Which new inflatable dinghy?

TiggerToo

TiggerToo

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Aug 2005
Messages
8,412
Location
UK
Visit site
If you were up for buying a new tender, what would you recommend today?

Specs:

Ca 2.5m
Carry capacity up to 3 adults (4 at a pinch in quiet waters)
A good compromise between (low) weight and sturdiness
Longevity (hoping it would outlast me - say 10-15 years; something that will not melt away in the sun - even at the "high" UK latitudes)
Ease of repair (puncture WILL happen)
Solid rowlock system
Stern board for an (electric) outboard

Anybody with direct experience?
 
As long as material is hypalon would be my first concern.

Two Avons of different of sizes and they have proved very stable and tougher than old boots.
 
I know people tend to chickle under their breath at them .... but its worth looking at the inflatables offered to the fisherman .... no longer are they like the Supermarket toy boats of old ... they are serious bits of kits with E-motor mounts .... secure oars and rowlocks ... inflated flooors .... good seats ...

And price is attractive ......

I do not advocate the boat I recently bought .... but its a 2 man boat ... two chamber air ... with inflated floor .... came with a budget E-motor ... inflated seat .. all folds away into a bag with the motor .... weight about 20kg all up ... not incl battery of course.

Aqua Marina Class D (1).jpg

Aqua Marina Class D (2).jpg

Cost was about 200 euros if I remember rightly ... basically I just wanted a dinghy to get ashore from anchor .. nothing too serious ... that packed away and barely used ..

My point is - check out the budget stuff for fishing ... you'd be surprised at its quality and ratings ... and price.
 
Were I to say it can't be possible to get 4 people in a 2.5m inflatable then, on here, I'd expect someone to disagree. But, assuming it's possible, I wouldn't enjoy it very much. I have been 3 up in one a couple of times and it was quite crowed.

I have a 2.7m Honwave and it sis lovely. There are probably other brands that are just as good, but I would look at something that size and shape. The V-shaped hull makes it very easy to row and plane.
 
KompetentKrew said:
Were I to say it can't be possible to get 4 people in a 2.5m inflatable then, on here, I'd expect someone to disagree.
Click to expand...
I’ve had 4 slim people in a 2.35m - it’s possible but seriously cramped and no space for gear. Rowing would be impossible but paddling is actually ok. I wouldn’t do it anywhere that swimming would not be a viable alternative!
 
TiggerToo said:
If you were up for buying a new tender, what would you recommend today?

Specs:

Ca 2.5m
Carry capacity up to 3 adults (4 at a pinch in quiet waters)
A good compromise between (low) weight and sturdiness
Longevity (hoping it would outlast me - say 10-15 years; something that will not melt away in the sun - even at the "high" UK latitudes)
Ease of repair (puncture WILL happen)
Solid rowlock system
Stern board for an (electric) outboard

Anybody with direct experience?
Click to expand...
Key bit of information missing - do you want to be able to fold it up and put it in a locker, or back of your car? Is that a daily/monthly/annual requirement? Is it towed/in davits/on deck?

I think the other thing would be how far you go (v how far the fetch is) that would affect options for tube diameter
 
Cerebus said:
As long as material is hypalon would be my first concern.
Click to expand...
Not all PVC dinghy materials are the same!

My first Quicksilver lasted 13 years, constantly exposed to Mediterranean sunshine as it was almost never stowed below.

The airdeck became sticky after 5 years and was replaced under warranty by EP Barrus with a later version that we were told would not suffer the same problem.
 
ylop said:
Key bit of information missing - do you want to be able to fold it up and put it in a locker, or back of your car? Is that a daily/monthly/annual requirement? Is it towed/in davits/on deck?

I think the other thing would be how far you go (v how far the fetch is) that would affect options for tube diameter
Click to expand...
Yes, it definitely needs to be folded up into a locker. On a 35ft boat.
How far? In an achorage: to an from the shore. Sometimes, up a river (so relatively protected)
 
TiggerToo said:
Yes, it definitely needs to be folded up into a locker. On a 35ft boat.
How far? In an achorage: to an from the shore. Sometimes, up a river (so relatively protected)
Click to expand...

Which basically matches my needs and the cheapo Aqua Marine dinghy with small E-obd was my choice.

So far it has not been used as no call for anchoring - but this coming season - it most certainly will be ...

I have an Avon Redcrest ... another 'cant remember brand' hard transom one ... and a 2 man soviet military style .... all three are now suffering air leaks that I have tried fixing ... new valves etc - but unsuccessful.
Each of them - even the Soviet 2 man were heavy, did not fold up well enough ... basically a PITA to carry on board.

The new one I have - is far easier stowed etc.
 
