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SKYCHENEY
02-18-2007, 09:47 PM
I am looking for a 10' tender. I looked at what was available at the Miami show and I'm thinking about a Zodiac Yachtline 310 RIB or an Avon 310 RIB. Both are rated at 4 persons and 15hp. The Avon has 17" tubes vs 16" on the Zodiac and the Avon warranty is 10 years vs 5 on the Zodiac. Anybody with firsthand experience on these, please let me know what you think. Or, if there is something else in this size range that you like, I might consider that as well. Thanks.

Rob B
02-18-2007, 10:41 PM
Sky:

I had the Avon and at one time had a nissan 15 and then put on a Nissan 18 (4 stroke). There was nothing wrong with the dinghy, it gave very good service but, I think it rode rougher than its peers, its a pretty wet boat as well. I moved up to a larger tender (AB 12 with a 40 and a steering wheel). I was tired of the way you sit on the tubes and hold the tiller it bothered my back. The bigger dinghy was way more comfortable, it rode better and was not as wet. Go ahead and buy the planing fins because it will definetly need something. Good luck.

Boss Lady
02-18-2007, 10:50 PM
buy the largest you can stand to load on the boat. The ribs are much better boats, and I am looking at the new cat inflatables, But it mainly depends on what you really want the boat to do for you. I want a dual purpose boat, that I can do some inshore fishing on occasion, but that is just me. The 8-10' are too small.

SKYCHENEY
02-18-2007, 10:57 PM
I know the 10' is a little small. The problem is that the PO mounted the davit in the wrong spot and that is all I can put up on the hardtop. I have tried several others up there including a 11' Whaler and a Nautica Jet 10. Both would fit but only after really working them around. It was too much work to get them up there right and I don't want someone falling off or getting injured. I know a 10' will fit since the PO had a Zodiac Yachtline 310 up there and I have an inflatable floor 10' up there now.

Boss Lady
02-18-2007, 11:21 PM
Can you turn it it across the beam? I plan on putting mine across the stearn on custom davits.

tomrealest
02-19-2007, 08:37 AM
I had a Zodiac Yachtline 12 foot and I was very dissatisfied with it. I had a 40hp Yahama for power. It was hard to plane with the bow straight in the air, couldn't see in front of you. When you slowed down, water ran over the transome and soaked you. The bilge pump outlet was under water when going slow, I had to move it. That's just for starters.
I replaced it with a 14 foot Caribe which is too big for the roof of my 58 Yachtfish, but I love it. The difference between the Caribe & Zodiac is night & day.

MikeP
02-19-2007, 08:39 AM
SKY,

We have an 11ft Avon RIB which suits us just fine. It has slat-type seats so you don't have to sit on the tubes. It was on the boat when we got it - the RIB is probably 7-8 years old and is still in excellent condition so I'd say the Avon's hold up well. We've carried 4 in it quite comfortably.

Boss Lady
02-19-2007, 11:43 AM
two things you should consider. 1. the length of the foot on the outboard, if it is too long it acts like a fulcrum and will really lift the bow even with moderate power applied. 2. the extended add-on tabs really work because they keep the bow down and keep you from just digging a hole.

thoward
02-19-2007, 12:20 PM
How about a 9' Whaler? It will have as much or more room inside as the RIB but a smaller footprint.

Pascal
02-19-2007, 01:44 PM
the 5 year warranty on the zodiac says it all. i had a small zodiac/west rollup and it lasted 5 years and 2 months before the floor started coming apart !

Boss Lady
02-19-2007, 04:07 PM
Some of the newer materials and manufacturing processes are better than the old stuff. Zodiac and Avon have been going head to head for military business for years, we had both and both had problems. I have not been very impressed with either one. Both of them look like hell after a short time of usage. I have been impressed by Brig and Nouvorina. Does anyone know where these are made?

luckydave215
02-19-2007, 06:37 PM
Whatever brand tickles your fancy, make sure you buy a hypalon boat, NOT a pvc boat. Pvc turns into a gummy bear after a short period in the sun and can't be cleaned, hypalon lasts essentially forever. Pvc holds air better, and hypalon is slightly porous to air, but so what? Pumping is cheap.
My first Avon was in the family for ~30 years, and I sold it still in near perfect condition, getting more than double the new purchase price. I sold my second Avon recently for $1700, (paid $3500 new) after leaving it in the water uncovered for 9 years (with bottom paint, I had my diver clean it along with the big boat). It still looked great.
I now have a 13' Caribe rigid bottom center console (also hypalon).
To apply bottom paint to an inflatable, forget about the anti fouling paint made for inflatables, it's worthless. To get "real" antifouling paint to stick, paint on a "primer" coat of solvent based contact cement, and then apply the "real" bottom paint of your choice. It's an old cruising sailor's trick, and works well.

