I really appreciate your perspective Clark, I've watched you guys for a while and I've been looking at getting an aluminum boat like that and I've always said the same things about inflatables.
Thanks Clark, all good info. and well said. I too thought along the same lines when shopping for a dinghy some years ago. I came to a different conclusion. For me it came down to load capacity and a 10’ RIB was able to carry a family of 4 and supplies vs. the same size hard dinghy which was not even close to the same load capacity or with the same level of stability. Different strokes.... I really enjoy your insight on all matters nautical. Thanks Clark!
Thank you very much for that information. I would have bought a zodiac just because everyone else has one. But you presented very good points and I'm convinced. Thank you again.
The Portland Pudgy is so much better than the aluminium boat, not to mention deflatables. Thanks for the dinghy series, it has helped me a lot to make an informed choice.
They all have different abilities and limitations. I'm sure you have seen our pudgy video. I personally think the aluminum is superior as the pudgy doesn't meet my needs. But if you like the pudgy then it's right for you and you should use one.
During our years of sailing, we have tried them all. Our sail boat was only 29 feet long so foredeck space was limited. From a previous power boat that we used on inland French canals, we had a 9 foot fiberglass dinghy. That meant towing it. Bad idea. Then we tried an AVON, thinking on long hauls it could be deflated and stowed. That part worked, but rowing it was an impossibility. It only semi-worked with an outboard. The outboard we bought had the spark plug wire out in the breeze. Any salt water spray and the wire was grounded - outboard quit. So, how do you get back to your boat? Then we bought a Dyer 7'-9" dinghy. The hard dinghy was the solution. It rowed well / it sailed well / it could be carried on the foredeck, but,..... with our family of four on board, my wife, who sat on the bow thwart had a wet back by the time we got to the dinghy dock. I fully appreciate your big tender solution.
Clark. The reason people buy inflatables is the heard mentality. Your totally right about a hard dinghy. I have an aluminum boat just like yours. And as far as modifications and lifting ability, you really have to look at my video titled using a Milwaukee M18 Super Hawk right angle drill as a winch handle. It’s on my RUclips page under my name. And look at the cutout I did to my aluminum dinghy so the transom slot would fit in the mast. This gives me faster planing abilities by placing your weight in the center of the dinghy, and more deck space when storing the dinghy on deck, and a more secure dinghy on deck. There’s also some videos of me racing around in that dinghy. Oh, and yes...you can’t beat the ride quality compared to the inflatables.
Lots of good points and you've convinced me they probably are better than inflatables. My question: wouldn't a smaller model be better for a cruising couple? Weight for us is a big issue when dragging our dinghy up a beach or manhandling it onto the deck in strong winds. 200 lbs plus the weight of the outboard is a lot. Would like to see how you get it on deck without it putting too much pressure on the stanchions and how you secure ityou
We just lift it with the spinaker haylard. You can see it in the video. Emily does all the lifting because in adverse conditions the guiding guy needs the strength. Most times I do it with finger tips but you train for the bad days. The alumacraft 12 weighs like 229 lbs. I've used a 10 footer. Was fine for two. But with one it needed weight in the bow. I actually tied 25 lbs of lead up front as a quick fix. Worked fine. My the way the last dinghy if my own design was 13 feet long. Had a foredeck and enough cargo capacity that it brought the yachts diesel out to the mooring for my repower and only weighed 120 lbs.
Love this Clark! I have an inflatable and it will be the last one I own. I agree with you. I want a small boat, not a puncturable raft. I'm building an aluminum cat here in Asia, and am looking at either full carbon (expensive) or aluminum, as both will last decades, not years. Great advice!
...and spray the interior with truck bed liner. I did that with my old aluminum fishing boat of similar build. Much better grip, and I never worried about a crack or pinhole.
Built a stitch and glue pram totally agree with a hard dinghy being more practical/durable. Mine was a first boat project to gain practical experience with fiberglass/epoxy and it only weighs about 45 pounds. I plan on building a bigger one before I leave for a cicumnavigation. The materials cost was well under $500 even using a good epoxy and you get to design it the way you want i.e. flotation or storage. I like your permanent battery with small solar panel, plan on doing something similar for lights and my Stryker fish finder.
Yes. Living cheaply can be expensive. But remember I bought all this stuff over 30 years. You don't need all the toys to play the game. Also, you won't spend much after you leave.
Man I sure wanted a hard dinghy, which includes aluminum dinghys. I looked all over the place, but I was stuck in a hard place. I have a family of six. I thought...oh there are companies that sell tube add ons for the side of aluminum boats that sort of make them more stable and give them extra capacity. The thing is that addition won't change the actual capacity of the boat as listed on the certification plate. The powers that be tell you your boat is overloaded regardless. Ticket...ticket...ticket. My Catalina 30 also can't take much in terms of loaded dinghy weight onboard so I had to go with an inflatable vs aluminum because of the carrying capacity of the Catalina 30. I could frankly take 6 people in an inflatable vs 3 on an aluminum boat. Also I have no other choice other than towing or davits...and a light ten footer was the only thing that didn't make my sailboat look like it was too stern heavy with davits. The 10 foot inflatable was my choice, since it still made my "behind look big", at least it wasn't wider than the boat. I would have had to go to a fifteen foot aluminum to carry about six people in a utility.
I'd love getting input on an catamaran dinghy like a Takacat. You make some great points on a hard dinghy and I'm going to take a good look a them. Thanks for the great video!
I've used a takacat once. I thought it would be great but really didn't like it. We will keep our eye out for one. Have you seen our videos about the folding cat dinghy?
I must admit that your tender is better than a rib. The only reason I prefer a rib is because if you have to rescue someone from the water, if the boat hits a swimmer they can be knocked out by a rigid hull. What's not so likely with a rib. But this possibly comes from the time when I volunteered as a SAR on a rib that helped people in distress on the water.
Another good video! I like how you'll often take the 'road less traveled' in order get what works best for you. I was greatly tempted to go this route but chickened out and replaced my 14 year old 12 ft AB (which was still doing great) with an identical model under the theory of 'Don't mess with success'. The deciding factors that kept me with the RIB were twofold: 1) I do a lot of freediving and would rather bring my body in over a smooth tube than negotiate myself over a small and hard edged transom space beside the engine, and, 2) if out diving in the open ocean where I can encounter large seas (especially when passing through cuts between islands) I would have concerns about the ultimate stability of a hard boat. The RIB could become completely filled with water and still remain stable and upright.
Also, I have come to respect your experience and knowledge. Packed with good info for someone planning to do spend a lot of time on a boat. I sent my young adult kids the link on that vid regarding "life goals". One is now contemplating leaving the "known world" of CT and heading to Maine swap the rat-race for a simpler, more quiet life. Smaller environmental footprint. Good news is that they want to come somewhere near me!!
I have both a Walker Bay 8 and a roll up inflatable. I really wanted to take the Walker to the Bahamas when i go jext year but its just not stable enough. Getting out from the water is simply not possible. Tried all kinds of ways, just couldn't do it without swamping it. And this was in flat calm water, cannot imagine what it would be like in a chop. So it looks like I'll have to take the blow up boat. At least for my 1st season. 😂 I've been sailing for 30 years but this will be my first time really cruising. Your channel has been very helpful. 👍
Great video! You asked why so many sailboats have hard-bottom inflatable dinghies, and I think a lot of it has to do with the charter market. Inflatables make it easy and obvious to get in and out stably, and I think that’s appealing to people who might only sail for one week every few years.
I understand that perception but it's actually MUCH easier to get in a dinghy like mine. More then a few times some overweight new cruising struggles to board their inflatable, I offer mine. They easily board my utility boat and cross over to theirs. I still think most people have them because most people have them. But, I like the idea proposed here that they are rated to carry a LOT of people. If you are in a place where the water cops hang out and you want to take the whole family out it's the only real choice.
