Looking down at the dinghy from the deck of our sailboat, I’m not sure it can hold much more for a family of four with two young boys. There’s a collapsible wagon, two skateboards, two bags of garbage, an empty jerry jug, a football and flip flops and shoes strewn about. Maybe I need to throw around some Cheerios to make it look more like the modern family minivan. Alas, this isn’t an atypical look for us when going ashore.
Whatever the contents may be, for all cruisers, your dinghy is the equivalent to a “car,” whether you’re out for a weekend or years of cruising. As such, the task of picking out and purchasing a new tender to complement your boat and cruising aspirations shouldn’t be taken lightly. It can also be a much different task for each boater, because you need to know what your specific constraints and needs are. Here are some things to consider when making the big dinghy purchase.
What’s Common
I’m currently writing this from the nav desk of my Grand Soleil 39, Yahtzee, swinging on anchor in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, a picturesque anchorage in the Eastern Caribbean that’s chalked full of cruising boats. An informal survey of the boats around me finds that the vast majority are sailboats; most are in the 35- to 50-foot range. Catamarans probably slightly outnumber the monohulls.
Dinghies come and go at nearly all hours to several designated docks around the harbor. From another informal survey of tenders moored at these docks, the range of size is predominantly from 9 to 12 feet and aluminum hulls seem to be more popular now than fiberglass. Also gaining in popularity are the various types of rigid-hulled dinghies that have padding around the sides instead of inflatable tubes. I’ve only noticed a few slatted floor, roll-up type dinghies that have inflatable hulls and tubes. Also, there aren’t many center-console RIBs coming from the average couple’s or family’s cruising boat. Most of them are from larger yachts run by professional crews.
In my two decades of cruising in various places, this cross section of dinghies in Antigua and around the Caribbean is pretty much spot on for many other locales — and the reasons aren’t that difficult to decipher. Storage space, price, practicality, efficiency and weight are all factors in what puts the sweet spot of dinghy sizes and type into a narrow category. But what’s right for the masses might not be right for your boat and crew. Sure, there are outliers in the size range of dinghies for those who have much larger or smaller vessels, but let’s take a closer look at what the majority of cruisers are going to be looking for when choosing a new tender.
What’s it Made Of?
When purchasing an inflatable dinghy, you’re going to have two choices in the material of the tubes: PVC and Hypalon. The most basic differences between the two materials are cost and durability. Hypalon is a synthetic rubber that’s more resistant to punctures, tears and weathering compared to PVC, which makes it more expensive. In general, PVC is a better choice for casual cruisers who might only be using their dinghy seasonally and not in harsh climates for long periods of time. If you’re planning to cruise in the tropics for most months of the year, Hypalon significantly outperforms PVC when exposed to prolonged sunlight. Choosing between the two really comes down to your budget and how and where you plan to use your tender.
After the type of material, it’s now time to start thinking about hull types and size. Starting on the smaller end of the spectrum, where space is at a premium, you’ll find inflatable dinghies that have a rigid transom, inflatable “hull,” and a hard-slatted floor made of aluminum or wood. There are several companies that make these, including Zodiac, West Marine, and Highfield. You aren’t going to be able to put a large horsepower outboard on them, but they’re inexpensive and can be deflated, rolled up, and stowed on deck or in a lazarette.
From there we move into rigid-hulled inflatable tenders that come in size ranges from 6-feet 6-inches up to about 13 feet. Over the years, this has been the go-to choice for many cruisers because of their versatility, and it still is. These boats come with either fiberglass or aluminum hulls, and aluminum-hulled dinghies have increasingly gained in popularity over the past decade. The main reason for this is that aluminum is lighter than fiberglass and is more durable; and the price point is about the same. Companies like AB Inflatables and Highfield Boats have a big share of this market, but there are certainly a number of other brands from which to choose, including Walker Bay, 3D Tender, and West Marine. Each has its own key features, so do your homework when shopping.
For those looking to venture outside the well-worn path of inflatables, there are more rigid tender options available than ever before. Designed and built in New Zealand, OC Tenders makes a range of dinghies that is constructed of carbon reinforced fiberglass (or full carbon, if chosen) with 10mm PVC foam sandwich composite. They have a foam fender rub rail and are relatively light for their size. Similarly, Aspen Powercatamarans from Burlington, Wash., has recently introduced a line of high-tech carbon fiber composite “Carbon Cats” that have an efficient hull design, which creates a stable, smooth ride. Apart from these modern rigid dinghies, there are also stalwarts on the market including the Portland Pudgy, PortaBote, and several traditional rowing and sailing options from Gig Harbor Boat Works.