Trojan
02-19-2007, 06:48 PM
I think I'm going to purchase the Brig model F300 in the spring. Been looking at them for 2 years. The dealer gave me a nice price of $2400.00. It's 9'10' will easley hold 4 and requires 15hp. There made in the the Ukraine. Ridged bottom and they look well made.

BIll

Diver Down
02-19-2007, 07:39 PM
I agree that the Brig is a well-made inflatable. At the last Annapolis show, I spent alot of time looking at the workmanship of this boat in detail. I am impressed and plan to order one of their RIBs in April. I spoke to a factory rep in Ontario and if I'm not mistaken, these boats are built in Canada, at least those sold in North America.

Trojan
02-20-2007, 07:13 AM
They're not made in Canada. Concord, Ontario, Canada is where they are distributed from. They're made in the Ukraine according to the Ohio distributor. That is why I was holding off buying one until I see how well they sell and hold up. I purchased things from that area in the past. So I though I would wait. They sure look good. Nothing in there sales book says where they are made. Maybe on there website.


BILL

REBrueckner
02-20-2007, 08:33 AM
A 9 ft Whaler is a bit short for two people, but will plane with a 15 HP. Might be ideal for a single rider. Will not plane with threre people.

An 11 ft Whaler with a 15 HP will easily plane two people, not three. I normally cruise easily at 15 knots with my Yorkie on extended runs and at that speed one can manage small waves. It can't quite get three people up on plane. A 20 HP would probably just make it over the hump.

Whalers will outlive inflatables....say 7-10 years for an inflatable, 25-30 years for a Whaler as a rough guide...Whalers can easily be patched with epoxy..I reinforced the keel on my 11 footer after encounters with Maine granite. I added vinyl covered rubber bumper molding to mine to avoid hull marks on my Hatt YF. Very easy to attach lifting bridles for hauling aboard.

An 11 Ft Whaler with a 30HP planes three people easily but requires moderation, especially with one or two as it's really too big for the boat. Even with three, each has to hang on tight!Seats require annual varnishing.

10 or 11 ft inflatables will more easily plane multiple passengers with a 15 HP engine than a fiberglass Whaler. I'm pretty sure I could get my old one to plane with three people and 15 HP due to the greater beam than a similar sized fiberglass Whaler. And the soft tubes are a lot more forgiving when bumping the mothership than hard Whalers.

A RIB seems like an ideal compromise as the VEE forward should ride a bit better than a traditional Whaler. New Whaler models are very beamy and have different bottom shapes....I have not been in one.

In general, inflatables are drier (less spray) than old style Whalers. My 11 Ft Whaler gets me sprayed in even mild breezes. But my Yorkie couldn't care less!! People passengers are more picky. In Nantucket Harbor, for example, it's impossible for three people to get from shore to boat and stay dry in even modest breeze...boat is too low and sides too vertical.

exsailor
02-20-2007, 10:51 AM
Have you looked at either the Boss or Rigid dinghies. They are nearly identical
(Rigid copied Boss somehow), are all fiberglass, and come in either sport models with helm or tender models. We have a 10'4" tender with a 15 Merc and really like it. Boat weight spec is about 200lbs without a center seat, but I think it is heavier. Big advantages for me is easy to clean, no air leaks ever, and the tubes are flat on top and very stable to step on. I may add, Admiral also stays drier. See Yachtworld $495 53 ED for an idea as to how one would look on your Hatt.
exsailor

Dustoff44
02-20-2007, 11:01 AM
Look at the Walker Bay 10 with the HVP tubes. I have one and love it. Weighs nothing and fits on top of sundeck easily. Now comes with a 10 year hull waranty...