I grew up on a lake with an aluminum dinghy, which we'd found on the lot after dad bought it. We'd had a Sears fiberglass dinghy before & the aluminum was a much lighter & better hull material for a small craft. We have a Sprinter van for traveling now & I purchased the lightest (which happened to also be the cheapest) inflatable to pack along on our trips. It's 11.5' & weighs 94 lbs, which is as much as I can manage to lift in & out of the van alone. The 20 hp outboard weighs about the same. I don't know how long the boat will last, but it's fine for occasional use & great to have in the van. That being said I'd opt for an aluminum boat if we were cruising & using it daily. I don't think Clark mentioned how much roomier the floor space is in a hard-hulled boat compared to an inflatable. The inflated tubes take up a huge amount of floor space since they're about 18" in diameter each. That's a big deal as far as what you can comfortably pack into a boat. After packing a cooler, life jackets & a toolbox into my inflatable it feels crowded.
i got a hunter liberty i havent used yet. its not supposed to sink lol has real oars, sail rig and outboard . i plan to string boat fenders around gunnels to use for 'liferaft' like pardees suggested in 'cost conscious cruiser' heres hoping , but i like your aluminum idea better. unfortunately i only have a bit over 10 ft deckroom. thx for great vids.
I've used a 10 foot aluminum utility boat. I had to add weight to the bow since I had a heavy motor on it. I'm no sure if anyone makes one any more. I think duroboat might. But used aluminum boats are all oner the place and reasonable.
What a great deal for a Lund. Great choice. I loved my Fatty Knees. They also have a V-shaped flotation device that you can add to them, if your boat goes under….and you can hopefully sail your way to land when the weather is cooperative. It also handles a small motor. Any Fatty Knees there? I miss mine, but she has a great home with a sailing family now.
China via eBay but they don't last. They are copies of the "air chair". I've had those and really like them. We will soon make our own out of good materials to last.
I see your comment about your 9.9 sticker. I have always thought when I can afford a new outboard, to do my homework and fit the oldest smallest scuzziest cowl I can find, and paint the bits below the cowl in rust coloured, matt, lumpy paint. Do you see anyone doing this, or anything else to prevent their reliable motor from disappearing on shopping trips? Possible future episode??
I never plan on selling motors so I don't care for resale value. I've taken a screwdriver to one to make it look crappy. This one got away from the yacht and chewed up the stickers on one side so it's already looking unloved.
You can watch Plucky do just what you are inquiring about. On his channel Sailing into Freedom. He got a new motor and immediately spray paints the cowling in different color paints and even letters. Looks like it was vandalized and not worth a second look when he finished. I hope I didn't breach any etiquette mentioning another sailing channel. The information was just germane to the discussion. Please delete my comment if it offends.
As a full time cruiser, I am looking to finally replace my not so great plastic(injection molded) dinghy with something a little more stable. I lean towards a RIB but i struggle with the idea that the hypalon material is going to die in 5-10 years once I hit the equator. That said, i've had quite a good experience with them and don't have any real complaints. The biggest thing is thinking about ocean crossings, I can easily deflate a RIB and condense the space in which they consume on deck(in the event i need to get to the bow). Hard decisions to make honestly, would love to see some videos from RIB owners as well.
In my experience they all love them. They just close their eyes to the flaws and keep loving them. They change into dry clothes after a windy trip and keep loving them. They patch leaks and keep loving them. Its rare to find a cruiser who will say they wish they had made a difference choice. That would involve admitting they were wrong once.
Looking at the same outboard, there is a 3-6 month waiting list ! Only issue we have with these boats is the 12 foot ones are only rated for 3 people. We need one for 5.
If you leave the US ratings mean nothing. No one is going to care how you use your boat. CG ratings are more a function of flotation then load capacity but I would try any boat with the weight you plan before buying. I haven't tried this one with 5 but the last one was fine with 4 big adults though underpowered with a 10hp. With 5 you might run into stability issues with everyone moving. This kind of load on a regular basis might be a good case for a raft. Also can you handle a longer boat? 5 is a lot of people. The 14ft is a lot more boat and is rated for 25hp. The 25 Suzuki looks like a better motor with less vibration. I seem to remember it's a 3 cylinder.
I have a Boston Whaler Squall I bought for $50 on Craig's list I'm restoring as a dinghy. It's 10', sailable, rowable and I think a small outboard would push it nicely.
Excellent. I’m totally agree with you guys about inflatables vs rigit dinghy’s. In fact, I love the OC tender’s. Especially the carbon version. What do you think about those?
I actually thought about towing my 21foot macgregor as a dinghy. I know that's absurd but it is a swing Keel and extra storage. I wouldn't really do it but I bet I would get alot of subscribers haha. Loved the Lund promotion.
@@Clarks-Adventure he could use something like a 17' daysailor for the Mac and a little el-cheapo ala ebay Inflatable for the daysailor that way he has all the options, and with a little 2.5hp ob that the daysailor and the Inflatable could share. It be purely ridiculous, but interesting to see go by i have no doubt.
If that is the kind of boat you want. I can't remember the name but I've built several plywood skiffs based on plans. I proceed to modify the plans so far they were no longer even similar. Anyway, you could build a plywood in aluminum if you prefer working with metal.
good analysis of inflatable v. skiff. Would like to see some video showing stability of skiff and the physical effort needed when getting in and out of it in deep water with no "push-off" from the bottom to get some upward momentum going. Do you have an opinion on whether this is more or less attractive to a Caribbean thief over an inflatable?...it's certainly more unique and would be tougher for the thief to hide...in the long run. If you were a 65 yr old solo sailor, would this effect your decision re: skiff or inflatable? Last question: if you towed that skiff, how much speed would you lose....1/2 knot, 1 knot...more?
I'm planning on being a 65 year old sailor so: I'd get a skiff (re video) I don't tow but skiffs cause a lot of drag unless you get up to planing speed. It's trivial to board a skiff over the transom as long as you have a line to step into. Since you have the motor to pull on it's easier then the side of an inflatable. Last time my (at the time out if shape 73 year old non-boater) mother visited she had no real problems and enjoyed diving and watching fish.
If I'm just going to motor in calm harbors I sometimes hoist the dinghy just out of the water and carry it on the side of the yacht. Looks foolish but it's easy.
Hey this is indeed an interesting subject! Did you ever see anyone with two canoes (Canadian) lashed together, as a dinghy cat? Must be even more easy to store one by one on deck? And making a fast fitting for mounting together. And still have the ability to be used as canoes for exploring rivers and delta’s etc.
No I've never seen that done as a yachts dinghy. I could see this working on protected waters but the hulls themselves would probably break if you tried to rigidly lash them and use them in rough conditions. They are really flat bottomed hulls.
But in protected water it would be a very interesting vessel. Now to think about it there was this guy in Georgetown some years ago who had something like this. I don't remember what the hulls were. Had a hard deck always covered with a bunch of kids.
I have lashed my two Prospectors 16’ and tried them in different conditions. The are not very flat, more like bananas 😉 We’re talking real canoes (not Grumman’s) here. I have experience from taking one Prospector in open sea at the Norwegian coast - worked like a charm, just as they are used on Lake Superior. So I imagine they are used by some people as dinghies as well.
Interesting. Are you going th go that way yourself? Have you seen the folding catamaran dinghy in our series? I bet it's close to available for sale by now.
Here is a link to Wikipedia about Bill Mason. My canoes are copy’s of his personal favourite Chestnut Prospector 16”, since the drawing was measured right from Bill’s canoe. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Mason
Lund is a very popular boat in Alaska, and you see them everywhere along the cost and rivers because they last well and hold up to the conditions. I like your choice. Have you thought of adding a dodger or shade of some kind? Also, is it possible to put a sail set up on this boat? Maybe with lee boards. Love the video.
Sail. Not on a skiff. It's just the wrong hull shape. It's optimized to plane easily. Emily's little boat is our sailboat. I've used a bimini in the past. Might again. But it makes it difficult to get up onto the yacht. Good to hear about your experience with with Lund. Looks tough so far.
I have only half a year cruising experience, but enough to make me build a ply dinghy in the garage two decades later in order to prepare for a hopefully much longer sailing experience. The ability to row properly could be quite essential in many places I believe, because I remember the distance to the dock or the beach often beeing not even enough to get the OB to working temperature and more important...nobody steals a damn wooden row boat
That's what I did for years. My last design was better and lighter then the aluminum but the aluminum is quite serviceable. Also you can buy them used for cheap.
