Inflatable recommendations...
- Thread starter inkblue
- Start date
Grady Wahoo
Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2005
- RO Number
- 16408
- Messages
- 438
Achilles gets my vote. I bought the 88, returned it for the 96, and returned that for the 104, (they must have loved me)...... Course I'm a big guy and wanted it to plane. The 88 with a 3.3 horse motor will be an easy package to work with. Zodiac is a good brand, but it's pvc-not hypalon. Big difference. There's a couple of "superstores" online that should give you the best price. Good luck!
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2003
- RO Number
- 12563
- Messages
- 529
I'd also go for the Mercury. The lower end ones are PVC but our's has stood up like iron. The Admiral has run it aground numerous times and we've never had a leak. Our Merc is small, just 9 ft something, I think, but it will hold just about anything we throw into it, even the Admiral and her bike.
This is our third inflatable and I've learned that the diameter of the tubes makes a difference. The bigger they are, the more stable the thing is in the water.
It's really a fun thing to have on the boat.
This is our third inflatable and I've learned that the diameter of the tubes makes a difference. The bigger they are, the more stable the thing is in the water.
It's really a fun thing to have on the boat.
Achilles is the best bang for the buck in a new Hypalon inflatable. Hypalon will give you a longer service life than a PVC fabric boat. The local dealers will often give a sale price if asked. I have a LEX-96; planes easily, well designed no-nonsense boat.
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2004
- RO Number
- 12830
- Messages
- 674
Any dink you get will last about 15 years before you need to replace it. People like the ones with larger tubes. You stay drier.
There's two types of materials, Hypalon (good but expensive) and PVC (OK). There's two models to consider, the easy to stow roll up model and the harder to set up, but faster hard bottom models. Seriously consider putting wheels on the transom. The first time you want to pull the boat up on shore, you'll be glad you have them. They will lift the transom off the pointy stuff.
Regarding motors, if you're lifting the motor by hand, you're talking about a 2 hp. If you're using davits, then go with the larger motor. (Just try lifting these motors in the shop)
There's two types of materials, Hypalon (good but expensive) and PVC (OK). There's two models to consider, the easy to stow roll up model and the harder to set up, but faster hard bottom models. Seriously consider putting wheels on the transom. The first time you want to pull the boat up on shore, you'll be glad you have them. They will lift the transom off the pointy stuff.
Regarding motors, if you're lifting the motor by hand, you're talking about a 2 hp. If you're using davits, then go with the larger motor. (Just try lifting these motors in the shop)
I'm just going through this decision-making myself, being relatively new to all this. Have a 26 foot power boat, which came with Weaver snap davits.
My analysis has gone something like this:
1. lots of rocky shores around here (Pacific Northwest), so can't see the sense buying something without a rigid bottom
2. In rigid bottoms, want to keep the weight down, and the standard RIB type boats with fiberglass turn out to be pretty heavy - I don't have & will not spring for the Seawise type system so will be raising and lowering this dinghy by hand with a line, and chances are will also be rowing it a good deal of the time as I like rowing
3. I do want an inflatable and not just a walker bay type of hard shell without tubes.
4. All of which is driving me pretty seriously to look at the brand new Walker Bay Genesis inflatable with a plastic hard bottom, brand new design which I've been very impressed with in the store, weighs about 100 pounds.
Now the only sticking point is the price tag, about $2,400 Canadian... Oh well, will wait for the boat show in Vancouver in Feb & see what's what.
Good luck!
Orcbait
My analysis has gone something like this:
1. lots of rocky shores around here (Pacific Northwest), so can't see the sense buying something without a rigid bottom
2. In rigid bottoms, want to keep the weight down, and the standard RIB type boats with fiberglass turn out to be pretty heavy - I don't have & will not spring for the Seawise type system so will be raising and lowering this dinghy by hand with a line, and chances are will also be rowing it a good deal of the time as I like rowing
3. I do want an inflatable and not just a walker bay type of hard shell without tubes.
4. All of which is driving me pretty seriously to look at the brand new Walker Bay Genesis inflatable with a plastic hard bottom, brand new design which I've been very impressed with in the store, weighs about 100 pounds.
Now the only sticking point is the price tag, about $2,400 Canadian... Oh well, will wait for the boat show in Vancouver in Feb & see what's what.
