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 The interface
between inflatable tender and water surface comes in two basic forms -
the hard-bottomed and the soft-bottomed model. The advantages of the
latter include the fact that one can stow the deflated dinghy in a very
modest amount of space. In fact, it is difficult to say, offhand, what
other advantage there may be to having a soft-bottomed dinghy but, in
itself, this capacity to disappear into a smallish locker is a big plus
for those on small yachts.
Of the hard-bottomed variety, there are two basic models, those with a
single-skinned bottom and those with the double-skinned. The
double skinned variety allows water which collects inside the dinghy to
be returned to the outside of the dinghy, without the need for bailing.
It also makes the dinghy rather heavier than it would otherwise be. In
terms of comfort and stability, when travelling at speed on the water,
this is an advantage, though it is not so advantageous when the time
comes to lift the dinghy. An advantage of either type of hard-bottomed
dinghy is the aqua-dynamic shaping of the underside, not possible
in the soft-bottomed variety.
Of course much depends on the purpose one has in mind for the dinghy. If
one plans to move, alone or as a couple, sedately from yacht to shore,
using an outboard motor of few horsepower, or rowing, virtually any
model will be suitable.
If, on the other hand, one envisions using the dinghy for longer trips,
at faster speeds, perhaps towing water-skiers or ferrying groups of
people back and forth, something reasonably substantial will be
required.
One can purchase an inflatable dinghy which more closely resembles a car
than a boat, with an inboard engine, steering wheel, electronic
ignition, console panel and leatherette seating, storage lockers and
other goodies, if one has a mind to splash out on something which makes
getting around on the water a very similar experience to that of driving
on the roads, given an obliging sea.
The disadvantages of owning such a
tender include the combined weight of dinghy and engine, it being
somewhat difficult to separate them for lifting and stowing purposes.
Engine trouble will mean having to find alternative transport, where an
outboard motor which has to be removed for repairs or servicing can be
replaced by an alternative outboard motor, or a pair of oars.
The
majority of inflatable dinghies have the upper area made with 'hypalon'
or vinyl. There are big differences in construction techniques between
different brands. Some manufacturers use a wide, doubled-over seam at
each join, so that there is a very strong join between pieces used to
form the pontoons (sausage-shaped upper area) and little likelihood of a
separation occurring. Other brands leave so little margin at the joins
that one wonders how long they can possibly last.
We would be very interested to hear about your inflatable dinghies, past
and present. The advantages, and otherwise, of particular models, the
opinion you have of your own or any other model of inflatable dinghy.
We will be looking for opportunities to encourage manufacturers to
continue doing the right things and to desist from doing the wrong ones.
You may think your comments are not important, but they are.
Don't leave it to others to tell us, for two reasons, the first being
that a comment made by several readers will carry more weight in a
manufacturers ear, give other readers more idea of what is a consistent
advantage or disadvantage, than a lone voice, and the other reason being
that, without feedback from you, we will not know any more than we know
now, which is necessarily limited to our personal experiences and those
of the handful of people with whom we have had occasion to discuss
inflatable tenders. We are interested in all aspects, including
durability, climate suitability, value for money and so on.
If there are questions you would like to see forming part of a
questionnaire, to bring consistent feedback of a type which would help
you to weigh up the pros and cons of different brands, let us know what
they are and
we can put a survey form together. Having
spent time in the Southern Caribbean and discovered that some inflatable
dinghies made for use in the colder waters of the north have a nasty
tendency to fall apart in the warm waters of the tropics, but that the
reverse is not the case, our captain has long favoured the Caribe,
manufactured in Venezuela. His preference is based on reasonable
pricing; excellent quality control; good
resale value; reliability and stability. Caribes are quick to get on the
plane with minimal horsepower. Last
year, we finally parted company with
our seven-year-old
11' Caribe which had seen constant use, and dare we say it, abuse, with
children, charter guests and friends putting it through hell. Admittedly
it didn't look quite new any more and, in the last year we had to patch it a
bit, but
it was good for a while yet, in spite of having had to be punctured
deliberately after a recent storm helped water into an untended hole!
Patching it up properly would give it an extension of another couple of
years. The trouble is that we feel that we have to have a dinghy which
looks reasonably healthy. It's a sort of dock credibility thing... A
new replacement would
cost around US$1200 but
we were lucky enough to be offered a second hand AB, made under
license in Venezuela by an Italian company. The new dinghy, slightly larger and
in excellent condition, was ours for just for US$ 400 so we passed the Caribe
on to a young couple just starting out on the live-aboard life, on a
budget even more constrained than our own and with less concern for
appearnces, who parted with the princely sum of US$50 for it. We had a
fancy canvas cover made for the new dinghy with matching outboard and
petrol tank covers and all looks very grand when we put it on! Anyone else keeping an
inflatable going against all the efforts of nature (and human nature,
especially) to finish them off? We'd love to hear about it.
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