Tender Dinghy Advice

[ashtead]

When we had a river mooring had a grp dinghy with a 3.3hp 2stroke -dinghy in a rack -don’t use it now but you don’t want any blow up dinghy -keep something hard on a small trolley maybe depending on distance to water, I feel a grp tender can be had for circa £200 -300 and won’t puncture.

 

[MontyMariner]

Would not look pretty hanging on the davits though

Horses for courses!

 

[Stemar]

When I was recovering from serious surgery, I bought a pump with internal battery to blow up the dinghy. It was ridiculously expensive, but it did the job when I neither I nor Madame could.

I've forgotten what a chore it is to pump up the dinghy now. I set it going and fetch the OB from the store. Change tubes. fit OB and oars, blow up floor. Job done.

 

[tico]

For where you plan to use it, you will need a light dinghy as you will need to carry/wheel it a fair way up/down the beach to account for tides. Hence an inflateable with air deck is what 'd recommend. one with a 'sausage' under a flat deck will give a 'V' configuration and make it easier to row in a straight line.

 

[Kelpie]

When I was recovering from serious surgery, I bought a pump with internal battery to blow up the dinghy. It was ridiculously expensive, but it did the job when I neither I nor Madame could.

I've forgotten what a chore it is to pump up the dinghy now. I set it going and fetch the OB from the store. Change tubes. fit OB and oars, blow up floor. Job done.

I'm really surprised that electric pumps aren't more common. When I used to have to blow up a dinghy every time I went out to the boat, I used a 12v pump that plugged in to the car. Cost about £12. It could pump up the dinghy in the time it took me to get my oilies on. Needed a few strokes on a manual pump to finish off but that was no hardship.

 

[lustyd]

For where you plan to use it, you will need a light dinghy as you will need to carry/wheel it a fair way up/down the beach to account for tides. Hence an inflateable with air deck is what 'd recommend. one with a 'sausage' under a flat deck will give a 'V' configuration and make it easier to row in a straight line.

If it's being wheeled weight is less of an issue. Alu deck is only about 5kg more, although considerable faff if deflating/inflating every time

 

[lustyd]

I'm really surprised that electric pumps aren't more common.

but that was no hardship.

I think you answered your own question. It's not that hard to pump up a dinghy so most people just stick to the simple pump they already have.

 

[Graham376]

Thanks all for the response, think an inflatable with ali floor and a new Suzuki 2.5bhp ice outboard would suffice, will pop into Dale Sailing and have a look

Our mooring is around 1nm from shore. We have inflatable with ally floor which stays inflated and far better for chucking stuff in than inflatable floor, which we previously found punctured quite easily when carrying bikes etc. OTOH, takes much longer to assemble and heavier that airdeck.

2.5HP seems very small if mooring is in river/estuary, will it even stem the tide? We had a 3.5hp Malta in Conwy and it was too small on springs.

 

[doug748]

Thanks all for the response, think an inflatable with ali floor and a new Suzuki 2.5bhp ice outboard would suffice, will pop into Dale Sailing and have a look

I think that is a wise choice, not too keen on rigid dinghies tenders myself, nor inflatable floors. I found a 2.5 and 3.5 fine with a 10ft Avon with bottom boards, one up.

BUT (the big but ) if you get a couple of heavyweights on board smaller engines do struggle.

.

 

[D and G]

If you didn't spot it:
Honwave Inflatable Disintegrates - Shame on you HONDA!

I did see that,shocked Honda put their name to a Chinese made dinghy,as an ex biker

I think that is a wise choice, not too keen on rigid dinghies tenders myself, nor inflatable floors. I found a 2.5 and 3.5 fine with a 10ft Avon with bottom boards, one up.

BUT (the big but ) if you get a couple of heavyweights on board smaller engines do struggle.

.

As I have more fat content than a pork scratching may have to re think the BHP v KG balance, if I don't get on a diet soon will need a 80 horse just for the tender lol, good advice though, may just see what is available on the used market but as we are not 100% on the mooring yet may have to sit on my hands and not make any hasty purchases I may live to regret.

 

[Stemar]

I'm really surprised that electric pumps aren't more common. When I used to have to blow up a dinghy every time I went out to the boat, I used a 12v pump that plugged in to the car. Cost about £12. It could pump up the dinghy in the time it took me to get my oilies on. Needed a few strokes on a manual pump to finish off but that was no hardship.

A good self-contained pump is expensive, and a 12v one is no good if you can't get your car to it. A lot of people have admired my pump on the club pontoon, but I don't think anyone actually went out and bought one!