dastahl
02-20-2007, 12:47 PM
We've had trouble selecting dinghies. Skooch had a small 9' whaler with a 4hp when we bought her. It had 4 inches of freeboard with two people in it. I sold it and bought a 11' Apex with a 15hp. It was too big to put on the aft deck, but great for the islands. I didn't like the quality of the Apex. Sold that and got the smallest 7' 10" Caribe which we call Stubby. It fits facing forward on the aft deck. Caribe's have oversized tubes and nice styling (can a dinghy have style?). Very well made and one of the most expensive. Rated for max 8hp, the 15 Evendude gets it up to about 100 knots. :eek:

My boating pal Capt Fred says he would never own an inflatable after watching one in Alaska tear on a barnical covered piling and sink. "That won't happen to my whaler", he says. Captain Fred is a pretty smart guy.

From my meager experience inflatables are lighter and carry more people per foot of boat without much consternation over capsizing. Fiberglass tenders need to be bigger and heavier to do the same job. The fiberglass tenders can last forever, inflatables generally will not last 10-15 years and are rather fragile from the get go. Tough choice.

David Stahl
Skooch 42LRC401
Worton Creek MD

SKYCHENEY
02-20-2007, 04:59 PM
Have you looked at either the Boss or Rigid dinghies. They are nearly identical
(Rigid copied Boss somehow), are all fiberglass, and come in either sport models with helm or tender models. We have a 10'4" tender with a 15 Merc and really like it. Boat weight spec is about 200lbs without a center seat, but I think it is heavier. Big advantages for me is easy to clean, no air leaks ever, and the tubes are flat on top and very stable to step on. I may add, Admiral also stays drier. See Yachtworld $495 53 ED for an idea as to how one would look on your Hatt.
exsailor

I looked at Rigid at the Miami show. The 10' looks about right and I was going to run up and look at their factory in Ft Myers, but never got a chance. I talked to the Boss Boat rep too, on the phone. I'm just not sure that those boats are worth double the price of an RIB of comparable size. Plus the Rigid weighs 3x more than the RIB. I really thought I might buy one, but I worry about how long these guys will be around especially with the two stealing each others ideas. I like the extra storage in the Rigid, but the soft sides of an inflatable are nice when you bump up against the big boat. Thanks for the input, though. I hope to make a decision this week and get something ordered. Boating season starts in less than 50 days:).

Pascal
02-20-2007, 06:56 PM
i debated this for a long time.. rib vs rigid... inflatables have advantages but are a pain to maintain... Boss are expensive and dont' carry enough.. same with whalers. if you have a 3 stateroom boat, why woudl you have a tender that can only carry 3 or 4 ?

I ended building my own 14 footer :-) and i'm finishing a second one right now, a 13 footer. we had 7 people on it during columbus day regatta and there was plenty of freeboard and stability. the 13 will be rated for 6 and i'm probably going to do an 11 footer next. the 14 is a little too long for the 53, it overhangs so the 13 will fit better. lifting the 14 up is no problem though, it's quick and easy.. and much harder than the 10 foot rollup i used before.

here is a pic of the 14 prototype during CDR, the paint wasnt' even dried and i was using a small 3.3 tiller. the new 13 has a vee in the center hull, remote steering and deeper hull and transom for more freeboard.

http://www.sandbarhopper.com/assets/h13-tmp2.jpg

ThirdHatt
02-20-2007, 10:44 PM
There are two very high quality RIB manufacturers that have not been mentioned in this thread: Nautica and Novurania. They are arguably the best yacht tender manufacturers out there. These are pretty much the only two that you ever find on the big yachts that demand high quality. Nautica are extremely tough, but a bit heavy for any given size compared to other brands. I bought a Novurania 400DL several months ago when I was at the Ft Lauderdale Boat Show. The roof over the aft deck on a 53MY/58YF is 13'4". That is the exact length of a Novurania 400DL. WELL under 800lbs WET with a Yamaha or Honda 50hp four stroke. Built in ice chest/bench seat and room for 5-6 people.

I looked at all the possibilities, including Whalers. I quickly decided that banging a hard-sided boat against the side of my boat while raising/lowering it in any wind or waves, I knew RIB was the only way to go.

RIB's also ride much better in seas than a whaler due to the deep-V and flexible inflatable tubes that act as shock absorbers as the bow rides over waves. You'll be surprised the seas you get caught in when exploring the islands!

