Recommendations for inflatable dinghy/Hunter Horizon 26

[Trevelyan]

Hi all,

Sorry to ask such a general question, but... any recommendations for an inflatable dinghy? criteria are as follows:

1) Must carry a 16 stone and a 14 stone bloke regularly under engine - mooring is a good 20 min plus trip when rowing.

2) When sailing with their significant others, would like to get to shore in two trips - i.e. must be comfortable and feel safe with one of the above plus two slimmish ladies.

3) Would be useful if it would fit in the locker of a hunter horizon 26

Any pointers on length, whether air deck really is much easier to store, good buys etc. much appreciated! Budget is flexible, but good value would be good!

Cheers

Trev

 

[tom_sail]

We have a a hunter horizon 26 and an avon redstart dinghy. The avon redstart as two air chambers we half deflate ours then fold it in half and tie it down to the fore deck. It will easily fit in the front locker as its a round tail. But its hard to get more then 2 people in it at the same time.

 

[mbsl98]

We had an Avon Redstart (8 1/2 feet) and moved up to a Redcrest - a foot longer, but still same style of round stern, soft bottom, very little bigger folded than the Redstart while holding a good bit more weight. We never installed floorboards, just used the soft fabric bottom, and never had any issue because of that. It was used for a family of five (3 boys who started small but were still using it in their teens) and we could all fit securely so long as using a motor. We used a Merc 2.2 horse on it with good results and easy mounting, retreiving, etc. That boat was a 1976, acquired used in a swap for the Redstart, then used in New England summer cruising for 15 years (along with a fiberglas sailing dinghy that was towed), then folded in the cellar for another few years, and now back in occassional service with not a sign of cracking or air loss. The motor is also back in use and running like a top despite the abuses of 3 kids. With an inflatible, you are faced with a range of prices and durability as well as capacity and styles. In your place I would ignore solid transoms, and solid bottom boards due to added storage needs as well as weight to handle. Then I would focus on long term quality. In those measures, the Redstart/Redcrest is hard to beat. My current front line dinghy is a Quicksilver 8 1/2 with transom, solid floors/air keel, and a 9.9 motor that is actually what it is rated for. Much bulkier to store, heavier, less capacity, but "fast". I wouldn't ever go that route with kids using it, but for a dinghy left at the dock and never stowed aboard, it works fine. Note that this was a cheaper product than the Avon level, and the whole hull was replaced under warranty as a 5 year old due to fabric issues. Not likely to be with us in another 20 years, but good enough for the light use it gets now.

 

[VicS]

Maximum load for a Redstart is 550lbs. Thats just over 39 stone.

max load for a Redcrest is 700lbs, thats 50 stones. If your ladies weigh less than 10 stones each all four of you could just get in that.

HOWEVER I think you will find Avon longer make these roundtail tenders

Check with the website for what ever type of dinghy you fancy to see what the max load is and also what the max recommended outboard power is

 

[Trevelyan]

Hi all,

Thanks for suggestions of round tail dinghies... I have experimented with them before, but always found them a bit worrying when used with an outboard (feeling like it was going to twist off the back of the boat or the bracket fail!). Can see the strong case for weight saving and being easy to store however. What about a solid transom air deck job as a compromise? Any thoughts?

Trev

 

[mcframe]

Measure the size of the cockpit locker carefully before buying - I found that the, width, no breadth, err, shortest dimension of the opening on an H27 was the limiting factor.

Enough space for a liferaft, but I bought a Walker Bay to tow...

 

[Trevelyan]

How does towing work out generally? Is an inflatable better to tow than a hard dinghy? Too many options=headache!

Trev

 

[mcframe]

How does towing work out generally? Is an inflatable better to tow than a hard dinghy? Too many options=headache!

Sorry, but this will sound confusing - IMO a Walker Bay (with tubes) is be more towable than either - the hard keel means it tows better than an inflatable, but the tubes make better than a hard dinghy! IYSWIM.

