[ellenwhite2]

Has anyone found a suitable dinghy to carry on deck that fits behind the staysail stay and spans the sissy bars at the mast? And will actually carry 2 people and supplies without taking a soaking each time you drive in it???
And might even plane?? Arrrrgh.
Ellen

 

[brokesailor]

Ellen: I bought the Highfield UL 240. I wanted a light (59 lbs) dink with a hard bottom that I could pick up by myself and throw it over. Fits on the foredeck perfectly and enough room for 2. Disadvantage: max rated HP is 4. So won't go on plane. But at least my back doesn't hurt and I can manhandle it by myself. I got the Torqueedo 1003 also lightweight.

 

[Psc242]

When you look to buy a dingy you have to consider first the length.
It has to be close to 8 feet as possible.
Second. you want the biggest diameter of tubes you can get.
Third. The more numbers of chambers to inflate the better. Find one with four chambers exclude the Bottom and keel.
Fourth. you want a hard bottom.
The weight is important but not as it looks at first. If you pick up the dingy with the halyard and winch the weight of 8 feet dingy is none issue. I have a friend a single hander that does it time and again with a nine and a half feet dingy. Made me to regret buying a dingy with inflated bottom.

 

[sailak]

I have the Achilles LEX-88. It fits perfectly between the mast pulpits and behind the staysail stay. It weights 70 pounds, the wife and I are able to simply throw it over the side to deploy and if need be we can muscle it back aboard, using a halyard to bring aboard makes it an easy one-person task.

 

[steneck]

I agree that 8' inflatables are worth having. They handle 4 people and gear easily. Sometimes you need to shuttle heavy things so you'd have the capacity.

You might want to consider dinghies with inflatable floorboards. They are light but have a great load capacity. When I am going offshore for more than 3 days I deflate it and roll it up for the trip. It is easy to find space to store it. On my PSC 34, I installed 4 eyebolts just forward of the forepeak cabin and lashed it there. Redeployment takes 15 minutes to half an hour.

I purchased an Achilles LSI to replace my Zodiac with an inflatable floor that had died of old age. I'm very happy with it.

Bob Steneck
PSC 34 Alaria
Christmas Cove, Maine

 

[MarcHall]

For Crazy Fish I purchased an Achilles LSI 335 - 11' dinghy with inflatable floor weighing 91 lbs 3 years ago.

It replaced a 10' foot Avon Roll Up with a plastic floor that weighed about 20lbs more.

A 2 stroke 15 HP Mercury outboard drives it. Purchased the outboard used off Ebay out of Wisconsin (limited fresh water use only).

It may be a bit larger then some might desire but I use it a lot for scuba diving and make some longer runs in it to get to decent sites. Will easily plane with 2 divers and their gear.

The inflatable floor made of hypalon has held up well. It can be easily removed and replaced if needed. This summer during a 2 week cruise we put some small holes into it which I believe came from the West Highland Terrier jumping into the dinghy from the big boat and driving the nails from her rear feet into floor. Patched the holes and covered the floor with a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet. Before heading off crusing I will likely buy another floor.

Otherwise the boat has held up well, motors well and with the dinghy wheels is easy to beach.

When underway the boat normally sits folded up in front of the mast between the mast pulpits. To inflate its un-rolled and laided across the the lifelines.

Marc Hall
Crazy Fish - Maintaining, Upgrading and Sailing a Crealock 37

 

[wsmurdoch]

Tell me about the protective carpet cover for the air floor. I have a LSI 290 that we have taken to the Bahamas twice. This year it was punctured by sandspurs stuck in the bottom of a shoe and would leak down in a couple of days. I have it at home patching it now. Some people on the web advise covering the floor with outdoor carpet or a clear vinyl office chair floor pad. I've looked at both in stores and wondered how I'd deal with their heavy, bulky, sandy, wet mess on the boat. How big is your carpet? What do you do with it when the boat is deflated?

