Replacement for nicked dinghy?

MissFitz

MissFitz

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We've had our dinghy nicked through our own stupidity. Because we left it on the foreshore at Dell Quay. Because we didn't know any better.

So now we need a replacement. We want something we can fold up & stow in a Centaur and the back of a small car. Should we go for a secondhand Avon or a new cheapo WavEco thing? And what size (the previous one came with the boat & we never measured it....)?

All suggestions would be much appreciated, also offers of something suitable in good nick!
 
I had one nicked from a Charter boat in Salcombe last year. Replacement was simple. Charter company deducted £550.00 from my deposit.

I now lock up dinghy every time i leave it.
 
Depends on use. For my use cheap and light seems to win out but I'm still seeking the perfect dinghy and curretnly have a RIB, a Tinker and an Asda special.

The RIB is the best as a tender, but needs to be kept on davits. I hate them, so took them off and the RIB is in my garden. Non starter on a centaur.

The tinker is the second best tender, and is made from the same heavy material as the Avons. It has a flat bottom but you can use the daggerboard to help rowing. It has good rowlocks, a proper transom and of course I can take it for a sail. But it's bulky folded and hard to carry with 1 person (40 odd kg - around 90 lbs for the boat excluding sailing kit)

The Asda special was £100 including pump, oars, outboard bracket and bag. It isn't as good as the others as a boat, but folded it takes up about a 1/3 of the space of the tinker, and weighs less than half. As it spend most of it's time folded or being dragged arround it tends to get used most. It won't last as long as the others, but it was only £100. Similarly if it gets nicked it was only £100. BUT - if I used it for regular boat access rather than occasional trips ashore it may not last long enough, it does feel cheap. For me it's now on it's second season - I lost an oar in herm this year (it sank) but otherwise all is well.
CIMG5782.JPG
 
walking through my marina yesterday I was surprised to note the number of dinghy's left tethered to the jetty with hardly a soul in view. I would advise anyone to write your name all over it as it's a pretty nickable thing.
 
lucyfparker said:
We've had our dinghy nicked through our own stupidity. Because we left it on the foreshore at Dell Quay. Because we didn't know any better.

So now we need a replacement. We want something we can fold up & stow in a Centaur and the back of a small car. Should we go for a secondhand Avon or a new cheapo WavEco thing? And what size (the previous one came with the boat & we never measured it....)?

All suggestions would be much appreciated, also offers of something suitable in good nick!
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You can borrow my inflatable immediately if you are still stuck? It is virtually new and is not a Avon or a RIB anything posh but it will get you out and back to your ½-mooring. Oars included. Will carry two people just. ;)
 
jpcarter30 said:
walking through my marina yesterday I was surprised to note the number of dinghy's left tethered to the jetty with hardly a soul in view. I would advise anyone to write your name all over it as it's a pretty nickable thing.
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Dont be writing the name of your boat all over the dinghy as this is an open invitation for some thieving b*****d to use your dinghy to row out to your boat and have a good thieving session.

If you are like me they will probably find the boat unlocked as you have just gone for a meal/drink so they will not even have to go to the bother of forcing your Woolworth £2 padlock to get in your boat.

My dinghy is now on its 4th boat but only bears name of my 1st boat and that is branded into transom.
 
lucyfparker said:
We've had our dinghy nicked through our own stupidity. Because we left it on the foreshore at Dell Quay. Because we didn't know any better.

All suggestions would be much appreciated, also offers of something suitable in good nick!
Click to expand...
You can also put a very small tracking security device on the dinghy.

I wonder who manufactures and sells those? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

;)
 
If space is an issue (as it was for us and a locker under the cocpit sole) the Bombard AX2 is very small and light. You'll have to buy a foot pump, but the trade off is that you won't have to take it with you as the hand pumps are built in and can't be stolen.

It was one of the few dinghies that would fit in our sub 1 metre locker under the cockpit. It comes in the best bag that isn't a bag, more a cover that wraps around the folded dinghy and has a shoulder strap, so it can be carried/handled with ease
 
lucyfparker said:
All suggestions would be much appreciated, also offers of something suitable in good nick!
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Probably a long shot, but.....

A friend has a folding dinghy that will stow along the rail like a surfboard. Not the flimsy kind, but a really strong "banana boat" - all made of thick plastic and pretty indestructible. It is held rigid by the wooden thwarts (which also have to be stowed) and takes about the same time to assemble as it does to inflate a "duck". It has its own buoyancy bags and rows and motors far better than an inflatable. However, you wouldn't want to tow it except in calm waters and with a weight in the bow. It will easily take 3 adults and their gear. It most resembles the American PortaBote - although I think that is rather more refined.

I have seen this boat in action. It is ridiculous to look at, but does combine many of the virtues of a rigid dinghy with the stowability of an inflatable. I've never seen anything like it and I doubt if it would be much of a temptation to thieves - too distinctive and too eccentric.

The owners had it in the spring boat sale at Tollesbury, so I guess they are wanting to sell it. I think they still have it.
 
lucyfparker said:
We've had our dinghy nicked through our own stupidity. Because we left it on the foreshore at Dell Quay. Because we didn't know any better.

So now we need a replacement. We want something we can fold up & stow in a Centaur and the back of a small car. Should we go for a secondhand Avon or a new cheapo WavEco thing? And what size (the previous one came with the boat & we never measured it....)?

All suggestions would be much appreciated, also offers of something suitable in good nick!
Click to expand...

Just take Guapa's. Property is theft.
 
M33 said:
PBO delivered yesterday had a report on small inflateables.
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Thanks yes, I did see that, arrived just too late as I'd already ordered a new one...... Thanks also for all the other very helpful suggestions - we've actually managed to track down the model we had & it's worked out cheapest, so that's what we've gone for. Not a bad little dinghy, in fact, quite heavy but a good (small) size & holds two easily.

http://www.compass24.com/web/catalog/shop/technology_motor_boat_equipment_dinghies/1205811
 
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