Dinghy for CD-22

To me the number one concern on a dingy for a CD 22 is its being light enough to easily take off & on the boat cabin roof or have the ability to safely tow. If its to heavy for that or has to be brought out of storage for deployment it's likely going to stay on top & many enjoyable trips to shore will be missed with its use pretty much limited to the very unlikely need as a life raft. During our 2003 & 2004 Alaska cruises we had the West Marine RU260 & it only came off the boat one time & that was at Red Bluff Bay. Even though it weighs only about 50 Pounds its shape makes it very cumbersome & difficult to deploy & return by myself causing in my opinion the time & effort to deploy & return not worth the enjoyment of use. Jolee can't help due to severe shoulder injuries, so we found it much easier to just take the CD22 to shore even with the tides & other hazards evolved, though there are many instances where that just can't be done, so I know during that period we missed out on some additional enjoyable experiences. Sense we started towing the Mokai with its simplicity & ease of use from the boat, we haven't beached the boat from the ocean again except for letting it settle on a good bottom from a shallow anchorage during a low tide. The Mokai motorized kayak for our desired style of cruising turned out to be the best dingy possible.

Jay
 
The Zodiac Fastroller keel has been a known problem, and I would avoid that design. I much prefer the air high pressure air floor (about 11.5 PSI) and the separate keel inside the hull bottom.

Thru the years, Zodiac bought up Bombard and Avon, cheapening both of these excellent brands. There were many years with lots of problems. I have the impression that more recent boats of all of these brands are better than they were at one time. (One year almost all of the Zodiacs had delimitation and failure of the seams when the boats were taken into tropical environments). On the other hand I have owned 20 year old Avons (built before the change of ownership) which have been fantastic boats.

There are a lot of differences in the quality of each brand--there can be very cheap boats like the $32 dollar ones, which I consider unsafe (the folks camping next to us right now have one of those 2 person boats) Fortuantely the parents have a long line on the boat and the kids have life jackets on and the water is about 72 degrees.

It is easy to say "don't go out on windy days"--but the wind can come up and then you are stuck....The idea is to stay safe.

As for the rowing of inflatables--the short strokes are necessary to keep them on track--vs the "carry" or glide of a proper rowing boat. It is not just inflatable boats that do best with the shorter stroke, but some flat bottom skiffs without a good keel also also row and track better with short strokes.
With my fatty knees I use 8 foot oars with shaped blades--and can fully appreciate a power stroke with full feathering.
 
Wind and inflatable boats generally isn't much fun. If the anchorage is very far from the boat, I use the 3.5 horse. It's so much faster.....And easier.....It actually planes my little boat and it is kinda funny.....
 
I had always thought that 3.5 hp was too little to plane an inflatable, but I have had the same experience with the Merc 3.5 (if I keep my weight forward and give it full throttle). I have never checked the GPS speed, but over 10 knots.
 
Hunkydory":1ufyvi7y said:
To me the number one concern on a dingy for a CD 22 is its being light enough to easily take off & on the boat cabin roof or have the ability to safely tow. If its to heavy for that or has to be brought out of storage for deployment it's likely going to stay on top & many enjoyable trips to shore will be missed
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I hear you on that one. Although I haven't cruised with my 22 (yet!), I had two opposite dinghy experiences on other cruising boats. On one boat, we had an inflatable that we pretty much had to keep stowed deflated on the cabin top (not high up; was a sailboat cabin). Even though there was nothing particularly difficult about unrolling it, inflating it and launching it (and then bringing it back aboard, deflating it and stowing it), it was enough of a bother so that if we were anchoring someplace for just one night (and maybe after a long day's sail) it was all too easy to "Eh, let's not bother" and then never get to see that particular place except through binoculars. Bummer!

On the other boat we carried a hard dinghy that lived in a set of chocks on the cabin top. We could have it untied and tossed over the side in two minutes tops, and it was not a bother at all. Guess what we did in those same situations? Yep, go exploring :D

Sunbeam
 
I don't think anybody's mentioned the Avon Redcrest. It's round ended, made of hypalon, and tough as can be. Weighs less than 40lb without a slatted floor which used to be optional. We added a good pair of Sawyer oars, and she rows pretty well considering her flat bottom.

We also got the optional motor mount. With a 22lb Yamaha 2hp outboard, which we already had for a canoe, it'll do about 3 knots. We use it if we're planning a longer tour.

Inflates in 10 minutes with its foot pump. Fine for one or two and a dog, safe for four. Last time I saw one at the Seattle boat show it was $1200-1300.

We had a Sevylor years ago, and never felt very safe in it as we do in the Avon. It'll last a long time, despite the barnacled beaches (ours is 15 years old so far).
 
Sunbeam":nzt1p1n5 said:
Hunkydory":nzt1p1n5 said:
To me the number one concern on a dingy for a CD 22 is its being light enough to easily take off & on the boat cabin roof or have the ability to safely tow. If its to heavy for that or has to be brought out of storage for deployment it's likely going to stay on top & many enjoyable trips to shore will be missed
Click to expand...

I hear you on that one. Although I haven't cruised with my 22 (yet!), I had two opposite dinghy experiences on other cruising boats. On one boat, we had an inflatable that we pretty much had to keep stowed deflated on the cabin top (not high up; was a sailboat cabin). Even though there was nothing particularly difficult about unrolling it, inflating it and launching it (and then bringing it back aboard, deflating it and stowing it), it was enough of a bother so that if we were anchoring someplace for just one night (and maybe after a long day's sail) it was all too easy to "Eh, let's not bother" and then never get to see that particular place except through binoculars. Bummer!