Re: "...nobody steals a damn wooden row boat..." I have an 11ft fiberglass, sailable dingy, and the thing I worry about more are my gorgeous, refinished oars I spent a couple of weeks on....I'm a little worried about tieing up at a dock and come back and find the boat's there, but the oars are gone ! 😭
I had a mooring in Tampa once where dinghies were getting stolen a lot. I kept my good dinghy on the yacht and built the ugliest dinghy ever built. It was actually a fine flat bottom boat but looked like it would fall apart any second. Never was taken. Eventually gave it to some neighbor kids.
All well said, etc., but The thing I dislike about this video is it purports to make me feel stupid and an idiot for choosing to buy and use a rib, although my experience after many years sailing is the two are not the same platform and therefore any comparison must be based on the lifestyle and use to which the said dinghy is to be put. If I were just using it as a water taxi to get in n out of mooring basins where all the know-it-alls tie up, the rib works just fine. For more variable daily use, more dependent on muscle work, gunking in and out of short range reef flats, a working dinghy you might say, I'll probably choose a hard shell, and probably even aluminum. There is nothing wrong with a RIB, It's knowing what you want to use it for. However, I would never go with rivets in any boat, welded seams would always be my choice. Dreams being dreams, my perfect dinghy to use in the cruising life, would be some sort of carbon/kevlar fiber shell with gentle high sheer lines like found in the Northeast docks, with integrated sink-proof compartments, and well engineered oar locks in the 10-12 ft length, minimal brightwork from exotic hardwoods that take well to the salt water. The best dinghy that ever worked for me is a beat up patched piece of crap that no one would ever deign to steal, fact is, most sailors knew it to be mine, would find it lost in the mangroves and do me the favor of tying it back on to my mooring.
I've never seen an ASTender. I've only seen one OC Tender out cruising. They are very expensive so not that popular. I bet they are nice. Though I don't think their fenders are right. The way a yacht curves you need fending on the top edge.
I meant to ask whether you have considered installing a bimini top on your dinghy, or do you consider them to be impractical for some reason? I've never noticed anyone using them on dinghies but never knew why.
It's the heavier 12 footer. The back seats are distinctive. Before this I had an alumacraft 12. They still make it. It also has the important buoyancy chamber along the aft hull. If I had it to do again I'd probably get the alumacraft. Lighter, cheaper, faster. The lund is tougher, more comfortable and stable. You choose.
What kind of paint do you use? Just bought an old allumicraft with same purpose. But we are a family of five….3 little ones. Hoping to get by with a 10hp…..
Excellent, very informative. Question ... what about theft? Seems like a 12 ft aluminum dinghy with a Suzuki 20hp would be an excellent target, esp in the Caribbean.
We put a 9.9 sticker on the motor. Never seen a local use aluminum. Always fiberglass. If stolen it's unique. Want to have your motor stolen get a Yamaha 15.
When I was down that way I had good luck keeping my Tohasu 9.8 safe by dressing it up a 6 and securing it aboard whenever possible (or hoisting the dinghy to deck height with a halyard, although a rather good rainshower one evening did leave me with one heck of a list always remember to remove the drain plug if hoisting your dinghy folks 😉) and I didn't see any aluminum boats down there, but plenty of fiberglass jobs, and my wooden dinghy was pretty unique too (10' flat bottom home built cross between a dory and a skiff)
Cost, recycling aspect, durability and ease of replicability with like in kind. Also in an OC Tender you are still sitting on instead of in. It is an awesome tender/dink but honestly if I had it to do over again I wish I had seen your choice before I made my decision. Great vid!
you sold me on an aluminum boat for a dinghy....it's what i would do too...metal and stability versus soft and inflatable. I did a lot of rowing in row boats...wish they made rear view mirrors on them so you could see where you're going...always hated the fact i couldn't just keep rowing fast...without straining my neck to see around every 30 seconds. Do they make pop-up wide angled mirrors for row boats?
You can make anything you want, Mark. I tend to take a reciprocal heading to something behind the boat and just keep going straight by going away from it not towards what going to.
That's a whole different animal. That's not a planing hull. It's more like Emily's pram. Rowing, sailing, and slow motoring. First question I always ask when asked about what dinghy to get is. "Do you need to plane"? We have one little boat that excels in long fast trips and one that excels at everything else. Both good ways to go.
Like Many other things, including my head, Dinghies Should Always BE Hard. I started sailing as a child back in the day. Everything in Yachting was Wood - No choice, FB and Alum. were just experimental. I started when my family bought an older58 foot wooden racing sloop. With it came a brand new Dyer 8 foot FB cockle shell of a Dinghy. What a joke. That thing had less than 6 inches of freeboard when fully loaded with 4 drunken sailors coming back from shore leave. Of course this was before inflatables. This was still the days of canvass over cork five rafts. REMBER, there will always be a distinction between a Dinghy and a Life Raft. Although every vessel must have both, a Dinghy is in place to be in service constantly and a Life Raft is hoped to be in use only once if at all. I believe in reverse engineering like most farmers and sailors (my heritage). I would start with a 13 foot BOSTON WHALER SPORT w/25 HP O.B. as my Dinghy and then come up with a blue water sailing cruiser that has enough length, beam, and motive force to carry it on stern davits that utilize electric over manual chain falls for lifting and carrying. SDH the Great Unknown in CT
have you thought of adding sails to this? can you? electric motor? i was thinking of a wooden dinghy that was also sailable. it was a kit but i think it could be bought whole. can't find it just yet :-( it's advan was it was a kit but also only weighed like 150 lbs. so would be easy to load onto my bow single handed. any other ideas for dinghys? i dislike the soft kind.
This boat would be terrible an those things. Here's what you want for that. It's Emily's boat. Emily Builds a Sailboat: ruclips.net/p/PLsT7_jPsZM5qrTdxolBxRZAsUfuacyiE1
thats what I have, mine is an old Sea Witch, they still sell em under dif name now, 12ft ABS plastic filled with foam, oar locks n all, neat little boats
Great if you have room for a hard dingy on the foredeck. On a smaller cruising boat like my bayfield 29 which also further complicates the space on the foredeck is that it’s cutter rigged. Any dingy is limited to about 8ft and smaller hard dingy is not as stable as a inflatable that size. Also deflate the inflatable and now you can store it in aMUCH smaller space.
Or a hard nester link Emily's. I actually see a use for small inflatables that are actually deflated for storage. I had one once. But a lot of people have hard bottoms that get filled with air once and never deflated again. Now that takes up a bunch of space!
No one believes this, but it's much easier. In fact I once helped an older fat lady into her inflatable by allowing her to climb into mine and transfer over. I must talk about the process in the video but you rig a foot rope and enter from the transom. You have the engine to pull up on. My 75 year old mother (not a boaters) can do it.
What boats did you build? (surprised no one has asked). How about nesting dinghies? I have build a few and am looking to build another, probably a nesting.
I designed my own. Had some features I've never seen before. 120lbs, 13.5 feet and a bow deck. I carried the yachts diesel out to her in one. As for nesters. Your question makes me think you haven't seen this series yet. You might like these: ruclips.net/video/vI-FHaFLRqc/видео.html
@@Clarks-Adventure Thanks Clark. I watched Emily build that boat. That is the way I found you two. I was looking for dinghies. I have not seen the final finishing, launching, and sea trials of her boat. Have you completed the series? I have plans for 2 nesters, chameleon and one other.
Not yet. She still has an episode or two to edit. Wish she would finish soon. I designed a cool charging circuit for it's outboard. Want to do a video on that this summer.
Seems to be an effect of the alcohol in the fuel mixing with the water you always get with fuel out here being exposed to air in the float bowl. At least that's my theory. Filters don't seem to have much effect.
@@Clarks-Adventure Hmmm...and I was so confident providing a space for a Racor in my wood work. You can't strain water from alcohol :-( ...and there are no injection engines for my 6HP concept.
You will be fine. Just have to clean the carb a lot. I have a couple of videos on it, it's easy. The final thought that had me go this way was I have a 35 year old fuel injected Porsche. Never had a fuel problem. Before that I had a carbonated mustang. Loads of carb issues.
Like you guys, I bought a 'hard' dinghy after cruising with two different makes of inflatables. I love the fact that I can row it like the skiffs I rowed at camp when I was a kid. What I hate is the damn 4 stroke outboard. So I don't use the motor. I row it. And now you tell me there is a fuel injected outboard that starts! Hmm. Wonder how much I can get for a lightly used Mercury 5 hp?
