I need a dinghy

Hampton

Hampton

Air Defense Dept
TECHNICAL Contributor
Nov 26, 2006
7,628
Panama City, Fl
Boat Info
2008 44 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Cummins QSC-500's
Straight Drives
I'm looking for a dinghy - I'd like to buy a used inflatable which will hold my family of four. I'd like a four-stroke engine, I think. 9HP or so? Ideas? I live in North Florida.

I'd like to be able to tie it up next to my blue hull overnight without it causing damage.
 
Used inflatables are usually a poor investment unless you know the previous owner and how the boat was stored. I went this route and it was a mistake..........I passed on my misery (after full disclosure) and broke even only to see the boat in the dumpster a year later.

On inflatables, if you find a good boat with history and good previous care, you can do about as good on pricing if you wait a couple of months and buy an '07 from a distributor after the 2008's come out. Defender Marine discounts heavily for left overs. Then you have a new boat and a new boat warranty. Treasure Island is a Zodiac dealer and they were within $20 of Defender's price and you save freight if the boat can come in a regular order.

I bought a Zodiac Hard Air Floor model and we love it. There are cheaper approaches like slatted floors (they pinch the absolute ---- out of toes trapped under the slats......ruins an afternoon when a kid or dog gets pinched by a full grown adult), and plywood floors (so heavy it takes 2 people to load and unload the boat. Our boat weighs 56 lbs........Mark Melder bought the exact same boat with plywood floors and it weighed 94 lbs. You might not think the difference is much, but loadiing Marks boat on the transom of his 400EC was like loading a dead man.

On engines, smaller and lighter is better than bigger and more powerful if all you want is a way to get to shore. We have a 2 hp air cooled 4 stroke Honda that weighs 26 lbs and fits under the aft seat. If you need to pull water toys and storage isn't an issue, then you gotta do what you gotta do.

If you can roll the boat up and take it home when you aren't using it, then a PVC boat will look good and last for ever. If you must leave it hung on your platform full time in the sun, then spring for hypalon.

Hope that helps..........
 
Thanks, Frank.

I haven't decided where it'll stay - probably in the sun. I'll probably drag it along on short outings and pull it up on the swim platform for the longer hauls. I think the kids would really appreciate a little speed, but we have to be real too.

If I do buy it new, I'll definately get a used motor anyway.
 
I could roll it up and put it in the back of my truck. That would help with a couple of issues, except pain-free boating.
 
I know a several people at our marina that bought "Baltik" inflatables from E-bay. I must say that they are very nice and a great price. Check them out.
 
If it's to be stowed on the swim plaform ...

Weight is a real issue unless you will routinely have help. The size of the kicker is important as well. I onc ehad a Avon with paywood floor and inflatable keel. It would take a 9.9 HP engine which made it unmanageable at higher throttle speeds. I traded it for a 4.5 HP which also cut the weight in half.

I've got a 15HP electric start I thinking of trading down in HP just to get the weight down so the dink will be more useable.

I have a 10'6' Mariner RIB dink I keep behind my house for rowing around the lake and I bougth it used over 12 years ago ... I keep in the sun and power wash every now and then and give a spray of 303. Its made of hypolon and seems to be indestructable.

If there is a market for used inflatables, buy the whole rig used, set the kids to scrubbing it up, tune up the motor and have a blast on the cheap. When the kids tear off a tube or knock the lower end of the OB out of skew, you can recover a lot more easily than a guy with 6-8 grand in his bookend dingy.

On the note of towing your dink. Soft bottom dinks do not tow reliably as the tow patchs and "D" rings rip loose all to easily. Ribs don't tow well at planing speed etiher .... but a light weight dink will be easier to flop up on the swim platform.
 
Chad, we towed a dink for over a year. It was a 11' Zodiac with a 30hp motor. You are correct to say they dont tow well except that when you keep the motor in the water (full down) the towing becomes quite controllable. The motor acts like a rudder and keeps the dink straight.
Just an FYI

PS we have a guy in our marina who towes his dink at 40k.
 
