New Dinghy help

[timjet]

Well guys I just got the bad news from the dingy repair joint, its dead!
My Apex 8 RIB probably served its owners well as it was the only dinghy my 98 model boat ever had. May it rest in peace.*
*
But, maybe not. The repair guy said it can be brought back by removing the tubes and replacing with new ones at a cost just slightly more than half the cost of a new one with Hypalon tubes and a 5-year warranty. The FB hull is in good shape.
So I have a decision to make. Buy new, but which one, or repair.*
*
Couple of thoughts:*
*
Repairing the old one would leave me with a slightly smaller RIB than I prefer but would require no modifications to my weaver davit system. I would be at the mercy of the skill of the repair guy as far as ensuring the new tubes are installed properly.
*Get a cheap 9 RIB with PVC tubes and plan on replacing it in 3-4 years at a cost of about $1300. This is slightly larger than I have now and would be size wise a more comfortable option. After some experience I may decide a hard dingy is more desirable and at this price would leave me the option to buy one when it gave out and feel better about it.*
*
Get a new hypalon 9 RIB at a cost of about $3200 and plan on keeping it and maintaining it. If I decided I really didnt like a RIB Id feel more inclined to keep it regardless, due to its higher initial cost.*
*Get a 9 Livingston hard dinghy. It will probably last my entire cruising life so for a cost of about $1500, Im done. I dont like the interior layout, which requires you to sit sideways, and I dont like the idea of having it bang up against anything it is tethered to. I would also have to modify my weaver davit setup at additional cost and work. Im not wild about this option.
*One last option; there is a consignment AB RIB 8 06 model the owner wants $1700 for. The store says it has half its useful life left. If I can get it for $1000 I may go this option. It has Hypalon tubes.
*So what do you guys and gals think?*
*
I have two engine options. My 3.5 merc OB will not plane any boat but is easy for me to take on and off the dinghy and store on the swim platform.
My 8 hp Johnson will plane the 8 footer with just me, but is VERY difficult to man handle up and off the dinghy and onto the swim platform.
So unless I can come up with a hoist system for the larger motor Im sticking with the smaller merc.
*

 

[Moonstruck]

Tim, you are in a great location for getting a good deal on a RIB.* I picked up one on Craiglist at Ft. Myers.* It is a Caribe with a little used Yamaha 15hp two stroke.* It is 10'4" and came with a good trailer.* Price $3.000.00.* My advice is get the largest you an carry with the largest tubes 17 to 18".* Should work on your transom. Get a Weaver Lever for the motor.* It stays on the bracket.* Motor has to be 80# or under.

 

[Conrad]

Another option might be the Portland Pudgy. We bought one last year and are very happy with it. It has the same weight carrying capacity that our 9' Livingston has, even though it is actually 7'8", and close to the same interior room. All plastic (no tubes to puncture) and will last your lifetime. Very stable, and the seats are athwartship, unlike the odd Livingston arrangement which is hard on your bottom. We use a weaver davit system on the stern platform.

No connection, just happy customers.

*

http://www.portlandpudgy.com/

 

[SOMERS]

*The design of a Rib was such as it could be stored taking up less space when deflated on Aircraft carriers.

*Some *Trawler people have adopted the rib concept *possibly because you can bring the thing along side you yacht without resorting to fenders.

Ribs don't last for ever.

**For my money, i would prefer the bigest hard shell dinghy with float chambers i could fit on my boat.

The day of the 8 ft pram is over .

*The money part don't matter because you have been scrimping on other things to enjoy your fun on the water.

*

*



-- Edited by SOMERS on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 05:27:48 PM



-- Edited by SOMERS on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 05:31:11 PM


-- Edited by SOMERS on Wednesday 30th of March 2011 02:48:25 AM

 

[Tom.B]

Here is the hottest thing in dinghy's these days

*

http://www.livingstonboats.com/

 

[Avista]

We have a 10' sailing dinghy (weighs 105 lbs w/o the sailing rig) that we love. Not as fast as the rib we sold but lots more fun. we sail, row, or motor. if you want it more stable you can add 'dinghy dogs'. Trinka and Bauteck are similar and made here in Florida.- just sayin'

 

[Andy G]

My 2 cents worth. We have had 5 RIB's over the years, some PVC, some Hyperlon.The advantages/disadvantages of RIBs are well known.