Couple of things missing here. No mention of the 8 fenders tied to both sides, presumably to reduce tenderness and/or damage done to the mother ship. And given Clark's experience, I would like him to estimate the % of active cruising boats (let's assume 20' and up in length) that can handle a hard dink. IME it's a small percentage. That's why you see so few.
This dinghy has no fenders tied on. I don't know what you are referring to. Most cruising boats never deflate their dinghies. So they are bigger than my aluminum utility boat on the outside. But way smaller on the inside. Virtually any of them could carry this boat or the 10 foot version.
@@Clarks-AdventureClark, watch you & Emily hoisting your dinghy aboard at 13:04. I count 4 fenders on one side, so presuming 8 total. Was curious what purpose they serve. It's true foredecks of most larger yachts are long/wide enough for a rigid dink...but most yachts are GRP which doesn't take kindly to metal dinks unless the foredeck is altered to accommodate the dink. Most owners don't want to bother with this when inflatable tubes often solve this problem. I tried to marry these two options by building/cruising with a nesting dinghy, as I think Emily did. Also a compromise, I found.
Yeah nesters are great. That footage was of an older dinghy. The fenders were just a temporary fix that became long term for that 50 year old boat (to the end of it's life on Temptress anyway) There are lots of inflatables with aluminum hulls, the best ones actually. So lots of yachts are already carrying aluminum on their decks. It can be made to work, and work well. If you are looking for reasons for something to fail you will find them. In general the utility boat is a BOAT, and inflatable is a raft. it's a wet ride and corners flat making you feel like you are going to fall out. Compare it to your nester. I bet you know the difference.
This boat might come into service towing a yacht off a reef. Happens a lot. Power is only there if you twist the grip and this motor weighs the same as the 10 and 15 hp. So I run around at less then full power most of the time but have reserve when I need it.
Better to have more power than you need than not enough. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say the opposite, if anything most people who I ask say 15 hp is the sweet spot for a cruising dinghy. Whatever works for you though.
I'm not a fan of a blow up dinghy. Too many times you see RUclipsrs say I can't go anywhere because we need to let glue dry. Or the sun cooked our dinghy so we need a new one. Like you said you are sitting on a blow up dinghy and not in it. Not so safe in my opinion. What's your opinion on a dee V Jon boat as a dinghy? Maybe get some smooth truck bed liner and slap it on the bottom.
Inflatables are rated for absurd amounts of capacity, along with the fact you can roll them up and put it in a sail locker, that’s why I think they’re popular. my 14 foot aluminium V hull is rated for 4 people and 1200 lbs My 10ft inflatable tender is rated for 5 people and 1350lbs. Realistically you could safely have 6 people in the 14ft aluminium v and there’s only room for 3 people in the inflatable.
I hope not! So far the Lund looks fine. But I agree. The old alumacraft was made in a more labor intensive way that looked better. More curves. More involved castings. But I think the new alumacraft might plane better with it's harder chines.
@@Clarks-Adventure Agreed, my only recent aluminum experience was at a marine construction outfit and the aluminum boats they had didn’t hold up well, altho they had perhaps THE worst treatment imaginable. Probably not a fair test.
There will be a video in this series about it. She is keeping it away from videos til she finishes her build series. Problem is... Other things keep getting in the way, and those videos don't do that well.
Don't really need a bilge in that Lund just start it up get to the speed where the nose is up in the air and pull the plug and keep moving till the water is gone replace plug dry boat
One reason why you would get an inflatable is because a boat like yours has a 2 or maybe maximum 3 person capacity !!! Many want a boat that can handle 4-6 people.
That's a good point in the US. Sadly max capacity is not a number based on the hulls ability. I believe it's based on floatation chambers, I can load this boat with a lot of weight and it performs well out here where no one is looking for an excuse to write a ticket. But you are right in the united states using it with lots of people would get me a ticket.
@@Clarks-Adventure Yes, I learned a lot from watching her build that dinghy - thanks. Perhaps there are no aluminum dinghies (that we know of) because of space limitations block the needed flotation. In other words, it might sink.
I think it has more to do with who buys aluminum boats and how they are used. Fishing guys wouldn't value a nesting boat. It would just be heavier, weaker and cost more for them.
@@Clarks-Adventure So, from an engineering viewpoint do you think it is possible to design an aluminum nesting dinghy that nests into 3 to 4 feet length and has enough flotation to not sink when swamped? If so, there should be a market for them on smaller sailboats like Catalina 22 through 27, etc. I agree with your comments on inflatables not being durable, using davits for dinghy storage throws weight distribution off, and towing a dinghy is inefficient.
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I could watch this all.day
Thanks JT
I really appreciate your perspective Clark, I've watched you guys for a while and I've been looking at getting an aluminum boat like that and I've always said the same things about inflatables.
Good point about sitting in not on. I see so many others using their inflatables and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen them stay dry.
It's rare that I agree 100% with someone. Well done!
Thanks Clark, all good info. and well said. I too thought along the same lines when shopping for a dinghy some years ago. I came to a different conclusion. For me it came down to load capacity and a 10’ RIB was able to carry a family of 4 and supplies vs. the same size hard dinghy which was not even close to the same load capacity or with the same level of stability. Different strokes.... I really enjoy your insight on all matters nautical. Thanks Clark!
Super practical, if there is room for it.
Thank you very much for that information. I would have bought a zodiac just because everyone else has one. But you presented very good points and I'm convinced. Thank you again.
A lot to think about. Thanks for posting.
Excellent advice thank you!! I think you just sold me on an aluminum dingy 👍🏻😀
The Portland Pudgy is so much better than the aluminium boat, not to mention deflatables. Thanks for the dinghy series, it has helped me a lot to make an informed choice.
They all have different abilities and limitations. I'm sure you have seen our pudgy video.
I personally think the aluminum is superior as the pudgy doesn't meet my needs. But if you like the pudgy then it's right for you and you should use one.
Emily, you did a great job as a "mystery interviewer". LOl
Great content you two.
Loving the Big Dinghy Song. Made my afternoon. Very sweet. :-) Greetings from a sunny Germany.
Have you seen this one ruclips.net/video/4j0FRYUwJIo/видео.html
During our years of sailing, we have tried them all. Our sail boat was only 29 feet long so foredeck space was limited. From a previous power boat that we used on inland French canals, we had a 9 foot fiberglass dinghy. That meant towing it. Bad idea. Then we tried an AVON, thinking on long hauls it could be deflated and stowed. That part worked, but rowing it was an impossibility. It only semi-worked with an outboard. The outboard we bought had the spark plug wire out in the breeze. Any salt water spray and the wire was grounded - outboard quit. So, how do you get back to your boat? Then we bought a Dyer 7'-9" dinghy. The hard dinghy was the solution. It rowed well / it sailed well / it could be carried on the foredeck, but,..... with our family of four on board, my wife, who sat on the bow thwart had a wet back by the time we got to the dinghy dock. I fully appreciate your big tender solution.
When it comes to getting in from swimming/diving, make/get a swim ladder that you flop over the front and fold back out of the water when not in use.
I don't mean rope, I mean steel, nice wide treads and hinged.
Clark. The reason people buy inflatables is the heard mentality. Your totally right about a hard dinghy. I have an aluminum boat just like yours. And as far as modifications and lifting ability, you really have to look at my video titled using a Milwaukee M18 Super Hawk right angle drill as a winch handle. It’s on my RUclips page under my name.
And look at the cutout I did to my aluminum dinghy so the transom slot would fit in the mast. This gives me faster planing abilities by placing your weight in the center of the dinghy, and more deck space when storing the dinghy on deck, and a more secure dinghy on deck. There’s also some videos of me racing around in that dinghy. Oh, and yes...you can’t beat the ride quality compared to the inflatables.
Lots of good points and you've convinced me they probably are better than inflatables. My question: wouldn't a smaller model be better for a cruising couple? Weight for us is a big issue when dragging our dinghy up a beach or manhandling it onto the deck in strong winds. 200 lbs plus the weight of the outboard is a lot. Would like to see how you get it on deck without it putting too much pressure on the stanchions and how you secure ityou
We just lift it with the spinaker haylard. You can see it in the video. Emily does all the lifting because in adverse conditions the guiding guy needs the strength. Most times I do it with finger tips but you train for the bad days.
