Inflatable Dinghies

Redƒox · Guest

Heck yeah! Joe and I have the same brand of dinghy “MAXON” I got mine at Costco for a measly 650. $ Now I see they have gone up in price considerably!! There great, very well built, but sort of heavy. There a vinyl construction to. I’m no “expert” on the subject, and I have heard that “Hypalon” is rubber, and will last longer. Either way I don’t care if my inflatable will last a “lifetime” anyway… I figure to save some $$ and go with a vinyl or PVC job, they cut through the water better cuz there slicker (less friction)

Them AIRE canoes and kayaks are “welded” together by heat fusion! No “seams” cool huh!
Smile

C-Biscuit · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:17 pm Post subject:

Greg,
Arrgh...Fishin fer Kings in the winter, that be a bit nippy Xmas Eek

But I'm green with envy Xmas Tongue

at your grit. We're just beginning to explore all the nooks and crannies in the Sound but having the time of our lives. Thanks for all the great advice you've posted on the old C-Dog site and here. The wife and I are looking forward to our "chance encounter" with the Redfox. I'll get some of our pictures scanned and loaded here so you'll know us when you see us.

Tight Lines!

cbadmin · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 206

Redƒox · Guest

Well too cool! I really enjoyed your album Smile

It is the "time of anyones life" to be out there! I'd loose-it if it were not for that place and my boat. I just hope we like the "southeast" as much as the Sound. Some day I'm heading to Yakatat on RedFox and check out the Hubbard Glacier! Cool

Larry H · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 3:31 pm Post subject:

Greg,

Is your move to SE a done deal? I haven't been to Hoonah but I have traveled from Kake to Sitka by way of Angoon. Very interesting waters indeed!

We saw humpback whales near Kake!

Redƒox · Guest

“Frederick Sound”… that’s where the humpbacks thrive in summer!
Well we sure hope it’s a done deal, spoze we might find out soon! Better stop by and visit us!
Uh OH… Hears to the "Inflatable" thread… Moon

Larry H · Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 11:46 am Post subject:

Greg,

HO HO HO and a MERRY CHRISTMAS DAY to yah! Xmas LOL

Hoonah is sure a lot closer to us than Anchorage! Very Happy

We could have a C-Brats gathering in SE Alaska. Thumbs Up

Oh yeah, bring your inflatable! (Gotta stay on topic) Wink

Redƒox · Guest

Hillarious!! Xmas LOL

Maybe... just Maybe, I can be a "C-Dory-Dealer" there Idea

Still trying to figure out what i want to be ---when I grow-up!! Moon

OH: Inflatables are a good thing Very Happy

heheheehe

AnchortownJim · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:16 pm Post subject:

My dinghy is one of Jim King's inflatables. A 220TDS in light blue. It is 7'3" long, 4'5" wide and weighs 40#. It fits beautifully on the cabin roof, comes with oars, an air floor, an easily removable wood seat and an outboard bracket. The coolest thing is Jim King can make you one in any color of the rainbow to suit your taste. I really like the air floor, very easy on the knees! Smile

http://www.alaskaseries.com/

Jim
_____________
22' Cruiser Coho

C-WEED · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:09 am Post subject:

With the dingy trouble of rowing, blowing in the wind and hoisting to the roof, inflating and deflating/storage and the kayak difficult to carry a cooler, large dog or two people (on smaller ones). Has anyone tried the most versatile boat? The canoe? Shallow draft, light (12 ft just 33lbs) carries two people, gear. Can use a small motor, sail rig, rows great, can use outrigger or the float tubes on the sides for rough water stability/boancy, maintenance free, really holds its value. Easy to lift or portage and tow. Stepping in off the swim step doesn't seem that challenging. A dink of some type is way down on this poor mans list but I think the canoe is what I will try.

C-Biscuit · Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 4:56 am Post subject:

Hey Redfox!
I ran out and got me one of them Aire Travelers just before the Sportsman's show. I took it out last week and put it through some of the tortuous testing exercises like you read about in books. Translated that means I tried to blow it up from the cockpit of a 22' Cruiser while the wind is blowing and it's raining on you and there's a nice chop on the water, hoisted it up onto the roof and lashed 'er down with bungy cords (which didn't work too well and ended up pushing my GPS antenna mounted on the hand rail over at a 50 degree angle!), tried towing it behind a speeding C-Biscuit at various speeds and tether lengths, put my 6'8" 230lb hunting buddy in it Smile

and paddle to shore in search of the dreaded and wiley PWS black bruin and various other acts of semi-buffonery.

The darned thing held up great! Easily handled the gear we "needed" to take to shore, and deflated like the Texas Aggies in the 4th quarter of a clutch game at the end of our excusion!

I've still got a lot to learn about the whole boating thing...but all this trial and error sure is fun! Very Happy

Cheers!

Anne-B · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:40 pm Post subject:

Dinghy for a Dory?

Shipstore.com has a Sevylor 8-6, 40# inflatable floor for $379. The Sevytex Runabout can be found under Sevylor Closeouts.Also Shipstore has neat webcams on their docks.

Doug; on the Anne-B

Redƒox · Guest

C-Biscuit · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:29 am Post subject:

Greg,
Would love to see the motor mount for the Traveler. The Aire factory makes a rowing seat with oars, but it's a bit spendy. Only problem I have with a motor is space and weight. I've already got a Honda 15 for a kicker and i'm thinking I don't need three motors on a 22'! You've got some cool modifications to the Redfox that probably make carrying the motor easy.

I got the canoe hoist from Cabela's and tried rigging it in my garage to keep the Traveler semi-filled with air during storage but found that it didn't provide near the clearance up off the floor like I had hoped. Oh well, any one interested in a slightly used canoe hoist???

Cheers

lloyds · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:44 am Post subject:

Having lived aboard on a sailboat on puget sound for ten years, I have had a lot of experience with inflatable dinghies, both mine and other folks. The inexpensive ones are light, mainly because they are PVC and are not expected to last forever. The more durable ones are hypalon, such as the Avon or Achilles. I finally spent the dollars for an Avon. But a 2.85m (8.5 feet) with a roll-up floor is heavy, probably 80 pounds so getting it onto the cabin top takes two. The mercurys, seyvlors, west marine, and others made of PVC are extremely light, but if you use them in a harsh environment, like lots of sun and heat, or near shores with lots of sharp rocks or barnacles, they won't last long. I shredded a west marine in british columbia on one trip. My avon has a 2hp honda that runs forever on little gas, probably does about 5 mph, and gets two people around really well, just heavy. I looked at kayaks, especially the rotomold plastic set upons, but boarding one from any height was risky, and a lot of the anchorages on the west coast are sometimes rolly. So the choices, at least in my mind, are the light/inexpensive/fragile which need to be replaced every couple years, or the heavy/expensive/durable ones that will last you for 20 years. Take your pick.