shopping for light weight dinghy

All,


Looking to upgrade my dinghy to a light weight (less than 400#, boat, motor and tank) with a console in the 11 to 13 ft range. Ideas?
Really prefer to NOT have a Rib, but very few choices. With a Rib, you loose too much interior space, but they don't mar you boat when you bump into it.
And, they're not very efficient... takes more HP to get them going that just a straight aluminum or plastic hull. And, they will leak. But they sure are popular.



Have looked at:


OCTender https://octenders.co.nz/
Love this boat, and demo'd a small one locally. Planes off with very little power, light weight, very high tech but EXPENSIVE. And they are just now developing one with a console, and I hate to be the first kid on the block that buys one.


www.whaly.com/en/whaly_3701.html

Probably too heavy, but a great design.



Of the RIBs
I've had an AB, great quality and support, but a tad heavy and expensive



www.highfieldboats.com
Info looks real good for a rib. Light and reasonable.


Another thought is to just by an old aluminum V hull fishing boat (Many out there in good condition cheap ($2K or less) add a console and new motor. But need to add some fender systems so I won't scratch up my boat. Had a 10ft on before and would run at 12 mph with 2 on a 6 hp motor and was roomy. Should have kept it.



Others?

Highfield certainly has a good reputation, we had a couple at work that were great. Here's one perspective on one of their console models

I know some people will think this is nuts but I absolutely love my mirror dinghy.

You can toughify them by adding a layer of glass and epoxy resin. You can buy many of them used that way.

I bought one that a guy started building in 1970 and never saw water. I am finishing the build now. I have named her "Patience". She has waited 51 years.

They only weigh about 100 pounds.

10 fleet 10 inches in length.

I can row it or sail it, or I put an electric motor on it. So with motor and battery and boat it comes in at a very svelte under 200 pounds

Zoar said:

I know some people will think this is nuts but I absolutely love my mirror dinghy.

You can toughify them by adding a layer of glass and epoxy resin. You can buy many of them used that way.

Click to expand...

Though with the skyrocketing cost of plywood sheet goods it might be a lot more expensive to build than before.

Looked up the Mirror, interesting....


Is there one a tad bigger, and assume it could be motorized or sailed? Sailing would be a nice option, but would have to work around the console.
Would be nice to have the sailing option for fun.


Is there a manufacturer out there?

wkearney99 said:

Though with the skyrocketing cost of plywood sheet goods it might be a lot more expensive to build than before.

Click to expand...

Yes, indeed. That's why I recommended used, as I bought mine. Everything was there, all wood etc. I just needed to re-do the seams with epoxy, paint and varnish it.

They come as a KIT, new. Which means you gotta build it.

HOWEVER I strongly recommend the USED / PREOWNED market. There are at least 71,767 of them out there used.

BTW, I never heard of anyone having a center console on any sailing dinghy.

But yes these are meant for SAILING which was a big draw for me. I love to sail.

Seevee said:

Looked up the Mirror, interesting....

...
Would be nice to have the sailing option for fun.

Click to expand...

Got room for two boats? I carry a 10'/20hp Bullfrog and a 9' Minto with a sail rig.

My cursory shopping suggests the Highfield FCT models, with "miniature" console are generally lighter than comparable-length AB console tenders... by maybe 30-ish lbs or so.

Another approach to lightening might be using something like Elco's electric outboards, 65-lbs for 5- and 9.9-hp versions, 85-lbs for the 14.4- and 20-hp versions. The I-Ion battery packs they sell -- for an arm and a leg each -- look like 55-lbs each.

Example: Highfield 360 FCT, 259-lbs. Elco 20, 85-lbs. Battery, 55-lbs. 399-lbs total.

I haven't done analysis on whether all that would really work or not, or how the electric outboard/L-Ion battery pack would compare to similar gas set-up... other than a quick glance to suggest all the fuel costs are right up front there in that battery pack. There are other battery pack makers, and some of those are sigificantly lower priced... and still a bunch of "fuel" money right up front.

When you say RIBs leak.... you mean water, or air? Our last RIB didn't leak either...

-Chris

Chris,


Good info... I like the Highfield.



As far as electric motors go, would need more info and references from users. I'm not sure it's prime time, yet. Elco is VERY hard to get info from, ain't gonna buy from them if I can't communicate.



