Low Cost Dinghy

M

mawyatt

New Member
Dec 13, 2007
1,001
Clearwater, Fl
Boat Info
2008 Sundancer 38DA
Engines
8.1L Mercruisers
Anyone have any reccomendations for a low cost dinghy for a 38? We are looking for something to just allow access for 2 to some local islands when we anchor. Nothing for heavy water, just a 100yds max into and from shore. Would like to store it on board uninflated.

Thanks,

Mike
 
Mike, Just like your anchor question, its a matter of personal choice. There was a good discussion about lite dinghy's awhile back. Try a search. Your anchor ? is a little more complicated. I would go a little bigger than your original and use more chain than you probably had. Try a search on this as well. We cruise bahamas quite a bit and have 2 anchors on board. One a BIG 75LB danforth for storms and such. JC
 
As much as I wanted the brand name "Zodiac", I was torn between them and another "no name brand that I've seen a lot of locally and that is in a lot of the national boat shows. So I saved about $1,000.00 and bought an "Aakron Boat". I took it to the Bahamas and also tool around when I am anchored at a local lake. I got the 9'6" air floor, and then found a very slightly used Merc 4stroke 6hp that is light enough for me to put on and take off myself, and works fine to have fun with. The website is aakronboats.com, and I am enjoying using it. I just purchased a cover for it, and had also bought and installed Nautley Davits on my swim platform before the trip to the Bahamas, so now I can leave the Dinghy on the swim platform with the cover and not worry about sun damage.

Barry
 
Mike;

how low cost you want to go. I put a combo together this year starting with a PVC inflatble boat I got from BJ's for $150, 3 air cambers, floor boards and supporting up to 30lb thrust out board. Add a minn kota 30lb thrust trolling motor from Dicks and a Battery to get a dinghy that will support 400Lb of people and/or gear to allow me to ferry the kids, wife and gear to shore on some of the real shallow aprouch beachs.

I also use it to do maintanence on the boat when it's up on he lift.

most folks on the board on the board would have a cow over my choice but if fills the need for the very few times that I actually need it.

any way the whole thing was no more than $300 total and easyly store able on board a 240DA or on the swim splaform.
 
took a little looking around the net to find it agian but here is the dinghy setup I have.

http://shop.bjs.com/North-Pak-Explo...VproductId13305965VVcatId482000VVviewprod.htm



13305965.jpg



http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1194954

p846078p275w.jpg
 
I also saw this dinghy at BJs last week and did a double take on the price. Seems like a nice boat at a very nice price.
 
Whatever you buy, DO NOT buy one of these p[ieces of junk. Some guy I know bought one, and it punctured sooooo easily, it was a joke.
mariner2.jpg
 
There is a company up here in New Hampshire, CoastalInflatables.com. These dinghys are great quality and a very resonable price. I bought a boat earlier in the year from them and it has been great for me. I was talking to the owner last week and he told me in August he is going to have a sale on all his remaining inventory to clear out his warehouse for the winter. The 8.5' boat with air floor goes for about $799. With the sale it may be a chance to get a good boat at a good price. I think he reducing the price by $50 - $75 for the clearence sale depending on the size.
 
I picked this up off of ebay for less than $200. It will take a trolling motor and has a "hard cell' foam floor insert. It is well made for going cheap.Here is me and my kids last weekend.
dscf0011gk9.jpg
 
tphinney said:
took a little looking around the net to find it agian but here is the dinghy setup I have.

http://shop.bjs.com/North-Pak-Explo...VproductId13305965VVcatId482000VVviewprod.htm



13305965.jpg



http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1194954

p846078p275w.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks. Sorry for all the questions but this looks pretty good. Can you deflate this and carry it too and from your boat easily, or will it store deflated in a small place on board. Did you use a electric pump or a foot pump to inflate? How do you use carry the dinghy while underway?

