Might buy one

I bought a Highfield CL310 last year and absolutely love it. With the aluminum hard bottom it is light and can still handle a 15hp, gets up on plan in seconds with three adults. Another thing I like is that it sits higher in the water so if there is choppy water you don’t get get wet while riding on the tubes. Small gas can fits up front under the seat, another plus.
http://www.highfieldboats.com/classic-310/
 
I bought a Highfield CL310 last year and absolutely love it. With the aluminum hard bottom it is light and can still handle a 15hp, gets up on plan in seconds with three adults. Another thing I like is that it sits higher in the water so if there is choppy water you don’t get get wet while riding on the tubes. Small gas can fits up front under the seat, another plus.
http://www.highfieldboats.com/classic-310/

I have looked at Highfield... If I was looking for a bigger hard bottom a CL290 would be at the top of the list... I really like the double floor.. Gas tank up front is a big plus... I also like the oars down on the floor tucked away... Good choice!
 
You should take a look at the Highfields as well. I have a 9' 6" RIB with an 8hp Tohatsu motor which is about 160 lbs combined. Gets my family of 5 around pretty well with no complaints. I can load it on the davits by myself if i had to but the wife and i can do it with ease.

I have one of these as well...a CL290, with a Tohatsu 9.8 electric start. Great dinghy.

I, along with and any other member of my family could get on plane and get around at ~20-22MPH. My wife and two daughters (11 and 13) could do the same. With all four, we could not get on plane. It's possible the same motor on a bigger dinghy would have gotten the four of us on plane. We were close if there was some chop.

I mounted this combo on a Dinghy Caddy on the back of my old 300DA that had a 10' 5" beam. The weight was no issue (I did add all-chain rode to balance things out a bit) but that was as wide as I could go.

Dinghy, motor, and caddy totaled about CDN$8K. I would give you a good deal on it if you were closer!

I agree with go as big as possible with as much motor as possible.
 
I'll throw out +1 for AB. I have an AB Ventus 9 VL. I love it.

It's 9'6" overall. The main selling points were that it's relatively light, made of hypalon, and the interior floor is FLAT. A flat floor was my #1 requirement so my wife can enter/egress easily.

I initially used a Tohatsu 6 hp 4 stroke from a prior dingy but it didn't cut it. I bought a used 15 hp 2 stoke and it's a fantastic match to the boat. A 4 stroke of that power is simply too heavy for me to mount and dismount.

As for price, you could do it for $5k. IIRC, the dingy was about $3000ish? I picked up the motor for $700ish, and sold the 6 HP Tohatsu for $750.
 
AB Dink.jpg
I Have a 10 VL AB Fiberglass RIB. 15 HP 2 Stroke motor and a highfield Console unit. Only weighs 220 Lbs.
Recommend Highfield Products, well built and cost is slightly less than AB.
 
NO WAKE!!!

Lol! Jk! Great picture!
 

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