1/ The 10'/15hp combo is a cracker if you can configure it for the boat.It will plane with 4 up and is very stable.

2/ If you don't need to plane, the 3.3 Merc is easy to lift on & off, the 5hp Merc won't do much more than the 3.3 but weight may be issue, well be an issue if you have back problems.


3/ Be very careful about buying cheap Chinese makes, they do not last. This includes both Hyperlon & PVC.

 

[timjet]

Thanks guys for all the help.

Don, is your dinghy a RIB or does it have an inflatable keel. I've checked out craigslist and I've got a couple of leads to run down but not all are RIB's. Whats the preformance loss with an inflatable keel vs a RIB if any and *anyone recommend one over the other?

Also Don in your picture it looks like your weaver davits are very close together for that size boat, any problems with this?

 

[Moonstruck]

timjet wrote:
Thanks guys for all the help.

Don, is your dinghy a RIB or does it have an inflatable keel. I've checked out craigslist and I've got a couple of leads to run down but not all are RIB's. Whats the preformance loss with an inflatable keel vs a RIB if any and *anyone recommend one over the other?

Also Don in your picture it looks like your weaver davits are very close together for that size boat, any problems with this?

*Tim, definitely get a RIB.* You will be very happy with the performance and firm footing.* Good eye.* The snap davits work pretty well, but to take some weight off the tubes, I am installing a Weaver arm on the transom.

We love the snap davits as they steady the*dinghy for boarding and working on it.* A hard shell dinghy is great, but I find it more comfortable sitting on the tubes.* With the 15hp our dinghy will really get up and move.

Aqua Signal has some great LED portable navigation lights.*

*

 

[hollywood8118]

get a rib, no matter what anybody says there isn't a hard bottom dinghy that is as stable... and wont beat up your boat like a rib. my first pvc zodiac lasted 17 years... inflated the entire time, I bought a new high pressure floor zodiac last summer.. not as good as a rib but it has options that work for me so it will be OK.

HOLLYWOOD

 

[Moonstruck]

Tim, don't forget to check Craigslist in Orlando, Sarasota, and Ft Myers.* A good one may not show up or awhile, if one does get over there quickly.* I missed a couple of good ones because I was out of state.* The east coast is not too far to look.* There are deals to be had out there.

 

[jleonard]

I just went thru the dinghy decision process last year.*4 years ago we*had de-commissioned our venerable 12 year old Seaworthy inflatable. We bought a Mercury PVC hardbottom as an interim dinghy ...mainly because Defender had a great sale on some defectives (the seat didn't fit, but we never used one anyway).

In retrospect I regret this interim step.

Last fall we decided to make the plunge for a serious inflatable and bought an Achilles Hypalon hard bottom with a double hull. (315DX) It will be powered with a Yamaha 15 hp 2 stroke. This thing should fly and we love to explore when we anchor out*(which is always).

I am about to start re fitting my davits to accomodate it.

*

*

 

[Codger2]

hollywood8118 wrote:
... no matter what anybody says there isn't a hard bottom dinghy that is as stable... and wont beat up your boat like a rib.

_________________________________________________________________

****** I have had both a RIB & a hard bottom dinghy in the past and I would vote for a good RIB.

 

[Phil Fill]

Over the years we have stuck with Livingstons as they are very stable, I can stand on the gunnels, do not sink, can be drag/run it up on rocks/concrete shore and last for decades. A couple of years ago we bought a used center consol 12 ft Livingston, with a 4 hp Merc, and a 25 hp Merc.* Most summer I wash/polish the water side standing on the gunnels of the Livingston.
*
We also have a hard bottom rowing/sailing 12 ft dink that I let the grandchildren play with for the last 14 years which they have beaten and swamped many times.* Each spring I repair the dings, repaint it and its ready for another summer of abuse.* In the summer I like to row around the marina, we have not sailed it for years, so we have a 3 hp OB on it.*
*
If you buy an inflatable make sure you do not over load it and/or too much HP as the transom will flex.* Most leaks are where the tube and the transom are glued together.* Very hard and expensive to fix.* If seem most boaters that have an expensive/fancy inflatable treat them with kid gloves.* **
*
So if you want a dink that will last for decades, stable, unsinkable, and will take almost anything, then get a Livingston or at least an all fiberglass/plastic dink.*

