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I am starting to dip my toe into the market for a new dinghy and motor. This is being precipitated by the fact that our 20 year old 3 HP Johnson is dying and won’t cut it for our future needs. We need to be able to carry 2+ adults, 1 child, and payload. The current usage is Chesapeake cruising, but we plan to live aboard full time in the near future. Trying to keep the budget under $5k, and closer to $4k if possible.
I’m pretty much sold on a Yamaha 9.9 or 15 HP being the way to go and since our current dinghy is a bottom of the line West Marine PVC roll-up, bigger engine means bigger dinghy. It seems a lot of cruisers swear by the 15 and even 20+ HP outboards with +/- 10’ RIB but I do notice a lot of RIBs in that size range specify around 100 lb or 8-10 HP max motor size which is exceeded by those bigger motors by about 20-25 lbs. So first question is whether the motor “maximum” weight and HP ratings are strict limits or merely recommendations? I like that the 15 HP motors would offer the possibility of planning and that they have an electric start option.
For the dinghy itself I’m leaning toward a Defender brand model 300 RIB hypalon fabric with 992 lb payload capacity, 17” tubes, and 9’-10” length. We don’t have davits and they’re currently very, very low on the priority list. We’d either be storing it on the foredeck or towing. Luckily we do have a Garhauer motor lift crane. The Defender model is about half the price of the gold standard AB and Caribe brands of similar design, which could be a good or bad thing. It seems all the RIBs in the 10’ range are around 100 lbs. regardless of price or aluminum vs. fiberglass hull.
Despite the RIB being the overwhelming choice for cruisers, I still have an attraction toward roll-ups. There are hypalon aluminum floored roll-ups with inflatable keels at about the same price point as the Defender RIB. I do love that the roll-up can be deflated and stowed in a lazarette or aft berth. They run about 20-30 lbs. lighter than comparably sized RIBs with similar payload and motor capacities. I do understand that they lack durability for beaching.
Finally, I recently bought a new Aqua Signal all-around white LED clamp-on light for my current dinghy. First time out it was on all of 5 minutes before failing completely. Trying multiple rounds of fresh batteries did not revive it. Unfortunately, although it’s brand new, it is beyond its return period and I have a feeling getting warranty service will not be worth the hassle. I really do wish there were better options for dinghy running lights. There does seem to be one very attractive option, but at over $200, I could rig a small tractor battery and hard wire some cheap LED running lights on a pole mounted to the transom. That would also give me the ability to add a cheap fishfinder, which I’ve always thought would be good for scoping out anchorages.
I’ll be looking for deals at the boat show, but unfortunately I have a feeling nobody at the show will beat the big D (not affiliated in any way). My wife and I travel to CT by car to visit family a couple times a year so it would not be out of the question to pick up from them.
I’d appreciate any thoughts and feedback.
I’m pretty much sold on a Yamaha 9.9 or 15 HP being the way to go and since our current dinghy is a bottom of the line West Marine PVC roll-up, bigger engine means bigger dinghy. It seems a lot of cruisers swear by the 15 and even 20+ HP outboards with +/- 10’ RIB but I do notice a lot of RIBs in that size range specify around 100 lb or 8-10 HP max motor size which is exceeded by those bigger motors by about 20-25 lbs. So first question is whether the motor “maximum” weight and HP ratings are strict limits or merely recommendations? I like that the 15 HP motors would offer the possibility of planning and that they have an electric start option.
For the dinghy itself I’m leaning toward a Defender brand model 300 RIB hypalon fabric with 992 lb payload capacity, 17” tubes, and 9’-10” length. We don’t have davits and they’re currently very, very low on the priority list. We’d either be storing it on the foredeck or towing. Luckily we do have a Garhauer motor lift crane. The Defender model is about half the price of the gold standard AB and Caribe brands of similar design, which could be a good or bad thing. It seems all the RIBs in the 10’ range are around 100 lbs. regardless of price or aluminum vs. fiberglass hull.
Despite the RIB being the overwhelming choice for cruisers, I still have an attraction toward roll-ups. There are hypalon aluminum floored roll-ups with inflatable keels at about the same price point as the Defender RIB. I do love that the roll-up can be deflated and stowed in a lazarette or aft berth. They run about 20-30 lbs. lighter than comparably sized RIBs with similar payload and motor capacities. I do understand that they lack durability for beaching.
Finally, I recently bought a new Aqua Signal all-around white LED clamp-on light for my current dinghy. First time out it was on all of 5 minutes before failing completely. Trying multiple rounds of fresh batteries did not revive it. Unfortunately, although it’s brand new, it is beyond its return period and I have a feeling getting warranty service will not be worth the hassle. I really do wish there were better options for dinghy running lights. There does seem to be one very attractive option, but at over $200, I could rig a small tractor battery and hard wire some cheap LED running lights on a pole mounted to the transom. That would also give me the ability to add a cheap fishfinder, which I’ve always thought would be good for scoping out anchorages.
I’ll be looking for deals at the boat show, but unfortunately I have a feeling nobody at the show will beat the big D (not affiliated in any way). My wife and I travel to CT by car to visit family a couple times a year so it would not be out of the question to pick up from them.
I’d appreciate any thoughts and feedback.
