Bought a dinghy - supply chain woes

[mvweebles]

A couple months ago I asked the collective TF wisdom on 15-20 hp outboards. I ended up with a Tohatsu 20hp. I was impressed with their early adoption of EFI in a small OB. I decided to go with electric start and electric tilt despite cost/weight/complexity to make it more approachable to my wife.

Dinghy ---- short answer is I went with an AB 10AL (10'6" Aluminum hull with bow-locker, lightweight at 128 lbs).

Long answer: I looked at (Links for each are in the name/list)

• OCTenders is a rigid hull built in NZ by knowledgeable cruisers. By far my first choice were it not for expense (+$12k landed) and availability due to limited shipping. It has a fairly flat bottom so planes well but likely pounds more than a deep-vee RIB. But it's hell-for-stout and only 92-lbs.
  
• Highfield Classic 310 (10'2" 132 lbs.) Aluminum hull. I discounted it early for two reasons: First, it's made in China. I have no quarrels with China, but companies that offshore production do so for a reason other than to make the best possible product. Second, their price was about the same as the Achilles which appears to be a better product. Best I can figure, Achilles/AB spend money on their product; Highfield spends their money giving RIBs to YouTube influencers. Highfields do have an option for a clever steering console that mounts out-of-the-way if you're into those types of things. Highfields carry a 2-year warranty
  
• Achilles 310AL (142 lbs 10'2") Aluminum hull. Despite being the chubbiest of the fleet, was my first choice - my current Achilles dinghy is well over 25-years old so has lasted well (albeit in mild climate of SF). Achilles are made in Japan. They are a quality product and would be a no-brainer compared to the Highfield except......supply chain issues made availability highly questionable. Achilles carries a 5-year warranty.
  
• AB 10 AL Lammina. (10'6" 128 lbs). I lucked out - Defender just had a shipment of ABs arrive a couple days ago and had one left, so I bought it. Was about 15% more than the Achilles, and made in Baranquilla Colombia (they recently moved from Venezuela). ABs are known for top quality workmanship and long life. AB carries a 10-year warranty.

Hope this helps someone else out there, though if you're looking, no guarantee you'll find anything decent in-stock.

Good luck -

Peter

[KnotYet]

Great Peter, I hope your Tohatsu works as well as my 18HP carb version. FYI,
I went with a small Odyssey starting battery that has a nifty aluminum bracket.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045G4VZK...YH5PAGK7KTQMXR

This is similar to what I have but my motor doesn't have electric tilt. YMMV.
I am a big fan of Odyssey batteries. High quality and very rugged.

[Datenight]

Peter,
I also bought the AB 10 AL and a 20 hp Tohatsu. We used it for a full season last year and are very happy with it. I did not get electric start and tilt. If I was to do it again I would for the same reason you mentioned.

When do you get it? Did you buy the motor from Defender as well?

Rob

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Datenight

Peter,

I also bought the AB 10 AL and a 20 hp Tohatsu. We used it for a full season last year and are very happy with it. I did not get electric start and tilt. If I was to do it again I would for the same reason you mentioned.



When do you get it? Did you buy the motor from Defender as well?



Rob

Hey Rob. Yes, both from Defender. Shipping from CT to San Diego was expensive - over $1k. I could have saved a couple hundred on the motor from outboardmotors.com (motor was more expensive but shipping was less). The dinghy itself was hard to find in SoCal and the places I talked to offered zero discount, some charged shipping on top, plus several hundred bucks for setup and registration.

Should arrive in about 10 days. I'm picking up at a freight terminal in San Diego. Haven't quite figured out how to get it to Ensenada. Hopefully not too big of an adventure.

Peter

[Mac2]

Originally Posted by KnotYet

Great Peter, I hope your Tohatsu works as well as my 18HP carb version. FYI,
I went with a small Odyssey starting battery that has a nifty aluminum bracket.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045G4VZK...YH5PAGK7KTQMXR

This is similar to what I have but my motor doesn't have electric tilt. YMMV.
I am a big fan of Odyssey batteries. High quality and very rugged.

The link is for the hold down bracket only. Do you have the link for both, or did you buy the battery separately?

[KnotYet]

Originally Posted by Mac2

The link is for the hold down bracket only. Do you have the link for both, or did you buy the battery separately?

Thanks, I didn't notice at the time I posted that.

This is the bracket I bought:https://www.amazon.com/NICECNC-Batte...%2C152&sr=8-38

And this is the battery I put in it:https://www.amazon.com/ODYSSEY-PC680...s%2C150&sr=8-2

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by KnotYet

Thanks, I didn't notice at the time I posted that.



This is the bracket I bought:https://www.amazon.com/NICECNC-Batte...%2C152&sr=8-38



And this is the battery I put in it:https://www.amazon.com/ODYSSEY-PC680...s%2C150&sr=8-2

Thanks. This is really helpful.

How and where did you mount the bracket and battery?

Peter

[Mac2]

Originally Posted by KnotYet

Thanks, I didn't notice at the time I posted that.

This is the bracket I bought:https://www.amazon.com/NICECNC-Batte...%2C152&sr=8-38

And this is the battery I put in it:https://www.amazon.com/ODYSSEY-PC680...s%2C150&sr=8-2

Thanks. Great setup.

[KnotYet]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Thanks. This is really helpful.

How and where did you mount the bracket and battery?