[I noticed that the 2014 LSIs have a heavier dark gray air floor.]

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irishe Eyes

 

[muttskie]

I'm considering a new Achilles LSI 290, also. I have a near new Mercury 5hp 2 stroke outboard already. Is this adequate engine power?
And what are the preferred methods of inflation and deflation?
I'd prefer some sort of powered pump for this, but am interested in other's experiences.

 

[wsmurdoch]

We have a 8hp 2 stroke Nissan (Tohatsu) on our LSI 290. It will plane my wife, me, 3 gal of gas, and a few bags of groceries. Hauling fuel or water, it will not plane. We also have a 3.5 Tohatsu 2 stroke that I have used on the dinghy. It will only plane me alone.

We bought a Coleman 12v air mattress inflater at WalMart five or more years ago for about $15. We use it on deck with the cord going inside to put the first 90% of the air in the dinghy. The last bit is done with the supplied foot pump. A few wraps of vinyl electrical tape around its discharge fitting shimmed it out to fit the Achilles valves. I have twice dropped it in salt water running and immediately rinsed it with no ill effect, at least so far.

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irish Eyes

 

[ellenwhite2]

Well, thank you for all the thoughtful responses! As a follow up, I'll let you know we decided on a 9' AB w/ aluminum floor. The weight of 75# is acceptable to my aging winch cranking arm and our 8HP Yamaha is a good match. We decided we are willing to detach the staysail stay and sacrifice that sail option to make extra deck space for days we can't / won't tow the dink. Lord knows the Yankee was all we needed last season in Bahamas! Hopefully we've made a good decision. I think we will be looking into a mattress pump, as that's a great idea!

 

[Cruisingdad]

Well, thank you for all the thoughtful responses! As a follow up, I'll let you know we decided on a 9' AB w/ aluminum floor. The weight of 75# is acceptable to my aging winch cranking arm and our 8HP Yamaha is a good match. We decided we are willing to detach the staysail stay and sacrifice that sail option to make extra deck space for days we can't / won't tow the dink. Lord knows the Yankee was all we needed last season in Bahamas! Hopefully we've made a good decision. I think we will be looking into a mattress pump, as that's a great idea!

Another option is to keep what you have and tell Bob to swim to shore!

Miss you guys. Hope you are doing well. Kick Bob for me.

Brian

 

[ellenwhite2]

Hey, Brian! It's great to "hear" the spunk has returned in your voice! We miss you guys......

 

[MarcHall]

Tell me about the protective carpet cover for the air floor. I have a LSI 290 that we have taken to the Bahamas twice. This year it was punctured by sandspurs stuck in the bottom of a shoe and would leak down in a couple of days. I have it at home patching it now. Some people on the web advise covering the floor with outdoor carpet or a clear vinyl office chair floor pad. I've looked at both in stores and wondered how I'd deal with their heavy, bulky, sandy, wet mess on the boat. How big is your carpet? What do you do with it when the boat is deflated?

[I noticed that the 2014 LSIs have a heavier dark gray air floor.]

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irishe Eyes

The outdoor carpet is cut to fit over the entire inflatable floor with holes to allow access to the floor and keel valves.

Not that heavy even when wet. If it gets sandy, I toss it into the ocean to rinse it off.

When the boat is deflated, its left in place, rolled up and stored with the boat.

Marc Hall
Crazy Fish - Maintaining, Upgrading and Sailing a Crealock 37

 

[wsmurdoch]

Marc,

Thanks. I think I'll give the outdoor carpet a try.

[My patched air floor (with two part glue and a seven day cure) seems to be holding air after a week. One part glue after 24 hr curing leaked when inflated.]

 

[SVArgo]

8' Caribe with a 5HP for putting or 9.9 to plane. The outboard needs some TLC after extensive S&M, so we started using our Trinka 8, rowing everywhere, and haven't even thought about the RHIB since then.

Ryan