Dinghy Poll

[Frank Langer]

Toddster, are you preferring the inflatable over the walker bay fibreglass, and if so, why? I really like our 8 foot walker bay, but am always looking for better ideas.
Thanks,
Frank

 

[toddster]

There is no good way to stow the WB on an E29. It just doesn't fit. Also not practical as a scuba tender or for medium-range exploration.

 

[hilco woudstra]

Our 35' Sketcher has a 8 foot Fatty Knees hard dinghy. Have a 3 hp Johnson motor and sails.
For short trips we pull...on longer trips "rough draft" goes up on forward deck.

Hilco on Sketcher

 

[Sam Vickery]

Todd,

We have a Mercury inflatable (about 8.5 feet) with an air floor. It is light weight, tracks well with the inflatable keel but..............you must be very careful about placing things that may puncture the floor. Don't ask me how I know this. It is easy to tow. I would suggest the hypalon material as it is more durable in the sun.

Sam

1986 32-3
North Star

 

[supersailor]

I have two inflatables. One an air floor and the other a hard floor. I use the inflatable because it allows me to use a higher horsepower outboard (8hp Yamaha). Besides being able to scare myself when it is opened up in the chop, it enables me to turn the dink into a tug that gives Terra Nova a good turn of speed when it is tied on the quarter.

I don't have to worry about having to scream into the VHF for vessel assist as my boat is carried by heavy currents toward the rocks and there is no wind and that diesel thingy in the bowls of the boat is sticking it's tongue out at me. The first year I had the boat, the engine quit three times. The first time in the Port Townsend cut (very narrow, bridge at one end and fast tide). I was quite frankly terrified. New boat. No control. Lots of obstacles. The second time was in the Agate passage right under the bridge. The current was 4 1/2 Knots. No danger to the boat but lots of marine traffic. Standing on the bow waving the hands and yelling no control was no fun. The third time was outside the Port Angeles spit once again with no wind. The next port on the ebb tide was Tokyo. This was never going to happen again. The first thing was to throw the engine electrical system away and redesign into something sane. The second was to provide a tug. I haven't had an engine failure since the rewiring but, if I do, my little tug will power Terra Nova at almost 5 knots.

Of the two, I prefer the had bottomed (plywood) dink. At 15+ knots, the floor undulates on the air bottomed one which is a little disconcerting to me. Both perform equally well.

 

[footrope]

I found a used 9-1/2 foot fiberglass dinghy, made by The Dinghy Co. (either Arlington or Mount Vernon, WA). We row it. It's not really rated for a motor according to the manufacturer. We are casually shopping for kayaks, though. We think a couple 9 or 10 footers would be fun for short distance anchorage and island exploring and could replace the dinghy on certain trips.

Update. In 2015 we sold the old red fiberglass rowboat. It was taking a beating in some towing conditions, was a pain on deck, and after several repairs we sold it to a young man who wanted to fish in a lake or pond with it. We disclosed the age (1992) and condition of the bottom and he took it anyway.

I believe I will eventually give in and agree to get a dog. So, in spring 2015 we bought a new Achilles HB-270FX, 8'10" RIB, and a new Tohatsu 4-stroke 6 HP outboard. The 2015 season went fine and we got used to it. We can anchor a lot further out than we used to. 2016 was a bust but we're sure looking forward to 2017.

 

[Filkee]

Walking Away From A RIB

So funny, just got home from not buying an Avon RIB with a 4HP motor. I'm looking for something to serve my E32 and was operating on the theory that I wanted something I could stow when underway. I have a wife, two kids and a dog so I need some flexibility. Was thinking of getting a paddle board and casting the kids adrift and then just using a smaller--like the 8' 6" West/Zodiac to take the dog ashore. Was hoping to avoid a motor, but my resolve is diminishing.

 

[mfield]

pru-3

Believe it or not, all this brand new (on sale) is $699. At that price, almost disposable.

Back on sale this weekend for $599.

 

[Randy Rutledge]

I had a Zodiac Zoom then I picked up a used walker bay 8 and added fenders along the gunnels instead of the $700 tubes. The boat is heavier but I can stand on the side and not dip water. she rolls until the fenders hit the water and then she is firm. A 4 HP Evinrude is over power and with the extra flotation she feel safe with motor and over 450 lbs.

She doesn't dance around on the painter like my Zodiac Zoom does and tows much easier.

 

[Filkee]

Dingy propulsion

My lovely wife is not a big fan of the consumption of fossil fuels (heck, neither am I), nor large expenditures in the name of boating (okay, I might have slightly more tolerance), but in our latest version of a mooring situation, we find ourselves outside the rowing comfort zone for our Achilles inflatable and may have to acquire an outboard of up to 3hp. I find myself in this painful loop of looking at old 2 strokes and Christians torqeedo video and wondering what to do with myself somewhere between $200 and $2000. Can anyone help me sleep better with a life-saving anecdote?

 

[Tom Metzger]

I find myself in this painful loop of looking at old 2 strokes and Christians torqeedo video and wondering what to do with myself somewhere between $200 and $2000. Can anyone help me sleep better with a life-saving anecdote?

Ah... have I got a deal for you...

I'll send you a PM.

 

[llenrow]

We tow around a Walker Bay 8, no engine. The first summer we used it, we anchored out near my wife's parents and their friends (non blow boaters), rowed in to see them, and my father-in-law and 2 of his big buddies swamped it and tried to sink it. They managed to get the gunwales a couple of inches below the surface, but couldn't get it on the bottom (in 3 feet of water). It tows well, and tracks well even in 6-10 foot waves. My only gripe is when rowing with 2 people aboard, the oarlock position isn't the best, and with 1 person in the stern and 1 amidship, you buck knees, and the stern squats. Solution, I sit in the stern and row facing forward, with the other person in the bow.

Clayton

E 38 (PNWs mischief Maker) soon to become Island Bird ——use walker bay 8. Works great haven't put my 2.5 merc on it yet

 

[toddster]

WB8 Fans

There is a looooong thread over on Cruising Anarchy about people who have pimped out their WB8's with various modifications. One good one that a lot of people have done is add a "T" section to the seat, for a better rowing position. The first thing I did was buy real oars for it, but I think it needs better oarlocks as well. I thought I would make a home-brew sailing rig for mine, but really, I haven't touched it in a couple of years. Too many boats to play with at the moment.

Currently have moved up to a Zodiac CFR340 with a 9.9 HP motor. It can roll up into a compact enough package to store in the quarter berth, though the motor is a bit big to hang on the rail of an E29! Meanwhile I keep it on an old trailer for weekend scuba trips.

Beware! Even though they're only "dinghies," they're still "B.O.A.T.s," and will try to drain your wallet just like the mother ship. Not to mention compete for your attention.

 

[bgary]

E 38 (PNWs mischief Maker) soon to become Island Bird

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