Peter

There are mahogany gunwales on my 11' Boston Whaler tender.
I used a few stainless panheads to mount it back by the engine.

These engines are about 350cc so it made sense to use that size battery.

[FWT]

Posting this for future reference. Those doing a search on OC Tender may see it and find it useful.

I have not looked into it deeply but it seems to be a fair alternative to the OC. Made in FL. Designed from the ground up to be a tender. Not what I'm looking for. And pretty pricey. But an interesting alternative if it fits the needs and budget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPh9CQg_Kxo&t=203s

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by FWT

Posting this for future reference. Those doing a search on OC Tender may see it and find it useful.



I have not looked into it deeply but it seems to be a fair alternative to the OC. Made in FL. Designed from the ground up to be a tender. Not what I'm looking for. And pretty pricey. But an interesting alternative if it fits the needs and budget.

Thanks for this. Indeed a similar concept to the OC Tender. Though I have to say, I'd cough-up a lung if I tried to call a 10-foot/225 lb tender "UltraLite ." For comparison, the similar sized OC Tender is 92 lbs. The AB aluminum hull is 128 lbs. The Achilles is the fat kid at 142 lbs.

That said, good to see options in the market. Looks like a nice dink for those less sensitive about weight.

Peter

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Thanks for this. Indeed a similar concept to the OC Tender. Though I have to say, I'd cough-up a lung if I tried to call a 10-foot/225 lb tender "UltraLite ." For comparison, the similar sized OC Tender is 92 lbs. The AB aluminum hull is 128 lbs. The Achilles is the fat kid at 142 lbs.

That said, good to see options in the market. Looks like a nice dink for those less sensitive about weight.

Peter

Agreed, it's not light. The aluminum skiff we have is 150 lbs for a 12 footer (and it's not the lightest or narrowest 12 footer out there). For a 10 footer, 100 lbs is pretty light, anything much more is not in my mind. And 200+ is "darn heavy".

[KnotYet]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Agreed, it's not light. The aluminum skiff we have is 150 lbs for a 12 footer (and it's not the lightest or narrowest 12 footer out there). For a 10 footer, 100 lbs is pretty light, anything much more is not in my mind. And 200+ is "darn heavy".

They must be comparing it to our 11' Whaler that tips in at over 400 lbs!

[mvweebles]

That's what I thought. According to this listing, the 11 foot whaler sport is 210 lbs.

https://continuouswave.com/whaler/re...fications.html

Go figure.

[FWT]

Yep. Not light.

Which I am coming to think is a two edged sword.

One of the characteristics important to me is stability as one steps on or off. My wife will appreciate that. Land lubber guests would. West Marine builds or has built a lightweight hard dink that appears to have a hull shape to give it stability, and is cheap enough. But its also somewhat unstable in reality, and I'm thinking its because it simply doesn't have enough mass. I have not done much research on the OT to know if that holds true with that light weight model. If not, there goes my theory.

[rpackard]

I have had a weak back for many years and so opted for the lightest inflatable floor dinks. For 2 or 3 people the 8.5ft versions have been adequate and weigh in at about 68 lbs for PVC and about 75lbs for hypalon. I use a 3.5hp two stroke for propulsion. We rarely travel far in the dink so have no need to plane. The engine weighs 28lbs.

For the gently sloping sand beaches in Mexico we use a set of detachable transom wheels and can easily roll the dink ashore. For the Inside Passage, where there are normally no easy landing beaches, we do a two person carry. Since I have passed age 75, I remove the motor for the carry. Still not fun. With the very high tides in the Inside Passage I have not used the technique of anchoring off the (temporary) shore.

Richard

[Helmsman]

If I were in the market, I would look hard at one of the Takacat’s. Several videos available showing them underway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPWOPRZ6RxE

[FWT]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

If I were in the market, I would look hard at one of the Takacat’s. Several videos available showing them underway.

I've narrowed it down to these two. Three, actually, because I'm not 100% sure on which size of Whaly.

https://www.whalyboatsusa.com/product-page/model-270

http://https://www.whalyboatsusa.com...page/model-310

http://https://www.polycraft.com/300-tuffy

To be used with an ePropulsion, though the boats can take more and plane if desired.

There is a dealer in NJ that sells both brands. One Saturday soon I'm going to go take a look. Among the things I want to see in person is lifting points.

I want to make the decision soon, because the choices spec different shaft lengths on the motor. I expect lithium and circuit boards to be or become a supply chain issue so I want to get the motor on order. To order the motor I need to decide on the dink.

[mvweebles]

Both appear to be nice boats, though the first "Whalyboat" appears better suited to cruising in open roadstead destinations. Weight (roughly 239 lbs) would be an issue for me stowed on top deck. But for many, these are contenders.

I think use-case is divided for cruisers. Rpackard stated he cruises Mexico with gradual beaches, has a bad back, and doesn't venture far. Argues for a very lightweight dink. I like to explore so something that is fast and can handle open water is important. I think the intended use is crucial

Peter

[Mac2]

I came close to buying the Whaly 435 till I saw a video of a guy taking his out for a test ride. He mounted a go pro on the bow facing aft. The water barely had a ripple. The guy doing the test wore a upper body wetsuit. That was the first red flag. He was soaked after the test, but kept saying how he loved the Whaly. Maybe it was windy, and the water didn't reflect this. Not sure if the smaller Whaly are the same. Have you talked to Whaly owners?