Recommend me a tender...

[Rob Rover]

… As I've already got two, and neither are quite right - an old Avon Rover 2.8, too large and heavy to manhandle, and a small Bombard that came with the boat but is strictly one person (and quite a brave person at that in the open sea!)

My boat is a BAV 30, and I'd like something the two of us can handle but which can take 3 adults, 4 at a push in calm weather, can be stowed and inflated on the coachroof and take an outboard up to 5hp. We're based in the Bristol Channel and would like to do more anchoring, so need something that isn't too lightweight for the Channel … Over to the hive for recommendations and suggestions!

 

[RichardS]

I reckon the key determinant is whether you are considering a fixed hard floor/hull or an inflatable/folding floor.

I can only comment on lightweight alloy hulls.

Richard

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Avon 7 round tail with slatted floor boards, solid seat, avon outboard bracket. They are not made anymore so have to be bought second hand. I just went through this exercise but the main criteria for me was the ability to store in a cockpit locker as I dislike lashing stuff to the foredeck. A word of warning though. Smaller dinghies with older, portly, less agile people, introduce a significant hazard getting getting in and out of.

Dimensions are Size 1270 x 2300 mm Three people is ok: bow, stern, thwart - four people is not OK as the 4th has to sit in the stern (one each quarter) and knees and rower get in the way, plus trim goes seriously - dangerously - to pot. Other dinghies may have bigger tubes - the inflatable ones, not the occupants.

 

[pvb]

Look at the Zodiac Cadet Aero range, they're really well made and easy to pack away. The tubes are sensible diameter and the inflatable floor gives a stable dry platform. However, I think you'll need one of the larger ones; I have a Cadet Aero 240 and it's really only big enough for 2 people.

 

[Yngmar]

Portabote/Quickboat/Banana-Boot? They all fold flat to the size of a surfboard and can be lashed on the rail, with the seats on the other rail or in a locker. Check size charts to find one that suits you. One that is actually specified for 3 people and fits your foredeck may be a bit tricky. Since they do not primarily consist of inflatable sausage, there is a lot more space inside for the same footprint.

Instead of inflating, you have assembling. The Portabote has black seats, which is extremely dumb in sunny places, but not likely an issue in the UK. There's also a few minor niggles that most owners address, like the poorly engineered rowlocks and transom bolts. Ours had a small leak after two years, but it turned out to be an easy repair after some research. It rows, motors and tows very much better than a slatted/inflatable floor or even a small RIB. Ours planes with a 2.5 HP outboard and two people in (barely - easily with one person).

 

[Iain C]

IMHO a 2.6 PVC tender with a slatted floor tends to be about the "sweet spot" for me. I do have an Avon R2.80 which lives at my club permanently and is used as my swinging mooring tender but I don't take it away with me. It's a great bit of kit, hypalon tubes and wooden floor, but it is just too bulky and heavy.

My old tender on my old boat was an XM2.3 and it was just too small, although it was very light and folded up very small. My current "on boat" tender is a second hand Wetline 2.6 that was in need of 2 patches and cost me the princely sum of £20. It's a great bit of kit, folds up small enough to go in the bottom of the locker on my B32 but it's also fine on the coachroof or under tow. It won't last as well as a Hypalon boat but it's perfectly good for what I need. It's a "Goldilocks" solution IMHO.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

Check out the 3D range … I've just bought one that carries 3 people that I can lift with one hand as opposed to my last Zodiac which took 2 of us. The range covers all sizes, floors, ribs etc.

 

[LadyInBed]

The criteria I look for are large Dia tubes, so I don't get a wet bum and wide beam for stability and leg room.
Floor type and boat length are a matter of personal preference.

 

[Bathdave]

I bought a seago 240 with an inflatable floor last year and I'm completely sold on inflatable floors .

Much more stable and easy to use than slatted floor, more buoyancy, only take s a minute or two to inflate

It's light enough for 1 to handle, I've had 4 init (bit overloaded)

It cost £270 (ex vat Tom jersey.) As end of previous years model

 

[Graham376]

…I'd like something the two of us can handle but which can take 3 adults, 4 at a push in calm weather, can be stowed and inflated on the coachroof and take an outboard up to 5hp. We're based in the Bristol Channel and would like to do more anchoring, so need something that isn't too lightweight for the Channel … Over to the hive for recommendations and suggestions!

Generally, 4 people at a push in safety means 2.7 minimum. Design load for 4 adults usually 2.9 or bigger. Before we had gantry to haul it up, the two of us could manage a Waveline 2.9 airdeck over the wire onto the deck but 2.7 would have been easier. I wouldn't want to haul current one with ply floor aboard.

 

[Tranona]

… As I've already got two, and neither are quite right - an old Avon Rover 2.8, too large and heavy to manhandle, and a small Bombard that came with the boat but is strictly one person (and quite a brave person at that in the open sea!)

My boat is a BAV 30, and I'd like something the two of us can handle but which can take 3 adults, 4 at a push in calm weather, can be stowed and inflated on the coachroof and take an outboard up to 5hp. We're based in the Bristol Channel and would like to do more anchoring, so need something that isn't too lightweight for the Channel … Over to the hive for recommendations and suggestions!

There is nothing that can really achieve that IF the 4 (adult) persons is a must. A 2.7 or so solid transom (to take your 5hp) airdeck will take 3 people or 2+2 children but will be little lighter than your Avon.

A basic PVC one is about £400 or the better ones like the Zodiac up to twice that reflecting the better features and quality of construction.

The lightweight ones like the 3D have their uses (I have one) but tubes are small and would not stand up to heavy use with larger crews. Useful for singles or couples for occasional use.

 

[PhilS]

I've got A Seago 270 with an inflatable floor. It was the best compromise of being fairly light to handle, has large "tubes" and seaworthy. I would get an electric pump to inflate it. I use a Halfords portable battery for starting cars rather than bother with long 12v cables.

 

[duncan99210]

I have an XM 260 that does the job well. Usual load is two adults but it can cope with 4 when needed. I run it with a Mercury 2.5 which pushes it along nicely: it’d cope with a more powerful engine if required. Aero deck and a flat bottom mean that it skids a bit, but I can live with that. Easy for two to lift out to stow on the coach house roof but most of the time I tow it, which it does happily. In its forurth season now since I acquired it second hand.

 

[jac]

I think the issue is that you want capacity for 4 adults yet find 2.8m too large.

I can understand an old Avon of that size being too heavy and there are a number of lighter models suggested up thread that might be suitable but I'm really not convinced that a 2.7 or smaller is safe for 4 adults on anything other than a millpond.

 

[tudorsailor]

Anyone any experience of a folding rib http://foldablerib.com/ So solid flow but stowable like a dinghy

TS

 

[pvb]

Anyone any experience of a folding rib http://foldablerib.com/ So solid flow but stowable like a dinghy

Clever, but ridiculously expensive.

 

[Yngmar]

Anyone any experience of a folding rib http://foldablerib.com/ So solid flow but stowable like a dinghy

TS

Had a look at them and a chat with the sales rep. They're pretty much exactly what is promised - a RIB that you can roll up to a sort of stowable size (measure - it's still a biggish chunk). Problem as pvb says is the price. The same money gets you two Portabotes and some change.

 

[DoubleEnder]

Anyone any experience of a folding rib http://foldablerib.com/ So solid flow but stowable like a dinghy

TS

Yes and they are very good indeed, though not light