[PUP] What you look for in a dingy?

[Robby & Dolores]

Scott asked: "I'm wondering if I need to replace my dingy with a hard bottom 
type"
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We spent 11 years cruising our sailboat on both coasts & central Am and 
Europe.

In general I agree with Peter & Dave, large tubes, big enough motor to plane 
fully loaded, security (chained when ashore -- out of the water when 
anchored).

We found different places suggested different solutions.  For example in 
Alaska we had to be really careful about oyster shells, sharp rocks & big 
tides when landing.  In Mexico & Central America we almost always landed on 
a beach which required us to drag the dingy up the beach above the tide line 
to secure it -- weight was the enemy.  In Scotland, you can't by gas at a 
marina (above the Clyde anyway) which meant you had to lug the gas from a 
gas station in the village or town.  No one there had large motors or large 
dingys.

We still have our original 10.4 Avon sportboat, with the too small hapalon 
tubes, but it served us well these past 15 years as did the 8HP Nissan 
motor.  When it dies I'll probably replace it with a similar sized RIB with 
large tubes and a bigger motor which we'll keep on davits.

We also have a smaller (cheap) west marine roll-up dingy which would be a 
poor choice for a primary dingy, but is really great if you want something 
light, possibly with a 2-hp motor.  It stores well, the PVC isn't much of an 
issue if you aren't using it much and keep it under cover, but there are 
times something small is the difference from going ashore to explore and not 
going.

Also I'd recommend obtaining flip-up large wheels for the primary dingy when 
you want to drag it up the beach.  Dolores & I couldn't move our 180 lb Avon 
w/motor without the wheels.

Robby
"Dolores E." San Francisco