 

[Conrad]

Phil Fill wrote:Over the years we have stuck with Livingstons as they are very stable, I can stand on the gunnels, do not sink, can be drag/run it up on rocks/concrete shore and last for decades. A couple of years ago we bought a used center consol 12 ft Livingston, with a 4 hp Merc, and a 25 hp Merc.* Most summer I wash/polish the water side standing on the gunnels of the Livingston.
*
We also have a hard bottom rowing/sailing 12 ft dink that I let the grandchildren play with for the last 14 years which they have beaten and swamped many times.* Each spring I repair the dings, repaint it and its ready for another summer of abuse.* In the summer I like to row around the marina, we have not sailed it for years, so we have a 3 hp OB on it.*
*
If you buy an inflatable make sure you do not over load it and/or too much HP as the transom will flex.* Most leaks are where the tube and the transom are glued together.* Very hard and expensive to fix.* If seem most boaters that have an expensive/fancy inflatable treat them with kid gloves.* **
*
So if you want a dink that will last for decades, stable, unsinkable, and will take almost anything, then get a Livingston or at least an all fiberglass/plastic dink.*

*Completely agree Phil Fill. Especially in these parts where barnacles, rocks, and oyster beds are such a part of the boating experience.*

FF's idea of an aluminum dinghy is also worth considering, provided that it is made of the correct material (I don't remember the specs, but some aluminum alloys have a very short shelf/stern platform life.)

The Livingston & Pudgy are two examples of very stable hard dinghies. Plus for a given length the hard dinghy generally will have much more useable interior space over an inflatable.

The only downside to a hard dinghy in my mind is the potential for abrasions on the mother ship.

*

 

[Per]

so RIB = inflatable but with rigid floor or hull?

 

[Moonstruck]

Per wrote:
so RIB = inflatable but with rigid floor or hull?

*Yes, Ridgid (hull)*Inflatable Boat.* Bottom is usually fiberglass, plastic, or aluminum.* Double floor gives a flat walking surface with the possibility of storage under.

*

 

[Avista]

Tim,

If you need the Weaver snap Davits, I may have a set of the*swim platform*mounts, but the boat mounts I have are for a hard sided*dinghy I think.* Let me know, I will check this weekend.

-- Edited by Avista on Wednesday 30th of March 2011 01:12:25 PM

 

[Bendit]

A PVC RIB, even a Chinese-made one, *will last a very long time if kept covered when on board. It's the UV which causes most damage. here's a pic of our Takacat.

 

[Bendit]

Maybe I should have qualified by saying, "in our part of the world".

UV light here in NZ, and in Australia, destroys plastics in a remarkably short time.

 

[Tom.B]

Aren't all coasts wet?

 

[timjet]

OK guys, thanks again.*

I'm on Craiglist looking for a RIB.*

 

[markpierce]

The Trinka looks good, particularly if one wants a very rowable boat and avoid the expense/hassle/hazard of an outboard engine and its fuel.* It has two rowing positions to accommodate different loadings.**(Whether I*need or even*want a dinghy is to be decided, however.)

 

[Tom.B]

Anyone seen those inflatable catamaran dinghies? We have friends that just bought one. They indicate it has a lot more space and goes way faster with the same horsepower. I'd love to get one when the time comes.

 

[Wolfie]

I was very impressed when I saw the Rigid line at TrawlerFest in ft. Lauderdale. Styled like a RIB, but all fiberglass. Weighs the same or less as a comparable Hypalon RIB, but should last forever. Fiberglass side tubes give great stability (i.e. you can stand on the tube) and tons of storage (lockable) inside the tube. They say it won't scratch your boat, but I'd still put some fenders out. My 2 cents.

rigidboats.com

 

[Carey]

You can stand on the edge, polyethylene pontoons (no fenders needed), and aluminum bottom.

http://www.bullfrogboats.com/


-- Edited by Carey on Wednesday 30th of March 2011 10:21:32 PM

 

[SOMERS]

**We are taking Dinghies here.

Your Outboard Motor fails, *you run out of gas ,you left your paddles at home, A dinghy with sails is the way to go. You want fast *get a Porsche.

