Yacht Tenders

F

ffheap

New member
Hi Folks,

As I am preparing for my first cruise in my C-dory, I have been trying to figure out what is the best dingy to use, considering space and size. Towing an 8 Foot dingy does not turn me on. I own an Eagle kayack from the old days. Could move one person. then I have looked at the Fold-bot. I noticed that some of you use regular inflatables. etc.

Anybody come up with the ultimate solution,a small package that becomes a big tender, but becomes a small package when not in use?

MAN-FROM-NANTUCKET
 
I use an 8' inflatable from West Marine.

When folded it fits in a 3 1/2' x 1 1/2' x 1' valise which I store on a forward berth. Weighs about 40 lb.

It takes about 10 minutes to inflate with a foot pump when in the cockpit of my 22' C-Cory.

When cruising where it will be used frequently, I store it on the roof. It fits behind the Nav lite and Radar dome.

It will hold 4 adults and take the 5 HP outboard, which I have for a kicker. It doesn't row well, but good enough for short trips.

You'll see it at the New England Gathering.

Rick
 
ffheap
I wish I had an inflatable, some day. What I do have is an 8' sailing dingy I'm rigging to tow behind our boat. I'll let you know how it works out after the first trials.
 
Hi Rick from Maine,

Don't intend to change the direction of this thread, but I'm curious to know how your 5 HP outboard pushes your 22 around. I'm seriously thinking of trading my 9.9 HP kicker and 1.2 HP dinghy outboard for something like a 5 HP to serve as both dinghy and kicker, but wondering if a 5 hp is big enough for the 22 Cruiser. Thoughts?
Paul aboard the Joni Lynn
 
To answer Pauls question, somewhat, I offer this.

I think it depends on where you boat.
I have an 8HP Honda kicker. When my main motor went down hard 8 miles out to sea it was all she could do to push my lighter 22' Angler 3mph.

I think I would like a few more ponies now on the kicker.

Just food for thought.

I am following this thread as I really want a tender too and have been trying to justify one. Too many other things on the list right now...
 
Hi Paul,

The 5 HP OB will push the 22' C-Dory at 3 - 4 knots at 3/4 throttle in light winds. It doesn't have enough power to maneuver well in current or wind. It is an independent engine to get me to sheltered waters if the main breaks. It can troll for fishing at slow speeds well. I can steer by using the tiller on the 5 HP or by using the wheel in the pilot house where the main acts as a rudder.

It is a compromise that works for me.

Although the inflatable is rated for 4 HP, the 5 HP works fine.

It weighs about 40 #, and with my transom mount, it is easy to switch it from the C-Dory to the dink.

I figure it will get me to sheltered waters if the main breaks. It is a 2 stroke, and I carry a portable gas can for it. So, it is totally independent of the C-Dory main propulsion.

Since river currents here can exceed 7 knots, I plan to only get to sheltered waters to anchor, until conditions allow going home.

Rick
 
Hi Folks,

To Rick, thank you. Hope to see you in Fairhaven. Depends on weather for me.

About the kickers. I had a 7.5 HP Johnson. It never worked because I never used it until I had to. Then it did not work. The Maintenance was about $100.00 a year. When I purchased the new 75 HP Yahama Four Stroke, I purchased unlimited towing for about $93.00 . Because I am a USCGAux and USPS member I get a discount. I feel that if BOATUS Tow doesn't come and get me, the USCG will. The boat is also a USCGAux Opfax.

Man-From-Nantucket
 
ffheap, I was right under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge when Mr. Big's(Johnson 70) stator let go. I had to get to Swantown Marina(Olympia) which was about 30 miles, I guess. Of course I was running against a raging ebb. My kicker is a 15 Johnson that I had come to believe was overkill for normal use(too heavy). I ran her at about 3/4 throttle for 7 or 8 hours to get home. At times I was barely making headway through some of those narrow passages. The 15 has been propped to acieve her max. @ 6250 R.P.M. as specified and @ times I needed all of it. I've never had to try and cross the Columbia River Bar with it, thank god( maybe on a flood tide), but I'm happy I've got it if I need it. Pete
 
Adeline-

I've got a similar, 15 horse Johnson kicker and find it's a great back up motor.

Although it has more than enough horsepower to drive the CD-22 at maximum displacement hull speed, when smaller motors have trouble keeping pace because of strong winds or tides, the bigger kicker shines.

I changed the prop from a 10 inch pitch to a 5 inch to allow it to rev up more easily and avoid lugging and fouling the plugs. They also make a 7 inch pitch, but the 5 seems ideal from the way it performs. Joe.
 