The alumacraft 12 weighs like 229 lbs. I've used a 10 footer. Was fine for two. But with one it needed weight in the bow. I actually tied 25 lbs of lead up front as a quick fix. Worked fine.
My the way the last dinghy if my own design was 13 feet long. Had a foredeck and enough cargo capacity that it brought the yachts diesel out to the mooring for my repower and only weighed 120 lbs.
Love this Clark! I have an inflatable and it will be the last one I own. I agree with you. I want a small boat, not a puncturable raft. I'm building an aluminum cat here in Asia, and am looking at either full carbon (expensive) or aluminum, as both will last decades, not years. Great advice!
...and spray the interior with truck bed liner. I did that with my old aluminum fishing boat of similar build. Much better grip, and I never worried about a crack or pinhole.
Built a stitch and glue pram totally agree with a hard dinghy being more practical/durable. Mine was a first boat project to gain practical experience with fiberglass/epoxy and it only weighs about 45 pounds. I plan on building a bigger one before I leave for a cicumnavigation. The materials cost was well under $500 even using a good epoxy and you get to design it the way you want i.e. flotation or storage. I like your permanent battery with small solar panel, plan on doing something similar for lights and my Stryker fish finder.
I like(d) watching your videos because you two are so frugal! But every time I watch one you convince me that there is something else I should buy!
Yes. Living cheaply can be expensive. But remember I bought all this stuff over 30 years. You don't need all the toys to play the game.
Also, you won't spend much after you leave.
Man I sure wanted a hard dinghy, which includes aluminum dinghys. I looked all over the place, but I was stuck in a hard place. I have a family of six. I thought...oh there are companies that sell tube add ons for the side of aluminum boats that sort of make them more stable and give them extra capacity. The thing is that addition won't change the actual capacity of the boat as listed on the certification plate. The powers that be tell you your boat is overloaded regardless. Ticket...ticket...ticket. My Catalina 30 also can't take much in terms of loaded dinghy weight onboard so I had to go with an inflatable vs aluminum because of the carrying capacity of the Catalina 30. I could frankly take 6 people in an inflatable vs 3 on an aluminum boat. Also I have no other choice other than towing or davits...and a light ten footer was the only thing that didn't make my sailboat look like it was too stern heavy with davits. The 10 foot inflatable was my choice, since it still made my "behind look big", at least it wasn't wider than the boat. I would have had to go to a fifteen foot aluminum to carry about six people in a utility.
I'd love getting input on an catamaran dinghy like a Takacat. You make some great points on a hard dinghy and I'm going to take a good look a them. Thanks for the great video!
I've used a takacat once. I thought it would be great but really didn't like it. We will keep our eye out for one.
Have you seen our videos about the folding cat dinghy?
@@Clarks-Adventure Thanks for responding. I'll check out your videos on the folding cat!
We have two videos on the takacat.
I must admit that your tender is better than a rib.
The only reason I prefer a rib is because if you have to rescue someone from the water, if the boat hits a swimmer they can be knocked out by a rigid hull. What's not so likely with a rib.
But this possibly comes from the time when I volunteered as a SAR on a rib that helped people in distress on the water.
Another good video! I like how you'll often take the 'road less traveled' in order get what works best for you. I was greatly tempted to go this route but chickened out and replaced my 14 year old 12 ft AB (which was still doing great) with an identical model under the theory of 'Don't mess with success'. The deciding factors that kept me with the RIB were twofold: 1) I do a lot of freediving and would rather bring my body in over a smooth tube than negotiate myself over a small and hard edged transom space beside the engine, and, 2) if out diving in the open ocean where I can encounter large seas (especially when passing through cuts between islands) I would have concerns about the ultimate stability of a hard boat. The RIB could become completely filled with water and still remain stable and upright.
Also, I have come to respect your experience and knowledge. Packed with good info for someone planning to do spend a lot of time on a boat. I sent my young adult kids the link on that vid regarding "life goals". One is now contemplating leaving the "known world" of CT and heading to Maine swap the rat-race for a simpler, more quiet life. Smaller environmental footprint. Good news is that they want to come somewhere near me!!
I have both a Walker Bay 8 and a roll up inflatable. I really wanted to take the Walker to the Bahamas when i go jext year but its just not stable enough. Getting out from the water is simply not possible. Tried all kinds of ways, just couldn't do it without swamping it. And this was in flat calm water, cannot imagine what it would be like in a chop.
So it looks like I'll have to take the blow up boat. At least for my 1st season. 😂 I've been sailing for 30 years but this will be my first time really cruising. Your channel has been very helpful. 👍
Enjoy your trip.
And yes the walker bay would be a challenge.
@@Clarks-Adventure Thanks for the reply. I'm truly hoping to make it down to your area in 2026. That's assuming I make it through season one ! 🤣🤣
Great video! You asked why so many sailboats have hard-bottom inflatable dinghies, and I think a lot of it has to do with the charter market. Inflatables make it easy and obvious to get in and out stably, and I think that’s appealing to people who might only sail for one week every few years.
I understand that perception but it's actually MUCH easier to get in a dinghy like mine.
More then a few times some overweight new cruising struggles to board their inflatable, I offer mine. They easily board my utility boat and cross over to theirs.
I still think most people have them because most people have them.
But, I like the idea proposed here that they are rated to carry a LOT of people. If you are in a place where the water cops hang out and you want to take the whole family out it's the only real choice.
@@Clarks-Adventure fair enough!
I grew up on a lake with an aluminum dinghy, which we'd found on the lot after dad bought it. We'd had a Sears fiberglass dinghy before & the aluminum was a much lighter & better hull material for a small craft.
We have a Sprinter van for traveling now & I purchased the lightest (which happened to also be the cheapest) inflatable to pack along on our trips. It's 11.5' & weighs 94 lbs, which is as much as I can manage to lift in & out of the van alone. The 20 hp outboard weighs about the same. I don't know how long the boat will last, but it's fine for occasional use & great to have in the van. That being said I'd opt for an aluminum boat if we were cruising & using it daily.
I don't think Clark mentioned how much roomier the floor space is in a hard-hulled boat compared to an inflatable. The inflated tubes take up a huge amount of floor space since they're about 18" in diameter each. That's a big deal as far as what you can comfortably pack into a boat. After packing a cooler, life jackets & a toolbox into my inflatable it feels crowded.
i got a hunter liberty i havent used yet. its not supposed to sink lol has real oars, sail rig and outboard . i plan to string boat fenders around gunnels to use for 'liferaft' like pardees suggested in 'cost conscious cruiser' heres hoping , but i like your aluminum idea better. unfortunately i only have a bit over 10 ft deckroom. thx for great vids.
I've used a 10 foot aluminum utility boat. I had to add weight to the bow since I had a heavy motor on it. I'm no sure if anyone makes one any more. I think duroboat might. But used aluminum boats are all oner the place and reasonable.
What a great deal for a Lund. Great choice. I loved my Fatty Knees.
They also have a V-shaped flotation device that you can add to them, if your boat goes under….and you can hopefully sail your way to land when the weather is cooperative. It also handles a small motor. Any Fatty Knees there? I miss mine, but she has a great home with a sailing family now.
Not many of what I think of as true dinghies anymore.
Hello, we just found your RUclips channel and love it.. We are curious who manufacturers your hammock chairs?
China via eBay but they don't last.
They are copies of the "air chair". I've had those and really like them.
We will soon make our own out of good materials to last.
Have you consider an electric option for the propulsion of the dinghy?
Emily's little dinghy has an electric motor. We will do a video on it in this series once she published the last build video.
I had a 9 ft Boston Whaler with a 15 hp. Sold it along with the boat. Should have kept the Whaler. The 11 ft makes a nice dinghy, too.
I see your comment about your 9.9 sticker. I have always thought when I can afford a new outboard, to do my homework and fit the oldest smallest scuzziest cowl I can find, and paint the bits below the cowl in rust coloured, matt, lumpy paint. Do you see anyone doing this, or anything else to prevent their reliable motor from disappearing on shopping trips? Possible future episode??
I never plan on selling motors so I don't care for resale value. I've taken a screwdriver to one to make it look crappy. This one got away from the yacht and chewed up the stickers on one side so it's already looking unloved.