Gas is really a non issue as for cost on a dinghy. The biggest advantage of electric is maintenance, which is huge if it works. My experience with the Torqeedo is poor.

Yeah, I've heard Torqeedo hasn't been stellar.

Elco has been around for a bazillion years. I'd guess (without actual factoids) their outboards and just the same motors they use for other stuff with a lower unit bolted on.

Would have thought they'd answer up relatively quickly.

I didn't find gas a big cost, just a big PITA. It got better with the EFI outboard, but that motor wasn't without issues too... in our case, very possibly from lack of use.

-Chris

I am running an electric trolling motor on my dinghy. I love it. But I don't need to go fast. I am a big fan of electric motors with battery power, using the SUN to charge and not using gasoline.

I don't want to speak for Seevee, but I'm guessing if he wants a bigger dinghy with a console that he wants something that will plane. I can't imagine the point of a 400lb dinghy with a console that only goes 4 or 5 knots.


One year in we love our new Highfield 340 so far, it rides much better and is much better built than our old Caribe Light, which was also a good tender, but not as nice as the Highfield. It can be ordered with a small console, though ours does not have one. If I had an unlimited budget, I'd have a little micro skiff flats boat custom built. Unfortunately all of them are too long and narrow for our big boat without going custom.

The Ankona 14' Native SUV with a 25 hp tiller would be pretty much my dream boat.


Native SUV 14 & 17 — Ankona Boats

Dougcole said:

I don't want to speak for Seevee, but I'm guessing if he wants a bigger dinghy with a console that he wants something that will plane. I can't imagine the point of a 400lb dinghy with a console that only goes 4 or 5 knots.


One year in we love our new Highfield 340 so far, it rides much better and is much better built than our old Caribe Light, which was also a good tender, but not as nice as the Highfield. It can be ordered with a small console, though ours does not have one. If I had an unlimited budget, I'd have a little micro skiff flats boat custom built. Unfortunately all of them are too long and narrow for our big boat without going custom.

Click to expand...

Doug,


Yes, speed is a must. Already have a slow one. And must had a seat with a back for comfy. Want to go on runs of 5 to 10 miles if needed, and spend several hours exploring. And, get the biggest one that will fit, probabaly in the 12ft + range. Want to be able to strap my tandem bike to it when running into shore to explore.


Yes, the Highfield (for a RIB) looks pretty good.



For another thread, also would like a really light weight tandem kayak or paddle board with seats, for exercize. My partner doesn't go solo. Have a great tandem hobie but just too heavy and awkward to travel with.


Have thought seriously of getting an aluminum small fishing or jon boat with the V hull, similar to the attached. There's hundreds of them around, cheap and in good shape. Add the console, and a good motor, and some fenders.



Had one I should have kept. Would cruise fast with very little power. I'm surprised that's there are not a lot of similar boats out there for a dink.

Seevee said:

Doug,


Yes, speed is a must. Already have a slow one. And must had a seat with a back for comfy. Want to go on runs of 5 to 10 miles if needed, and spend several hours exploring. And, get the biggest one that will fit, probabaly in the 12ft + range. Want to be able to strap my tandem bike to it when running into shore to explore.


Yes, the Highfield (for a RIB) looks pretty good.



For another thread, also would like a really light weight tandem kayak or paddle board with seats, for exercize. My partner doesn't go solo. Have a great tandem hobie but just too heavy and awkward to travel with.


Have thought seriously of getting an aluminum small fishing or jon boat with the V hull, similar to the attached. There's hundreds of them around, cheap and in good shape. Add the console, and a good motor, and some fenders.



Had one I should have kept. Would cruise fast with very little power. I'm surprised that's there are not a lot of similar boats out there for a dink.

Click to expand...

I've looked at v bow tinnys as well, they have a lot of advantages over RIBs and my buddy has one that I really like. Only disadvantage I see is that they won't carry as much of a load as RIB will. When we get our two young adult sons, 90 lb dog and beach gear into the dink it is a lot of weight. Our RIB will still barely plane with that much load in it, and rides pretty stable.


The other thing that concerns me about a tinny is getting back into it from deep water. We do a lot of free diving and I think it would be harder to get over the side without tipping it.

