Deflating Dinghy in the Winter

skolbe

skolbe

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2006
3,549
St. Louis, MO
Boat Info
320 Sundancer, Zodiac 290 Wave Inflatable Tohatsu 6HP, Boston Whaler 130 Sport
Engines
350 Mag V-Drive - Kohler 5ecd
So my boat stays in a covered slip all winter and I have left the dinghy on the back of the boat inflated with the cover on it most winters. I recently bought an inflatable stand-up paddle board and it says to deflate it after use. Which it is higher pressure at 12 to 14 psi versus the dinghy. So I do understand why a paddle board may not do as well, especially in sun. But I would think both would do fine if covered and inflated. In my mind, it would be easier on the dinghy inflated. Curious if others deflate their dinghy over the winter?

117302748_10223407990251350_8793901274646166258_n.jpg
 
I have two dingys, and I keep them in a storage locker over the winter, not in the water. I'm in northern Illinois, so we cant leave boats in the water.

I leave them inflated over the winter because I feel like this keeps them in a more natural state and reduces the likelihood for cracking on seems.

I have no basis for this approach - it is purely speculative in my part. The storage locker keeps them out of the sunlight so I dont have the temp swings that they would incur if they were in the sun

When I go to get them in the spring they are still mostly inflated.
 
yobub said:
I have two dingys, and I keep them in a storage locker over the winter, not in the water. I'm in northern Illinois, so we cant leave boats in the water.

I leave them inflated over the winter because I feel like this keeps them in a more natural state and reduces the likelihood for cracking on seems.

I have no basis for this approach - it is purely speculative in my part. The storage locker keeps them out of the sunlight so I dont have the temp swings that they would incur if they were in the sun

When I go to get them in the spring they are still mostly inflated.
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That has been my experience - since it is a covered slip and I back in - the boat just needs a little top off. I made the mistake of having my old dinghy on a jet ski pad for a couple season - even though I had a cover. The temperature swings ruined it over the summer.
 
I don’t see anything wrong storing them inflated…. I wouldn’t store either at full pressure though…. Why put that stress on them
 
Mine stays inflated in the house next to my bed with the motor covered in blankets.
Well, inflated in the house with the motor in our back room addition.
Deflated over time may / can cause transom / tube separation as Blueone showed in a post a couple weeks ago.
Mine even gets transported home inflated in a pikumup truck.
 
Pirate Lady said:
Mine stays inflated in the house next to my bed with the motor covered in blankets.
Well, inflated in the house with the motor in our back room addition.
Deflated over time may / can cause transom / tube separation as Blueone showed in a post a couple weeks ago.
Mine even gets transported home inflated in a pikumup truck.
Click to expand...
Going thru a completely phuckd up warranty claim process right now ….. no more zodiacs…. I would buy a North Korean dinghy as long as it came from a local reputable distributor with repair capabilities….. actually I am kinda over the whole dinghy thing….. nobody deserves the pain of two boats
 
I have deflated mine over the years but I noticed one of my Weaver pads is separating from the tube. Its possible that is because of deflating. So I am going to re-cement it this fall and leave mine inflated. Like @MonacoMike said, up in our northern climate, they self deflate a lot with the cold weather up here.
 
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I never deflate over the winter, I bring it home and it stays on the trailer with the engine on it. It get's covered and at 80 degrees I make sure it's at the correct pressure. It looses some pressure when it gets cold and that's about perfect so the seems are not stressed out. Quick clean in the spring and out for another season.

I would not deflate the dinghy unless you absolutely have too. It's best to keep it as it's going to be used, better for the glued seems. Also best not to flex the seems when it's cold out.
 
I sold a 35 year old Zodiac bag boat that sat in my basement in the bag for most of its life. The 3 HP Johnson that went with it was very hard to get running after all those years, but both are back in service now with the new owner. Perfect set up for his grand kids. The Zodiac still holds air, but needs to be pumped up fully before using it for the day.
 
Blueone said:
Going thru a completely phuckd up warranty claim process right now ….. no more zodiacs…. I would buy a North Korean dinghy as long as it came from a local reputable distributor with repair capabilities….. actually I am kinda over the whole dinghy thing….. nobody deserves the pain of two boats
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I feel it. The SR is going to shop to get prop seal replaced. I got 2 outboards, a zodiac, a Chinese inflatable.
One outboard went to shop today wont start, trying to sell that and Chinese inflatable.
I spend half my time running around fixing something.
But dam i love it when the zodiac is inflated, and the Suzuki is purring and I am going down river alone just after sunrise.
Kinda like Clooney said when heading out in Perfect Storm.
Except for that time a month ago when I had to row home. Not the Suzuki. The reason I got the Suzuki.
Blue, just fix it the way I showed in the pics. Take less than 30 mins. And be done with it, and it’s a permanent fix better than they will do.
 
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sbw1 said:
I sold a 35 year old Zodiac bag boat that sat in my basement in the bag for most of its life. The 3 HP Johnson that went with it was very hard to get running after all those years, but both are back in service now with the new owner. Perfect set up for his grand kids. The Zodiac still holds air, but needs to be pumped up fully before using it for the day.
Click to expand...

I bought a perfect condition Zodiac yachtline cadet roller that was 20 years old. Stepped in it to put the OB on and fell through the floor. The glue had deteriorated and the floor just separated. In 2015 it cost $600 to get it professionally reglued and was still holding last I knew.
 
MonacoMike said:
I bought a perfect condition Zodiac yachtline cadet roller that was 20 years old. Stepped in it to put the OB on and fell through the floor. The glue had deteriorated and the floor just separated. In 2015 it cost $600 to get it professionally reglued and was still holding last I knew.
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That’s pretty funny. It’s like you did an eye level survey of the seams.
 
I have left them inflated with no problems and now that I don’t have the room I used to have before the townhouse, I deflate it and have for the last 5 years and stand it up in the corner so I can get my truck in the garage. No problems with that either.
36D1DA13-B46C-47FE-84F3-D9AE79B6BBA3.jpeg
 
I store it deflated and no issues. @Blueone I missed your post about it. You should grab the Newport I have listed...
 
firecadet613 said:
I store it deflated and no issues. @Blueone I missed your post about it. You should grab the Newport I have listed...
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No ….. I think I’m going to be a single boat owner for a while and play the field :)

Zodiac is deciding right now what they are willing to do…… can’t wait.
 
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