New Ultra Light Inflatable boats

[Loren Beach]

Easy Light and Strong Inflatable Boats | EZraft

EZraft offers the best inflatable boats for all of your adventures on the water. Super light, strong, small to store and easy to set up. Bring your EZraft on any trip by boat, camper, caravan or house by the water.

www.ezraft.com

Just showed up in my new issue of Yachting Monthly, in the "New Gear" section.
Amazingly lightweight. I have NO idea how durable they might be in the real world. I do know that our Zodiac's have been rather heavy and difficult to inflate and deflate, over the decades. Looks like they might deliver to the US and Canada.

 

[Pete the Cat]

Easy Light and Strong Inflatable Boats | EZraft

EZraft offers the best inflatable boats for all of your adventures on the water. Super light, strong, small to store and easy to set up. Bring your EZraft on any trip by boat, camper, caravan or house by the water.

www.ezraft.com

Just showed up in my new issue of Yachting Monthly, in the "New Gear" section.
Amazingly lightweight. I have NO idea how durable they might be in the real world. I do know that our Zodiac's have been rather heavy and difficult to inflate and deflate, over the decades. Looks like they might deliver to the US and Canada.

Actually, there is a demonstration on Sam's Sailing blog. Great idea to have a light one, but this one apparently sucks--flimsy and the valves did not work. Not sure what episode. Maybe Youtube search can find it.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Actually, there is a demonstration on Sam's Sailing blog. Great idea to have a light one, but this one apparently sucks--flimsy and the valves did not work. Not sure what episode. Maybe Youtube search can find it.

Too bad. It looks intriguing.

 

[bsangs]

Easy Light and Strong Inflatable Boats | EZraft

EZraft offers the best inflatable boats for all of your adventures on the water. Super light, strong, small to store and easy to set up. Bring your EZraft on any trip by boat, camper, caravan or house by the water.

www.ezraft.com

Just showed up in my new issue of Yachting Monthly, in the "New Gear" section.
Amazingly lightweight. I have NO idea how durable they might be in the real world. I do know that our Zodiac's have been rather heavy and difficult to inflate and deflate, over the decades. Looks like they might deliver to the US and Canada.

Back up a sec Loren. We are planning to get a Zodiac with an aluminum bottom this Christmas season, as our Defender RIB gave up the ghost. It's difficult to inflate and deflate? Now, we'll be hanging ours on a davits, so don't plan to do a lot of inflating and deflating for storage purposes while underway, but still, I don't want to be tearing my hair out doing those two actions. What makes it difficult?

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Electric Paddle or Sculling Oar: The TEMO 450W Electric Outboard Motor

Electric paddle, electric sculling oar, electroportable outboard motor... Whatever you call it, TEMO·450 is the lightest electric boat motor on the market

www.temofrance.com

We looked at one of these little outboards at the recent boat show. It would pair nicely with an ultralight dinghy. There were really some nice features about it. As I recall, it was about $1800. For us, the question would be how to charge it. We're on a mooring ball and don't have solar panels. For now, our little Honda 2.3 does the trick, though we had some problems with it cutting out. I suspect I need to clean the fuel system on it. I am of the firm conviction that God created small internal combustion engines to keep man humble.

We only need a dinghy a few times a year. I wouldn't want to clutter up the transom with davits. However, we would want a dink big enough to take 3-4 people. We sometimes do a race from Newport > Cuttyhunk, about 25 miles. There is no launch service on the island. It would be really nice to be able to stow the dinghy and outboard below.

This was the solution for our recent cruise with our old, near end-of-life, West Marine dinghy. Serviceable, but a pain. I've never towed a dinghy as skipper so haven't worked out how to do that. Not desirable for a race, either.


Some other members here looked at True Kit recently and said the boats were lighter than many. Perhaps they'll chime in with reflections.

True Kit USA - Lightweight, Stable, Portable Inflatable Catamarans

Highest quality inflatable folding boats for RVs and motorhomes, fishing and tenders. Lightweight, stable, high performance and portable - our boats fold up into a bag. Rescue boats for flood rescue and water recovery for water sports. Our boats are considered the best inflatable boat tenders in...

truekit.us

 

[Loren Beach]

What makes it difficult?

Just weight and much awkwardness.
And as we age we get less 'able' to deal with this kind of stuff, we are now the problem.
We liked the ability to store our first roll-up Zodiac, but it was a pain to lay out on the foredeck, inflate with the foot pump, and lift it over the lifelines.
Except for the pain of dealing with a towed hard dinghy when entering and tying up in a marina, a hard dinghy was really great. We had a Ranger 11, and it rowed and towed like a dream. "Everything's a compromise" as the saying goes.

I recall our first time visiting the San Juan's and get a cut in an old borrowed inflatable boat when beaching it. I had to row back before it lost too much air and folded up like a taco shell...!

Another random observation: towing an inflatable will take a full knot off your speed. They really "stick" to the water surface!

 

[Elgyn]

I've liked the idea of (and want) a nesting pram. Regular sized dinghy that occupies half the space when taken apart. They are not for everyone but smaller boats that don't want to tow it might be a good option.. ..or compromise

 

[Pete the Cat]

I've liked the idea of (and want) a nesting pram. Regular sized dinghy that occupies half the space when taken apart. They are not for everyone but smaller boats that don't want to tow it might be a good option.. ..or compromise

I built one from Chesapeake LightCraft once. It was beautiful. But I sold it almost immediately. Although I endeavored to keep it light during the building process, all the hardware and additional bulkheads needed to nest it, made it heavy--heavier than advertised. And it was ill fitting for a 5'11" 175lb man to row--the position of everything was just wrong. I have no idea how you would actually fit 2 adults in the thing, even though there were seats for them--it was inherently unstable. There may be better designs, but I stared at it for hours trying to think of a way to make it work. And bought an inflatable. FWIW.

 

[Gaviate]

This was my solution to the need for transport to the mooring. First season I had an inexpensive inflatable which was not very robust and could never accomodate any motor.
I have never lifted this dingy aboard tho she only weighs 43 lbs. I always just tow it but if on longer cruise would want to figure out stowage on deck.