Who makes very small aluminium tenders?

[lw395]

It ought to be possible to mould a tender down to 20kg.
We were kicking some ideas around in the bar the other day, kevlar cloth, foam core, vinyl-ester resin should not break the bank these days.
Anyone know where there's a mould lying around for a small tunnel-hull dory?

 

[DownWest]

They make ally Optimists, I saw a string of them being towed out in La Rochelle. Great for training and they looked as if they had absorbed a few bashes.

Over in the US, our family has a little ally skiff, very light and about 7ft long. Can't remember the maker though.
A bit longer, at 13ft, our ally jon boat was made by Chrysler Marine and is light enough for me to pick up and put on the roof of the car. All rivited and only about 1mm thick.

As for DIY GRP. Make a female mould up out of hardboard, give it a good coat of wax and lay up the cloth and resin in it. Rip off the HB, job done.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I have a 35kg inflatable and can man handle it aboard very easily, because you're rarely lifting the whole weight. However, once it's folded up in the bag, it feels as if it doubles in weight... A boatbuilding mate of mine built his own GRP tender using the mould that was made for the tenders for the Ocean Youth Club 72 footers. He built that as if he was building a racing boat, and consequently it's stiff and very light (12' tender with centreboard case 45kg). Obviously the issue is that those sort of things are costly to build..

 

[Kelpie]

How about making one out of Dibond or similar?

 

[Neil_Y]

No body has mentioned Walker Bay 8? I use one of these regularly with oars or a small outboard, it's OK with two adults, we've done four but only in flat water! 32Kg with a wheel on the back and you can get a sailing rig. Where is he going that has such a problem with vandalism? I'd like to know so I can avoid it. We used a Zodiac inflatable in some pretty poor (rough)areas without a problem, I did get a pretty hefty cable (8mm rigging wire) and padlock though.

 

[Kelpie]

Another idea- get two cheap old Avons off eBay, they are about as small, light, and cheap as anything else, and then stop worrying. If something happens to my Avon I know that I will find another for about £100 or less on eBay, so unless it is happening frequently (e.g. once a season or more) it's not a big deal really.

 

[Tranona]

Must be going to some strange places if vandalism is a concern. Generations of yachtsman (and women) have cruised far and wide using Avon's as tenders.

 

[dancrane]

I don't think my friend is especially bent on frequenting the haunts of Borstal graduates, but I guess coming back to find a wrecked inflatable more than once, colours one's outlook.

And being stuck ashore in an out-of-the-way place when your tender has lost its buoyancy, isn't a time when you'll reflect gladly how little the ex-inflatable will cost to replace.

Some good ideas here...I'm relieved to find many minds are interested in the question - inflatables are fine in their place, but I hope the last word on tenders hasn't been written.

SWMBO and I stayed at a campsite this year where some visitors had tents supported by inflatable tubes. Curiously, the valves were located on the outside of the tent, and predictably, nocturnal pranks were performed and the occupants of these very costly tents weren't best-pleased.

I hadn't realised the little Walker Bay is so lightweight, though I know it makes up in pounds sterling what it lacks in lbs weight.

Dibond looks like an interesting material, Kelpie. I wonder how durable it is in marine conditions?

 

[dancrane]

Just found this, on the liveaboard forum... http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?464795-Hard-dinghies-vs-inflatables

On closer examination, most of it appears to be humorous observations about Australian natural history.

 

[Hayling]

I bought a small, Aluminium dinghy as a tender and have no regrets, having lugged a GRP and Rigid bottom inflatable up and down the beach and had an inflatable rot out in the sun I wanted light and durable and cheap so on ebay found a ZEPHYR Ali sailing dinghy, two man, about 6' long, light, strong and seats 2/3 and bags and can be rowed, sailed or after I added a ply pad to the gunwhale, motored with my 2hp outboard, cost me £100 and no regrets, chained up outside so secure, no deterioration and I can drag it down to the water.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Dan.. some tiddlers here?

https://heylandmarine.com/pram-dinghy/

..the Neptune looks good?

 

[Capt. Clueless]

Not Allumnium, but I use a Bic sport yak, happily row it in a light chop and I can lift it above my head. (it happily carries myself & my wife).The next one up from that is the also lightweight Tabor yak.

 

[richardabeattie]

I have just bought one of these. "Fun Yak Palourde dinghy, Morton Boats"
It is light, stable and appears fairly indestructable. it also has wheel balls for hauling it up the beach.

 

[dancrane]

Thanks Fantasie19, all those Heyland boats do look good.

Not the lightest, but I believe my friend's realisation that davits will enable him to carry a nice-looking tender anywhere, has lessened his concern with weight. Problem solved I think.

The Bic / Yak designs are tough, light and fun, I agree, but I'm not sure the skipper would tolerate the way they look. :biggrin-new:

 

[richardabeattie]

My Palourde is blue and not too garish.

 

[fuss]

http://www.marine.cz/en the 10m weighs in very light...aluminum is 1.3mm they are available throughout Europe.

 

[Tranona]

http://www.marine.cz/en the 10m weighs in very light...aluminum is 1.3mm they are available throughout Europe.

They may be light for what they are, but they are not intended to be tenders for a small yacht - far too big and cumbersome.

 

[Tranona]

Thanks Fantasie19, all those Heyland boats do look good.

Not the lightest, but I believe my friend's realisation that davits will enable him to carry a nice-looking tender anywhere, has lessened his concern with weight. Problem solved I think.

Perhaps not. Davits on a 30' yacht are not common as most sailing boats that size do not have the beam to fit davits successfully. You really need to be 36-40' depending on the stern shape to fit davits. So just swapping one problem for another.

Suspect your mate will eventually come to the same conclusion as most others. Despite their downsides, the best compromise for a tender on this size yacht is an inflatable! However, if budget is no problem then a folding RIB or 2 piece hard dinghy such as the Nestaway or one of the many fabric coated folding dinghies. None of these, however have sold in any numbers, mainly because they do not offer enough tangible benefits to justify the price and complexity.

 

[FWB]

I have an Eastport Pram, sold as a kit or made to order.
http://www.fyneboatkits.co.uk/kits/rowing/eastport-pram/

 

[dancrane]

Suspect your mate will eventually come to the same conclusion as most others. Despite their downsides, the best compromise for a tender on this size yacht is an inflatable!

Davits on a 30' yacht are not common as most sailing boats that size do not have the beam to fit davits successfully.

I begin to suspect you have shares in Zodiac, Mr T! :biggrin-new:

My mate is acutely aware of the advantages of inflatables...but also of their acute vulnerability to deliberate mindless human attack.

And to be fair, any non-inflatable is roomier than the same length rubbertub...and many say they're nicer to row, which he prefers.

I don't think there's anything to prevent davits on the broad transom of a boxy, 1980s 30-footer...this thread is meant to be about very small tenders, so the davits needn't be very far apart. My mate doesn't like davits, but he likes buying new inflatables even less.