Sky, look at a Novurania 360DL and see if that would work for you. VERY high quality boat. I think that one is right at 11' though, not sure if that will fit. If so, look at the slightly used market. Yachts often upgrade tenders and I bet you could find a very late model with very low hours for a deep discount. Check out www.espritnautics.com down in FL for new or used Novurania. Nautica is as good or even better.

Someone mentioned above that a RIB is only good for 7-10 yrs. Not true with a QUALITY RIB. I still have my old 1991 Avon 3.45 Supersport and it still holds air well with the ORIGINAL tubes. It has the forward console/steering wheel and opposing bench seats that easily handles 4 adults and a 30hp Johnson for power. A guy just sold a 1992 Avon 3.45 SS here locally for $1800 with NO ENGINE. The buyer put a new Yamaha 25hp and I see him running around all the time!

jim rosenthal
02-21-2007, 12:24 AM
I agree about high-quality Hypalon boats. One of my friends bought a used Avon military RIB at a GSA sale in PA, cleaned it up and rerigged it, sold it for four times what he had in it. Evidently the military or CG AVons are even tougher. I would look at them as well.

REBrueckner
02-21-2007, 09:23 AM
I had posted an estimated age of 7 to 10 years for an inflabable. That was intended to be typical. I agree a high quality could well last longer, especially if one is cared for properly. The difference with a Whaler is that it will last twice as long almost regardless of how it's treated. In the tropics, full time exposure to sun could shorten that estimate of inflatable life.

A number of high quality RIB's at Nantucket this past summer has soft covers over the tubes...looked like quality fender cover material..sometimes with the boat name embossed...loooked cool, but likely not inexpensive. They keep the tubes from scuffing and protect against UV damage.

Another factor I forgot to mention: In my 11 foot Whaler I have had wave tops come right over the bow when underway with one person...water knocked my Yorkie off a seat one time! When wind opposes current, and say two foot waves are steep, the Whaler can take on water right over the bow! not enough to wet a 15 HP engine but enough to put three or four inches of water inside.

On the other hand, my 11 footer with a 15 HP outboard self drains with an open drain plug. So when bad rains are forecast, I pull the plug and don't worry. A squall line one time flipped my 11foot Whater upside down! 90 mph winds and two foot waves flipped it with a 30 HP outboard and full 12 gallon fuel tank inside!! An inflatable MUST be hauled and fastened down in high winds.

I don't believe any inflatable is so susceptible to waves coming over the bow due to the shape and freeboard of tubes. Anybody had waves come over the top of an inflatable in modest sea conditions? I ran a 14.6 foot Zodiac for a few seasons with a 30HP...once in 12 foot breaking seas into Chatham, Mass. I wrapped by Yorkie inside my storm suit top just in case we got flipped....or I got thrown.....handled that water like a champion...also on the way back out which was a lot easier...but it was a bit big for my 48 YF...

One last note: Those saftey shut off attachments.... which shut an outboard off at the engine when pulled .... and wrap around your wrist ....are wise to wear at all times in small boats...

ThirdHatt
02-21-2007, 10:17 AM
In all honesty, my 1991 Avon has not had the benefit of a cover or much shelter at all for at least the seven years that I've owned it and still holds air very well after many, many years roasting in direct LA sun. Sure she's a bit faded, but no reduction of functionality whatsoever.

My new (to me) Novurania came with one of those glove-fit soft covers. It is made of Stamoid! The same 5-yr warranty quality material that I had my flybridge half-tower re-covered in nearly 2 yrs ago. It will most certainly extend the life of this tender tremendously.

As far as taking waves over the bow, it depends on the RIB. Whalers do not have a deep V or any real bow flare, therefore the water over the bow. The better-designed RIB's have a fairly pronounced bow flare that really keeps the bow up for safety reasons. Some RIB's do not have the bow flare designed into it and they get just as wet as a Whaler would. This, IMHO, is one of the main reasons that a quality RIB is a much better yacht tender than a Whaler (at least for an island hopping tender that is prone to get caught in big seas from time to time). If used on more inland/protected waters and such, a whaler would be just fine. They simply do not ride as well as RIB's in a chop.