You can watch Plucky do just what you are inquiring about. On his channel Sailing into Freedom. He got a new motor and immediately spray paints the cowling in different color paints and even letters. Looks like it was vandalized and not worth a second look when he finished. I hope I didn't breach any etiquette mentioning another sailing channel. The information was just germane to the discussion. Please delete my comment if it offends.
Thanks for the info...
Your welcome
As a full time cruiser, I am looking to finally replace my not so great plastic(injection molded) dinghy with something a little more stable. I lean towards a RIB but i struggle with the idea that the hypalon material is going to die in 5-10 years once I hit the equator. That said, i've had quite a good experience with them and don't have any real complaints. The biggest thing is thinking about ocean crossings, I can easily deflate a RIB and condense the space in which they consume on deck(in the event i need to get to the bow).
Hard decisions to make honestly, would love to see some videos from RIB owners as well.
In my experience they all love them. They just close their eyes to the flaws and keep loving them. They change into dry clothes after a windy trip and keep loving them. They patch leaks and keep loving them.
Its rare to find a cruiser who will say they wish they had made a difference choice. That would involve admitting they were wrong once.
do you think that inflatables are dual purpose dingy and that’s why it’s so popular? Can be used for emergency as well as getting around the harbor
Haha, he said hard dinghy. Ahem... Good points in this video, thanks for sharing.
Looking at the same outboard, there is a 3-6 month waiting list ! Only issue we have with these boats is the 12 foot ones are only rated for 3 people. We need one for 5.
If you leave the US ratings mean nothing. No one is going to care how you use your boat. CG ratings are more a function of flotation then load capacity but I would try any boat with the weight you plan before buying. I haven't tried this one with 5 but the last one was fine with 4 big adults though underpowered with a 10hp.
With 5 you might run into stability issues with everyone moving. This kind of load on a regular basis might be a good case for a raft.
Also can you handle a longer boat? 5 is a lot of people. The 14ft is a lot more boat and is rated for 25hp. The 25 Suzuki looks like a better motor with less vibration. I seem to remember it's a 3 cylinder.
Thanks for sharing! Blessings!😊⚓
Great video. Have you ever tried a plastic dinghy? Or do you know anything about them?
I've used some. They weren't planning hulls but tough.
Great points! 👍
I have a Boston Whaler Squall I bought for $50 on Craig's list I'm restoring as a dinghy. It's 10', sailable, rowable and I think a small outboard would push it nicely.
If you can carry it Whalers are great boats. I've never tried a 10 footer before. How much does it weigh?
Iits about 125-150, for the hull I think the styrofoam is a little wet. It has a dagger board and rudder the rig is like a sunfish rig.
Excellent. I’m totally agree with you guys about inflatables vs rigit dinghy’s. In fact, I love the OC tender’s. Especially the carbon version. What do you think about those?
I've seen one but never tried one. Really nice but REALLY expensive.
I actually thought about towing my 21foot macgregor as a dinghy. I know that's absurd but it is a swing Keel and extra storage. I wouldn't really do it but I bet I would get alot of subscribers haha. Loved the Lund promotion.
But then your dinghy would need a dinghy
@@Clarks-Adventure he could use something like a 17' daysailor for the Mac and a little el-cheapo ala ebay Inflatable for the daysailor that way he has all the options, and with a little 2.5hp ob that the daysailor and the Inflatable could share. It be purely ridiculous, but interesting to see go by i have no doubt.
I notice the lifting strap is on the motor. Would it be possible to include how easy it is to fit the motor while on the water?
Years ago I built a radar tower/Crain on the back of Temptress.
It's pretty specific gear, do you think people would actually be interested in it?
Do you know “plans” so I can build my own Aluminum hard dingy? Do you recommend Conrad’s link to “hummingbird 2?”…
If that is the kind of boat you want.
I can't remember the name but I've built several plywood skiffs based on plans. I proceed to modify the plans so far they were no longer even similar.
Anyway, you could build a plywood in aluminum if you prefer working with metal.
good analysis of inflatable v. skiff. Would like to see some video showing stability of skiff and the physical effort needed when getting in and out of it in deep water with no "push-off" from the bottom to get some upward momentum going. Do you have an opinion on whether this is more or less attractive to a Caribbean thief over an inflatable?...it's certainly more unique and would be tougher for the thief to hide...in the long run. If you were a 65 yr old solo sailor, would this effect your decision re: skiff or inflatable? Last question: if you towed that skiff, how much speed would you lose....1/2 knot, 1 knot...more?
I'm planning on being a 65 year old sailor so:
I'd get a skiff (re video)
I don't tow but skiffs cause a lot of drag unless you get up to planing speed.
It's trivial to board a skiff over the transom as long as you have a line to step into. Since you have the motor to pull on it's easier then the side of an inflatable.
Last time my (at the time out if shape 73 year old non-boater) mother visited she had no real problems and enjoyed diving and watching fish.
@@Clarks-Adventure so, if I use a halyard from the top of the mast to tow the skiff will I reach planing speed sooner? Again, joking but maybe not?
If I'm just going to motor in calm harbors I sometimes hoist the dinghy just out of the water and carry it on the side of the yacht. Looks foolish but it's easy.
@@Clarks-Adventure i do that too, and I'll hoist it up to deck level over night if the anchorage is a little seedy
Hey this is indeed an interesting subject! Did you ever see anyone with two canoes (Canadian) lashed together, as a dinghy cat? Must be even more easy to store one by one on deck? And making a fast fitting for mounting together. And still have the ability to be used as canoes for exploring rivers and delta’s etc.
No I've never seen that done as a yachts dinghy.
I could see this working on protected waters but the hulls themselves would probably break if you tried to rigidly lash them and use them in rough conditions. They are really flat bottomed hulls.
But in protected water it would be a very interesting vessel.
Now to think about it there was this guy in Georgetown some years ago who had something like this. I don't remember what the hulls were. Had a hard deck always covered with a bunch of kids.
I have lashed my two Prospectors 16’ and tried them in different conditions. The are not very flat, more like bananas 😉 We’re talking real canoes (not Grumman’s) here.
I have experience from taking one Prospector in open sea at the Norwegian coast - worked like a charm, just as they are used on Lake Superior.
So I imagine they are used by some people as dinghies as well.
Interesting. Are you going th go that way yourself?
Have you seen the folding catamaran dinghy in our series? I bet it's close to available for sale by now.
Here is a link to Wikipedia about Bill Mason. My canoes are copy’s of his personal favourite Chestnut Prospector 16”, since the drawing was measured right from Bill’s canoe.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Mason
I too have come to the conclusion that will never again deal with a deflatable… too many problems. ✌️
Lund is a very popular boat in Alaska, and you see them everywhere along the cost and rivers because they last well and hold up to the conditions. I like your choice. Have you thought of adding a dodger or shade of some kind? Also, is it possible to put a sail set up on this boat? Maybe with lee boards. Love the video.
Sail. Not on a skiff. It's just the wrong hull shape. It's optimized to plane easily. Emily's little boat is our sailboat.
I've used a bimini in the past. Might again. But it makes it difficult to get up onto the yacht.
Good to hear about your experience with with Lund. Looks tough so far.
That was fun.
I have only half a year cruising experience, but enough to make me build a ply dinghy in the garage two decades later in order to prepare for a hopefully much longer sailing experience. The ability to row properly could be quite essential in many places I believe, because I remember the distance to the dock or the beach often beeing not even enough to get the OB to working temperature and more important...nobody steals a damn wooden row boat
That's what I did for years. My last design was better and lighter then the aluminum but the aluminum is quite serviceable.
Also you can buy them used for cheap.
Re: "...nobody steals a damn wooden row boat..." I have an 11ft fiberglass, sailable dingy, and the thing I worry about more are my gorgeous, refinished oars I spent a couple of weeks on....I'm a little worried about tieing up at a dock and come back and find the boat's there, but the oars are gone ! 😭
Yes oars are expensive and light. Easy to steal.
I've seen really nice bronze oar locking clamps before.
I had a mooring in Tampa once where dinghies were getting stolen a lot. I kept my good dinghy on the yacht and built the ugliest dinghy ever built. It was actually a fine flat bottom boat but looked like it would fall apart any second. Never was taken. Eventually gave it to some neighbor kids.
Hi Guys, I have enjoyed many of your videos. Thanks. My question is why would you get the 15 Hp if it's the same engine? Thanks again.
