what brand of raft do you have? why?

[erice]

i'm looking to get a larger raft, about 10'. what brand do you use? why did you choose it? any thing you do/don't like about it? weight is somewhat of an issue for me, as is stepping down into a rib, so i guess it'll be either an air floor or aluminum/wood floor. thanks.

[bccanucker]

I'm not clear if you are trying to go to a RIB or stay away from one.
My last boat we bought a 10' Polaris rib with a 15 Honda. Larger diameter tubes than most meant a more comfortable ride and I thought the hypalon was a better quality. Locally made. Polaris supply to the Coast Guard. Carried it on the swim grid with Sea Wise davits.
Today we pull an older classic Whaler.

[jleonard]

We just bought a new one last fall. An Achilles RIB, 10'4", hypalon, with a double hull. We had the "intention" of just looking, but Defender had this lonley looking last year's model just sitting on their floor at a good discount so the Admiral felt sorry for it and let it follow us home.
It will be powered by a Yamaha 2 cycle 15 hp and carried on davits.
This is an upgrade from the old dink and motor which was too small and too slow at times. We enjoy dink exploring and this will do the job. And it will scoot so circumventing Block Island or Shelter Island or Fisher's Island will be doable.
We wanted hypalon because it is more permanent, and we also wantd a flat interior floor and the double hull RIBs are flat.
The downside is that is it heavy at 140 or so lbs. And it's new so I'll have to secure it and the engine (never bothered in the past).

[Pitou]

My current tender is an 8'-6" Zodiac RIB ... rigid inflatable boat with 16 inch tubes and an 8 hp. I would not go any smaller on the the tube size. The boat stows nicely on a set of Weaver Davits on the swim platform. Over the years I've had plywood decked floors and one air deck. For anyone that has the ability to transport their tender in one piece fully assembled for the season the RIB is the only way to go especially if you are looking for stability under foot. At times getting in and out of an air deck does present its challenges for those that may be a bit unsteady due to chop in the water or just plain old wobbly knees.

The 2 things I would look to change would be : 1). loa / length ... 10 ft. minimum with a 9.9 hp will put the tender up on plane. That I miss, but was thinking with the 28's beam of 10 ft I wanted the raft fully inside the beam when tilted up and being transported. Getting a 10 to 10 - 6 would have been better for RIB usage, but the spray of the Albin would catch the ends of the tender when tilted up when underway or made for catch spots when working around docks in close quarters. It's hard to have it all. 2). I'd switch over to an AB brand inflatable which has a very high bow which would be better than the Zodiac and some other brands in deflecting water for a dryer ride. Live and learn.

Willoughby Gap 042.JPG

[jleonard]

The 2 things I would look to change would be : 1). loa / length ... 10 ft. minimum with a 9.9 hp will put the tender up on plane.

Ditto this without a doubt. My previous was 8'9" hardbottom and the 8 hp 2 cycle would barely get us two (middle aged overweight Americans) on plane with the 20 lb dog aboard. Fast forward to the new dink and that same engine planed the boat EASILY at 1/3 throttle.
Also true about the high bow...you may think you will not have a problem but run back to the boat sometime in a 15 knot chop and you'll change your mind in a hurry.

[erice]

jleonard: what model rib did you get? was the sale price much below the normal advertised price? how much does your 15hp yamaha weigh?

[jleonard]

HB-315 DX , was listed at $3507 for 2010 year boats. The floor model was a 2009 and it was something like $900 less as is. (I found when I got it that it was missing a $3 valve cap which of course I replaced). It had everthing that came with the boat, it was all in an unopened box in the back room.
The 15 HP 2 cycle Yamaha weighs 79#. I knew that Yamaha still sold 2 cycle (much lighter) enignes in 2009, but I could not find one at any of the local dealers. One in Fl had some for $2800+ then add shipping to Ct.
I searched hard in my local Craig's List and found one that had approx 5 hours on it. It was bought in March 2010, tried once by that owner and sold to the guy I bought it from who had used it a couple of times on his summer vacation. We got it for $1800 cash. (He was taking his kids to Disney World the next week). That included a 3 gal tank and the hose, and 2 years left on the warantee.

[DougSea]

Jay,

What's the shaft length needed for the HB-315? I checked Achillies site but they only list HP, not length. I may go the same route as you and found a few short shaft 15's out there.

[zinbaad]

<<< Listening and also considering a blowup hard bottom or small whaler

[jleonard]

What's the shaft length needed for the HB-315?

15" or "short shaft".

I also have been considering a 11 Whaler for lots of years, however for travelling it is not for me as it would be tow only. I don't want to deal with that.
It also would extend beyond the beam on my boat if I tried to keep it on davits.
PLUS.....ever have one behind you at anchor? Have a good friend who towed one for years and it was always hard to deal with in a raft. He had to tie it up along side his boat but if it got choopy or there were wakes in the anchorage it was not fun.
Behind the boat it would always crrep up and bang the platform.

[DougSea]

Thanks Jay.

I've got a 13' Whaler (yup, we call it "Sonny Jr."!) and it always seems to sneak up behind the boat and bang off of the platform. Doesn't matter how long or short the line is. I end up tying it off on a spring line.

[bccanucker]

Over the years we've had a 10' Livingston with 2 hp Honda, the 10' Polaris first with an 8HP then a 15HP and now the 17' Whaler. The first 2 were on swim grid davits. This last one we tow. we don't mind the towing. It's all trade offs. We love the bigger tender to be able to go farther for the loaf of bread, pick up the grandkids, prawning and if it gets rough we dont care. Gaylene handles the Whaler when we hook up (or dehook) when we tow and she loves it. Our Whaler has become her Whaler.
Before we retired, the type of boating we did would not favour the towing.

[Chuck Waygood]

I started towing after meeting two guys at Marathon who towed a 16'outboard behind a 45' sportfish all the way from Chicago ! For me, it turned out to be much easier to get two labs to shore. Sometimes it was on spring lines alongside with bumpers (at anchor or in locks) and others on the stern with lines fore and aft and bumpers designed for the swim platform. A major convenience for transiting anchorages. Only dunked it once ! (smile!)

[jleonard]

This is how my friend carries his Wahler now...

Garp2 (1536 x 1024).jpg

[erice]

jleonard: at my club, we have a member with a boat almost exactly like the one you pictured. what size is that boat? do you know the owner's name or if he recently sold it?