All small boats should be secured in a storm. I see no reason to think that a RIB would be any more or less prone to flipping over in a storm than a rigid boat. My Novurania has a completely self-draining deck via two scuppers in the transom. No plug to remember to pull, all rain water automatically drains out of the boat and does not enter the hull at all, terrential downpours included. It can't fill with water due to the deck drains and it is unsinkable with several air tubes to hold it up. Good design.

So many boats, so little time! :D

thoward
02-21-2007, 11:23 AM
Again it depends on how you use it. I can fish the Whaler without any problems but the inflatable does not have the interior room and can not be used around oyster beds in the flats. Our high pressure inflatable is lighter and eaiser to deal with when lifting over a rail. It is a dryer ride as well so for running back and forth I like the inflatable on that aspect. We are looking at carrying both to the bahamas, maybe even a yack or two. We are going to look like Sanford and Son.... :D

johngalt
02-21-2007, 11:48 AM
I've been watching this thread as I also desire to purchase a new tender.I have been hemming and hawing and researching for two seasons now and had pretty much made up my mind on an AB model VS 9 or 10. Everything I have been able to find out about the boat has been positive. The 9'6" model will carry 5 passengers {a must for myself and the Admiral and three children},It will hold a 15hp motor, has 17" tubes a bow locker/seat and weighs aprox; 143 lbs. My question is: Have any of you had any experience with these craft? I am surprised that the brand was not mentioned in the thread.The few people I have talked to about them also praise their dryness at least as far as inflatables go. Any thoughts?

ThirdHatt
02-21-2007, 04:37 PM
I have heard of AB Inflatables but I do not have any experience with them personally. I believe that they are very competitive in the non-console market from around 12' and under. Once you get much over 11', the comfort and "real boat" feel of a center console tender is hard to ignore. For a 9' or 10' boat, you probably can't go wrong with AB.

As far as dryness, take a look at how the bow flares up on those AB's. I bet it is pretty dry in the boat, but the problem is everyone is sitting on the tubes so some will probably still get a wet butt.

Good Luck!

MicroKap
02-21-2007, 04:46 PM
:)I was lucky enough to have a 2004 13' AB Yachtline RIB come with the purchase of my boat a few years ago. It has a 50 HP Honda 4s troke. Boy, can I tell you how impressed I am with this RIB. My parents have a 13' Whaler on their bow that I used to cringe on taking off the bow and using because you feel like you have to hold on for dear life in any sort of chop. Unfortunately, I had the AB airborn off a wake near Westbrook, CT a couple of years ago and it landed so softly with no water in the boat. :) That had me sold! It is incredibly stable and hits almost 40 mph with one person. It's also a dream to launch as the oversized tubes provide a lot of protection against damage to the hull.

Also, you can get accessories for the RIB at [URL=http://www.inflatableboatparts.com] more reasonably than buying parts (including covers) from an authorized dealer.

If you need any specifics, you can PM me on the ABs.

ADaily3224
02-21-2007, 11:14 PM
I bought an Achilles Hypalon 11.5 foot with no frills, two bench seats with an inflatable floor and keel. My requirements were light weight with a 5 person capacity. I liked the way the Achilles was built, smooth easy to clean with larger tubes. Mine is 5 years old and still looks like new albeit stored in the winter. I have a 15 HP Yamaha 2 cycle and it will plane with 5 people on board if inflated properly. Having the floor and keel at the right pressure is important to achieve the performance one expects. The inflatable keel is really easy on the knees and make storage a snap. Because it's only 70 pounds I can flip it up on my swim platform very easily and I travel with it tied there all the time. The Achilles is made in Japan.

There sure are many to choose from.
Tony D

johngalt
02-22-2007, 08:10 AM
[QUOTE=ThirdHatt]
As far as dryness, take a look at how the bow flares up on those AB's. I bet it is pretty dry in the boat, but the problem is everyone is sitting on the tubes so some will probably still get a wet butt.

Thanks ThirdHatt, the bow flare is quite significant on the AB's,which I like, and the VS models come with a bow locker that serves as a seat as well as a removable bench seat midships, both of which I believe would contribute to the passengers staying a bit drier.
Microkap, I am grateful for your input. I have been positively impressed by the opinions of all the AB owners that I have spoken to so far. I am glad to hear that your experiences nearly match the other opinions. Bruce