inflatable or hard dinghy

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niccapotamus

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our new mooring is a fair chug from the slipway. we've got a biggish (2.7m) inflatable but lots of people seem to use a hard dinghy,

what do you guys recommend - hard dinghy or inflatable - generally 2 plus big dog plus too much "stuff" for a weekend it seems to me. if a hard dinghy i'd be inclined to plump for a plastic bathtub with built in wheels of about the same sort of size

ta

nick
 
To get 2 people, a big dog, and a load of gear any significant distance there is nothing to compete with a stabe rigid dinghy apart from a club or yard free ferry.

If you also have a small to medium sized inflatable you can tow excess baggage in that, and take it with you on your travels to get ashore ... take dog ashore etc.

Ideally if you use an inflatable you need secure indoor storage where you can keep it safely and inflated otherwise you will have to take it home with you sharing the back of the car with the dog.

My own preference has been for a rigid dinghy and outboard........ its half a mile to my mooring ..... and an old cheap inflatable kept on board. I do not have a dog
 
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My personal choice is inflatable by far, especially with a dog; stability is the main issue; you can make the transition from rigid dinghy to inflatable but not the other way round, IMHO.
 
I have swalker bay 8 foot. I prefer it to get to mooring. Then leave it there ad use an inflatable when off sailing. Hard dinghy is easier to leave on chains and not have to keep carrying it in car
 
11ft Dory (assuming you keep it in the water all the time). Too heavy to take out.
 
My mooring is also about 1/2 mile from shore so a hard dinghy everytime, in my case an 8' dinghy - in your case with a dog as well, may be a 10' dinghy would be better. I also have a small inflateable on board if going any distance.
 
Hard dinghy = more vandal proof, better on gravelly shore (if you get tough one), generally row better. Downside - never ever as stable as an inflatable. Best hard ones are Pioner, but so expensive
 
I have an old, ratty 10ft Avon with inflatable keel and bottom boards to get out to the mooring (about 1/2 mile, lively) under engine. It cost about 100 quid and has as many patches. However it is very stable and feels 100% safe, I have used it in pretty poor weather. It is not too heavy to singlehand up the slip and I keep it on it's launching trolley at the Yacht Club.

Like the others I normally only use it to get out to the boat and have a smaller dinghy on board; sometimes I will tow it though, maybe when I am going to a beach. If I am leaving it on the mooring for any length of time I flip it upside down so the shawks can sit on the bottom, thus it is nice and clean when I get back.
 
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC said:
My personal choice is inflatable by far, especially with a dog; stability is the main issue; you can make the transition from rigid dinghy to inflatable but not the other way round, IMHO.
Click to expand...

Well I've seen an inflatable tip when entering from the boat.
For me it's a rigid 10ft dinghy kept on a launching trailer next to our slipway.
Not only drier when loading provisions but more stable.
 
Depends what your shore storage is.
If you can easily wheel a decent sized rigid tender on a trolley, that will work well.
OTOH if you have a 'toast rack' for inflatables, a rigid will be hassle.
A flat bottomed, dory-shaped rigid can be more stable than an inflatable.
Small rounded or vee-bottom rigids can be much less stable.
Rigid dinghy can be bigger? Hence faster and drier.
Rigid dinghy may need careful fendering.
 
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