Recommendation for good ROWING tender?

Re: I\'m going to disagree with everyone else here. Here are two good o

Why compromise?
If you keep a boat on the mooring then have a tender to get between shore and that mooring ... you can then have a secondary (inflatable?) tender that serves the purpose whilst you are in other ports. They do not have to be the same vessel.

We have the walkerbay10 (although would like the RID bit for it - or a more stable tender) for the everyday running too and from the mooring and then have a 2.8m inflatable stowed on board for the occasional use away from our home mooring. (although I am likely to take the WB with me if not going too far and in need of a tender....) The inflatable doesn't row very well with a passenger but does take the 2hp outboard nicely /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So the requirements and recommendations really do depend on what you intend to do with the tender...
 
Time for another sunny Scotland pic, methinks

Having tried to row inflatables in the past, I was pleasantly surprised by the Avon Redcrest's handling under oars. (I wouldn't fancy a long upwind slog though.) But watching it in the hands of an ex-Goldie oarsman (he was too light to make the light blue's first eight) was a pleasure to behold. He would take the dinghy for a spin before breakfast and seemed to make it go much faster than I have ever seen a solid yacht tender go.

Inveraray.jpg


By the way, I'm told Scotland isn't always like this.

Oops! I've just published evidence of gross negligence by skipper - he clearly hasn't insisted on the wearing of life jackets by his vulnerable crew.

Mark
 
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Frankly I'm amazed that in a thread asking about good rowing tenders anyone would mention an inflatable.

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obviously never tried rowing a tinker , you are welcome to try my zodiac as well, I think you will be surprised.
 
I think you need to update your knowledge. Inflatables with keels are nothing like as bad to row as you suggest. We have a Quicksilver 270 that we bought as a result of its good showing in a test in one of the mags. We almost invariably row it rather than use the outboard, both my wife and myself row in a wide variety of conditions. Ok it may not be as good as a solid tender with a significant keel but it's not bad.
 
My idea of a good rowing boat is something that will hold way between strokes and have some directional stability so I don't end up where I started! The former requires some weight in it and the latter a keel.

Trouble is with the o/b you want light weight and minimum wetted area.
My tender is heavy, has a long straight keel with a steel strip for hauling out and rows beautifully. Though judging by the tension in the painter it slows us down loads when towing. When I motor with it I find the throttle controls the height of the stern wave - it has little effect on the speed.


Even the wife can row it. Not sure about the direction though....

yarmouth_rowing.jpg
 
I've got a Zodiac 280 Fastroller inflatable dinghy with inflatable keel and inflatable floor, very nice to row. I prefer to row rather than use the outboard. I find it much more relaxing.
 
On my hard tender the throttle seems to control the yaw, like yours very little change in speed. Trouble is, the outboard is set up for my inflatable.

I have moved moorings for winter and am now 50yds off the slip so not using the o/b. Last week I was giving SWMBO lessons in sculling, much better. She is actually doing quite well until she starts thinking about what she is doing; at which point we start drifting 1/2 mile away from the boat.

Not sure how any of this is relevant,
 
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Not sure how any of this is relevant

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Not relevant at all, but...

In my mind I'm rowing through the noise of Yarmouth harbour in Summer, under the bridge and hoisting that little red sail.

Mind you, the last time I actually did that I got eaten alive my mozzies....
 
Try a Pioneer, 14' I believe it is. I've had one for 20 years, it sits upside down on the foredeck of my Ballad, which after all is only 30'. It has a double skin, so is unsinkable, and I can heave it over the guardrails alone, and I recover it with the help of one crewmember, or if none, then I wait until I return to harbour and then use the mast crane.
 
I don't think the pioneer rows very well at all, but then I am a bit fussy when it comes to rowing boats and wouldn't fancy trying to get my clinker built Wrights 12' rowing boat onto a foredeck without a substantial crane.
 
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