I want to get a tender for cruising in Lake Champlain this next summer; but, what to get: pram, dinghy, inflatable, kayak? What do others prefer and why? Appreciate your suggestions.
aurora@capital.net
tender for CD25
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
Jim Stull
Re: tender for CD25
Hi KeithI want to get a tender for cruising in Lake Champlain this next summer; but, what to get: pram, dinghy, inflatable, kayak? What do others prefer and why? Appreciate your suggestions.
We use our CD 25 for cruising and spent a great deal of time on this subject. I wanted a hard shell dinghy and checked out all the plans I could find. None would really fit on deck. I then did a big search for the best "breakapart" hard dinghy. Danny Green's designs are very nice but again too big. I did find a smaller breakapart design and even bought the plans. However laying out the space required on deck for storage reluctantly convinced me that this was not practical. (Because of frequent rough weather I did not wish to tow.)
At the 1998 Annapolis Boat Show I was a man on a mission. I spent time with every inflatable rep (boat not rep) I could find. There was one we found that looked like it was designed with the CD 25 in mind. It is the smallest (two person) inflatable Bombard with the inflatable floor. Great little boat. I don't have the exact details at hand but it weighs about 20 some pounds. (Maybe 25?) Rolls into a small package which fits into a lazzerette or in the vee berth. With the good foot pump inflation is a piece of cake. (We lay it across the cockpit coamings to inflate. Inflate in about 5 min.) The air floor is quite ridged. And it rows well. Great little boat. Have not had it out in current or in a high wind and I suppose it will have the same issues here that all inflatables have. I am thinking about the little Honda 2 hp motor to provide some assistance in these conditions.
JIm
jtstull@icubed.com
-
Chris Reinke
Re: tender for CD25
Keith - Due to various bits of good fortune I have two inflatables which I can use as a tender for my CD330. Due to the limited space on deck from my cutter rig I have to either tow or store. On longer offshore voyages I use a 3 person OMC model with 3 compartments and an inflatable floor. This is in addition to and not as a replacement for an offshore liferaft which I rent from Boat/US. The inflatable packs into a nice small size and can be stored in a cockpit locker. I have a 2hp motor which hangs on a stern rail mounted bracket. Getting the motor on and off the dingy is easy in calm water. I use a halyard to ease installation or removal if I have any wave action. My second inflatable is a larger zodiac with a rigid floor. The hard floor is VERY stable and makes shore landings with unfamiliar bottom conditions worry free. Cruising with a small child and a dog makes the hard flooring a very nice feature. The problem is that the rigid hull must be towed. I purchased several adjustable aluminum poles which are used as tow bars to eliminate the possibility of the inflatable getting pushed under my stern in a following sea. One end of each pole attaches to the tow rings on the inflatable and the other end attaches to each of my stern cleats. This towing arrangement works well in keeping the inflatable tracking well while under motor or sail, but I would not want it hanging off my stern in bad weather.
Good luck with whatever you decide. The selection of a good tender needs to be based upon the type of sailing you are planning on doing, the intended use of the tender (to docks or to shore), the frequency of use, the physical condition of your crew (my wife refused to get in the small inflatable while pregnant), and the level of comfort you desire.
Best of luck,
Chris
Chris.reinke@transamerica.com
Good luck with whatever you decide. The selection of a good tender needs to be based upon the type of sailing you are planning on doing, the intended use of the tender (to docks or to shore), the frequency of use, the physical condition of your crew (my wife refused to get in the small inflatable while pregnant), and the level of comfort you desire.
Best of luck,
Chris
I want to get a tender for cruising in Lake Champlain this next summer; but, what to get: pram, dinghy, inflatable, kayak? What do others prefer and why? Appreciate your suggestions.
Chris.reinke@transamerica.com
-
Catherine Monaghan
Re: tender for CD25
If you decide to go with a rigid dingy (you'll have to tow it), you may want to consider the <a href="http://www.walkerbay.com/">Walker Bay</a>. She's a sweet little dingy.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
I want to get a tender for cruising in Lake Champlain this next summer; but, what to get: pram, dinghy, inflatable, kayak? What do others prefer and why? Appreciate your suggestions.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
-
Richard G
Re: tender for CD25
Keith,
I have a CD27 and labored over finding a tender. Settled on the Avon Redstart( 8'footer) which just fits into the port lazarette on my boat. I can still get plenty of other stuff in the locker as well, but the critical dimension is the opening of the locker. I like the Redstart. It is a hypalon boat, has wooden oars which are long enough to allow you to row easily, and will carry two nicely with a little gear. I have no motor and do not plan to get one as I have not proven that I need one as yet. I am in Southern CA.
Aldajon@aol.com
I have a CD27 and labored over finding a tender. Settled on the Avon Redstart( 8'footer) which just fits into the port lazarette on my boat. I can still get plenty of other stuff in the locker as well, but the critical dimension is the opening of the locker. I like the Redstart. It is a hypalon boat, has wooden oars which are long enough to allow you to row easily, and will carry two nicely with a little gear. I have no motor and do not plan to get one as I have not proven that I need one as yet. I am in Southern CA.
Aldajon@aol.com
-
Gary McDonough
Re: tender for CD25
Keith,
In 1998 I purchased a 6'7" Zodiak. I purposely bought their smallest one because it would fit into the cockpit locker of my old 25D when not in use. I then discovered that in anything other than calm water, the bow (and my wife)would get swamped. Also, on the one occasion my engine did not work, it was practically impossible to row (once again with choppy water).
This season I got rid of it and purchased the Walker Bay 8' Dinghy for $399 (about half the price of the Zodiak). It's a great boat. Rows well, tows well and motors well and is dry in choppy water. I have a 3HP Yamaha. My typical use of it is weekends when my wife and I stay on the boat. We use is principally to "commute" back and forth to the dock from our mooring. For this purpose it is ideal. On the occasional trips we make it tows well.
Once again it boils down to tradeoffs. What will be your primary use and what are your most important characteristics when purchasing.
Good luck,
Gary
garym@taxinvest.com
In 1998 I purchased a 6'7" Zodiak. I purposely bought their smallest one because it would fit into the cockpit locker of my old 25D when not in use. I then discovered that in anything other than calm water, the bow (and my wife)would get swamped. Also, on the one occasion my engine did not work, it was practically impossible to row (once again with choppy water).
This season I got rid of it and purchased the Walker Bay 8' Dinghy for $399 (about half the price of the Zodiak). It's a great boat. Rows well, tows well and motors well and is dry in choppy water. I have a 3HP Yamaha. My typical use of it is weekends when my wife and I stay on the boat. We use is principally to "commute" back and forth to the dock from our mooring. For this purpose it is ideal. On the occasional trips we make it tows well.
Once again it boils down to tradeoffs. What will be your primary use and what are your most important characteristics when purchasing.
Good luck,
Gary
I want to get a tender for cruising in Lake Champlain this next summer; but, what to get: pram, dinghy, inflatable, kayak? What do others prefer and why? Appreciate your suggestions.
garym@taxinvest.com