Mike
 
Quint4 said:
I picked this up off of ebay for less than $200. It will take a trolling motor and has a "hard cell' foam floor insert. It is well made for going cheap.Here is me and my kids last weekend.
dscf0011gk9.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks that looks ideal!! Can you provide the web site? Any additional info like size when inflated, deflated (can you store on boat deflated), electric or foot pump to fill, how you store when underway, is motor mount rigid enough for a small electric motor like in above posts?

Mike
 
Search "inflatable boats" on ebay. This one is 4.5 ft wide X 8 ft long (they also have a 9.5 ft model for a little more money) You can store it deflated pretty easily ( I put the two piece floor under my mid-cabin cushions they are about 1 1/2 thick) I use a 12v pump to inflate it. The trolling mount is rigid and will take up to a 30lb thrust motor. The link tphinney posted is the 9.5ft model and that price is real good.
 
Last edited:
When Deflated I store it in a large duffle bag. the only things that don't fit in the bag are the floor boards, motor, and battery. I normally store everything in the mid-berth of my 240DA (deflated); if it's on the boat.

when I plan on using it I will normally inflate it and strap it to the swim platform. I tie a Dock line to the front and back handles on the starboard side of the dinghy. then run those lines eye-hoops on the aft of the boat just bellow the swimplatform. from there to the handles on the port side of the dinghy, pull tight and secure to the rear cleats on the boat.

the dinghy might shift a little but it's not going anywhere.

as for inflation i'm lazy and use my compressor.
 
I have the same 8' model as Quint4. I purchased mine from the local Sam's Club about a month ago for $119. I haven't purchased a motor yet and with no ore mounts I find it doesn't track well with one person rowing, but it works for what we use it for.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=357988

Tip: Don't lean the floor boards against the cabin lights. It melts the styrofoam.:wow:
 
Side not : I had to cut 2 pieces of plywood using the transom board as a guide and glue/screw them together so that the transom would be thick enough to hold the Minn Kota motor with out it wanting fall off. the transom was just to think on the stock configuration. the New boards fit back in the same pocket as the original just a little shorter and thicker.

works fine now.

also be playing with the idea of making a new plywood floor for it for better stability.
 
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While searching on ebay I came across a Mercury Quicksilver RU200 (6'7" by 4'3'). It's new leftover 2005 stock for $599 plus $69 shipping. I like the smaller size as I don't want something that is heavy to lift, and for 2 people is fine. This weighs 35#. Is this worth considering? It's more expensive but seems like more heavy duty that the $200 types. Also came across a Baltik Ba75 (7'5" by 4'6" 69#) for $550 with $110 shipping, and Ba65 (6'5" 4'3" 55#) $500 with $94 shipping.

Anyone have any opinions on these for a small dinghy, one that could be deflated and stored on board and infalted when needed?

Mike
 
Mike,
I got the Baltic 6'5". I also picked it up on ebay for under $400. For the money it's fine vs. paying $200 and get some total crap. But, when I was buying it we still had 240DA where it was nicelly fit. At that time I told my wife that we need just a little bigger size. Now, she agrees. I use it for the kids to ride around or get to shore when anchored. But, if you're planning to use it when cruising and then taking your dinghy to a restaurant I think it's too small. We'll be changing ours for bigger size.

Just my .02c

Alex.
 
yeah, might not want to get "some total crap" like some of the rest of us. Good luck with whatever you decide Mike.
 
Alex F said:
Mike,
I got the Baltic 6'5". I also picked it up on ebay for under $400. For the money it's fine vs. paying $200 and get some total crap. But, when I was buying it we still had 240DA where it was nicelly fit. At that time I told my wife that we need just a little bigger size. Now, she agrees. I use it for the kids to ride around or get to shore when anchored. But, if you're planning to use it when cruising and then taking your dinghy to a restaurant I think it's too small. We'll be changing ours for bigger size.

Just my .02c

Alex.
Click to expand...

Alex,

Thanks. Do you have a motor, and how do you store your dinghy on board (inflated or deflated). I was thinking of the 7'5", what size are going to move too?

Mike
 
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