Tinny with these

https://boatcollar.com.au/

All the advantages of a rib but without the deflation, delamination

Simi 60 said:

Tinny with these

https://boatcollar.com.au/

All the advantages of a rib but without the deflation, delamination

Click to expand...

Looked at their web side and while it says what it can do, there's no pix or description of what it is or how to install. Wrote them to find out, but looks like it would do the job.... whatever it is.

Doug,


You make a good point about weight, however, that's not an issue for me. But getting back into it after swimming would be. Might need a ladder of sorts over the bow or stern to keep from tipping it. Need to think about that....


But overall, the tinny performance and load volume is way better than a Rib.

I really like aluminum hulled RIBs. You get very light weight, yet the rigidity of a RIB. I also really like the lateral stability of a rib, making for very easy on/off/ Plus it's a giant fender so no need to carry more, deploy and stow, etc. I prefer an unpainted Al hull. A painted hull will blister. It's just a matter of time, so for me that rules out Highfield. AB is my preference, but they are awfully expensive.

twistedtree said:

A painted hull will blister. It's just a matter of time, so for me that rules out Highfield. AB is my preference, but they are awfully expensive.

Click to expand...

It's just paint, right? Not like blisters in gelcoat?

Aside from cosmetics, what's the concern?

(As I'm comparing AB and Highfield, etc for our own maybe-future purposes.)

-Chris

We just bought a 10' AB AL Lamina and a 20 HP Tohatsu. It was between the AB and Highfield. In the end it was the unpainted aluminum the swayed me despite assurances from the Highfield salesman the the system they used would not blister.

My experience with painted al dinghys (though not Highfields) has been blistering after 2-3 years. The AB is expensive but I got a good clearance deal at Defender. The pain does not last too long.

If interested there is a 9'6" unpainted AB on the Rhode Island Craigslist. Only used one season. We had it under serious consideration.

Rob

Transverse seating & steering console

These are available, sans RIB, from Highfield - I have just ordered the (old model) FCT7 for £830 incl. shipping; the new more expensive 2021 model includes a bilge pump and nav lighting gear. It will go into the German built ASTender 340 (they do build a console version but it has a centreline 'riding' bench which I do not like).

dinghy upgrade

Seevee said:

All,


Looking to upgrade my dinghy to a light weight (less than 400#, boat, motor and tank) with a console in the 11 to 13 ft range. Ideas?
Really prefer to NOT have a Rib, but very few choices. With a Rib, you loose too much interior space, but they don't mar you boat when you bump into it.
And, they're not very efficient... takes more HP to get them going that just a straight aluminum or plastic hull. And, they will leak. But they sure are popular.



Have looked at:


OCTender https://octenders.co.nz/
Love this boat, and demo'd a small one locally. Planes off with very little power, light weight, very high tech but EXPENSIVE. And they are just now developing one with a console, and I hate to be the first kid on the block that buys one.


www.whaly.com/en/whaly_3701.html

Probably too heavy, but a great design.



Of the RIBs
I've had an AB, great quality and support, but a tad heavy and expensive



www.highfieldboats.com
Info looks real good for a rib. Light and reasonable.


Another thought is to just by an old aluminum V hull fishing boat (Many out there in good condition cheap ($2K or less) add a console and new motor. But need to add some fender systems so I won't scratch up my boat. Had a 10ft on before and would run at 12 mph with 2 on a 6 hp motor and was roomy. Should have kept it.



Others?

Click to expand...

Look at this one: https://walkerbay.com/model/generation-340
It has everything you want except it is 465lbs, however, you will probably not find a nicer boat for a reasonable price.

We’ve had a deposit on a fully loaded Highfield CL340 for nearly 4 months. Delay is due to Tohatsu 25 hp outboards on back order. Still think we made the best choice for us but as the boating season approaches we are getting nervous.

Good luck with your choice

Seevee said:

Looked at their web side and while it says what it can do, there's no pix or description of what it is or how to install. Wrote them to find out, but looks like it would do the job.... whatever it is.

Click to expand...

I see a description of what it is on the page I linked to
There is more info here
https://boatcollar.com.au/design/

It tells you what it is made from

MADE FROM TUFF-TEC FOAM:
-Closed-cell, cross-linked Polyethylene
-UV stabilised
-Fire retardant
-Petro-chemical stabilised (petrol won't melt it)
-Hard inner layer, for strong fitting
-Hard outer layer, for durability of use

Click to expand...