Your 20 min row might suggest that a large (>10') hard dinghy might be best for getting to your mooring - leave it there - then a small (AX2?) inflatable for short trips ashore when you reach your destination.

 

[reeac]

Have a look at the current thread on "packed dimensions". I've recommended the AX2 there, quoting packed dimensions and weight. We do very much as mcframe suggests, GRP tender for getting to and fro. swinging mooring and AX2 carried aboard under the cockpit floor for occasional trips ashore from anchorages etc.- works for us.

 

[prv]

I've just bought a (very) secondhand Bombard B1. Given the fairly modest size of the bundle I collected, and that not especially carefully packed, I was amazed what a substantial boat it pumped up into. It does have separate wooden floorboards, but two bundles are easier to stow than one big one.

Pete

 

[FullCircle]

I have been using a Wetline 230 Round tail for the last 7 years.
The outboard brackets rust, so you need to keep on top of them. In general, it folds small and weighs not a lot, but is still hard work to lift out of the cockpit locker.
It will satisfactorily take 2, and at a calm pinch 3 people. I use it with a Honda 2.3, and it OK. Rowing is Okish unless you are trying to defeat a 2kt spring flood tide.

I still think a roundtail is easiest, and plywood floors are pants, both to store and assemble/disassemble. Inflatable floor works fine.

I have also now gone over to a Walker bay 8, but that fits on my foredeck, and won't fit on yours. Also, they are a hell of a price. It tows, rows, motors and sails very well though.

I have tried a Zodiac 2.9, a 3.1 and a Tinker Tramp, but came back to the Wetline as the best overall compromise until I could afford a Walker Bay

 

[seumask]

Second the Wetline 230 R. We have had one for 6 years on a Hunter Delta 25 (same hull diff deck to the Horizon 26). Inflateble floor very usefull, makes it more rigid. You can specify the Stainless steel OB bracket if they dont now come with them as standard which I thought they did, I purchased one after the origional rusted from a dealer for £60.
I can get it planning (12 knts) with approx 15 st in it with my Mariner 3.3. Regularly has 2 adults and 2 kids(4 and 7) can be wet in waves as tube size is relativly small but larger than the AX2.

 

[Trevelyan]

Thanks all for the continued advice, it has been really helpful.

I think the solution to use a hard tender to row (or motor!) out to the mooring and then keep another dinghy on board for "mobile" use is a really good idea. One of the many roundtails that have been suggested then sound like the way (I will also check out the AX2), good to know the Wetline will fit too! I'm still a bit twitchy about how the roundtails will take a decent size outboard (tend to be throttle happy!)

The only other slight temptation is buy a flashy air deck zoomy zoomy and use this as a tender for special trips and tow it behind (e.g. when out in Scilly Isles) - is this idea worth it or mad?!

Thanks again to all for your advice - I will start checking out the dinghy specs (and re-measure locker!)

Trev

 

[VicS]

I'm still a bit twitchy about how the roundtails will take a decent size outboard (tend to be throttle happy!)

They wont!

Max rec for a Redstart was 3 hp and for a Redcrest 4hp.

Difficult to mount them when afloat as well unless someone holds the front down

The smallest Avon Rover (8'6") takes an 8 hp

 

[vyv_cox]

On a swinging mooring something close to a mile from our beach I needed something sizeable to get four people and kit out and back. We bought a Zodiac 310, towing it behind us for general cruising. We briefly owned a round tail Avon to carry with us. Everybody hated it and we got rid when it backflipped as we were about to board it to go ashore.

Much later, in different circumstances and a reduction in numbers from four to two, we bought a Quicksilver 260 Airdeck. We tow it nearly everywhere, from Holland to Greece up to now. It can lie on the foredeck deflated for long passages but we rarely bother. It has carried six people for a very short trip ashore and takes four comfortably. We know a few people with the same boat as ors who have the 220 version, which seems fine for two.

The area you are sailing needs to be taken into account. We were on a very exposed mooring in the Menai Strait, often anchoring in less than perfect anchorages. The larger dinghy was superb in these circumstances.