Dingys and religion
We had two dinks when we went cruising, at first we only had a Gig Harbor rigid 10 footer. Good Dingy, poor customer service, High price, and god awefull finish on the second one that we were given after the first one proved to be completely dry in the layup. However for most of our cruising it was a great thing. I could row it at 6 knots for about 1.5 hours without a break, and we could have it over the side, and have cleared customs before most people were able to get their inflatables inflated.
As a snorkling and Diving platform, it was completely worthless.
So we picked up a 10'6" Aquapro Aluminum bottomed rib while in NZ. As a diving and snorkling platform it can't be beat. We purchased a fuel tank, and got a free 18 horse outboard with it, and that is what we put on it. (Note you are only supposed to put a max 15 horse on the thing). I only tried a hole shot in the dink with the outboard on it once. The results were terrifying, and I was only saved from certain disaster and possible serious injury by a fortuitous gust of wing. However we could plane in anything upwind, downwind, cross wind you name it.
We still kept the hard dink, and it still got used a lot when we were not diving. Both of them would end up in the water at most anchorages. On the 39 both fit on the foredeck using a really strange, but completely effective system of stacking them. On the 46 the inflatable is great, we don't have the hard dink anymore. If we were going again, I would have the inflatable, (cause we generally do about 3 dives a day, and diving is our major entertainment package while cruising), but if I were able to score a good deal on a 10 foot or slightly bigger hard dink, I would do that. Would I buy a Gig Harbor again, from the manufacture?
NO!.
Depending on what you are doing where you are going, and what you want out of a dink, all options have a place.
1> Rigid dink, make the water line long enough so that you can actually row the thing, and you will love it. As long as you are just using it to get around you will love it. Couple it with a small 5 horse or so outboard, and you have descent range, easier going when you want to go farther than the dingy dock, and by far the toughest of the selection. If you get one that actually rows well, which is the ONLY point to having a rigid dink, you will find it easier by far to deal with than an inflatable.
2> PVC inflatable, comes out of the bag, gets inflated, used a couple of times a year, goes back into bag. Little exposure to the elements, or use, then it should do you fine. Don't expect it to stand up to much use or abuse though. If it only gets occasional use though, it is a lot more economical than a hypalon boat.
3> Hypalon Inflatable, serious cruising and diving must, all of the PVC boats that we saw out there were accompanied by owners that said; "I really wish that I had bought the hypalon version instead of this one." Remember that it is the family car, and if you are going to go to dive sites etc, the extra roaming range can be a real bonus, and although that is true with all inflatables, the Hypalon will stand up to the elements, and the people using it a lot better than the PVC.
FWIW
Guy
