Dingy Dingy Dingy???

Hello All,
We are wondering what is the dingy of choice out there?* Inflatable Zodiac type*or hard hull whatever?* Do you tow the dingy or lift it up on board?* Does one tow better than another.* What do you guys use for a dingy motor?* I would think the lighter the better.*

The bigger the better, same goes with the outboard size. On my GB36 it came with a 8.5 inflatable with a 8hp motor, I had a 10'zodiac with a 9.9 already and the difference was huge, the small boat was squirrely and just too small. On the current boat we still have the old zodiac with a 3.5 tohatsu that was for the kids when they were young and the 9.9 was way too fast.... and they couldn't start it. Now they want to go faster and if it had a bigger motor I would use it more than our avon seated rib with a 40hp. The beach conditions where you cruise also dictate what kind of bottom the boat should have as dragging a soft inflatable up onto sharp rocks and shells if something you only typically do once, the hard bottom rib is great for this and much more stable anyway. Get the biggest one that will fit on your boat using the boom crane that you have. Also, regarding towing a dink, it never works very well ... it will always get in the way.... flip in high wind and seas..... get backed over.... if in doubt lift it out.. our mantra. We have the ability to carry both one on the back overhead and the big dinghy on the aft cabin carried athwart ship.


-- Edited by hollywood8118 on Wednesday 17th of March 2010 08:47:31 AM

11' hardshell "Puffin". Hanging on davits from the flybridge. This setup allows us full use of the swim platform and transom door. 3.5 Tohatsu.* I like to row when ever possible which rules out the inflatables.

Robert,
We purchased a new 11'8" RIB Avon a few years ago and I set up a Weaver Snap Davit system on the swimdeck. We have a hardtop but I was not ready to install a pipe davit. After installing the Weaver we were unable to pull that heavy SOB up out of the water. After that we keep it locked in to get everyone in the dink and then take off. I began to tow it with a 14' cheap tow rope that floats and I love it. With the correct length rope it can't get to your props. We just completed an almost 400 mile journey last weekend, including 6 miles up the Mississippi River, 5 locks and several times overtaking tows on the GIWW. Towing for me is the only way to go. I just primed and bottom painted the dink and plan to keep it in the water.

anybody else tow with success Rough water a problem?

motion30 wrote:
anybody else tow with success Rough water a problem?

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*We tow an 11' RIB with a 15hp 2 stroke Yamaha on about a 70' line. Been through some pretty choppy stuff. No problems (yet).

The reason I asked is that I lost a soft bottom and outboard while towing. It rolled over and pulled the d rings. The conditions were such that I could not go back for it and would have had no way to recover it. I recenty read on another site where a dingy was found at the same location, so I am thinkin this is not that uncommon. Maybe a RIB is a much better towing boat

We have a small trawler and a small dinghy. Life raft would be a better word for it. I agree w Hollywood about size but if it's hard or unsafe or time consuming to launch you won't use the dinghy very often. I think upper deck and crane is best then stern davits and/or swim step mounts. Our next dinghy will be like Daddyo's. A good displacement rowboat or semi disp skiff for 5 to 8 hp. I question the utility, safety and need for a planing dinghy.

Oh I forgot to mention we met Dave from Puget sound WA in Petersburg AK w a 40 some foot TT that towed an 18' stitch and glue OB w a 40hp Yamadog on the stern. May have been a 25 but I think it was a 40. I asked him if he had trouble w it filling up w water and he said no. Some people do have success w towing but I don't recommend it having done it for a year.

Also I tried to tow a 14' tinny in the 70s and it would'nt go anywhere near straight. Towing seems to require or prefer the attach point to be low on the bow.



-- Edited by nomadwilly on Thursday 30th of June 2011 06:04:29 PM


-- Edited by nomadwilly on Thursday 30th of June 2011 06:07:42 PM

This is a 10 ft Livingston cat style hull with a 9.8 Nissan. It is a very stable boat with lots of interior room and will plane at 20 mph with two adults. The mounting system allows it to stowed in minutes without removing the motor and launched just as easily. Plus it can be launched while docked if needed.*

Laker,

That's a huge advantage w the square stern and the Livingston has been well proven over the years. I'd like to have a 12' Lund Aluminum. Wondering if it would work on davits w my 10'6" wide boat. Could put the overhanging and light bow of the tinny sticking out on the stbd side where we rarely tie. My 8hp Yamadog 2 stroke would easily plane 2 big guys in that boat. There are dozens and dozens of 16' Lunds here in Thorne Bay and a few 14s but no 12s.

