T&T: Rigid dink vs Hard bottom Caribe

[Brent Hodges]

From: <JSpence47@aol.com>

> I currently have a 9' 6"  Caribe hard bottom dink with a 15 hp Yamaha.  I
am
> considering buying the 10' dink from Rigid Boats. Does anyone on the list
> have direct experience with the Rigid boat? Is it really lighter than my
Caribe?  (endsnip)

This boat looks very much like the Boss Boats. First, I can't see how it
could be lighter. The website says the 10ft model weighs 275 lbs, and your
Caribe couldn't possible weigh that much. According to what I can see, the
C9X model Caribe weighs 141 lbs.

I will say that the Boss Boats and Rigid Boats are very good looking boats!

I started with a 10 ft Avon RIB, and had a chance to get a very nearly new
10 ft Boss boat at just over half price, so I bought it. It was much rougher
riding than the Avon, the "watertight" compartments weren't, and you have to
use fenders unlike the inflatables. I had a friend that wanted it, so I let
him have it and went back to the Avon. Now I think he's about decided he'd
rather have an inflatable himself.

Keith Emmons of the list also has a 10ft Boss and I think he recently
decided he would rather have an inflatable. Maybe he'll comment.

Bottom line, I wouldn't reccomend it. What few advantages it has are
outweighed by many disadvantages.

Brent Hodges
tender, "Littleship" t/t Friendship
10ft Avon with 25hp Merc 2 stroke.
(Man, will this thing fly!!)   :o)