The New Best Tender/Dink Thread.

[psneeld]

Ribs are pretty universal as the most common, though you will see a lot of small hardbody rowing dinghies in the northeastern mooring fields, used by folks to get out to their daysailer or small fishing boat.

Dinghies are like any other boat, a compromise of some sort. All depends on how, where and how often you are going to use it.

Compromises at every level.....

Lot of worries and myths put forth......or at least misunderstandings about how easy it is to put a hole in an inflatable, how stable a certain type dingy is in all situations, how long ALL Whalers last and why some wouldnt own one on a bet except the resale pushed by the myth....etc..etc...

As others pointed out....if you hit the top 10 on your list of what your dingy MUST do for you based on how you use it...then you are doing well....the trick is figuring that all out.

For me...finally getting rid of the slightly too big, lousy carrying capacity hard dingy as a new West Marine RIB (on super sale) is in the parking lot. Was looking for the things the hard dingy was lousy at.

May keep the RIB hanging off the back and in a year or two when I have more cruising time....tow a 16,17, or 19 Carolina Skiff for fishing and romping. Maybe anything in that size range that is a good buy.

 

[Heron]

Compromises at every level.....

Yup...pick what works for YOU!

 

[Pack Mule]

Trinka 10 footer .

 

[Art]

Trinka 10 footer .

That's a pretty dink!

 

[GFC]

I've had a few different RIB's and they all had their plusses and negatives. We now have to Whalers and love 'em both.

This one we use for our dinghy. It's a 2010 130 Supersport with a 40hp Merc.

This one we have down in AZ and just use it for playing on the lakes down there. It's a restored 1977 13 Sport with a 40hp Evinrude.

 

[Bay Pelican]

The English speaking islands of the Eastern Caribbean are heavily into AB and Caribe ribs, typically 3.2 meters. The vast majority of outboards are two stroke as they are still legal here.

The French, Martinique and Guadalupe, have a couple of European brands as well as good representation from AB and Caribe.

 

[markpierce]

I've had a few different RIB's and they all had their plusses and negatives. We now have to Whalers and love 'em both.

This one we use for our dinghy. It's a 2010 130 Supersport with a 40hp Merc.

This one we have down in AZ and just use it for playing on the lakes down there. It's a restored 1977 13 Sport with a 40hp Evinrude.

I consider these as "supplemental" boats: boats that can stand on their own, and not dinghy "addendums."

 

[BandB]

I consider these as "supplemental" boats: boats that can stand on their own, and not dinghy "addendums."

Although we haven't thought of those labels, we definitely want ours to be able to be used as a boat, not just transport a few hundred yards to shore or a dock.

 

[Art]

Dink, tender, launch, supplemental boat, "mini me" (as we affectionately term our tow-behind Crestliner in comparison to our Tollycraft)... any name they may be called, makes no matter, long as Captain and mates are satisfied with uses fulfilled... it all sounds good to me!

 

[refugio]

Indeed, lol! Small world. Were you there? Or is this something you have done yourself in the past?

We do it every time we visit the Penders. It's a very cool shortcut - can't do it in the "diesel cruiser" of course!

And the small shopping center has a great book store and even a store where my wife likes the clothes. Oh, and a hardware store. And the pub at Port Browning is pretty good too!

 

[MTMilam]

I Like that!! Cool Dink

My Tender is a Commercially rated, twin hull, unsinkable, bright, light, will never go flat or get a puncture, never get mould and has a lifetime warranty blow moulded plastic piece of genius.

Spindrift (5 models available)

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[Adelaide]

We do it every time we visit the Penders. It's a very cool shortcut - can't do it in the "diesel cruiser" of course!

And the small shopping center has a great book store and even a store where my wife likes the clothes. Oh, and a hardware store. And the pub at Port Browning is pretty good too!

The stores are great and the hardware store seems to have everything you could possibly need. Have you done the bus/pub run from Montague Harbor? I highly recommend it! It's a lot of fun.