Hi All,
Thanks everyone for the input/responses. I'll have to noodle this one out a bit before I make any changes. We're boating, generally, in relatively protected waters; however, as is most often the case, when an engine decides to quit, it's seldom in the friendliest of waters and never at a convenient time. Therefore, it seems prudent to have a backup that will handle most of the conditions most of the time......ergo....stay with the 9.9. But I love the idea of having only one "extra" engine aboard ! Yup, I'll have to think about this for a while. Thanks all.
Paul aboard the Joni Lynn
 
Hi All,
Is there anyone with a CD22 that uses a Portaboat as a tender?
It looks like it could store folded flat on the cabin top if it is not too heavy to get up there.
I am not sure how it would be to try to unfold it in the cockpit since they are about 10ft long. You would also have to get it on the boat and fold it flat for storage. If it would work they look like good boats.
Steve
 
We use a 6.5' inflatable slated flor roll up on our 22' Cruiser with a 2 hp Honda 4 cycle. The little boat weighs 32 pounds and fits perfectly behind the radar pod on Yakama kyak racks. It takes about 2 minutes to launch or recover. It is always ready and I don't need to carry any 2 stroke oil. The down side is that it is only rated for about 430 pounds. The boat is totaly full to the brim with the wife our dog and myself. One other thing, the little motor has it's own built in gas tank. But make no mistake it will run out of gas in a hurry just running across a bay so I always carry a MSR camp stove bottle of fuel with me when venturing ashore.

Dave

Sound Investment
 
Dave,
Your tender sounds very similar to the one I recently purchased.
I am interested in how you attached the yakama racks to your CD. Are they attached to the hand rails? If so what fit kit did you use? Do you have any pictures?
Thanks,
Steve
 
We had a Mercury 6'7" inflatable on Daydream - when I was in that by myself first time out, got an unsolicited "You look like 10 lbs of [dukie] in a 5 lb bag..." Wife would not get in it. Call back to Buster's Marine, they took it back for a $50 restocking fee, and we are now happy as clams (are clams really happy??) in our 7'11" Merc, with a 2.5 hp Merc outboard...The dinghy on the boat in the little picture in the signature below is the Costco $79 Intex, a pretty good little inflatable, but at over 9', it was just too big.


Soundinvestment":m6g1ktut said:
We use a 6.5' inflatable slated flor roll up on our 22' Cruiser with a 2 hp Honda 4 cycle. The little boat weighs 32 pounds and fits perfectly behind the radar pod on Yakama kyak racks. It takes about 2 minutes to launch or recover. It is always ready and I don't need to carry any 2 stroke oil. The down side is that it is only rated for about 430 pounds. The boat is totaly full to the brim with the wife our dog and myself. One other thing, the little motor has it's own built in gas tank. But make no mistake it will run out of gas in a hurry just running across a bay so I always carry a MSR camp stove bottle of fuel with me when venturing ashore.

Dave

Sound Investment
Click to expand...
 
We have the same 7' 11" roll up as Pat. Pat and others, where are you storing your dingy outboards? We just got a 2 hp Honda and are having a debate about where it will be most out of the way. We have carried the inflatable upside down on the roof. I'm thinking about getting a rail mount transom bracket for the outboard. However, it will get in the way when docking if mounted outside the boat, and in the way all of the time if mounted inside of the boat. Is anyone carrying the outboard on the roof?
Lyle
 
Hi Folks,
Thank you for your comments. I was sort of looking at the smaller of the inflatables, and now think that they may be to small. I like the idea of 28 to 32 lbs so I can handle it alone and put it on my cabin top. Now I might have to consider the heaver and larger inflatable. I saw Rick's Inflatable in his cabin. The size when not inflated is about right. Will have to research it a little more.

Does anybody had any success with the smaller inflatables?

MAN FROM NANTUCKET
Fred Heap
 
We have owned a Portabote for more than 10 years. It's a good boat. But I don't think one could get it on and off the roof of a CD-22. More significantly, it has to be "put together": it must first be unfolded, and while the sides are held open by hands and feet, the seats must be put it to hold it open. This requires some doing, and (in my experienced opinion) could not be done on or off a C-Dory.
 
Ditto on Wayne's take on the Portabote. I don't own one, but have a friend that does. You need to be on land to put the thing together. I'm debating as well whether to get a tender or an inflatable kayak/canoe. There are always tradeoffs as with all things.
Bill
 
Rick,
What brand is your 5HP and is it a 20" or 15"? WM has a deal of 10% off if both motor and boat(inflateable) are purchased at the same time.
 
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