Computer is different so it makes less power and costs less.
We did get the 20hp but relabeled it 9.9 to cut back on theft.
@@Clarks-Adventure Wasn't sure why you wanted less power, but cost less, that makes sense. Thanks for your quick response.
@@Clarks-Adventure Good idea.
All well said, etc., but The thing I dislike about this video is it purports to make me feel stupid and an idiot for choosing to buy and use a rib, although my experience after many years sailing is the two are not the same platform and therefore any comparison must be based on the lifestyle and use to which the said dinghy is to be put. If I were just using it as a water taxi to get in n out of mooring basins where all the know-it-alls tie up, the rib works just fine. For more variable daily use, more dependent on muscle work, gunking in and out of short range reef flats, a working dinghy you might say, I'll probably choose a hard shell, and probably even aluminum. There is nothing wrong with a RIB, It's knowing what you want to use it for. However, I would never go with rivets in any boat, welded seams would always be my choice. Dreams being dreams, my perfect dinghy to use in the cruising life, would be some sort of carbon/kevlar fiber shell with gentle high sheer lines like found in the Northeast docks, with integrated sink-proof compartments, and well engineered oar locks in the 10-12 ft length, minimal brightwork from exotic hardwoods that take well to the salt water. The best dinghy that ever worked for me is a beat up patched piece of crap that no one would ever deign to steal, fact is, most sailors knew it to be mine, would find it lost in the mangroves and do me the favor of tying it back on to my mooring.
Hello, what about a OC Tender vs. ASTender? Thanks guys
I've never seen an ASTender. I've only seen one OC Tender out cruising.
They are very expensive so not that popular. I bet they are nice. Though I don't think their fenders are right. The way a yacht curves you need fending on the top edge.
I meant to ask whether you have considered installing a bimini top on your dinghy, or do you consider them to be impractical for some reason? I've never noticed anyone using them on dinghies but never knew why.
I've had one. It's hard to climb up onto a big boat
I found this video and your channel at the perfect time! I want to pick up the same boat, what is the Lund model number? Is it the WC series?
It's the heavier 12 footer. The back seats are distinctive.
Before this I had an alumacraft 12. They still make it. It also has the important buoyancy chamber along the aft hull.
If I had it to do again I'd probably get the alumacraft. Lighter, cheaper, faster.
The lund is tougher, more comfortable and stable.
You choose.
WC sounds right.
@@Clarks-Adventure thank you!
What kind of paint do you use? Just bought an old allumicraft with same purpose. But we are a family of five….3 little ones. Hoping to get by with a 10hp…..
I put a primer down then an "aluminum safe" paint. Honestly it didn't work well
Now I just scrape with a bamboo kitchen spatula so it's easier on the rivets than a metal scraper
Excellent, very informative. Question ... what about theft? Seems like a 12 ft aluminum dinghy with a Suzuki 20hp would be an excellent target, esp in the Caribbean.
We put a 9.9 sticker on the motor. Never seen a local use aluminum. Always fiberglass. If stolen it's unique.
Want to have your motor stolen get a Yamaha 15.
When I was down that way I had good luck keeping my Tohasu 9.8 safe by dressing it up a 6 and securing it aboard whenever possible (or hoisting the dinghy to deck height with a halyard, although a rather good rainshower one evening did leave me with one heck of a list always remember to remove the drain plug if hoisting your dinghy folks 😉) and I didn't see any aluminum boats down there, but plenty of fiberglass jobs, and my wooden dinghy was pretty unique too (10' flat bottom home built cross between a dory and a skiff)
@@jaysonlima9271 That's a very good idea ... removing the drain plug!! I didn't know that.
@@samsungview2618 let's the rain out and if they do manage to get it to the water without you noticing they probably aren't going too far lol
We have an OC Tender dink that is supper sweet, safe and lite. That said, if I had it to do over we would get full aluminum dink like what y’all have!
Why? Because of the cost? I haven't actually tried an OC yet.
Cost, recycling aspect, durability and ease of replicability with like in kind. Also in an OC Tender you are still sitting on instead of in. It is an awesome tender/dink but honestly if I had it to do over again I wish I had seen your choice before I made my decision. Great vid!
1. Lund is a great choice, it's a lifetime boat.
2. Where is Emily's pram?
She is keeping it out of videos til she finished publishing the build videos
I like it
you sold me on an aluminum boat for a dinghy....it's what i would do too...metal and stability versus soft and inflatable. I did a lot of rowing in row boats...wish they made rear view mirrors on them so you could see where you're going...always hated the fact i couldn't just keep rowing fast...without straining my neck to see around every 30 seconds. Do they make pop-up wide angled mirrors for row boats?
You can make anything you want, Mark.
I tend to take a reciprocal heading to something behind the boat and just keep going straight by going away from it not towards what going to.
@@Clarks-Adventure That makes sense...keep straight going away from a target.
Not that I'm aware of but perhaps a motorcycle mirror wouldn't be too hard to fit to most non Inflatables
What do you think of the Carbon Fiber dinghies like Gig Harbor's Defiance or Point Defiance?
Haven't used one. Sounds light.
It is....about 135 lbs. ruclips.net/video/ccDo6-qg9nE/видео.html
That's a whole different animal. That's not a planing hull. It's more like Emily's pram. Rowing, sailing, and slow motoring.
First question I always ask when asked about what dinghy to get is. "Do you need to plane"?
We have one little boat that excels in long fast trips and one that excels at everything else. Both good ways to go.
@@Clarks-Adventure Great Point. Thanks!
Like Many other things, including my head, Dinghies Should Always BE Hard. I started sailing as a child back in the day. Everything in Yachting was Wood - No choice, FB and Alum. were just experimental. I started when my family bought an older58 foot wooden racing sloop. With it came a brand new Dyer 8 foot FB cockle shell of a Dinghy. What a joke. That thing had less than 6 inches of freeboard when fully loaded with 4 drunken sailors coming back from shore leave. Of course this was before inflatables. This was still the days of canvass over cork five rafts. REMBER, there will always be a distinction between a Dinghy and a Life Raft. Although every vessel must have both, a Dinghy is in place to be in service constantly and a Life Raft is hoped to be in use only once if at all. I believe in reverse engineering like most farmers and sailors (my heritage). I would start with a 13 foot BOSTON WHALER SPORT w/25 HP O.B. as my Dinghy and then come up with a blue water sailing cruiser that has enough length, beam, and motive force to carry it on stern davits that utilize electric over manual chain falls for lifting and carrying. SDH the Great Unknown in CT
have you thought of adding sails to this? can you? electric motor? i was thinking of a wooden dinghy that was also sailable. it was a kit but i think it could be bought whole. can't find it just yet :-( it's advan was it was a kit but also only weighed like 150 lbs. so would be easy to load onto my bow single handed. any other ideas for dinghys? i dislike the soft kind.
This boat would be terrible an those things.
Here's what you want for that. It's Emily's boat. Emily Builds a Sailboat: ruclips.net/p/PLsT7_jPsZM5qrTdxolBxRZAsUfuacyiE1
thats what I have, mine is an old Sea Witch, they still sell em under dif name now, 12ft ABS plastic filled with foam, oar locks n all, neat little boats
Would a flat bottom design aluminum "jon boat" work for a dinghy or would that be too rough of a ride?
Depends on how you want to use the boat. Flat bays fine. Open ocean.. you are gonna die.
I personally wouldn't do it.
Thanks for the reply. We are heading to the Bahamas on our trawler, trying to pick the best dinghy for our needs.
I think the utility boat or skif is the best shape for something that planes. Dory otherwise, something like a bigger version of what Emily made.
Great if you have room for a hard dingy on the foredeck. On a smaller cruising boat like my bayfield 29 which also further complicates the space on the foredeck is that it’s cutter rigged. Any dingy is limited to about 8ft and smaller hard dingy is not as stable as a inflatable that size. Also deflate the inflatable and now you can store it in aMUCH smaller space.
Or a hard nester link Emily's.
I actually see a use for small inflatables that are actually deflated for storage. I had one once. But a lot of people have hard bottoms that get filled with air once and never deflated again. Now that takes up a bunch of space!
How about getting back into the boat after snorkeling or whatever.
No one believes this, but it's much easier. In fact I once helped an older fat lady into her inflatable by allowing her to climb into mine and transfer over.