 

[kraftee]

Dinghies are EXACTLY like anchors, electronics, support vehicles, and, yes, trawlers. The perfect dinghy is whatever works best for you and your situation! For us, the (relatively) lightweight West Marine 350 RIB with 25hp Suzuki is the right answer. Fast, stable, comfortable and fits easily onto our TNT lift. It was even priced right (bought it used)! ERIC

 

[BandB]

Dinghies are EXACTLY like anchors, electronics, support vehicles, and, yes, trawlers. The perfect dinghy is whatever works best for you and your situation! For us, the (relatively) lightweight West Marine 350 RIB with 25hp Suzuki is the right answer. Fast, stable, comfortable and fits easily onto our TNT lift. It was even priced right (bought it used)! ERIC

I did notice and want to comment on your bimini. When we bought our first RIB, we got a bimini but thought it a bit silly for such a boat. We now wouldn't own one without a bimini. We spend hours at a time out exploring and just as we protect ourselves from the sun on our boat, we do so on the RIB. Yes, a little extra work raising and lowering it all the time but absolute essential in protecting against the sun. Not so bad when you get caught out in the rain either.

 

[Hendo78]

Over here, for a vessel to be a tender, it needs to meet specific requirements. It must have the vessels name on it, can't have an engine bigger than 6hp, can only be used as a rescue boat or for ship to shore transport and the list goes on. If it doesn't comply then it has to be registered as a stand alone vessel and pay the ensuing fees etc.


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[kraftee]

I did notice and want to comment on your bimini. When we bought our first RIB, we got a bimini but thought it a bit silly for such a boat. We now wouldn't own one without a bimini. We spend hours at a time out exploring and just as we protect ourselves from the sun on our boat, we do so on the RIB. Yes, a little extra work raising and lowering it all the time but absolute essential in protecting against the sun. Not so bad when you get caught out in the rain either.

My wife wouldn't spend ANY time in the dink if it didn't have a bimini (she's a pale blue Scottish person.) The best thing I bought to make this an easier proposition is the Railblaza & "Starport" rear mount system (RailBlaza Bimini Mount, White, Pair) along with solid aft bimini supports. The bimini "snaps" into the upright position in ten seconds and I can either leave it there as an "arch" or unzip the cover and roll it open to clip the forward straps in. I also recommend going slightly oversize on what you might think is the proper bimini. You can never have too much shade! I used a four-bow bimini - which came with the solid rear mounts (4-Bow Sun Shade Canopy & Bimini Tops for Inflatable Boats..)

 

[caltexflanc]

One of the first things we did when we got our boat was to put a bimini on the Whaler. Got ours from BoatCoversDirect.com; they build them to order for all kinds of boats including most RIB inflatables. Going on 8 years now of year around use. After 5 years of ownership one of the bows got badly bent when someone ran into it; I called them up, they had our information, shipped us a replacement pronto at a very reasonable price. Great service. Bimini Tops for Boats, Pontoons and Jon Boats - Covers Direct

 

[BandB]

Over here, for a vessel to be a tender, it needs to meet specific requirements. It must have the vessels name on it, can't have an engine bigger than 6hp, can only be used as a rescue boat or for ship to shore transport and the list goes on. If it doesn't comply then it has to be registered as a stand alone vessel and pay the ensuing fees etc.


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Here it varies by state, but in most states once you put any motor on it, it has to be registered as a boat. There is really no such thing here as a "tender exclusion". It's simply a matter of size and propulsion. So, in all circumstances it's a stand alone boat.

 

[BandB]

Great information on sources for biminis from both Caltex and Kraftee. We can't repeat too often the warnings against the sun. And I hope the kids who don't think it applies to them are listening. You know....like any....well, if we have any younger guys here who play around on Nordhavn's, Ribs and Dusky's.

Now this is the extreme "weather kit."

 

[Hendo78]

Here it varies by state, but in most states once you put any motor on it, it has to be registered as a boat. There is really no such thing here as a "tender exclusion". It's simply a matter of size and propulsion. So, in all circumstances it's a stand alone boat.

Cool. That's explains why I'm seeing all of your tenders with big HP's hanging off the stern. The below link will show you what I was talking about.

http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/marine/MAC_R_BoatingRulesAtAGlance.pdf


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[BandB]

Cool. That's explains why I'm seeing all of your tenders with big HP's hanging off the stern. The below link will show you what I was talking about.

http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/marine/MAC_R_BoatingRulesAtAGlance.pdf


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Even if your boat qualifies technically as a tender by being under the length and under the horsepower, the usage is so restrictive that we would definitely not go that route.

