Tender heart to heart

[dralex]

I really need some (good) advice regarding tenders. We started with a 2.5m inflatable which was fine for 2, but rather wet in any chop more than 2 inches high. The floor also resonated over certain speeds. I then got a Walker Bay 10 which is a great boat to get to the mooring we had, but had to be left there, leaving us to take the inflatable which again was too small and wet to do much exploring. I am now in the position of selling both to get the cash to buy a replacement.

It needs to be able to take 2 adults and 1 baby ( at present) and sometimes dog. It needs to go fairly well with my Tohatsu 3.5. I hate towing dinghies and don't think davits would go very well on my boat, so it has to be stowable on the boat. It also has to be big enough for exploring rivers with chop.

I'd love some personal recomendations.

Thanks

Alex

 

[clouty]

Sounds like you need a RIB

 

[jimi]

McGreggor 26?

 

[philmarks]

There's a fortune to be made if you devise a solution!

Although I've got plenty of deck space, for one reason or another it doesn't suit. I've been looking at the Seahopper here , and also the Triplet here, but low down my spending priorities at present! PBO did a good review last year of these and other such solutions.

 

[dralex]

Thanks WeeJimi- helpful as ever /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Even on my huge 34ft boat, I suspect a McGreggor 26 would look a little overbearing.

I'd love a small rib, but where would I stow it, even deflated? Do I really consider the idea of davits- the stern on my boat is quite raked?

 

[clouty]

I've had a Seahopper - not as practical and businesslike as a small RIB. With tubes deflated, surely most boats would have deck space?

 

[dralex]

I've just looked at the Triplet website and they use the same advertising trick as J Boats- using small people to make the boat look bigger. I'd love to see the same Triplet dinghy with three blokes in it.

 

[Wiggo]

Our neighbours have a RIB that they keep deflated most of the time. The tubes roll up into the hull, and there's a cover that goes over the lot. Folded, it's no bigger than 6' x 2'6" at a guess. They stow it on tender chocks on their swim platform on a mobo, so that's not much help, really.

 

[Becky]

I would recommend the nautical version of the Tardis. Trouble is nobody has invented it yet.
One limiting factor is the size of your outboard, which could struggle in adverse conditions when trying to drive a heavily laden larger dinghy. We bought an Avon about 3.something metres long with the recommended outboard, an 8hp Mercury. I could just lift the engine in the shop, but it proved too heavy on board for both of us, and was exchanged for a 5hp. This was the smallest engine that Ron Hale (inflatable specialists in Portsmouth) would suggest for driving the dinghy in difficult conditions with a full load
Inflatables are very wet when everyone is sitting around the side tubes. You will all end up with wet bottoms. Conversely a rigid dinghy is more difficult to stow, and heavier to lift on board.
Do let us know what you finally choose. Our choice was very much a compromise.

 

[dralex]

The outboard weight is a big problem unless you want to use pulley systems to lift it on board each time. The Tohatsu is great because anyone can lift it. I had a Yamaha 4hp 4 stroke which was a bit of a brute. My father in law has a small 3m+RIB which goes very well with a 3.5hp OB. I'm interested in the inflatable floor versions- are they any good, or just more trouble than they're worth? This would seem the logical way forwards to getting a slightly larger tender that will stow away.

 

[whisper]

I've had a couple of inflatable floor types and think they are excellent . They are much lighter than solid floored ones and much nicer to use than the slatted floor ones. However, yet to find an inflatable that you don't get wet in when it's loaded.
Would have thought that even the smallest rib would be very much heavier and when fully loaded and with a small outboard you would probably still get wet.

 

[Robin]

As you will have seen already you are searching for the impossible!

I believe you are now marina berthed, so are looking for a tender for use when away from home that will stow away on board when at sea.

Simplest and most compact to stow are the doughnut type with all round tubes like the Avon Redcrest, they can also be carried on deck half inflated since the chambers are front and back rather than either side. These are available with inflatable floors or slatted floors. We used an Avon Redcrest (9') and Redseal (10') for just your scenario for 30 years, my son now has the Redcrest and the Redseal is in my garage as a 'spare'.

Next up are the ones with rigid transoms and it is the transom that determines the stowed dimensions and adds weight. If you have stowage space these are better in as much as the outboard can be left on the transom with less risk of flipping over in a gust of wind, with a suitably stiff floor and even an inflatable keel they handle better under power too. We now have a Zodiac Fastroller 2.85 with an inflatable floor (they do one with a slatted floor which is actually lighter as well as much cheaper), it also has an integral inflateable keel. This does stow in a cockpit locker on our boat and we can also carry it fully inflated on the foredeck which we do when on cruising for longer periods unless bad weather is expected.