I have an unused 10 year old Quicksilver 2.6m airfloor/air keel that I keep in the Caribbean heat. I blew it up for the first time last week to test it and all the seams were good on the dinghy itself, but the inflatable floor and the keel blew their valves out straight away - glue failure. The rub strip on the keel also fell off. When I bought the thing originally I was told by the dealer not to worry about PVC glue failures as seams are all welded now on their PVC dinghies. I think the tubes are welded. Not so with the floor of the one I got. If they still glue the floors / keel / rub strip then don’t buy one for a very hot climate. Maybe OK in the UK or maybe even the Med, deffo not here .

You probably can heat up a suspect joint with a hot air gun and if it fails send it back. I wish I had done that. I trusted the dealer, who probably trusted the importer who trusted Chinese maker. No one probably checked inc me. ‘Nuf said.
 
TiggerToo said:
Yes, it definitely needs to be folded up into a locker. On a 35ft boat.
How far? In an achorage: to an from the shore. Sometimes, up a river (so relatively protected)
Click to expand...
ok so probably teaching granny to suck eggs here - but you want an air floor. There are two different styles of floor - old school air matress style and "drop stitch" which use the same technology as a paddle board to give a rigid floor. That is a much better boat - but if you inflate/deflate a lot you'll want an electric pump as it takes a lot more pumping to reach pressure!
 
ylop said:
ok so probably teaching granny to suck eggs here - but you want an air floor. There are two different styles of floor - old school air matress style and "drop stitch" which use the same technology as a paddle board to give a rigid floor. That is a much better boat - but if you inflate/deflate a lot you'll want an electric pump as it takes a lot more pumping to reach pressure!
Click to expand...
Having had one dinghy with ply slats, and two with drop stitch floors, I'd agree.

My first one was a Zodiac, bought about 20 years ago. It lasted pretty well, though I did have to replace the slats, and the rowlocks were absolute crap. When the time came to replace it, they weren't much better, so that was a hard no. At least the pin is now all metal, but I still think the design is inferior to the ones with a hole in the oar

My next one was an Excel. It was a lot lighter, but the centre towing eye tore within a couple of years - I had it replaced by a Zodiac one, which was fine, one of the rowlocks came unglued a couple of times, so I never felt I could trust it. At about five years, it developed a bad leak in the seam, and that was a good excuse to get rid of it.

I now have a 3D Superlight. Apart from a leak that was my fault - I dragged it across a scrubbing grid covered in barnacle shells and other nasties, It's fine so far - a couple of years. The inflatable floor keeps my feet dry, it's light enough for 75 year-old me to carry it fairly easily, It rows about as well as most flubbers and my 3.5 Mariner will get it on the plane one up. It's also happy being towed behind Jazzcat, though we have davits now.
 
ylop said:
ok so probably teaching granny to suck eggs here - but you want an air floor. There are two different styles of floor - old school air matress style and "drop stitch" which use the same technology as a paddle board to give a rigid floor. That is a much better boat - but if you inflate/deflate a lot you'll want an electric pump as it takes a lot more pumping to reach pressure!
Click to expand...
yes, eggs and grandmother are involved here. Blowing, rather than sucking is appropriate. The pumping has never been an issue.
I have had an airdeck for years (decades) and they are wonderful - I would not want any alternative. In fact in my current set up, I designed, ordered and received an airdeck made by a Chinese company to retrofit one on a Zodiac dinghy. It was really cheap, but has worked very well. The reason for asking the original question is that the Zodiac is probably at the end of its useful life (I bought it as an old second hand item more that 15 years ago - it has had a good life!)
 
A couple of minor aspects: a.consider if you want to use launching wheels: some transoms are really too weak for bolting things, and some dinghies have two inflatable appendages to the stern to help it plane which make wheels a lot harder to fit/use if not impossible; b.if you plan to use a small dinghy with 3-4 people and/or loaded, get the biggest tube diameter you can, it will also help not getting soaked with the tiniest wavelet.
 
If you are looking for a 10-15 year life then Hypalon is the way to go. However up to twice the price of the average PVC and 50 % or more than the best PVC (although not sure that paying £1000 for a PVC necessarily gets you longer life than a £700 one). Seago do Hypalon, although maybe they are pulling out because only the 240 which will suit you seems to be available. 2.4/5 is a push with 3 people and not advisable with 4. You really need to go up to a 2.7 which may give you stowage issues.

The lightweight types have come a long way in the last 10 years. I have an early 3D 2.3 roundtail which is OK for light occasional use. I don't have direct experience of the newer style but from observation they look better designed and more robust. Their big advantage is low weight and small deflated size. One of the reasons I chose one was because it was the only one that would go through the stupidly small cockpit locker opening on my Bavaria. Plenty of room once it was in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top