In the US there's another complicating issue too. As you go from state to state you encounter conflicts between your home state and the state you're visiting. Here's an example. California requires sailboats over 8' to be registered. Now, Oregon requires sailboats over 12' to be registered. So, let's say you live in Oregon and have an 11' sailboat you use as a dinghy. You go to California. You're breaking the law by it not being registered and you're not exempt by being from Oregon. You'd only be exempt if it was registered in Oregon.

This type state by state structure is why many who cruise the coast but stay in each state several months find themselves having to register their boat in multiple states. Two is common, three not all that uncommon and I know a couple that was registered in four states one year. Going from state to state in the US is like going from country to country in most of the world.

(As an aside, I see in Australia you're socking it to PWC's. $355 per year, which is basically what you charge for a 10 meter boat.)

 

[GFC]

I consider these as "supplemental" boats: boats that can stand on their own, and not dinghy "addendums."

I've never heard that term, but I like it.

Now that we own 3 boats my Admiral teases me that I'm a "Fleet Captain."

She likes the 2010 Whaler because it has a "sport bucket seat" that's a lot more comfortable than just sitting on a flat bench or a bench with a cushion. More padding for the Dupa is a good thing.

 

[BandB]

I've never heard that term, but I like it.

Now that we own 3 boats my Admiral teases me that I'm a "Fleet Captain."

She likes the 2010 Whaler because it has a "sport bucket seat" that's a lot more comfortable than just sitting on a flat bench or a bench with a cushion. More padding for the Dupa is a good thing.

Wifey B: No such thing as too many.

 

[GFC]

WifeyB, that's what I keep telling her but she's not listening any more. I think 3 is my limit. For now anyway.

 

[FF]

IF you look at the photo of the 1st thread EVERY boat is tied up wrong.

While there is room NOW for the boats , when 5 or 20 or more need to use the dock, damage results.

Having folks clamber over a condom dink with garbage , fishing gear and food stuff can be almost as hazardous as a B Whaler pushing the gaggle aside to make room.

With a cruisers aluminum boat the hazard becomes even higher.

The simple solution is a 20+ ft painter , so dozens can pull to the dock with no harm or hassle at all.

In the Bahamas one clown chained his hard dink along side the dock, making it almost unuseable for others.

Some one was generous and installed 2 locks to his chain setup,only the next day was he able to hacksaw the dink loose.

Common sense to allow others to be able to use a landing spot.

Use whatever dink suits you , but remember there are other dinks.

 

[Art]

IF you look at the photo of the 1st thread EVERY boat is tied up wrong.

While there is room NOW for the boats , when 5 or 20 or more need to use the dock, damage results.

Having folks clamber over a condom dink with garbage , fishing gear and food stuff can be almost as hazardous as a B Whaler pushing the gaggle aside to make room.

With a cruisers aluminum boat the hazard becomes even higher.

The simple solution is a 20+ ft painter , so dozens can pull to the dock with no harm or hassle at all.

In the Bahamas one clown chained his hard dink along side the dock, making it almost unuseable for others.

Some one was generous and installed 2 locks to his chain setup,only the next day was he able to hacksaw the dink loose.

Common sense to allow others to be able to use a landing spot.

Use whatever dink suits you , but remember there are other dinks.

That said: If you look at post #23 it seems either one boat was tided so wrong that high tide sunk it... or... maybe some fellow boater REALLY did not like the way it was tied!

 

[yachtbrokerguy]

I would not call this a dink, but it is a tender stored inside the garage of one of my listings. It is an Aquamajestic 27 with a car style convertible top, air conditioning, diesel power, and it is included with the big boat.

 

[Art]

I would not call this a dink, but it is a tender stored inside the garage of one of my listings. It is an Aquamajestic 27 with a car style convertible top, air conditioning, diesel power, and it is included with the big boat.

I want one Almost, anyway!!

 

[Larry M]

When you can't replace the tubes there are options for that old rib.

 

[River Cruiser]

We tow a 17' Logic Marine center console, now branded as Triumph with a 50 hp Mercury 2 stroke. The boat is tough I think it's made of old milk jugs, we use it to get the dogs ashore, to go to sandbars and exploring.
http://youtu.be/OKqjr660neU


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