Plastimo inflatable......D ring attachment is pathetic

dylanwinter

dylanwinter

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Joined
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www.keepturningleft.co.uk
Harmony came with an almost unused Plastimo dinghy. It inflates really well, is stiff, rows well and motors perfectly

but bloody Nora the rings for towing and securing the ropes on the sides are utterly pathetic

half of them have pulled out

if you look at the snaps the fabric is only one layer thick

"there but for a haperth of tar"

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/dinghy-1.jpg

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/dinghy-2.jpg

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/dinghy-3.jpg

has anyone on here managed to replace these things because the dinghy is now untowable
 
Rings on my seago ripped out on passage (albiet a fairly windy one)

Towing my (new) dink is now an exercise carried out in less than 10 knots only. Even if the rings hold - once it gets breezy the dink will flip which is a massive pain in the backside.

Getting the bugger on board is no picknick either. Then, of course, it is always in the way!

Dinghies - can't live with 'em, can;t live without 'em
 
If I wanted to tow a cheap inflatable any distance, I would make a kind of bridle. Tie a bowline in the end of a line, and drape the loop around the sponson aft of the transom. Run the line forwards and through the bow ring (obviously this is too late for you if you've ripped it off). Then back through the bow ring and down the other side of the boat, to a matching bowline around the other sponson. Find the middle of the loop in front of the bow ring, and tie a figure-8 loop. Attach the tow rope at this point. The load is then taken on the tubes themselves, the bow ring just guides the line in the correct place and doesn't take any tow load.

I think I originally saw this in the old BSAC diving manual, back when a bunch of guys in home-made wetsuits and toilet-seat ABLJs would go way offshore in tiny inflatables (not RIBs) to dive on a wreck. This is how they recommended securing the dinghy to the shotline down to the wreck.

Pete
 
BSAC were very good at improving safety - right up until they became threatened by Padi and lowered their standards to compete. Strangely their boat handling training, originally sponsored by the RYA is no longer accepted as a qualification by the RYA even though it was always accepted as being a higher level of training than an RYA course! I like the sound of the bridle, although I might consider putting some eyebolts through the transom for attachment rather than having loops of rope all around everything.

Rob.

P.S. I wonder if Dylan's Plastimo is one of the lightweight models. They claim the material is the same so maybe these fittings are where they save weight?
 
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prv said:
If I wanted to tow a cheap inflatable any distance, I would make a kind of bridle. Tie a bowline in the end of a line, and drape the loop around the sponson aft of the transom. Run the line forwards and through the bow ring (obviously this is too late for you if you've ripped it off). Then back through the bow ring and down the other side of the boat, to a matching bowline around the other sponson. Find the middle of the loop in front of the bow ring, and tie a figure-8 loop. Attach the tow rope at this point. The load is then taken on the tubes themselves, the bow ring just guides the line in the correct place and doesn't take any tow load.

I think I originally saw this in the old BSAC diving manual, back when a bunch of guys in home-made wetsuits and toilet-seat ABLJs would go way offshore in tiny inflatables (not RIBs) to dive on a wreck. This is how they recommended securing the dinghy to the shotline down to the wreck.

Pete
Click to expand...

Most inflatables (including the Plastimo I had) have 3 rings. So I make up a bridle from the 3, so that the tension is equal on a straight pull.
I'm not surprised that the D ring came off, even if Dylan is. Rather than castigate Plastimo, he should, perhaps, look at his own lack of foresight.
Poor chap, he does appear to be subject to all the human failings that we others possess to some extent.
 
davidpbo said:
I fitted extra towing rings to my Achilles dinghy so I could use a bridle to tow it. Easy job, got them from
http://polymarineshop.com/avon-inflatable-boat-supplies.html

Make sure you choose the right fabric and adhesive.
Click to expand...

Its not in Dylans nature to pay Polymarines prices for the correct materials and adhesives but just incase here are the links to the D rings, the adhesives for PVC and the various advice guides which they have on-line

D rings etc http://polymarineshop.com/parts-accessories/patches.html

Adhesives for PVC http://polymarineshop.com/adhesive/pvc-adhesives.html Use the two part adhesive and the correct solvent for cleaning and priming.

Advice guides http://polymarineshop.com/about/
 
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The correct way to tow a flubber so that you don't rip the rings off is to have a loop of rope as a bridle. Tie one end to the D-ring on one side, the other end to the D-ring on the other side, and lead the loop through the central ring. Tie the painter to the centre of the loop. I think this is probably what Charles is describing?

I can't tell from the pics whether Dylan's dinghy had a central D-ring or not. I've seen patches tear off but not the type of tear in those pictures.
 
MikeBz said:
The correct way to tow a flubber so that you don't rip the rings off is to have a loop of rope as a bridle. Tie one end to the D-ring on one side, the other end to the D-ring on the other side, and lead the loop through the central ring. Tie the painter to the centre of the loop. I think this is probably what Charles is describing?

I can't tell from the pics whether Dylan's dinghy had a central D-ring or not. I've seen patches tear off but not the type of tear in those pictures.
Click to expand...

no central towing point

just the two handbag clasps either side of the turn of the bow

I do tow using a bridle

the rings pulled out while I was recovering the dinghy to deflate it

I fear that I probably count as a fairly intensive user

I have found that the more I sail the more things I break and wear out

The trip around the top to Shetland was fairly tough on the gear and the tiller nut

I have discovered that I seldom break sailing gear while on the forum though

the answer is to sail less and spend more time on the web
 
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dylanwinter said:
I fear that I probably count as a fairly intensive user

I have found that the more sail the more things I break

I seldom break sailing gear while on the forum though

the answer is to sail less and spend more time on the web
Click to expand...

I've read the same thing many times from long-term cruisers. Most leisure boat gear is designed for use every other weekend in the summer, plus a two week holiday cruise, for between five and ten years. With continuous use, it doesn't take very long to reach that limit.

The answer is to use either domestic (taps, etc), industrial (pumps, motors), or fishing-boat (specifically marine) equipment - stuff that's designed for constant use.

Pete
 
AngusMcDoon said:
Think laterally. Get a multihull. Plenty of room to carry the dinghy so that you never have to tow it. Problem solved.
Click to expand...

The top ones broke while we were carrying the dinghy

not sure how to carry the dinghy other than by the handy bits of rope attached to the D rings along the top of the side chambers

the bow one broke while I was bringing the dinghy on board to deflate it

I am not sure how to bring the dinghy aboard other than by using the D rings

D

PS my Plastimo Roller reefing on Katie L has worked perfectly
 
Bit of lateral thinking..

Attach a couple of eyes to the transom with self tappers and tow it backwards, if you pull the line in a bit it will raise the transom, and will do away with the need to fix the other eyes.

Otherwise you can replace the towing eyes, with new ones from Polymarine, not cheap though..
 
I have a Plastimo 2.4 dinghy and after only 2 months (pretty intensive use) the pathetic seat clip wbbing strips are already showing signs of wear!
 
excellent plan

northwind said:
Bit of lateral thinking..

Attach a couple of eyes to the transom with self tappers and tow it backwards, if you pull the line in a bit it will raise the transom, and will do away with the need to fix the other eyes.

Otherwise you can replace the towing eyes, with new ones from Polymarine, not cheap though..
Click to expand...

genius...

problem solved with two stainless U bolts

also not UV degradation

I am sure that the dinghy had not been used before I got my hands on it

it was like new

D
 
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