New Dinghy

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

We have decided that the one new thing we need for our 3-4 week trip in Desolation Sound is a new dinghy. I'd appreciate comments and feed back on the choices after you've read the requirements below.

Right now we have a 8'6" hypalon slatted floor dingy. This has served us very well but lacks a number of things. The slatted floor does not tow, motor or row that great. It is only rated for 5hp and we happen to already own a nice 6hp yamaha two stroke. It doesn't have the two outside towing eyes, just a center one. And with a family of 3 growing boys, putting all 5 of us in it is a bit of a load. It is only rated for 551lbs capacity.

As always price matters, so while I am a big fan of hypalon, I am willing considering PVC material. I am not interested in the low end (ie:costco) products. I've done quite a bit of research and learned some interesting things. I always thought Decitex was a brand name of the material used by Zodiac. Turns out it is just a term like denier used to to indicate the thread count of the material. 1100 decitex is the same as 1000 denier. The Zodiac material is simply a polyester fabric coated inside and out with PVC. Most all the reviews I've read claim that the current PVC materials are as durable and hypalon. Their one vunerabilty is the sun. The chemical that keeps the PVC soft evaporates over time. As this happens the material begins to return to the normal state of PVC which is a rigid material. Our dinghy will not spend it's life outdoors in the sun so I don't think this is as big a deal for our use. Sounds like the other big difference is whether the material is glued or welded. Zodiac claims welding is the only way to go. The glued camp claims the welding process weakens the material.

We have decided that we want a dinghy in the 9'-10' range. It's capacity must be 800lbs+. It must handle a 6hp outboard, have a vee hull. And lastly, we have decided we want a high pressure air floor so we can still store it rolled up on the bow like our current one.

This led me to a search for better deals than the normal ones found at the standard catalog places. The benchmark to shoot at was the Zodiac Zoom, their value line, Aero Fast Roller PVC. Boaters World sells the 8'6" (a bit small) for $1,499 and the 10'2" (a bit big) for $1,699.

I then moved on to other choices. Practical Sailor was big on the Mercury line so I headed there. I can get a 8'9" 2002 Airdeck 270 PVC for $999 at Defender. They have a 2003 of the same for $1095 and the 2004 is $1125. The also have the 2004 Hypalon version of the same boat for $1250. Seems like quite a deal and I wouldn't have to have that worry about the PVC fabric.

Then I hit what may could be even better. I found a brand called Maxxon. At first I thought it was just cheap offshore junk, but the more I looked the more I found it was widely sold by a number of very reputable shops including very good local one, Ballard Inflatables.

Here are some links.

http://www.boatownersworld.com/maxxon/m ... series.htm
http://www.theboatpeople.com/MarineFishing.html
http://www.funtimeinflatables.com/P/Boa ... maxxon.htm
http://www.ahoycaptain.com/shop/maxxoninflatables.html

I found a number of prices, but the best was at boatownersworld.com I can get a 9'9" CS300 series, meets all the specs, for $999. Free shipping, no tax. WOW.

Anyone out there seen or owned one of these? I plan to go over to Ballard Inflatables to see it for myself, but these seem to be a screaming deal.

(Search terms: dinghy, dink, porta-bote, portabote, porta bote, baltik, affordable, maxxon, sevytek, sevytex )

[Sloop John B]

Duane, I'm interested in your study and search and will follow along in your wake. Keep an eye off to the side for advice on a smaller version of something sound, that will hold two adults, no motor need, and can be towed, stored.

Some of these guys have more dinghys than fingers. I don't want to have to go through that.

[Jim Bunnell]

Have you considered a folding dingy instead? There are some advantages that are outside the possibilities of inflatables. There are also, as always, tradeoffs. Might be worth your time to look.

http://www.porta-bote.com

[Mark Prouty]

Duane,

I have a 7'11 Mercury Airdeck Hypalon with a 6hp 4 stroke Tohatsu. 6hp is its max rating and it holds 3. I paid $1000 for it. The Maxxon looks like a carbon copy.

These things look the same:
The airdeck looks similar.
Front tow ring
It looks like it has a tow ring on the right and left front sides.
It looks like it has two air chambers on each side.
Seat fits the same way
Same V hull

The holding lines are looser and they attach differently with that piece of material that runs the length of the inflatable.

That looks like very good deal. I am exceptionally happy with my inflatable.

[Kevin]

I've been to the website and I'm sold on the port-a-botes.

Does anyone have a couple sources to buy the things?

