slatted, solid or inflatable... dinghy florrs that is

smeaks

smeaks

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I could be in a position shortly to replace my old Dunlop solid floor dinghy with a new one. I am looking for a model that can be stowed away but the choices are wide and varied. are inflatable floors stable? My old solid floor could be a ba****d to fit so i am looking to alternatives... any suggestions an model etc welcomed... oh yes and happy new year!
 
I have had a Zodiac Cadet Fastroller with a high pressure inflatable floor for the last couple of seasons and I have been very impressed with it. The floor gives it good stability and also keeps any onboard water away from the feet as it tends to move into the V section below the floor.
 
I've had a Zodiac Cadet with inflatable floor for about 5 yrs, and it's really good. Though you do have to inflate it hard for the best effect, and it does increase the weight of the overall dinghy.

It is very appreciated by crew!, and I think even the dog finds it easier to jump down onto compared with the floppy type
 
I have a Honda 3.2m with an inflatable floor, very nice, very stable and controllable, it will plane with an 8hp honda 1 up at 8-9 knots, well worth having IMO.

(It's for sale!) /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
We've got a Bombard AX3 with inflatable floor and keel, and like the others, will plane with one-up with an Evinrude 4hp twin. Keeps the feet dry, and either rolls up and into the locker, or lives on the davits.

The tubes of the AX3 are a bit smaller than some models, but still OK nonetheless.

If you have the choice, go for an inflatable floor/keel model, as you can get better speed and directional stability.
 
Below 4hp slatted is just as good as anything else. Only when you use over 4hp will you see any difference in stability.

I have a Bombard with a 2.5 four stroke as a tender............

The only tender I will never have again is one with no slats or base, those rubber lilos are bloody useless! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Tom
 
Used to have a biggish maestral with solid floor & inflatable keel. Could be fitted with windscreen too. That would take a a 5hp no probs & was very dry.

Currently have a small XM with slatted floor & no keel. It will take a 5hp but is overpowered. The beauty of the XM is that it is much lighter & is the only dinghy I have ever been able to pack back in its original bag!
 
For a yacht tender,

Best dingy, Avon Redwing roundtail. ours is 40 years old.

Best motor, Yam 2stroke 2HP

Best floor, none.

Why? because you can any other combination requires 2 people to carry from the car (club shed in our case)/ launch/row (cant use OB when landing on swimming beaches)/bring aboard/stow on deck etc.

I have Suzimar inflatable floor & Honda 4 that came with the other boat.
You cant get the floor hard enough to work with a standard pump, and its a dead weight for bringing the boat onto the foredeck.
Honda motor sucks too, noisy and it suppurates oil whatever way up you try and store it.

But then it depends, you whether you want a tender so you can go sailing, or you are a closet stinkie!
 
We have a Wetline 2.9 with inflatable floor and keel. takes a 6HP Mercury 4 stroke and will get on the plane with two of us in it. Comes on the foredeck with no problems and feels lighter to carry than my old slatted floor 2.4m. there a a number of suppliers 'badging' the same range of dinghy so it is down to price. Ours was £660 about 5 years ago but I have seen them cheaper recently. When inflating you do the tubes first then the floor as hard as you can then the keel. Good bit of kit and I wouldn't go back to a wooden floor or slats.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Best dingy, Avon Redwing roundtail

[/ QUOTE ] Redstart, Redcrest or Redseal. For 3, 4, or 5 persons respectively. (Redseal nla.) At one time there was also an Avon 7, a sort of budget Redstart.

Very few others apart from Avons are now made of Hypalon. Most popular ones are now made of PVC which is OK provided you keep it out of the sun and don't expect 40yrs + life.

Plywood floors were available but if low weight and compact size when stowed are more important than performance under power then just the plain floor may be the best choice.
 
Like most things in life, it's a compomise. I used to use an avon slatted floor, which I was quite happy with.

Partner was not happy, so now have a suzumo air deck, with blow up keel.

The Suzumo is great, much better than the Avon for zooming about. But then my dinghy sits on davits, engine attached.

At the beach there is a big difference, the Avon Rover, we could carry up it. The Suzumar, we try to anchor, on the end of a long rope, but usually fail.

If I get another year out the Suzumar, I think I will be lucky, where as the 15 year old avon is in the shed and ready to retake it's place, anytime.
 
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