what would you recommend as a Dinghy for my 99 26x

[mrron_tx]

I use a 9ft Bombard Aero +3 by Zodiac with a 6hp Tohatsu four stroke . Works well for Me Dauntless

[dlandersson]

Really depends on your uses (I visit South Haven a bit).

I have two - a cheapy for changing props in the Marina, and a better one for toodling about with the family.

Just purchased a 99 26x what would you recommend as a Dinghy?

Yacht is 100 miles from me so can't go look. Do you know if this year has the ballast tank valve on the back?

Thanks,
Dan

[azav8tor]

I have a Newport Vessels 12' inflatable. It is extremely stable, and doesn't tip at all when you board it off the boat or shore. I was really amazed by that fact! It is a heavy beast, and although I can load it into the truck by myself, I am sure it will put me in the hospital one day. I run a Mercury 6hp on it, and although it will not get it to plane out, it pushes it along at a respectable clip. It is rated up to a 20hp motor. When going to Catalina Island, some sort of dingy is almost mandatory. It is the best way to get out and explore, and it keeps you from having to pay $8.00 for the water taxi to take you 100 yards to shore from your mooring. It is also amazing how much this thing will haul!

http://newportvessels.com/baja-inflatable-dingy-boat/

[Sea Wind]

We have a 9.5ft Baltik with wooden floor and extra seat. It is a great dinghy that feels really solid but we barely use it (maybe 4 times in two years). As many other have said it depends on your use and crew. I have three young kids + wife so we needed a larger dinghy. If it was just the wife and I would probably have a Sevylor dinghy. In retrospect, investing in a fridge would get a lot more use.

[dlandersson]

In retrospect, investing in a fridge would get a lot more use.

[mastreb]

I started with a 10 foot porta bote, and then switched to a 9.5 foot inflatable with high pressure floor and shallow Vee hull, made by Zodiac. The inflatable has worked out very well. All 26X and M boats have the water ballast fill/drain valve below water line on the transom. Early X models (before 1999 I believe) have a displacement air plug in a step under the companionway. Later X models put the air plug in a well up forward, in the Vee berth area.

I see you're in Grand Haven MI. That's where we plan to start our Great Loop cruise this coming August. Perhaps we can meet up then.

+1 to the 9 foot inflatable Zodiacs. These can roll up and fit in the v-berth easily, and they can be carried on the bow before the mast, and the 150% genny can tack over them perfectly well. They pull easily behind the boat as well. If you trailer and want to keep the dinghy with the boat, I think inflatables are the only way to go. We have the West Marine/Zodiac RU260, but the high-pressure floor would be better. Would be fantastic with a little Torqueedo electric outboard.

[gabid]

Our stays in water all summer, the same the dinghy. We tow the dinghy when needed, if we anchor overnight or if we plan to stop on an island. Else it stays at the dock, most of the time the kids are happy taking it out.
Dinghy is a 9 foot inflatable, 3 people, with hard floor and inflatable keel. It has a 3.5 HP outboard - 1l incorporated gas tank.
I've been caught out in 20 knots wind towing the dingy, but no problems to report, under sail or engine. I guess it is heavy enough.
Because dinghy stays in water I have to protect the bottom each year. One year I did not and I had the whole bottom with zebra mussel growth in fall.

[NiceAft]

Another question is if you get an inflatable, and store it onboard somewhere, what are you capable of lifting comfortably?

My Achiles folds up into a neat package about 2' x 4' (estimated), but it weighs 75 lbs.(34K), and the 6hp Merc four stroke weighs about 50 lbs. (22.6 K). These numbers you should also take into your considerations.

Ray

[Highlander]

If u want to go really cheap u can always use an 18 wheeler inner tube & if u want a floor in it force it over an orange crate
Just saying

J
PS Thats what we did when we were Kids

[Herschel]

I have had two of the less expensive PVC variety. One was $400 and one was $150. I started out to buy a Sea Eagle inflatable kayak to take on my RV trips, as well as, Mac voyages. I wanted an inflatable that I could rig with a sail kit. I bought a really nice sail kit from Sail Boats To Go outfit in MA, but I Jim talk me into a cheaper Navigator III PVC job. Jim specializes in portable sail boats and rigs that allow you to add a sail to just about anything that floats. Here is the first rig I had.