Good luck!
Orcbait
Grady Wahoo
Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2005
- RO Number
- 16408
- Messages
- 438
I hope this was meant as a joke. But to clarify for the non witty reader, yes pvc can degrade! That's why the "Mercury" brand of inflatables was born, renamed from "Quicksilver" (same company). In the early 90's my first Quicksilver "degraded" after one season, I was happy to get a new one, but 2 years later the same thing happened-the upper sections of the pontoons turned all sticky, it would pick up sneaker imprints with the clarity of "fingerprints" and you couldn't sit on them cause your azz would stick to it. They may have changed the name, and improved the quality but I'd be very wary of a "bargain brand" pvc inflatable. Achilles is a proven brand, hypalon, and similarly priced as the Zodiac. I was told by a dealer of both brands this was due to Achilles/Japan pricing remaining stable while Zodiac has had yearly price increases blaming the EU/dollar value. I went through way too many headaches with a POS inflatable NOT to warn people of the price to pay of saving a few bucks. They are not the same....
My experiences were similar to Grady Wahoo's - bought a PVC Mercury brand inflatable about 9 years ago and even though we had the "skin" replaced for free just before the 5-year warranty ended, we still got what we paid for. PVC material will break down if exposed to UV rays.
My recommendation is to find a quality, hypalon boat in the largest size you can handle for your current boat size. The hypalon will last quite a long time, when upgrading your big boat to a larger size, you will wish you had bought a larger dinghy.
Steve
My recommendation is to find a quality, hypalon boat in the largest size you can handle for your current boat size. The hypalon will last quite a long time, when upgrading your big boat to a larger size, you will wish you had bought a larger dinghy.
Steve
Generally, the best inflatables for planing begin at the 10 ft. length. Some will plane well at 9 1/2'. Not sure about a nine-footer, though. Without davits, we tow the 9 1/2' Achilles behind a 26' cruiser just fine.
I've got an inflatable with a 3-piece plywood floor but I have used boats with the high pressure inflatable floor. Both handle about as well, but with slight differences. The lighter weight of the inflatable floor makes for better handling in the chop. Less weight means a little more speed, if that's a factor for you. The plywood floor has all of the rigidity you could ever want and is easier to stand on. Easier to keep clean, too.
I've got an inflatable with a 3-piece plywood floor but I have used boats with the high pressure inflatable floor. Both handle about as well, but with slight differences. The lighter weight of the inflatable floor makes for better handling in the chop. Less weight means a little more speed, if that's a factor for you. The plywood floor has all of the rigidity you could ever want and is easier to stand on. Easier to keep clean, too.
My 9' 3" Avon 2.8 RIB has been good, although it has some odd performance characteristics:
I have powered the boat with a 6hp, 8hp, and now a 9.9hp (all 2 stroke). The boat would not plane well with 1 person with the 6. It would plane well with the 8, and it really gets up and goes to a scary extent with the 9.9. But with two people, even with the 9.9 it does not plane well. For tender duty when at anchor, the 6 is perfect. I think it weighs around 50lb, which is easy to pick out of the cockpit lazzerette. The 9.9 at around 75 pound is a bear to lug around.
Dan
I have powered the boat with a 6hp, 8hp, and now a 9.9hp (all 2 stroke). The boat would not plane well with 1 person with the 6. It would plane well with the 8, and it really gets up and goes to a scary extent with the 9.9. But with two people, even with the 9.9 it does not plane well. For tender duty when at anchor, the 6 is perfect. I think it weighs around 50lb, which is easy to pick out of the cockpit lazzerette. The 9.9 at around 75 pound is a bear to lug around.
Dan
In the "tuner" spirit of my Subaru WRX, I've done some "mods" with the Achilles LEX-96. The motor is an old 10 HP Johnson 2-stroke with Dol-fins. The plywood floors slightly modded to use the aluminum strakes instead of the OEM plastic. Fuel tank at bow for better stability.
Goes like a bat out of blazes with one onboard. Almost scary with 2.
I couldn't get the outboard to run last season, maybe I'll fix it up this winter.
Goes like a bat out of blazes with one onboard. Almost scary with 2.
I couldn't get the outboard to run last season, maybe I'll fix it up this winter.