Every dinghy is a compromise, but IMO an 8' - 6" with inflatable floor and keel and 2-3.5 hp is the best of all worlds.
You will appreciate the smaller / lighter engine every time you have to put it on or take if off the boat. We have a 4hp 2-stroke, which is much lighter than a 4hp 4-stroke, and still I wish it were a bit lighter and easier to take off/put on. No one will be happy with you if you are moving around an anchorage faster than a 2 hp can manage anyway. For stowing on deck or rolling up for a locker you can't beat it. No one should be towing anything offshore and davits on a pretty C&C 110 would break my heart. 2 cents of course. KD On Wed, Mar 1, 2017 at 1:20 PM Danny Haughey via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > Some years ago, I purchased a used. west marine, zodiac roll up at a yard > sale and had an old 2hp kicker on it. I used in the area you are moving > to. More specifically, on the wesport river where there was nearly always > a 3 to 4 knot current (except slack tide). It did the job for us. Not > nearly as effortlessly as a RIB but, it worked. When I sold that boat the > buyer offered to buy the roll up and I sold it. So, As I was searching for > the new boat I went into Ocean state job lot, A local chain, liquidation > type place, where I had noticed they had sold some off brand PVC inflatable > boats. One 8'6 rollup and a 9'6 inflatable V hull, plywood floor. I read > and researched and researched and could find very little negative and a few > positive write ups. I opted for the latter and thought I should return > it... Well a waited too long for the return widow and kept it. > > After buying the new boat and launching, I finally unpacked, assembled and > inflated the inflatable boat. I couldn't be happier. The boat held air > all season and seemed comparable to any other boat on the dinghy dock. I > did end up buying a 2.5hp Lehr Propane powered OB for the back of it. I > love the propane option. I use the same bottle for the grill and they can > be changed out in less than a minute. You motor till it dies, unscrew the > expended bottle and screw in the new. 1 or 2 pulls and your off again. It > only weighs 35 lbs so putting it on the rail is pretty easy. > The roll up was hard to control through the water due the the flat, soft > bottom, the inflatable keel handles much better. 2.5 HP is enough for us > for now and the boat can take up to 8hp I think. > > The boat is called a Bestway Caspian Hydoforce Pro 110 and I paid $450 for > it. The smaller one was $369 i believe. I'm sure I'll get at least a few > more years out of it. It was tied to the dingy dock most of the summer and > it still looks brand new. The boat only weighs about 65lbs. So, I can > pull up on deck without too much effort and a spare halyard makes that even > easier! > > I'd love a RIB with a 10hp but, I don't have davits and the engine is > probably 100lbs. So, the boat, davits an engine hoist... your looking at > 7 - 10K all in. I spent 450 for the boat and 950 for the engine on sale at > west marine. I also had a bunch of WM gift cards from family members that > saved me another 300 so my out of pocket was like under $1100 for the > tender and motor! > > Oh, and the boat came with big tubes, a pump, oars, and the nice fill > caps. Again, I'm quite happy with the purchase. I'm willing to bet the > boat was made in the same factory as some of the big name boats. > > > Danny > > > > On 3/1/2017 3:24 PM, Bob McLaughlin via CnC-List wrote: > > Relocating our C&C 110 from a Midwest lake where I had no need for a > tender to now sailing on Narragansett Bay, LI Sound, Buzzard's Bay, > Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds, etc, I'm in need of a basic inflatable to > serve as a tender in harbors without a launch service. I've used them many > times on charters but never really paid much attention to detail. > > I'm looking for something relatively compact for 2-4 people that is easy > to set up and collapse and stow, so I think that's best a roll-up. Early > in my thinking, I'm eyeing something like the 8'6" Achillies LSI-260: 4 > person capacity/820lbs, Hypalon, overall weight 64 lbs, inflatable floor, > with perhaps a ~4-5HP outboard. (Or maybe the 9'6" or 10'2" LSI versions of > the same design..) I don't think I need a boat to plane, just basic > transportation. No davits, it will either be towed or stowed. > > I welcome input from those of you with inflatable experience to share your > thoughts on brands, material, features, design, size, etc. What factors > should I be considering as I make my selection? > > Regards, > Bob McLaughlin > C&C 110 "Blue Devil" > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you wish > to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > > All Contributions are greatly appreciated! > > > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you > wish to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > > All Contributions are greatly appreciated! > -- Kevin Driscoll Associate Vallaster Corl Architects, Inc. Direct: 503 875 3493 Main: 503.228.0311
_______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you wish to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: https://www.paypal.me/stumurray All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
