Nomad Willy
Guru
Dawn you say ........ seems I've got some time then.
You don't find it acceptable to drag EVER again.
Everyone here posting has probably owned several dinks, switched at some point, and have settled on one that more or less fits their style. Or modified their style to fit their dink.
BTW, Eric. We don't have to worry much about browns here, but there is the infrequent gator, which has me leaning toward the hard style dinghy.
MarkPierce - Owner of Coot (which, BTW, is another name for Mud Hen, a sailboat based on the Marsh Hen I used to build):
I looked up your boat - seems it was built by Bill Kimley in Zhuhai City?
4 peps or 560 lbs , hardly sounds like its built for USA use.
140 lbs per pep? not on aircraft or for the USCG.
This is my favorite dink. Now if I just had a trawler big enough to handle it.
We keep it on a lift at the marina and use it as our 'day boat'.
I am also giving a hard dinghy a try, getting a new to me Dyer Dhow 9'.
Hope to keep her on my swimplatform like my inflatable. Think I will try rowing her as my 5hp outboard is too big.
4 peps or 560 lbs , hardly sounds like its built for USA use.
140 lbs per pep? not on aircraft or for the USCG.
Actually built to carry nine! "The Dhow is oldest continuously-built fiberglass boat in production today."
Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea™ : Dyer Dhow Fleet
Some history of the Dhow.
I built my last 17' in about eighty hours that was finished bright on the inside.
Welcome to Flickr!
Note to Self: Pulling a crab trap in white caps from a 9' Livingston sucks. Commence contributions toward Adequate Dinghy Replacement Fund immediately!
A truly beautiful boat! I love it!Was down at Barkley Sound Oar & Paddle picking up a beautiful set of oars when I became entranced with a Hilmark dinghy sitting in their showroom.
Murray, our 9' Livingston was great for calm waters, but our new 10' Livingston is a completely different animal, with 20" vs 10" freeboard.
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In my opinion, the real advantage of a RIB is the ability to leave unattended w/o any fendering whether tied up to your boat, a friend's boat, or the dinghy dock. Also, they have great carrying ability with lots of reserve buoyancy and stability.
The only reason I'd have a rigid dink would be if it could sail, too. The Walker Bay qualifies AND has an inflatable tube option that gives it the fendering ability of a true RIB. Never used one - just admired at boat shows.
Just reading thru this thread, and wonder how did the inflatable collar attach to the boat?I've had a Walker Bay 275H now for 3 years - still love it! Previously I've had a couple of Zodiac inflatables - but much prefer the hard bottom dink.
I bought the optional inflatable taubes, which give the dink incredible stability - you can't tip it. It will easily carry 4 adults in a 1+2+1 configuration. With 2 adults on baord, the infalatable tubes are just barely in the water when running level.
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I have been in want of a Takacat for years. Watched several perform off Vancouver as a sales stunt. Awesome, there seem to be three of them that play up at the lake and I just stop and watch as they cruise by.
Outa my price range fro sure, plus I don't feel they would be willy proof . The old 12 foot Livingston performs much the same when over powered, in that it kites very well But the FRP is beach fixable and it holds a ton of stuff .
When I grow up maybe I can have one .
That quite a little performer. I seem to remember something like this design originally out of South Africa I believe,....for racing originally??
I think I know how to build a relatively inexpense model of such a craft?....and very light weight as well.
Just wondering what owners of Walker Bay dinghy's have to say about their vessels...pro & con ?
Rigid Inflatable Dinghy : Walker Bay