Which small inflatable tender

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Swg

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It will only occasionally be folded, kept pumped up on a launching trolley, preferably rowed but otherwise 2hp. 2 stroke, to hold 2 adult most of the time and an additional youngster occasionally and launched off sand beach with some stones. Any experience of new ones and any to avoid? Round tail or fixed transom? Seago/ seapro/ wetline/ waveline etc...Advice welcome.
 
If you're going to trolley it back and forth and hardly ever deflate it, why bother getting a small one? I'd pick something a bit beefier. If you are serious about rowing consider the rowlock design- IMHO the Avon style ones are the best. I think Seago use a similar design.
 
...because when I do need to take it with me I've very little space. It's all compromise. Agree about ro'llocks. Thanks for the reminder.
 
A solid transom better for outboarding but provided you stick with a small light engine a roundtail will be adequate.

A solid transom will make it heavier and less compact when deflated
 
All the ones you quote come from the same or similar source in China. There is little to choose between them except in the detail fittings Most have the same weight materials except where they are lightweight. They will all give good service for the money. You can go up to the next price bracket and get more and probably better fittings and features.

Round tails are out of fashion and the most popular seems to be air floor rigid transom, but some find these heavy and bulky when packed. So as usual you have to look at the pros and cons and decide which suits you best.
 
Having had a floppy floor dinghy for some time before getting hold of an air deck, I'd not willingly change back. Not only does the air deck handle much better but because it create some voids below it you can take on quite a bit of water before it starts to cover the deck = dry feet most of the time. Always have a fixed transom, so much easier for an outboard and, frankly, can't see it making the deflated dinghy very much larger once all the air is sucked out.

Finally, although many on here like 'proper' rowlocks, I much prefer the simplicity of what are effectively bolts through the centre of the 'oars'. No worries about losing the things when motoring or towing the dinghy and IMO much easier to use than trying to get a tiny oar (almost an oarlet) to stay in the correct position in an open rowlock.
 
Thanks all so far. The round tail offers more internal space for LOA and therefore better value. Airdeck seems to be a strong recommendation. So far the seago 230 RT is in the lead. With reference to nxt price bracket any recc's ?
 
I have a zodiac AX2 with a honda 2.3 4str. It has slatted floor which rolls up with it

I think Zodiacs are slightly more robust than the average seago/wetline/etc. Avon would be better still but too expensive for me.
 
I have just researched in some depth the same subject and have done most of the footwork for you. http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=342421.

It all mostly comes down to price, type of use etc. I ended up with an old Avon which was recommended to me in the first place :) I would have probably gone with a Waveline though, Wetline do a cheaper model that would fit your bill for £250 but the PVC is thinner than the more expensive models - it's all explained in the thread however.

Types of Tender, PVC, Hypalon etc etc, perfect topic once written up properly to make into a sticky, it must come up all the time. I did come across such a detailed article when I Googled but didn't save it - sorry!
 
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I have just replaced a solid transom with a slightly smaller roundtail (2.6 to 2.3). What a difference in weight and ease of storing! Haven't tried it with a motor yet, though, which is supposed to be it's Achilles heel. The solid transom was so difficult to lug out of the forepeak I'm prepared to put up with loss of the transom.
 
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Second Hand, cheap and shoddy looking with a solid or inflatable floor. Look for large diameter tubes. Poor looks and a good lock help deter thieves and the low price makes and loss more bearable!

Yoda
 
A lateral thought

Another way to go js to have a cheap second hand rigid dinghy on the trolley at your regular mooring plus a cheap small round tail folded and stowed aboard for occasional use when cruising. The rigid on the trolley will almost certainly be longer lived than any inflatable stored in the open, even if it's 20 years old when you acquire it!

Rigid will also be much nicer/ easier to row out to the mooring, so you won't be as tempted to buy a money consuming outboard. As I said on Zagato's thread, the air decks are nicer to row than the slatted floor inflatables, but a rigid dinghy with a skeg is another step improvement.
 
Good logic Peter, though the rigid will be relatively heavy to trail to/ from the beach and adds yet another boat to the fleet! Thanks for giving it thought though
 
We have an AX2 stored aboard plus a grp tender ashore. Chose the AX2 because of its compact dimensions when deflated - fits into our under cockpit floor space. It's OK for 2 adults but not much more.
 
Thanks all. Can't see anything against Seago who seem to have a reasonable price/ quality ratio.
Any comments on size? I'll do another post on which ob
 
I chose excel over seago (testing both) because of parameters: seems stronger made (though same fabric weight) and tube diameter is bigger, over 2" IIRC - makes a difference, while packed size the same. On 230 models excel has one more person capacity and takes bigger engine power - so it's bigger boat for same length (which was a limit for me to easily move inflated on deck both forward and aft) and price difference not much, below 100 on around 500 IIRC - but before ordering I've looked up ebay and found unused (only dusty...) excel for 200 with extra equipment and wheels :D

Maybe seago also makes tougher models, I was testing the ones at hand.

Was shopping for airdeck with inflated keel, only kind to be rowed at sea IMHO. No opinion on other models, as was not interested.
 
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Swg said:
Thanks all. Can't see anything against Seago who seem to have a reasonable price/ quality ratio.
Any comments on size? I'll do another post on which ob
Click to expand...

The only round tail Seago is the T230
Comparable with the Avon 7 size wise

Capacity given as 2+1 or 255 kg. 3 persons or 400kg for the Excel RT230

Larger diameter tubes (370mm) than the small Avons (300mm) but ThE SAME as the Excell

A little lighter when packed than the Excel 22kg vs 26kg

Max outboard 3hp (3.5 hp for the EXcel)

Id like a second seat to sit on when outboarding to avoid the wet-bum syndrome. It was an option on later Redstarts but I used to put the oars across the boat and sit on them.
 
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Sorry, I overlooked the round tail part :o - was looking for SD, transom. Round tail from excel is same tube diameter, 37, but still they give more capacity on it, 400 kg - may be airdeck bigger? :confused:
 
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