nomadwilly,

You do have to be more careful maneuvering around docks and in locks with the setup I have.*If you get at an angle, the*tip of the boat and/or motor prop can catch on a pile or protrusion of some kind.*Despite that,*the dingy*is easy to carry, use and deploy, and this is important or*you will hardly ever use it.*

We use a Mercury 10' airdeck w/Honda 5hp. I'd like a bit more power, & maybe a smoother engine; ie less vibration. We towed it for awhile, which was OK most of the time, but was always on my mind while manuvering or if the weather kicked up. backing into a slip was a pain, etc. Finally ended up using Weaver snap davits on the swim platform. Has worked well for over 4000 miles. We use a St. Croix Jr crane to mount & demount the motor. On & off in 10 minutes or so, & boat stays put while we board. Works well for us. If we need the swim platform for guests, etc; just drop the dink & tie off to one side.

Great Laker wrote:
the dingy*is easy to carry, use and deploy, and this is important or*you will hardly ever use it.*

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*

I have to concur with Great Laker on that point. *If you're going to use your dinghy often, make it a convenient set-up cuz exploring anchorages for a couple of hours could be cut by a half-hour de-mounting and re-mounting, to which one often says: "It isn't worth the trouble" when there's only an hour left. *Before you know it, you're missing social get togethers, invitations to others boats, and generally not doing what you went cruising for to begin with. *I've got davits and a boat deck, but I'll be adding a swim platform and modifying my transom door to make the experience as simple, safe and trouble-free as I can to respond to the slightest impulse. *


-- Edited by healhustler on Tuesday 28th of February 2012 10:28:52 AM

We have a 11.5 West Marine/ Zodiac RIB with a 25hp Mercury, combined weight of about 310lbs. it's a open boat no console or seat to get in the way or step over. 18 in. tubes so it's deep, comfortable to sit in without your knees higher than your hips. we carry it on the swim platform with a Seawise Davit system. Due to the weight we had to reenforce the teak step. It's double hull and has a bow locker/ step, forward where i carry a 12lb mushroom anchor for keeping the boat off the beach. We go ashore a lot for picnics and beach combing. We carry it until we reach the first anchorage then tow it from there. This boat tows very well in any conditions we have been in around the San Juan Islands and there seems to always be some condition to consider. The dink is a little big for our Hershine 37 when carried but it is well worth it in my opinion, it's very seaworthy, carries four adults easily, I'm not restricted to staying close to the big boat if I want to take the crab pot way over there( because that's where they are). I love the slow cruise of Lilli Belle, there is always things to see, but once I'm in the dink I can go fast when the water is smooth and be safe when it's not. If I could just figure out how to carry my 8ft. sailing dinghy I'd have it all !































-- Edited by Slowboat 37 on Sunday 18th of March 2012 03:12:33 PM


-- Edited by Slowboat 37 on Sunday 18th of March 2012 03:14:12 PM

reefdrifter wrote:We are wondering what is the dingy of choice out there?

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*Two year old question but since it seems to have been revived....

Our dinghy requirements are:

1. Hardshell (I don't believe in boats with a finiite life to their hulls or that require holding air pressure to be usable)

2. Good floatation.

3.* Good freeboard even with a full load.

4.* Good performance in rough-ish water.

5.* Relatively fast.

6.* Well made.

7.* Easily deployed into the water, either by already being in it (towed) or easlly and quickly launched (swimstep or davit mounted--- no cabin top or boat deck mounting).

8.* Right-sized for our boat.

9.* Beachable on all types of shores--- sand, rocks, barnacles--- wth no damage.

Add all that up and I only come up with one dinghy that meets all these requirements to a "T" and that's the Bullfrog.** We don't have one and our current shoreboat (Livingston) meets some but not all of our requirements.* So someday a Bullfrog will be at the top of our to-do list.


-- Edited by Marin on Saturday 3rd of March 2012 03:30:36 PM

Marin wrote:
Add all that up and I only come up with one dinghy that meets all these requirements to a "T" and that's the Bullfrog.** We don't have one and our current shoreboat (Livingston) meets some but not all of our requirements.* So someday a Bullfrog will be at the top of our to-do list.
Could not agree more.

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*

Our current dingy is an Achilles 8'6" hypalon with a 2hp 4 stroke Honda.* We tow it with a towing bridle from West Marine.* It is kept close to the boat and no extra line is let out to take it back past the first wake etc.* We hardly*leave a wake with our Willard.* It does get some exhaust on it that needs to be cleaned, but the bridle is short enough and has a float on it so it does not get wrapped around the prop.* We also store it on the flybridge or the bow when we feel the need.* We have crossed the Strait of Georgia in 5' seas and 15 knot winds*with no issues towing the dinghy.* Not our usual time to cross but sometimes the winds do come up on that stretch of water and you have no choice.