We have an 8'8" Achilles Hypalon Air Floor (LSI-88) and a 6-hp Merc. That was the smallest we could find that was rated for 4 people. The 4-hp and 6-hp Mercury outboards (we bought new old stock) weigh the same, so we went with the higher hp.

We carry the dingy on the swim platform, tied on using lines from the tow eyes to the rear cleats. The outboard rides on the floor in the cockpit. It's easy to lift the dinghy onto the platform using the ropes as lifting lines. However, having it leaning against the transom is a pain at the dock because it's tough to cross stern lines, and access to the shore power connections is blocked. I have Weaver Davits but not installed them yet. I expect they will eliminate those issues.

Except for those two issues with the dinghy on the swim platform, this setup works well for us. The extra weight in the rear of the boat does make it slow to get on plane, but if we put the outboard in a plastic bag and place it on the cabin floor between the V-berths (while under way only), it's a little better.

Placing the outboard motor on the dinghy is easier if someone holds the dinghy steady while I step into it carrying the motor. Although heavy, the outboard is manageable. We keep the fuel tank in a plastic bag to contain any potential spills, and keep it in the rear of the cockpit. I take it home when we leave the boat.

We bought the Achilles last year from Defender, a 2005 in the 2006 model year, and got a good price. The outboard was also quite affordable (I think it was about $1,100) from a liquidator in Delaware who sells older models still new in their crates. I believe ours is a 2001 model. They don't ship, though -- you have to pick the motor up -- but they test run the motor for you while you're there.

We've been very happy with both dinghy and motor. Last year we didn't use it too much, but this year we're in a slip and can store it on the swim platform, so it gets a lot more use.

Jeff
 
TheAcademy5 said:
I have a 9 footer with inflatable floor, brand new it was in the water for 3 weeks last season, bought a jet boat this winter so I am tryin to sell it...
Click to expand...

Brand? Engine? Location? Dollars? Any info would be much appreciated. Maybe we can help eachother out.
 
When I was trying to figure out how I was going to transport the dinghy and what type to get I read that you need to make it easily accessible/ easy to use- or you won't use it if it's too much of a PITA.

I settled on a set of Mar-Tek davits mounted on the swim platform- carries the 9' HP Air-Floor inflatable and the 84lb, 4 stroke outboard mounted and ready to go- just slack the lines and drop her in...
 
I'm looking into RIB's, about 8 - 10 ft, and a 8HP Yamaha now. I think I want Hypalon fabric. Looks like about $3,500 total, new. 90% of the time we will drag it 1.5 miles to our beautiful barrier island, then rage around in the shallows. Occassionally, we'll travel 25 miles with it on the swim platform, then unload it, and rage around in the shallows.
 
I think a rib and an 8 hp 4 stroke may be too much for the 340DA platform supports. I'd call Sea Ray on this one as soon as you figure out the weights.
 
Platform supports?

I'm talking about rolling it up and laying it on the platform. I don't like the idea of turning the back of my swim platform into an obstacle course with hazards. Am I dreaming?
 
I think Frank is thinking about the earlier 340 with extended platforms, not the newer design 340 with molded in platform....hence the "supports"....
 
Copy that.

Thought for the day - 9.5' folding hard bottomed dinghy and 8 HP Yamaha 2-stroke.

Any reason not to go for a 2-stroke? 60 pounds - completely do-able, I'd think.
 
The name of the dinghy is a "SATURN"
Length: 10.9 ft.; Beam 5'4": Hull Material: PVC
Transom Depth: 15"
Tube Diameter 16.5"
Boat Weight 98lbs
Max. HP.: 15
Inflatabale Bottom

and a new red, V-shaped, 6-gallon gas tank with tubing.

$575 if interested
 
Dear Guest, just how do you plan on selling the dingy if there is no contact info? :smt017

Register, introduce yourself in "Who's Who" and then repost in the for sale area. You still will need Jim's approval since I do believe a Dingy still qualifies as a boat and Jim might require you to post it in the advertising area. :smt024
 
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