In all cases above a small outboard is more than enough. We have a Honda 2hp 4-stroke which is quite adequate, when we also had a Tinker Traveller 12' it would even plane this two up. IMO there is no need to go for a bigger engine unless the dinghy will plane with it and only then if you really want it to plane and can handle the extra weight of it. Our Honda 2hp doesn't quite plane the Zodiac but it drives it pretty quickly even in windy/wavy conditions, I might just consider a slightly bigger motor, as long as SWMBO and I could still lift it easily from transom to pushpit, but only if it would push the zodiac onto the plane in all conditions.

 

[Becky]

The Avon has an inflatable floor, and when pumped up very hard seems quite good. It certainly gets very solid. But to be fair, I haven't used a rib so can't compare. However, with the 8hp engine, I got repeated, well I called it cavitation. Air was drawn down to the prop blades so we suddenly stopped shooting forward. I tried different loadings, and weight distribution, but it still occurred. Maybe if the engine hadn't been so heavy we might have perservered for longer. Another prob with a heavy engine is that it can't be stored on the pushpit like a small one. We lowered ours into the cockpit locker with a block and tackle slung from the boom. But it was still quite awkward to move about, and would have been much worse had there been anything of a sea running.

 

[hlb]

You need a Sumar, made for Suzuki. Big tubes, blow up floor. Bit heavy though!

 

[longjohnsadler]

Well done - think more people should be inventive with thread titles.
Ahem - sorry I can't help with a useful reply....

 

[Talbot]

I would guess that your previous tender had a flat floor.

I have a tohatsu 3.5 and a zodiac 260 fast roller. This has a high pressure inflatable floor and an inflatable keel and works in the same way as a RIB. Much better in a seaway than the older 2.6m Zodiac with a slatted floor, plus if you get any water in the boat it disappears beow the floor and you dont get wet feet. But it is also possible to deflate and roll up (difficult to do with a RIB.) I keep mine on Davits cause it is easier, but it rolls very nearly same size as the old 2.6m zodiac with slatted floor.

The 3.5 is a bit small to enable boat to plane but does allow a reasonable speed. boat will easily take 3 adults + luggage

If you want to see it rolled up I am in Portsmouth area.

Alternative is Quicksilver range same size with a same floor and keel, but I reckon the zodiac is better built, but also more expensive.

 

[dralex]

Thanks for all the useful advice- I suspect I'll investigate the inflatable floor versions.

Cheers

Alex

 

[petren]

Someone mentioned in this trail that they had a Yamaha 4HP and it was a beast. Would you ellaborate the beast part?

I recently bought a Zodiac C260S and I out shopping for an outboard and local dealers keep telling me that the Honda 2HP is too small and at least 4HP would do.

Since I'm sort of a Honda guy I looked at the 5HP one but seemed to heavy so I am now looking at the Yamaha 4HP 4 stroke.

Since it's only going to be me, my wife and two small kids on it, would one tell me if the 4HP Yamaha would be good enough?

Since I'm not an exoert in the area, I'd appreciate recommendations,

Thanks a bunch,

Nick

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Looking on their site they suggest 3-6hp. This is a similar sized tender to mine (narwhal) on which I use a 2.2hp 2 stroke, which pushes it along quite happily. My engine is light, simple and can be thrown about.

I guess it depends how you expect to use it, an odd trip ashore in sheltered waters, or regular trips to moorings in less than favourable conditions. I guess also, a 6hp will make a good backup engine on your yacht, but will be very heavy.

It is all compromise, but I would suggest 4 hp is going to push it along without any problems. Just MHO.

 

[jonjo]

Re: When in doubt copy...

My yachting modus operandi is "when in doubt copy Robin".

I am shopping for a dinghy and outboard for a 35ft yacht. A dealer has been trying to convince me that a 2.65m inflatable is too large and that a 2.3m is right for me. If I do opt of the 2.65m he insists that a 4hp outboard is required.

I don't think specialist outboard dealers understand the requirements of a yachtsman. My first inclination is always to row and if I do motor my main concern is not to rock other boats at anchor.

So 2hp it is, thank Robin.

Now for the next dilemma. Honda 2hp 4 stroke with centrifugal clutch or the rival Yamaha 2.2 stick shift. I like the idea of the automatic i.e. one hand to push off and one to control the power. However the smart money seems to favour the 4 stroke Yam 2.2.