Ok... here is a topic I suspect will flush out a lot of opinions. Our 1991 zodiac inflatable's floor delaminated over the past weekend. It came with the boat and we were thrilled to get what service we could get out of it. I am headed to the Annapolis Boat Show and in the hunt for a new tender.
What is your opinion on what to buy? We only need a tender once in a while but it is still a requirement. Hard, soft, combo? Manufacture? Opinions and experience? What not to buy? What would you buy next time?
Go for it....
Dale Tanski, good sailing.
Dale,
Look at the Walker Bay high preasure floor. The design is pretty unique and the boat is reasonably priced.
Garner
I would NOT buy the dingy I have again, which is a Walker Bay Genesis RIB. In two years it is falling apart. Granted it was a 2007 model year and they have made improvements, I don't feel like I got my $2400 worth. Two glued handles fell off. The Walker Bay Logo fell off, all of the white paint on the aluminium transum is all but gone, the Bow grabe handle is 1/2 off and the removable floor locks are failing.
But other than that....I love the thing really. It handles GREAT, so if Walker Bay has fixed these issues, which I heard they were addressing, maybe I would LOOK at them....CAREFULLY.....
Rich
Floating San Felipe Sea of Cortez Mexico
Hey guys thanks for the reply. Let me throw in the price aspect. Remember I am very thrifty and we will not be using this thing every weekend. I would rather spend my money on a new mainsail. How about this... the boats you have, after "X" years are they still serviceable? Would it be worth buying a 3,5 year old "mannufacture's product" for the type of use we will be putting it through?
Thanks... Dale
I'm sure that not everyone will agree with me here but here goes anyway. I'm pretty cheap - First disclaimer. I bought a used Watertender 9.4 hard plastic dingy for a couple of hundred bucks. You can buy new for about $500. So far it has proven superior. Very stable. Easy to row. Bulletproof. About the same weight as an inflatable. Capable of carrying a 5HP but I use a 3HP 1963 British Seagull - see, I told you I was cheap. Anyway - my tow cents.
Good luck with your search.
Ron
SV Matchmaker
Pearson 365 Ketch #311
Lying Saint Marks Florida
Okay- I have to chime in here. I absolutely love my dinghy.
I bought an AB 8 Ventus 2 years ago. I couldnt be any happier with it. Worth every penny I paid for it. They are on the expensive side, new from $2,500 to $3,000. If you can find one used I would jump all over it. It will be the last dinghy you ever buy.
I learned my lesson in the past with a HP floor Zodiac that self destructed. That thing drove me crazy. The AB is completely hassel free. This thing hangs in my davits in the florida sun year-round with no cover.
The AB 8VL weighs about 95 lbs, which is just about the lightest true RIB with a flat floor you will find. At 8'6" I think it is the perfect size for the P365. It fits on the transom perfectly. It easily carries 4 adults.
In two years I have only had to top off the tube pressure twice. This thing is fanstatic quality, and the ORCA hypalon is the best out there.
Here are a few links showing pics of the dinghy.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=74049&l=1e9468e616&id=1612323401 (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=74049&l=1e9468e616&id=1612323401)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=366081&l=9ea420ec2a&id=1612323401 (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=366081&l=9ea420ec2a&id=1612323401)
For me, having a dinghy that I can rely on is a pretty big priority. We use the dinghy a lot, mostly because Pan Dragon gets used a lot. ;D
hi i have the walker bay RID ridged dingy with the inflation tube and sailing kit,it does it all,not cheep but great for exploring when anchored up,also carry a platisimo 8ft inflatable as back up in rear locker,
oceanpilgrim
uk based
Quote from: graemek on September 12, 2009, 01:55:38 PM
hi i have the walker bay RID ridged dingy with the inflation tube and sailing kit,it does it all,not cheep but great for exploring when anchored up,also carry a platisimo 8ft inflatable as back up in rear locker,
oceanpilgrim
uk based
If I had it to do over again, I would think seriously about Garemek's solution!
Dale,
Even though I have been intrigued by the Walker Bay, let me tell you about the dingy I have..
It is a 1995 Avon 10' 2" inflatable R310 with wooden floor and a Suzuki 4hp 2 stroke I bought on ebay for $650 in the winter of 2002... The Suzuki had been dropped over board and would not start because it had no compression... I took it apart (found the rings frozen with rust) dropped the piston in a baby food jar filled with penetrating oil... In the spring, after a few months in the jar, armed with nylon hammer I tapped on the piston until the rings came loose, removed the rings, "steel wooled" them, and put the engine back together... I have been using it each season since then.... Each year I expect either the boat or the motor to die or boat.... But they just chug along....
So I can understand the comment "thrifty". Point is, watch Craigslist and ebay, who knows what will turn up. There are bargains to be had.
Good Luck on your search
Garner
We just went through the same analysis looking for a tender. We ended up with a Baltik from affordableinflateable.com. We picked up the wood floor model 9.5' for something near $750.....yes, $750 including shipping. Surprisingly, it is NOT a piece of crap. If anyone wants to check it out, it is on our boat in Maryland. Is it the best tender ever, no. However, it carries a 5 year warranty on the seams etc. So, even if it falls apart after 5 years I figure I can buy 3 of these for the price of one expensive one which equates to 15 years on an inflatable. I have heard from others that they are durable and should last at least the length of the warranty period. It comes with an inflatable keel, 2 seats (cheap wooden), oarlocks w/oars, and actually rows somewhat decently. An 8hp 2-stroke will get it on plane with my wife and groceries in it. I've only had it since May, so I can't comment on its life expectancy, but I have been happily surprised by its initial quality. I'll post back here if I have problems with it.
If you decide to go this route, email the company directly and you will get a better deal than through the website. Just tell them you are comparing against others (like saturn) and ask for the best price.
Go to boatstogo.com for the best buy and selection.