If all of that isn’t enough from which to choose, you’ll find several other notable dinghy designs new to the market. Williams Jet Tenders has several dinghy options that could be enticing to cruisers, including its MiniJet 280, which is a 9-foot 2-inch center console dinghy that has a low profile and is quick and responsive under power. Takacat dinghies offer a unique lightweight catamaran style boat with an aerodynamic tapered bow and high pressure air deck that creates a rigid platform to keep passengers and cargo steady. They’re also designed to be easy to deflate, pack away, and store on your boat or in a car. A dinghy that bridges the gap between stowability while still having a rigid bottom is the F-RIB. Coming in a variety of sizes, these rigid inflatables have several different rigid sections that lock together and then the tubes are inflated. When you want to stow it, simply deflate the tubes, unlock the sections, and then fold it.
Size it Up
Other major factors to consider when choosing a dinghy are size, weight and storage. Do you have davits on the stern of your boat to hoist the dinghy? And if so, are you hoisting it electrically or manually? If the dinghy is too heavy when it’s fully outfitted with an outboard, gas tank, and anchor, you’re going to have a tough time hoisting it without some sort of assistance. If you don’t have davits and are storing it on the foredeck during longer passages, it needs to be the correct length and width to fit while still allowing crew to walk around it on deck. Also, how easy will it be to hoist the dinghy onto the foredeck with a halyard and then swing it over the lifelines? Now think about doing that in a rolly anchorage.
Along with storage, weight matters when you go to beach your dinghy, which you’ll inevitably be doing while out cruising. If it’s too heavy for two people to drag up on a beach with relative ease, you’re quickly going to find it burdensome. Also, consider how the task of bringing it in through breaking waves — and then relaunching it — will go for you and your partner or crew.
On a beach in Mexico, I watched a couple fight with a heavy center console rib trying to get it onto shore. The dinghy ended up flipping in the waves and nearly rolled over one of them because it was too difficult to handle. That’s not a situation you want to find yourself in.
Pony Power
Once you’ve got your dinghy chosen, it’s time to think about how you’re going to power it. Just like dinghies, you have a plethora of options when it comes to outboard engines. For smaller, lighter weight tenders, you’re going to be confined to an engine rated at less than 5 hp. This is also the segment of boats where electric outboards have become popular. Torqeedo, EP Carry, ePropulsion, Temo and others all have units to adequately power a variety of dinghy sizes.
When it comes to gas outboards, you need to decide if you want to get your dinghy on plane or not. If this isn’t a priority, choosing a lower horsepower, less expensive engine is fine. If it’s a priority, you’re likely going to need at least an 8-hp outboard, but you can go up to the max rating for your boat. For moderate to larger-size dinghies, you can’t go wrong with motors from Yamaha, Suzuki, Tohatsu, or Mercury. From my experience, Yamaha and Tohatsu seem to have the most dealers and service providers in countries outside of the U.S., but whichever you choose, reliability is an absolute must. There’s nothing worse than having a finicky outboard.
Another consideration with your outboard engine is where it’s stored. If your boat has davits, it’s likely that you’ll keep the outboard mounted on the dinghy most of the time. If not, or if you want to remove it during longer passages, then you’ll need an engine mount on the stern rail and then some way of hoisting it up. Again, this is where weight comes into consideration. If the engine is too heavy, it’s going to be difficult for one or two people to easily hoist it on and off the transom of the dinghy. Two stroke, four stroke, and electric engines are all going to come in at different weights, so make sure to check that before the big purchase.
Bon Voyage
Just like when purchasing a new car, shopping for your “cruising car” is a task that takes time, effort, and planning. Make a list of the features that are important or necessary for your specific use of the dinghy, including those that would be nice but aren’t a must. When you start sifting through the many options that are available to you, it’s likely that a couple different boats will rise to the top. Also, if you have time, attending one of the major boat shows throughout the country will allow you to kick some tires and talk to the various brand reps about their products.
I can assure you, though, that all the effort you put into finding the ideal tender for your adventures will be worth it. Imagine sitting on a beach watching the sunset then puttering back to your boat as the last light of the day fades away, or relaxing in the cockpit while your dinghy swings gently behind your boat in an anchorage with gin clear water. At that point, I’m pretty sure you’ll feel like you’ve made the right decision. Happy shopping.
Brands Mentioned:
Highfield Boats
AB Inflatables
Zodiac
West Marine
F-RIB Boats
3D Tender
Williams Jet Tenders
OC Tenders
UP Boats
Aspen Carbon Cats
Portland Pudgy
PortaBote
Takacat
Gig Harbor Boat Works
EP Carry
Torqeedo
ePropulsion
Temo