tdschafer
Well-Known Member
Lots of good info in this thread!!
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I was planning to buy a Baltik. In the past two years I've read a lot of good reviews from other Club SeaRay members.
Now after seeing the Baltik ebay item 140796118091, I'm asking other club members with Baltiks if they have held up over the past few years.
Thanks Jim, I liken the sea eagles to a moped... Lots of fun until your friends see you on one. Although I do want a moped for cruising around town.
Has anyone looked into a mercury inflatable they are making 9' rigid s for like 1500.
The funny thing is, it's the old guys who have come up to me and said, "I should have bought something like that instead of (whatever they have)...." I'd say this has happened maybe five or six times already. These are very wealthy men born post-Depression thru Korean conflict era who, like me and unlike Ray, don't worry about how they look to their friends. They have all mentioned the same dislikes with their dinghies: expensive, heavy, small interior, and their wives HATE sitting on the tubes.
The guy next to me has a West Marine tender. Its interior is small, its not stable...and yes as I mentioned earlier, every time he and his wife are using it they're sitting on the tubes. Same thing with the Achilles and Baltiks. Oh they "look" good, sort of, if sitting on the tubes getting your rear end splashed looks good to anyone. You can always tell the people at the shops and restaurants who dinghied-in sitting on the tubes...they have the wet-bottomed shorts. We like to ride comfortably, and arrive dry. We like to be able to move about the dinghy without worrying we're going to tip. We like 37 pounds versus 100.
We're looking for a new 9' RIB dink made of Hypalon I know Mercury make them. Where did you see that price please?Has anyone looked into a mercury inflatable they are making 9' rigid s for like 1500.
The funny thing is, it's the old guys who have come up to me and said, "I should have bought something like that instead of (whatever they have)...." I'd say this has happened maybe five or six times already. These are very wealthy men born post-Depression thru Korean conflict era who, like me and unlike Ray, don't worry about how they look to their friends. They have all mentioned the same dislikes with their dinghies: expensive, heavy, small interior, and their wives HATE sitting on the tubes.
The guy next to me has a West Marine tender. Its interior is small, its not stable...and yes as I mentioned earlier, every time he and his wife are using it they're sitting on the tubes. Same thing with the Achilles and Baltiks. Oh they "look" good, sort of, if sitting on the tubes getting your rear end splashed looks good to anyone. You can always tell the people at the shops and restaurants who dinghied-in sitting on the tubes...they have the wet-bottomed shorts. We like to ride comfortably, and arrive dry. We like to be able to move about the dinghy without worrying we're going to tip. We like 37 pounds versus 100.
Alex in your post on the first page you highlighted the one feature I'm not crazy about and it's a significant one.... the motor mount. As I mentioned, so far we've enjoyed paddling or rowing. Our distances have been short, conditions calm, etc. A 45# thrust Saltwater Minn Kota will push this boat 4-5 mph against a strong current. I know the debate is never-ending about electric v gas but again, for our needs, the electric feels like the right choice. I'm still studying that one. I do like the portability of the SE9, but I don't want to get the aft wooden seat to help support a heavier gas motor only because I don't want something else I have to stow. Anyway, we have time on that decision but you're absolutely right...the motor mount on the SE9 is an issue. We'll see as time goes on. For 3 bills we have a safe and comfortable dinghy so the price of the learning curve isn't too steep. We really like the roominess and we're just regular-sized people but the motor issue... time will tell.37lbs is a very good selling point, especially if you always inflate/deflate the dink. The traditional style dinks are more designed to seat on the platform or the decks. Obviously, some people roll the aired floor models (I have that type), but I think it's big PITA. Seating on the tubes is a nature of the beast and majority is very much accustom to it, unless you have a center console, which is a totally different level of dinghies. Larger tubes is what makes a different whether people will know that you arrive by a dinghy. :grin:
Several years ago I would say that brands like Batik was a bargain. But, lately things have changed. In the past couple of years I have friends who bought Zodiacs for about $700. I paid close to $600 for mine in 2009. So, now days I think it's no brainer that going with Zodiac for $700 is a better deal than Baltic.
Style and looks, nothing to debate here. We're all different and we buy the stuff based on individual needs. If Sea Eagle fits your needs, then great. I'm sure some folks will appreciate your feedback and might get something similar.
Only thing to add is that i’d go for hypalon vs pvc if you are ok with higher price. That sun will make the PVC one all sticky after a few years of use, unless you cover it all the time.