here
http://www.seaeagle.com/MotormountBoats.aspx

It folds up really small
The smaller sizes would be fine for a tender. Inflatable floor as standard. Dry, Tough and secure.
They will ship to uk.
Even when duty paid they are still very competitively priced.

They are doing some good discount packages on the SE8 at the moment.
I found ordering on line and shipping no problem
 
Thanks, I will be using the tender as only means to get to boat every time, but to be able to take it with me sometimes would be good. I think I see now that larger tubes are priority, then weight, then pack size. Re inflatable floor, is this because then dont get wet feet? If so then why not wear wellies?

I am now thinking of the Wetline 230:

http://www.marinedirect.co.uk/pages/inflatables/inf_tenders/wetline230.htm

Overall length (m) 2.35
Beam (m) 1.40
Max persons 4 (should be 3 I think)
Max engine power 3 HP
Colour Grey/White
No of chambers 3
Stowed dimensions (cm) 95x50x38
Weight (kg) 24
Max. Load (kg) 350
Tube diameter (cm) 36

Price for airdeck model 449 but not sure if this is the case, the page is a bit ambiguous, i will email to check.

I'm not sure if I really need to pay more for an airdeck, but then I dont really know.

Cheers
 
The inflatable floor makes the floor almost solid so standing and loading are easier. It does allow a bit of water to be in the bottom without wetting you. It's just easier than a solid floor and rolls up with the dinghy.
 
Re: Inflatable Choices .... you can DIY the floor ...

My Avon had slatted floor which was rubbish ... with my weight they soon broke. I still have the plastic envelope to put new slats in ....
The guy who sold me the avon was also a largish chap and he had made a ply floor to fit ... It's a tight fit as it sits under the tubes into the doubled seam ... it is in 2 sections with holes for inflatable seat tapes to come up. The bow part is left as dinghy material without floor .. I couldn't understand why ... then realised you need a space somewhere to allow manouevre of the floor while inflating. OK - the floor is heavy and makes the dinghy more difficult to stow .. but what a difference ... it's more like a rigid dinghy once fitted.

To be more handy in your case ... you only need to really make wide floor pieces to suit where you "tread" ... so in fact they could be a lot smaller and also fold with dinghy if care is taken in planning.
The edges of the ply must of course be planed round and sanded smooth ....

But it's worth it ... Compared to all other floors - its tops. BUT loses out to inflated floors by virtue of kg's and foldability.

There is of course IKEA / MFI bed slats ...... another way to make that floor better ...
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have one of the SE9's from here
http://www.seaeagle.com/MotormountBoats.aspx

It folds up really small
The smaller sizes would be fine for a tender. Inflatable floor as standard. Dry, Tough and secure.
They will ship to uk.
Even when duty paid they are still very competitively priced.

They are doing some good discount packages on the SE8 at the moment.
I found ordering on line and shipping no problem

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for that link, it certainly is a great price. The boat is a tiny bit childrens toy looking. Is it up to the job as a tender?
 
I know what you mean by the colour, but they are tough as old boots. They are rated for cat 3 whitewater use.They have to be because they are marketed for hunting and fishing, so have to be able to stand up to the odd sharp object.

My daughter works at a summer camp where they have a whole fleet of them and they stand up to some serious abuse year in year out; as they are dragged through the woods and grounded on river banks by none too careful excited kids.

They are pretty rigid without the floor boards because of the inflatable bottom but you can order additional wooden floor pieces - but would think that might push the shipping price up.

I guess you could call and ask, or make them yourself. The actual ones are in two pieces, one forward and one aft, and I stow them by sliding them under the bunk cushions so no problem.
We've been very happy with our SE9, but if you're uncerain about your strength requirements, their yacht tender range is also pretty competive, but because of the timber transom wont fold up as small as the motor mount boats.
We do a lot of anchoring so we use it a lot.
 
You can't beat first hand experience and you speak very highly of the boat. I think once we have a few more pennies in the jar we'll go for one.

Thanks again for the tip off!
 
I can't say I was very scientific about it but I bought a Honda outboard and inflatable. It has an inflatable floor and large diameter tubes and was pretty cheap. Previous experiences with ther Honda brand have been good...... but I haven't used the dinghy so far so no personal endorsement yet!!
 
Have a look at Lodestar - group test winners in one of the boating mags last year - large dia. tubes - cheaper than the "premium" brands.
I'd say that an inflatable keel is the next most important feature as it gives the dinghy far better directional stability when being rowed or under power. Flat bottomed ones skate all over the place.

Have Fun.
 
I bought an AX2 a few years ago to use as a back-up to our Tinker Tramp. Very skittish by comparison, narrow beam, and as others have remarked, thinner tubes than some.

I got it from a French chandler (in Trebeurden, N Brittany) on some special offer - cost about £320 at the then £/Euro rate. They were priced at about £150 more at the following London boatshow.

Very happy with the quality of construction - but I did subsequently break a slat (this was before my diet). Was surprised how well it rowed. It also folds up well and planed well - if a bit splashy - with my 4hp Evinrude.

However I wouldn't have been happy with it as a main tender. Basically it's just too small. It's fine to row around single handed - so it would be OK just to get yourself out to your mooring so you could bring your main boat back alongside somewhere to load your gear and crew. And you could get a lightly loaded beach party ashore at an anchorage. But I wouldn't be happy transferring my 4hp outboard into it in choppy conditions (a lighter one might be better). And if I wasn't going to use an outboard, a round tail style inflatable would be a much better load carrier - and with more internal length.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks very much for the great info, very helpful to be able to tap into such a great source of experience!

looks like my initial idea for an AX2 for my usage was not so good, I am now looking at the Wetline airdeck 230 for 449 pounds, unless anyone can suggest similar at a better price /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Overall length (m) 2.35
Beam (m) 1.40
Max persons 3
Max engine power 3 HP
Colour Grey/White
No of chambers 3
Stowed dimensions (cm) 95x50x38
Weight (kg) 24
Max. Load (kg) 350
Tube diameter (cm) 36

Cheers
 
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