There are plenty of pictures and video

And there is a page on fitting

https://boatcollar.com.au/home/fitting/

I agree with the concerns over the potential for future blistering on the Highfields, it is the only thing I don't like about ours. I heard the same spiel when we bought ours about how well it is applied, and though I believe they put it on very carefully, I do not believe it is possible to coat aluminum, at all, with any treatment, and have it hold up for an extended period of time with no blisters.


The ABs are also very nice, and I love the untreated look and durability, but you have to have a long shaft OB for them and I already owned a really nice 2014 short shaft 20 hp 'Zuki, so that pretty much eliminated them. They are also more expensive, and aside from the bare aluminum are not any nicer than the Highfields.


In the end, I expect our Highfield to blister and I expect the bottom to scratch. But it's a tool, and though I take good care of it, I know it's going to show some wear. Blistered paint isn't going to sink it. I will say, that after a year of pretty hard use I haven't seen a single blister and the bottom of the hull has been remarkably scratch resistant. More resistant than our old FB rib was, for sure.


Before we bought our Caribe in 2007 I looked closely at the Walker Bay tenders. One of the retailers I sell to, and trust as a friend, is a Walker Bay dealer. He steered me away from them, said the quality of construction was very poor. They may have improved since then, I'm just passing on what I was told by a very reliable source. You don't see many of them on the water these days either. That's not a good sign.

Following NZ's OCTenders and Germany's ASTenders, Aspen Power Catamarans of Burlington, WA have just brought out the third carbon/GRP dinghy model, and it has an unusual hull profile that seeks to combine the advantages of monohull and catamaran design.

https://aspenpowercatamarans.com/aspen-carbon-cat/

It is available in 9.2 to 11.2 lengths priced at $9.9k to $11.2 basic - so roughly on a par with the other two manufacturers and rather steep but then should outlast many a RIB ...

I committed to the AST340 Beach and am currently having it modified significantly to become a solar electric/fossil fuel free craft like its mothership (due to launch next spring). POWERBOAT & RIB (PBR) magazine are covering our project in a series of articles the first of which was published in this year's October/November issue, pages 152-4.

Our propulsion is a 6kW ePropulsion Navy Evo 6 outboard; this has a long shaft (necessitating a Mini-Jack plate) so that it can be transferred aboard the mothership to provide supplemental propulsion installed in the midline lazarette between the hulls. Our battery is a 4kWh ePropulsion LiFePO E80 whose output is actually insufficient to drive the dinghy at much more than half the outboard's rated power but we reckon that the larger E175 battery is just too heavy at 87kg (the E80 weighs 50kg). The next generation of batteries - due in about 4-5 years - will likely offer double the power at similar dimensions and weight ... . We also have a T-top that not only provides shade but offers solid handholds to my wife who has mobility impairments, and can carry up to 250Wp solar.

Besides the high price point, our main issue is now finding a dinghy hoist capable of lifting the 240kg dinghy onto our bathing platform in a way that is (1) easy (i.e. preferably electrical and avoiding hydraulics), (2) does not obstruct the crucial midline cockpit access, and (3) won't cost a fortune. This seems quite a tough ask, and we may end up constructing an inclined 'travelling nut' linear actuator frame from scratch as the Swedish company that offered such a product seems to have gone bust.

Updates to follow ...

IfItsWorthDoing said:

Aspen Power Catamarans of Burlington, WA have just brought out the third carbon/GRP dinghy model, and it has an unusual hull profile that seeks to combine the advantages of monohull and catamaran design.

https://aspenpowercatamarans.com/aspen-carbon-cat/

It is available in 9.2 to 11.2 lengths priced at $9.9k to $11.2 basic - so roughly on a par with the other two manufacturers and rather steep but then should outlast many a RIB ...

Click to expand...

Well that's interesting. I'll keep an eye on Aspen.

Wow, I really like that Aspen dingy. I wonder if they are planning a console model in the future? It's surprising the 10' model maxes out at 9.9hp (and that's all it needs). This would be a great solution for us.

This could be on the short list to replace our old Aquapro dingy.