I must talk about the process in the video but you rig a foot rope and enter from the transom. You have the engine to pull up on. My 75 year old mother (not a boaters) can do it.
What boats did you build? (surprised no one has asked). How about nesting dinghies? I have build a few and am looking to build another, probably a nesting.
I designed my own. Had some features I've never seen before. 120lbs, 13.5 feet and a bow deck. I carried the yachts diesel out to her in one.
As for nesters. Your question makes me think you haven't seen this series yet. You might like these: ruclips.net/video/vI-FHaFLRqc/видео.html
@@Clarks-Adventure Thanks Clark. I watched Emily build that boat. That is the way I found you two. I was looking for dinghies. I have not seen the final finishing, launching, and sea trials of her boat. Have you completed the series? I have plans for 2 nesters, chameleon and one other.
Not yet. She still has an episode or two to edit.
Wish she would finish soon. I designed a cool charging circuit for it's outboard. Want to do a video on that this summer.
@@Clarks-Adventure Look forward to them!!! Thanks again.
Wouldn't it help with the ever failing carburators to fit some serious fuel filters?
Seems to be an effect of the alcohol in the fuel mixing with the water you always get with fuel out here being exposed to air in the float bowl.
At least that's my theory.
Filters don't seem to have much effect.
@@Clarks-Adventure Hmmm...and I was so confident providing a space for a Racor in my wood work. You can't strain water from alcohol
:-( ...and there are no injection engines for my 6HP concept.
You will be fine. Just have to clean the carb a lot. I have a couple of videos on it, it's easy.
The final thought that had me go this way was I have a 35 year old fuel injected Porsche. Never had a fuel problem. Before that I had a carbonated mustang. Loads of carb issues.
@@Clarks-Adventure Thank you Clark, I'll remember that when I'm fed with sailing but non-planing dinghies one day.🚀
Like you guys, I bought a 'hard' dinghy after cruising with two different makes of inflatables.
I love the fact that I can row it like the skiffs I rowed at camp when I was a kid.
What I hate is the damn 4 stroke outboard.
So I don't use the motor. I row it.
And now you tell me there is a fuel injected outboard that starts!
Hmm. Wonder how much I can get for a lightly used Mercury 5 hp?
What size oars do you use?
I think they are 7 foot oars. I've also used 7.5 footers on the same size boat.
What about a Porta-Bote?
I used to have one. Liked it quite a lot. We did a video on one already. It's a popular video.
Did you consider a rigid plastic boat?
Haven't seen a planing skiff design done rotomolded yet. I'd look if I saw one. They do seem tough.
Couple of things missing here. No mention of the 8 fenders tied to both sides, presumably to reduce tenderness and/or damage done to the mother ship. And given Clark's experience, I would like him to estimate the % of active cruising boats (let's assume 20' and up in length) that can handle a hard dink. IME it's a small percentage. That's why you see so few.
This dinghy has no fenders tied on. I don't know what you are referring to.
Most cruising boats never deflate their dinghies. So they are bigger than my aluminum utility boat on the outside. But way smaller on the inside.
Virtually any of them could carry this boat or the 10 foot version.
@@Clarks-AdventureClark, watch you & Emily hoisting your dinghy aboard at 13:04. I count 4 fenders on one side, so presuming 8 total. Was curious what purpose they serve. It's true foredecks of most larger yachts are long/wide enough for a rigid dink...but most yachts are GRP which doesn't take kindly to metal dinks unless the foredeck is altered to accommodate the dink. Most owners don't want to bother with this when inflatable tubes often solve this problem. I tried to marry these two options by building/cruising with a nesting dinghy, as I think Emily did. Also a compromise, I found.
Yeah nesters are great.
That footage was of an older dinghy. The fenders were just a temporary fix that became long term for that 50 year old boat (to the end of it's life on Temptress anyway)
There are lots of inflatables with aluminum hulls, the best ones actually. So lots of yachts are already carrying aluminum on their decks.
It can be made to work, and work well. If you are looking for reasons for something to fail you will find them.
In general the utility boat is a BOAT, and inflatable is a raft. it's a wet ride and corners flat making you feel like you are going to fall out. Compare it to your nester. I bet you know the difference.
way more power than you need for a 12ft boat
This boat might come into service towing a yacht off a reef. Happens a lot.
Power is only there if you twist the grip and this motor weighs the same as the 10 and 15 hp. So I run around at less then full power most of the time but have reserve when I need it.
Better to have more power than you need than not enough. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say the opposite, if anything most people who I ask say 15 hp is the sweet spot for a cruising dinghy. Whatever works for you though.
I'm not a fan of a blow up dinghy. Too many times you see RUclipsrs say I can't go anywhere because we need to let glue dry. Or the sun cooked our dinghy so we need a new one. Like you said you are sitting on a blow up dinghy and not in it. Not so safe in my opinion.
What's your opinion on a dee V Jon boat as a dinghy?
Maybe get some smooth truck bed liner and slap it on the bottom.
I think you need the utility boat style. John boats are scary in waves.
Bed liner?? Interesting. If you ever try it tell me how it works.
Inflatables are rated for absurd amounts of capacity, along with the fact you can roll them up and put it in a sail locker, that’s why I think they’re popular.
my 14 foot aluminium V hull is rated for 4 people and 1200 lbs
My 10ft inflatable tender is rated for 5 people and 1350lbs.
Realistically you could safely have 6 people in the 14ft aluminium v and there’s only room for 3 people in the inflatable.
I think it comes down to flotation in the hull. Inflatables win there.
Mirror 14, 10 hp evinrude
Is this still the dinghy you use?
Yes it is
Do you think the aluminum boats made today are built as well as the aluminum boat built 50 years ago? Not the ones I’ve seen.
I hope not! So far the Lund looks fine.
But I agree. The old alumacraft was made in a more labor intensive way that looked better. More curves. More involved castings. But I think the new alumacraft might plane better with it's harder chines.
@@Clarks-Adventure Agreed, my only recent aluminum experience was at a marine construction outfit and the aluminum boats they had didn’t hold up well, altho they had perhaps THE worst treatment imaginable. Probably not a fair test.
What happened with the dinghy Emily build?
There will be a video in this series about it. She is keeping it away from videos til she finishes her build series.
Problem is... Other things keep getting in the way, and those videos don't do that well.
Don't really need a bilge in that Lund just start it up get to the speed where the nose is up in the air and pull the plug and keep moving till the water is gone replace plug dry boat
One reason why you would get an inflatable is because a boat like yours has a 2 or maybe maximum 3 person capacity !!! Many want a boat that can handle 4-6 people.
That's a good point in the US.
Sadly max capacity is not a number based on the hulls ability. I believe it's based on floatation chambers, I can load this boat with a lot of weight and it performs well out here where no one is looking for an excuse to write a ticket.
But you are right in the united states using it with lots of people would get me a ticket.
👍!!!
I have never seen an aluminum two-piece nesting dinghy - have you ever seen one?
No I haven't. I think you should build your own stitch and tape.
Have you seen Emily's nesting dinghy videos?
@@Clarks-Adventure Yes, I learned a lot from watching her build that dinghy - thanks. Perhaps there are no aluminum dinghies (that we know of) because of space limitations block the needed flotation. In other words, it might sink.
I think it has more to do with who buys aluminum boats and how they are used. Fishing guys wouldn't value a nesting boat. It would just be heavier, weaker and cost more for them.
@@Clarks-Adventure So, from an engineering viewpoint do you think it is possible to design an aluminum nesting dinghy that nests into 3 to 4 feet length and has enough flotation to not sink when swamped? If so, there should be a market for them on smaller sailboats like Catalina 22 through 27, etc. I agree with your comments on inflatables not being durable, using davits for dinghy storage throws weight distribution off, and towing a dinghy is inefficient.
Not aluminum. Costs too much to set up the presses. For one off build as stitch and tape from plywood. They are good boats.
Harryproa tender, portland pudgy.
We have another video on the Pudgy. Look through our channel.
Does a dinghy need a registration ? In New York state it'd need a hull number and such.
Yes in every US state. Not out here.
20 horse on a 12 foot Lund I bet that flys
Next time try Yamaha 👍 motor, Lund is one of the best on the market
Still cleaning carbs a lot. Also the fishermen use them so they are stolen first. Good motor though.