I've seen them at boat shows and was ready to buy, but the brochure I got at the Alameda boat show didn't have a contact address or number. Their price was $959 for the 10' delivered.

Every show since it's been someone different and the price is $1400 for the same boat.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

All I can say is don't believe everything you read at their web site.

My current inflatable takes 5 minutes to inflate with it's foot pump. They must be blowing it up by mouth to take an hour.

A real inflatable, not a vinyl cheapy will take a tremendous beating and not puncture. You don't see any navy seals with port-a-boats.

I'll give them the less space argument, but hey, you can sit on the tubes, not so in a port-a-boat.

Practical sailors recent test of the air floor boats showed 15+ mph with two aboard and a 4hp, and 20mph with a 8hp.

I honestly can't see storing a folded port-a-boat on a mac. Strapped to the lifelines it would be longer than the cabintop, and a wall you could not see around. There is no where to strap it flat.

Towing even my in-efficient flat bottom inflatable comes nowhere near slowing the mac down by 30%.

Half the capacity, The 10' portaboat has a capacity of 585lbs. The 8'9" mercury air floor has a capacity of 1200lbs, the 10'2" one has a capacity of 1395lbs. Part of my problem is my current inflatable has a capacity of 551lbs. It's not enough.

My father-in-law used a portaboat for fishing for years. After watching him strain to assemble it and almost get swallowed whole when the seat slips, there is no way I would want to try to assemble it on the bow of a mac. Even if it fits there, which I question for the 10' one, You would have to assemble it on shore or a dock, which means you tow it everywhere. There goes there no drag argument.

Can you guess I'm not impressed with the port-a-boats? I'll be sticking to an inflatable. I have found the 8'9" 2004 mercury hypalon Air Deck 270 for $1,198 so far.

[Captain Steve]

Duane,

I got mine off ebay. Check this mercury model out. 9.5 foot, air floor and 1100 lb capacity. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3674190229

[Jack O'Brien]

I have a 10'-8", 3-seat Porta-Bote which I bought from a previous M26X owner. He strapped it to the forward lifelines. I have towed it 30 miles and carried it folded in the aft berth/galley. Used it for a week, anchored off Key West, to go to town a couple times a day/night.

It tows, rows and motors excellently. It is a good V-shaped hull, is essentially puncture-proof, and unsinkable. With just my 200 pounds and a gas tank it will plane with a 2.5 HP old Evinrude.

Assembly is easy with the wood "hold open" bar. I have assembled it by myself crosswise on the foredeck. It is too slippery on the fiberglass deck and I do not recommend this unless you have some non-skid matting under it.

Folded and stowed in the cabin it protrudes too far and blocks the galley. The 8-footer would be better but you give up one seat and some capacity.

The empty hull weighs 65 pounds and I can put it on the car's roof rack by myself. I'm going to keep it for use as a portable boat - but not as a tender for the M26X.

I used to be younger, lighter, 6-feet tall and stronger. Now I'm more desireous of a dinghy that is light and manageable when deflated, easy to stow, blow and tow. I have a Coleman 4-person inflatable that is a wee bit too narrow and flexible for rough water or for the Evinrude on my home-made mount for which the boat was not designed.

West Marine is clearance-pricing all merchandise branded with the BoatU.S. name. I bought their 9' roll up for a very good price but upon trying to lift the 75-pound bulky mass out of the box decided "No way, Jose" and took it back.

Bought a Sea Eagle 8' and motor mount "on sale". Made the floorboards and seats myself. Have only tried it so far with an electric motor on the lake behind my house and it is a definite step up from the Coleman. Although not $210 better than the difference in cost versus the Coleman.

The Sea Eagle 8 hull only is 31 pounds and rolls up small enough to manhandle and stow. It seems like it is well-made but I'm unimpressed with its oars, the valves in the floor tubes and the foot pump, but I have both a rechargeable and a good hand pump from Coleman. Haven't done it yet but should be able to inflate & deflate it in the cockpit or on deck.

I don't know how the Sea Eagle compares to other boats in price, quality or performance.

http://www.seaeagle.com/motormount/

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

Steve,

watch out, that is NOT a Mercury. There are a bunch of offshore look alikes being sold on ebay. If you read their ad you will see they say just like Quicksilver or Mercury. Obviously it also is a PVC boat, not hypalon. The Mercury boats are quite distinct, their rear tube cones are like no others. I'm not saying it is a bad boat, but it's not a mercury. Is that the exact one you had last year up in the san juans?