As you can see, with a small motor mount I can even carry a small outboard. I was a novice at inflatables and did not take the warning about leaving it fully inflated in the sun for a prolonged period of time, and the internal seams failed and eventually I experienced a leak that I could just not repair. I tried the enclosed patch kit and the West Marine kits to no avail. Discarded the Navigator III and bought a cheaper Intex Mariner, which I hopefully would be able to protect better from over inflation.

Alas, this one developed a leak fairly early on after just a few uses. Again, I was not able to successfully accomplish a functioning patch after heroic efforts to do so. It was particularly disappointing because I was not able to take my grand daughters out for a sail during a trip from Florida to Michigan and ended up throwing it into a dumpster at the campground. Definitely not a happy camper that day. My point is that you can lose one of these cheaper PVC boats when you most want it! I'll get into what my current plans are with another post, but I would not place a lot of value in the cheaper PVC boats based on my experience.

[Herschel]

My current plans are to purchase an Achilles LT 4 model from Defender Industries. I contacted Defender after a Google search on inflatables brought that company to the forefront. I left a "contact us" email. Much to my surprise, their representative, John, called me back and we had a long talk about inflatables. He persuaded me that the cheaper PVC's just are not patchable with any reliability. He further informed me that the better inflatable boat companies don't expect you to keep running out in the sun and checking your psi and that they test their boats for ability to handle build up in pressure due to heat inflation. He advised that hypalon is a Dupont registered name and is not officially built any more, but other companies use the same process and refer to it as CSM. For Florida uses he recommended hypalon/CSM over PVC, even the better grade PVC. He recommended the Achilles LEX 96, but I discovered that the dimensions would not be compatible with my sail kit, but the LT 4 was compatible. Defender assured me that they were structurally the same boat just different design in the stern. I was very impressed with Defender thus far. Here is John's contact info in case you might find it helpful. John Cashman,
Defender Industries, Boats & Motors Service & Sales Dept., [email protected], 800-628-8225 x173. Here is the LT 4. I plan on ordering mine in about two to four weeks. Perhaps some of the best news John gave me was that professional patching services are available, especially for the better made inflatables.

[NiceAft]

Herschel,

The point you bring up about the internal tube pressure increasing as the sun shines is a good one.

I also looked at the Achilles site and it appears my ten year old Achilles with a pressurized floor is not a available.

When I purchased my Achilles, the dealer recommended that I not purchase an extra seat because it would interfere with the motor tiller. He was correct, but I bought one anyway because I had other plans . I place it on the floor and slip it on for fishing use.

Does Achilles still have inflatable keels on their inflatables with non rigid bottoms?

Ray

[Wind Chime]

The 8' Walker Bay has been a great choice for us and our 2000X.

At only 80-ish pounds;
- it's easy for me to lift
- being a lapstrake design it tows and rows well
- the sailkit with 12' mast (2x6' to stow below) is loads of fun sailing out to set the crab traps
- small Mercury 2.2 gets it moving a few knots
- fits on the fore-deck for rough weather

[Herschel]

Does Achilles still have inflatable keels on their inflatables with non rigid bottoms?

I really don't know about non-rigid bottom Achilles models. Not real sure they even offer any. I am sure John at Defender would know. I do know that the LEX 96 I was considering did have an inflatable keel section. The Navigator I bought first had both an inflatable bottom and keel section. That was the internal seam that excess air pressure destroyed and the keel section and bottom became one big "whale". It was sad.

[NiceAft]

My Achilles is ten years old and as dependable as ever. If you have not detected it yet, I am very happy with the quality of that dinghy. I wish the same for you.

Ray