 

[JohnP]

Here is a dinghy for loopers who may be feeling automobile withdrawal.

www.sealegs.com

JohnP

 

[koliver]

Tim:

If you are now looking for a good RIB, how are you going to carry it? If you are planning to use Weaver davits, the total weight of the dinghy and outboard must not exceed the capacity of the attachment points on the dinghy (the weak link). You should use a transom swivel to allow your outboard to swing when the dinghy comes up, so it isn't laying on its side once secured.
If you are hoisting to a level stow on the foredeck or on the roof, only the capacity of your roof or lift is relevant. If regular davits, the capacity of the davits and the strength of their attachment points on the hull are relevant, as are the lift points on the dinghy.
My experience is with:
1 Achiles SE11, soft bottom, 15 hp Merc, on Weavers. 200lb total weight
2 same dinghy, on normal davits. 250 lb total weight (leave the fuel tank and other heavy items in the dinghy)
3 Caribe 10 RIB, 20 hp Yamaha, on normal davits, 350 lb total weight, concentrated at the stern. For this I had to add stiffeners to my davits to stop the flexing of the bulwarks and cracking of the teak caprail.
4 Caribe 12 RIB, 40 hp Honda, on normal davits, 750 lb total weight. For this I had to go to a multi part tackle to raise it. the davits were already stiffened enough. this dinghy had been on a SeaWise from its previous owner, but was far too heavy for that system. Damage to the attachment points at the stern of the dinghy.

Each was the right choice at the time, for the boat and usage we were doing. As we get older and lazier, having a RIB with console steering and speed is now the only way to go, despite the extra effort required to hoist or deploy it. This one my wife doesn't mind going out for a spin, whereas she didn't like getting wet in the other ones, so didn't get much use out of them. Also the extra space makes setting the prawn traps a breeze. I now have a fixed sounder/plotter (borrowed from the flybridge) so can accurately find the best prawns.

 

[timjet]

koliver wrote:
Tim:

If you are now looking for a good RIB, how are you going to carry it? If you are planning to use Weaver davits, the total weight of the dinghy and outboard must not exceed the capacity of the attachment points on the dinghy (the weak link). You should use a transom swivel to allow your outboard to swing when the dinghy comes up, so it isn't laying on its side once secured.

*Since our boat came with Weaver davits and with our somewhat large swim platform we will stick with that. Don Moon's setup with picture at the beginning of this thread is similar to what we have.*

My dilemma right now is to decide which engine to use. We have two, a 3.5 merc which will not plane any boat and a 8 Johnson which will not really plane anyboat with more than one in it. I really consider the Johnson pretty much useless, it is to heavy to lift off and on the dinghy when it's in the water. The merc is no problem.*

My wife and I are discussing how important a planning dinghy is. We have not done enough extensive cruising to have determined that. The easy answer is to get the biggest and fastest dinghy we can. But I just don't know how we will use our boat and if a fast dinghy is really necessary. We are planing a 2 week cruise to Key West in May and the success or not of that cruise may well determine how we use our boat in the future.

But we need a dinghy before we go so a decision has to be made. We've decided on a $3M budget.*

My preference is to get a used boat and motor like Don got for around $3M and add a Weaver Lever for about $600 more. There are 2 on Craiglist both a Walker Bay inflatable late model with 15 hp Yamaha's. Problem is I'm not sure a Weaver Lever can be mounted on this boat as the Weaver web site advises the Lever is not for use on a Walker Bay. I'm not sure they are refering to the Walker Bay inflatable or hard dink. Got some questions to ask.

Next option is to get a new 10' AB for around $2800 and use the merc. If later we decide we prefer to go fast a larger O/B and Lever can be added.*

*