Jack,

I think you hit on the biggest drawback of the port-a-boat, storing it. I would never store my dinghy in the cabin. Mainly because there's no room with 5 on board, but also because it is wet and dirty particularly inside after it has been used a bit. Our boots pick up a lot of mud and sand going ashore up here. Three boys don't pay attention to clean feet. No way I could deal with a 10' boat sticking out of the aft berth. Every inch or space in our boat is used for something already.

We're even making some major interior overhauls before we head out for the long trip. We spent a lot of time evaluating the interior features of the X.

The big table, gone, We are going to a unique sliding bench with storage under that will create a large U shaped salon area where the table is giving quite a nice open space ala the "M". The bench will slide against the hull for lounging or out to the mast post for sitting at the new, smaller table that will fold up against the hull when not in use. On the other side, the seat forward of the galley is also going. The vee berth will be extended aft to match the forward dinette seat and the rest of the space will be a extension counter off the galley. It will also serve as nav center for the laptop, and entertainment center for the laptop playing movies.
We've already done away with the seat aft of the galley making it the home of our second cooler, a cube style one that fits perfectly and carries all our drinks.

[BK]

I have the Boat US 11.5 Hypalon inflatable I bought in 1991 and still is in great shape. It holds up to a 25 horse outboard and goes up to 19 MPH with my 8hp and 2 people. It has a floor air chamber that makes into a keel and 4 wood slates. The boat weighs about 100lbs. The thing I like most about it is that we can carry a lot of gear when we go out for the day.

[Captain Steve]

Sorry Duane, I did a quick Ebay search. You are right I bought mine from a marina operator in New Jersey. He lists last years models on ebay to move them out. The one I had in San Juans is a Mercury. At 9.5 feet and 1100 lbs of capacity, it was great for the 3 of us. I got my Honda 2hp off of Ebay the same way. When its winter and spring on the east coast Ebay offers them an opportunity to get some income.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I went over to Ballard Inflatables which sells the Maxxon to check it out.

It's a very impressive boat. It uses glued 1100 denier PVC coated polyester fabric. Every bit as heavy and well built as any I have seen of the name brands in the local boat stores. The boat is made in China by Shinkwang Ind. Co. LTD. The airfloor is a 2" version, quite stiff. It has many extra little features. The center of the hull has an extra thick rubber rub strake along the keel, something none of the zodiac or west marine ones had but the mercury does have. The floor has a special pad and tie down strap for the gas tank. There are very heavy duty double velcro 6" long tabs that hold the air floor secure. It has two piece oars that are well attached and fold out of the way flat to the side. The bow ring also incorporates a nice lifting handle. There are rubber lifting handles at each side near the stern. It has the side tow rings. It even comes with a painter for the bow. The transom has spray guards in the corner and is well protected with a plastic top cap and aluminum motor plates. The seat is a very solid wood one that clips into straps on the tubes. The grab rope runs all around the perimeter including the front. It weaves it way through fabic flaps with grommets that run for the full perimeter as well.

The 9'9" one has a single middle seat. The 10'9" one has both the middle and the aft seat position. The 9'9 one weighs 77lbs, has a 1100lb capacity. All come with oars, foot pump, seat, repair kit and carrying case. It has a 5 year warranty

Much to my surprise Ballard Inflatables had it in stock ready to go for cash or check at $999, the lowest price I could find on the internet. You do end up paying tax, but hey, it also keeps the money here at a local business instead of sending it to NY. The 9'9" boat is now in the back of my truck ready for it's first test run.

[Mark Prouty]

Alright - sounds like it has a few things nicer than the Mercury! Especially Price.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

I have a port-a-boat that I use for a dinghy. I put it together on the foredeck of my 26X. Once. It can be done but don't want to do it again there if I don't have to.
It rows very good. It doesn't fold up like the inflateables, at least the cheaper ones.
I haven't had much success with a sailing rig on it but I'll try again this year.
I haven't tried it in a 26M yet but it should stow quite well, I believe. It should fit on the starboard side in the stern berth. The head compartment on the 26X was a problem.
I take out the Mac cushions, and put in a hideabed mattress on the port side. More comfortable, sheets and blankets fit, no seam down the middle, stowage space on the starboard side and aft.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

One note on the port-a-boat. If you transport it folded up flat on a roof rack, be sure you tie a line from the bow to the front of the vehicle. While it may seem stiff, it is no match for the wind at freeway speed. My father in law had his there one day, without a front tie down. When we arrived at the lake it had folded up and back at the front tie strap. The boat still worked, but was never quite the same.