Where can I look at lots of dinghies?

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prv

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I know I've started a couple of generally inconclusive threads about dinghies before, but the subject has come up again. This time, rather than prowling around eBay and the For Sale forum for the best available option within my budget, a spurt of parental generosity means I'm now in the market for a brand new tender with price, within reason, not a priority.

The amount of stowage space on board is still pretty small, and in the interest of minimising posterior soggitude I'm looking for nice big tubes. Purely from seeing them at the dinghy pontoons, I've always rather admired the Honda tenders - generally short (hence presumably stow small) but high out of the water. However, I'd like to look at (and preferably sit in) a range of dinghies in person before I decide.

Can anyone suggest somewhere within reach of Southampton that has lots of different dinghies inflated and on display?

Cheers,

Pete
 
prv said:
The amount of stowage space on board is still pretty small, and in the interest of minimising posterior soggitude I'm looking for nice big tubes. Purely from seeing them at the dinghy pontoons, I've always rather admired the Honda tenders - generally short (hence presumably stow small) but high out of the water. However, I'd like to look at (and preferably sit in) a range of dinghies in person before I decide.
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Apart from shows, it's not easy to see lots side-by-side to compare them. I've just gone through a similar exercise, and ended up buying a Zodiac Cadet 240 Aero. This has fairly big tubes (40cm), has the aerodeck for stability, and packs up small (100x50x22cm). Importantly, it only weighs 27kg, so isn't too awkward to lift in and out of a locker. Rather than a bag to store it in, Zodiac have a well thought-out wrap-around cover which is much easier to use than a bag.

The similarly-sized Honwave T24 packs into a much larger lump (112x60x34) and is considerably heavier at 33kg.

The dealer I bought from (Seamark Nunn) sells both, but rated the Zodiac as the better product.
 
theoldsalt said:
Sorry to state the obvious but if you are in no hurry to buy then the Southampton Boat Show In September.
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Good point, but I think I need to take advantage of this spurt of generosity while it's still, as it were, spurting :)

I'm also planning to be away sailing over the whole duration of the Show, starting with the forum dinner in Cherbourg and then going on to the Channel Islands. I'd like to have the new dinghy for that trip.

I actually have nothing much planned this weekend (except replacing the fuel pump in the car, but I might get that done after work on Friday if the bits arrive) so I was thinking to go dinghy shopping then.

Pete
 
pvb said:
I've just gone through a similar exercise, and ended up buying a Zodiac Cadet 240 Aero. This has fairly big tubes (40cm), has the aerodeck for stability, and packs up small (100x50x22cm). Importantly, it only weighs 27kg, so isn't too awkward to lift in and out of a locker. Rather than a bag to store it in, Zodiac have a well thought-out wrap-around cover which is much easier to use than a bag.
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Thanks for the heads-up. My current Bombard has an air deck, and I would definitely want the same again as it's far smaller than any other type (even slats) while being nice and solid and dry. I'm not too fussed about weight. And I know the type of cover you mean, as I bought one for the old dinghy when the old one fell apart due to UV damage.

Pete
 
The recommendations of particular boats are not unhelpful, but it's really bricks-and-mortar suppliers that I'm after. If I need to drive round three or four this weekend to see a decent range of boats, that's ok. But I do need to know where to look.

Thanks,

Pete
 
prv said:
The recommendations of particular boats are not unhelpful, but it's really bricks-and-mortar suppliers that I'm after. If I need to drive round three or four this weekend to see a decent range of boats, that's ok. But I do need to know where to look.

Thanks,

Pete
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Ron Hale and Fairweather Marine. Both fairly close to you and both with more than one manufacturer.
 
Any other suggestions?

Force 4 at Deacons used to have a number of dinghies hanging around outside, but I never really looked as I was usually just going in to buy yet another tin of varnish or tube of sikaflex. A good range, or just different sizes of interchangeable basic Chinese?

Pete
 
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