small inflatables?

[tonks]

in the market for a small inflatable that will pack up and stow on top of my hard top of my 21 footer. already have an 8 horse merc for it. knowing nothing about them i am looking for advice on what to or not to buy, how much to pay etc.
any help would be much appreciated

[Roughasguts]

Small inflatables well at least my 3.3mtr quick silver is bloody heavy takes two guys to lift it. and if packed away is a real pain to half inflate then put the floor in 4' peices. Then try' and try' and try' to get the aluminium strip down the sides of the flooring to brase it all up.

Think you would be just better off towing it.

[BillB]

Tonks,
I have got a 3.4 metre Zodiac inflatible that is the inflatible floor version. I can just manage to lift it, when it is folded up, on to the roof rack of the 4WD with the use of a step ladder. It weighs 34 kgs. Funnily enough it is actually easier to put it on top inflated because you are not lifting the whole weight at once. You have to decide how many people you want to carry legally to get the right size. The 3.4 can carry 5. I don't find inflating it a real pain because I use a two speed 12 volt inflator. It only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish to get it ready for use. The 8 hp should push one along ok. Mine planes with two people onboard with a 9.8hp. I don't use mine all that often, I could be talked into selling it with or without the motor.
Cheers,
BillB

[Chimo]

Hi Tonks

I went the way your thinking but only with a small seyvelor and after deciding the best place for it is in the swiming pool or as a paddle boat on site got a light 12 ft tinny that now gets towed, sometimes at 25 kn and that I hang a 2.7 hp on if I dont feel like a row.

Cheers

Chimo

[CROOZY]

HEY,
I`VE JUST PURCHASED A 2M SIRROCO TIMBER SLAT FLOOR ROLLUP FROM E-BAY,
$835 DELIVERED TO HOBART WITH ALL ACCESSORIES THIS IS MORE THAN $100 UNDER RETAIL, IT HASNT ARRIVED YET SO I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.
CHEERS PHIL

[The_Walrus]

Havea look at the Porta-Bote.

http://www.porta-bote.com/index.htm

Has definite advantages on an inflatable

Luc

[Homer_Jay]

chimo,
How do you set up your tinny to tow? Doesnt it just fly around being so light? At displacement speeds fair enough but at 25 knots?

I have been thinking about the small inflatable thing too but I did have a 3.3 mt quicksilver inflatable once. Great little boat but bloody heavy. I have been looking at the little ones around 2.7 mt and they are only about 23 kg's so I am thinking this might be the way to go as it should be ok to lift onto the hard top but is it going to be too small to be any use anyway?

[Chimo]

Hi Homer

Towing tinny
I use a 10 ft or so paynter off the bow eye with a heavy pulley block thru which I pass a bridle that is tied off at the rear port and stb bollards of the Vag.

That way it can be adjusted to clear the twin 115s. Short bridle for low speed and out very long at high speeds. Seems to work fine, no water in empty tinny even at the high sppeed. tried it with some weight in rear of tinny but wasnt neccesary. Carry 2.7hp motor on cutting board.

Cheers

Chimo

[tonks]

thanks for your help. sounds like a bit of buggering around with an inflateable. we are remote down here and thought i would get an inf. boat rather than a life raft as a back up cause it might have other uses aswell. eg travelling around by 4wd. not sure about those fold out boats they look a bit dodgy to me.

[epoc]

Tenders are the scurge of the boaty with a planning hull!! > > I tried towing a tinny at speed but it was a nightmare with it swinging side to side. So I went for the Sevlor blowup jobbie with a outboard bracket running a 3.3hp Merc. Great for the crabpots or to get the fam to the beach at Peel and the like.

We usually let 1/2 the air out and fold it up into the back of the boat when moving on the plane. A bit of a headscrew having to re-inflate it, but worth the effort. Could put it on my hardtop, but have found that even tho it only weights 18kg, it just 2 awkward to maneuver.

Cheers
E

[Roughasguts]

There are some good points about the inflatable they can bump in to you boat all night, jump in and out of it, and you won't scratch your big rig.

They are stable, you can stand up on the side, Beer in one hand and well your favorite tackle in the other, you get the picture.
And they tow a lot better.

Is there anyway you can hang a small inflatable, from a davit on your bigger boat.

Or Maybe sit it sideways on a Marlin board / Swim platform.