On the other boat we carried a hard dinghy that lived in a set of chocks on the cabin top. We could have it untied and tossed over the side in two minutes tops, and it was not a bother at all. Guess what we did in those same situations? Yep, go exploring :D

Sunbeam
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Yep Sunbeam, you further illustrate my point to a tee, though to add to my previous comment, I do understand those who prefer a more substantial dingy with the ability to add motor power for increased safety & range & have the help or physical capability to fairly easily make the transition back & forth from boat to water even if on the heavy side, but if for whatever reason it's a awkward tough time consuming job then like we have agreed opportunities will be lost. The reason the Mokai works so well for us is it combines the unique extended shallow water exploring range & access to shore & wildlife with the ability to be on the go from the CD & then secure back to it in a few minutes with ease. I've even several times while being underway cruising saw wildlife or something else, that I couldn't get near enough with the CD to appreciate fully & then able to quickly leave JoLee at the helm, who didn't mind at all & jump in the Mokai & be off to view up close to my contentment.

Jay
 
thataway":1w31ek4f said:
We currently have a 9 1/2 foot PVC fabric Air floor, rated for 10 hp. Weight is about 60 lbs, the oars can be feathered (as can many of the better boats)--but we rarely row it. The two of us, even with our bad backs can get up on top of the 22. But we also had several of the smaller AX series--with slat floors, and their weight was about 30 lbs--easier to place on top of the boat.
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What brand is this, Bob?

Warren
 
Dr Bob pointed put to me that the good ole Avon Redcrest doesn't seem to be made any longer. I poked around looking for used ones, and found one just like mine (the newer version with larger tubes) in Salem OR for $450, on Portland OR craigslist. If it's in as good shape as the pics seem to show, it would be a heck of a deal.

http://salem.craigslist.org/bar/3590299671.html

For comparison, there's an older model with the narrower tubes (I probably wouldn't choose that one unless you really want the 2hp motor for another $200) in Carlton OR.

BTW, capacity of the newer model is 880 lb, persons and gear. Also BTW, when you pump it up good and firm like a river raft, it's relatively rigid, and rows a lot better than if it's a little softer.
 
Warren,
The inflatable we have is a West Marine branded product--probably made by the same folks who make Avon currently--most likely in China. It is older and not current--but there are similar models. It is white and very similar to the Avon Rover Aero.

There were 4 "round" Avons-The smallest the RedStart at 8', the Redcrest at 9 feet, Redseal at 10 feet, Redshank at 12 feet. For many years these were the stable of inflatables available from Avon. The latter two have not been made for many years. The RedStart and Redcrest were available up to 2010.
 
Once again, the C-Brats site has given us some very valuable tips. After losing faith in the reliability of our inflatable AIRIS kayaks by Walker Bay (the fabric is far too susceptible to being punctured when dragged up on a sandy beach), we just bought an Achilles LT-2. At 37-pounds, it's light enough for me to haul out and put on the roof of our TomCat 255 by myself. And it's big enough for the two of us plus our 60-pound dog. The big surprise, though, is how well it rows for a flat-bottomed boat. The quality of its oar locks makes a huge difference in rowing compared to other brands. We've owned larger Achilles RIBS, and they use a very high quality fabric that lasts for years and years. Next on our list is a Suzuki 2.5, also recommended by several C-Brat members. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences!
 
For our use, I ended up getting a Intex Mariner 3 dinghy. It is pretty well made, rows ok, and the price was right. It's bigger than I thought and there is plenty of room for two adults and any stuff we might want to bring along. Right now where we cruise, we don't really need a dinghy, but once in awhile, it might be nice to have one. I expect that 95% of time this dinghy will live in the bag. There will be times where we just leave it home.

If we start cruising in big water or far from civilization, I will reconsider the dinghy choice.
 
Sasscom":2cedg2fw said:
we just bought an Achilles LT-2...The big surprise, though, is how well it rows for a flat-bottomed boat. The quality of its oar locks makes a huge difference in rowing compared to other brands.
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I hear you on that. I was on a boat where we had a smaller Achilles (don't remember model number, but it had a high pressure air floor with an additional long inflatable "noodle" to make a center keel of sorts). Much to my surprise, I was able to turn it into a decent little rowboat. The secret was, as you say, in the oarlocks. I don't know what they have now, but then (ten years ago), the locks were basically a sturdy vertical pin in an articulated base. The top of the pin was threaded and had a cap, and the oars had holes through them that you would slip over the pin and then lock in place with the cap. I got a set of wooden oars of about 7' and overdrilled a hole through each one and then glued in a piece of stainless tubing for reinforcement. They then slipped over the pins just like the (short) oars that came with the dinghy. It was fun enough to row that I rarely mounted the Honda 2, and would even go out for a row just for the fun of it.
 
ssobol":3dfoy7o4 said:
I expect that 95% of time this dinghy will live in the bag. There will be times where we just leave it home.
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I read somewhere on C-Brats that the dinghy is not only your taxi ashore but your life raft. Everywhere I go in Nomad, the dink comes along on the roof. A knife is near by in case I have to launch in a hurry.

Martin.
 
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