Previously we towed an 8' Walker Bay behind our other boat, an Albin 25.* We managed to wrap our prop on two different occassions.* Tried to follow the recommended towing distance, used "floating Polyproplene" line and it got sucked under.* NOT FUN!* It was all operator/crew error that allowed that to happen, but it made us rethink our choices.* The Walker Bay felt like a death trap to us, wobbly and unstable for our needs.

We sold the Walker Bay and bought the Achilles.* Now, if we can sell our Albin................................we can spend more money on our next boat. ;-)

Keith Olive

1977 Willard 30/4

LaConner, WA

Marin wrote:

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Add all that up and I only come up with one dinghy that meets all these requirements to a "T" and that's the Bullfrog.*

*I gotta Tahotsu on my dink, but it hasn't croaked yet!

Bulfrogs may be practical but they are fugly.

*




-- Edited by dwhatty on Sunday 4th of March 2012 03:44:46 PM

dwhatty wrote:
Bulfrogs may be practical but they are fugly.

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* * * ** Yeh, I have to admit...they are the SARCAS of the dinghy world.

SeaHorse II wrote:dwhatty wrote:
Bulfrogs may be practical but they are fugly.

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* * * ** Yeh, I have to admit...they are the SARCAS of the dinghy world.

The larger Bullfrog models are ugly, I agree, because of the sharp angle or "break" in the hull where the forward section abruptly slants upwards.* But the 10' model like Carey has and is the one we would get looks no different to me than an RIB.

dwhatty wrote:
Bulfrogs may be practical but they are fugly.

*

-- Edited by dwhatty on Sunday 4th of March 2012 03:44:46 PM

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Eye of the beholder I guess. There is even a small number of people that find Island Gypsy's pleasing to the eye. *

SeaHorse II wrote:

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* * * ** Yeh, I have to admit...they are the SARCAS of the dinghy world.
Hey, Walt..watch it...I heard that.....

Carey wrote:Eye of the beholder I guess. There is even a small number of people that find Island Gypsy's pleasing to the eye.

*

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* * * ** Hey Carey! What's with that? :jawdrop:

SeaHorse II wrote:Carey wrote:Eye of the beholder I guess. There is even a small number of people that find Island Gypsy's pleasing to the eye.

*

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* * * ** Hey Carey! What's with that? :jawdrop:

That comment was tongue in cheek of course, and did not include Halvorsen Picnic Cruisers.**I sincerely apologize if that comment in any way upset your sensibilities Walt.*



-- Edited by Carey on Tuesday 6th of March 2012 11:11:53 AM


-- Edited by Carey on Tuesday 6th of March 2012 11:13:55 AM

Like anchors, we have 4, you should have more than one dink, we have 3, depending on the conditions and/or requirements.* My favorite is the 14 ft Livingston, center counsel, 20 hp for local running around/fishing/crabbing, then the 19 ft run about, 140 hp, which is for longer distance local go fast fishing/crabbing and the 14 ft rowing/sailing dink for rowing around the marina for exercise and tender for back and forth to shore. All three have been dragged up on shore/beach with little damage. During the summer we have all three tied to the Eagle and ready to go.*
*

The 19 ft we have to tow as it to big/heavy for the Eagle to lift/carry.* It tows nice as it is deep V, has a 40 gallon low belly fuel tank and laid up thick/heavy.* The Livingston also tows quite well as its very stable.* The rowing sailing definitely has to be carried.* I plan/hope to be able to lift the Livingston onto the roof but the mast stays have to be beefed up, which is also required for fish stabilizers.* If and when we had out for Alaska Canada will also have a life raft and maybe tow the run about.

Carey wrote:*I sincerely apologize if that comment in any way upset your sensibilities Walt.*

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*Apology accepted..............(What a classy guy!)

Now Walt, all we need is an apology for the ugly Sarca crack and we're all good....nah...just kidding. Actually quite often something is designed purely for function, and where form follows function, it ends up not pretty. I'm thinking now of those ghastly vehicle transporter ships that are common these days. Anything less pretty as a boat design I cannot think of. We were nearly swamped by the wash of one coming up the Brisbane Main Channel one time, 'cause I was so fascinated by its ugliness I was a bit slow to take evasive action.

http://www.walleniuslines.com/

Peter B wrote:
http://www.walleniuslines.com/

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*My, what a mess of MINIs in that picture. They must be popular down under.

dwhatty wrote:Peter B wrote:
http://www.walleniuslines.com/

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*My, what a mess of MINIs in that picture. They must be popular down under.

*It's because they are so light the reduced gravitational field in Australia/New Zealand can hold them down onto the roads.* Otherwise they'd fall up like all the bigger cars down there.