What dinghy has the biggest tubes?

[LadyInBed]

Simple! Don't sit on the tubes
That's why they give you a seat.

 

[prv]

Simple! Don't sit on the tubes
That's why they give you a seat.

No seat in my current AX3, and the boat isn't long enough to have more than one.

There's easily four bottoms' worth of tube space though. The problem is that the tubes are fairly small and so the bottoms will get wet. Hence my hunt for bigger tubes (and drier bottoms).

Pete

 

[penfold]

Lateral thinking; you don't need bigger tubes, your friends need bigger(or more water resistant) bums!

 

[Seajet]

I had a Zodiac 240 round-tail which was superb, big tubes and sensible orange colour, but 30 yr + age has finally defeated it.

I have had to settle for a Seago 230 round tail airdeck for stowage and price reasons, though I am actually very pleased with it apart from the small tubes - I researched around this size a lot before going for the Seago.

Pete, you will have to pay for big tubes, but for stowage you cannot beat a round tail, all come with outboard brackets nowadays.

Zodiac are mind-knumbingly expensive now, especially as I hear they are not so good as they used to be.

 

[pvb]

Zodiac are mind-knumbingly expensive now, especially as I hear they are not so good as they used to be.

If you think Zodiacs are mind-numbingly expensive, look at the price of AB inflatables!

The cheaper Chinese-made Zodiac Zoom models aren't as good, but the main Zodiac range is still very good in the middle price bracket. And there are good deals to be had.

 

[prv]

Pete, you will have to pay for big tubes, but for stowage you cannot beat a round tail, all come with outboard brackets nowadays.

I certainly have nothing against round-tails - as you say, they tend to stow smaller, and you get to use more of the boat length. My outboard is a nice light little two-stroke, so I don't need the projecting sponsons' buoyancy to support it. But I've never seen a round tail with big tubes.

Pete

 

[Alpha22]

as we love on the boat for about 6-7 months each year.

Sounds like a busy summer. I wish I still had the stamina for that kind of thing!!

 

[Tranona]

I certainly have nothing against round-tails - as you say, they tend to stow smaller, and you get to use more of the boat length. My outboard is a nice light little two-stroke, so I don't need the projecting sponsons' buoyancy to support it. But I've never seen a round tail with big tubes.

Pete

Think you are probably going to have to accept that there is nothing on the market that meets all your criteria. You just can't get short length, large tubes, high carrying capacity and small stowed volume in one boat!

Personally I still think the old Redcrest is the best compromise, particularly if motoring is low priority. A modern equivalent with an airdeck might be more comfortable, but increases stowed size. The only thing I think is an improvement now is the 3D range, but potentially a loss on durability. If weight and stowed size is less important then the Zodiac Cadet is a candidate.

 

[pvb]

Personally I still think the old Redcrest is the best compromise, particularly if motoring is low priority. A modern equivalent with an airdeck might be more comfortable, but increases stowed size.

I've a lot of affection for the old Avons, but they didn't stow particularly compactly. The Redcrest stowed dimensions are 102 x 46 cm diameter. The similarly sized Zodiac Cadet 260 Aero packs to 100 x 55 x 30cm - if anything slightly smaller! And Zodiac's storage bag system is so much easier to use than the old Avon canvas sausage.

 

[Seajet]

I certainly have nothing against round-tails - as you say, they tend to stow smaller, and you get to use more of the boat length. My outboard is a nice light little two-stroke, so I don't need the projecting sponsons' buoyancy to support it. But I've never seen a round tail with big tubes.

Pete

My 1980's vintage Zodiac 240 with very big tubes was a round tail but I'm not sure they or similar are made any more.

The air deck on my new Seago takes up less space than the wooden slats of the Zodiac, as I take the trouble to reverse the rather good pump & valves & suck all the air out.

 

[Drews]

I bought a Honwave T24 last year, nice big 43.5 dis tubes and an air v- floor.
Highly recommend it due to build quality and a dry ride

 

[westernman]

We had the same kind of requirements as you.

We bought one of these:-

http://www.accastillage-diffusion.com/catalog/Annexes-AD-BOMBARD-AD240-Roll-Up,58776.html#tabs-1 (The AD 260 Aero model, the the first one in the list)

40cm tubes, inflatable keel, inflatable floor. The inflatable keel helps keep the dinghy a bit higher in the water giving your bums more margin before contact with water. I doubt you will find any bigger tubes unless in something much bigger and bulkier.

We have a yamaha 2.5 which is not enough to make it plane, but more than enough for pootling to and from the boat. We have been 5 up in it.

 

[Richard10002]

I bought a Honwave T24 last year, nice big 43.5 dis tubes and an air v- floor.
Highly recommend it due to build quality and a dry ride

Never owned one, but definitely my dinghy of choice had I needed one. Saw lots of Honda dinghys on my travels between 2007 and 2010, and they always looked like they did a great job.

 

[pvb]

I doubt you will find any bigger tubes unless in something much bigger and bulkier.

Zodiac Cadet 260 Aero is the same size, packs to basically the same storage size, and has 45cm tubes. And it's 1kg heavier.

 

[Cardo]

We have a Plastimo P240LJ. It has 40cm tubes and is 2.4m long. It sits pretty high up in the water, and has a small transom so stores away in a relatively small case.

The LJ has the inflatable floor, which says it has a maximum capacity of 300kg. The P240LG with the slatted floor will apparently take 350kg.

Page 119 on the Plastimo catalogue...
http://ecat.plastimo.com/EN2014/appli.htm

Still not sure it's man enough for your lot, though!

 

[Appleyard]

Well, to be honest, my friends on the way back from the pub would be hard to beat.

The phrase "Pearls before swine" springs to mind