Choosing a tender involves making many difficult choices
There is no such thing as a perfect dinghy for a yacht. There are simply too many conflicting requirements, and your choice of a tender depends on what sacrifices you’re prepared to make.There are two major types of dinghies: those with hard hulls of plastic or wood, and those with inflatable hulls of fabric-reinforced vinyl or Hypalon. Some dinghies, mostly larger ones, are a sort of hybrid, with rigid plastic bottoms and inflatable topsides. These are called rigid inflatable boats, or RIBs.
 |
| Choosing a dinghy for a tender involves many compromises. Two major types are dinghies with hard hulls of plastic or wood (top) and those of inflatable fabric such as the rigid inflatable boat (bottom), which has a hard fiberglass bottom. |
Hard dinghies are easier to row and sail and make better sea boats. They tow with less resistance and are more resistant to abrasion from rocks and shells on shore. But they are bulkier, heavier, and less stable.Inflatable dinghies are compact when deflated and attain planing speeds with small out-boards. They have a greater load-carrying capacity, are more stable, and are easier for swimmers to enter from the water. But they are vulnerable to punctures, difficult to row in strong winds, and have much shorter lives.If you intend to cross large open stretches of water where towing a dinghy would be inadvisable, you must carry your dinghy on board. An inflatable of almost any size can be deflated and stowed in a locker, but it is always difficult to find deck space for a hard dinghy. Some hard dinghies are designed to break down into two or more sections that nest inside each other, allowing, for example, an 11-foot (3.3 m) tender to stow in a space only 5 feet, 10 inches (1.78 m) long.The smallest practical hard dinghy for two adults is a 7-foot (2 m) pram weighing about 70 pounds (32 kg).The famous American naval architect, L. Francis Herreshoff, listed these requirements for the “ideal” tender. It would:
- row easily, light or loaded
- be light enough to be hoisted aboard easily
- be stable enough to get into and out of easily
- be constructed strongly, so it will not leak, and will take some abuse
- tow easily, always holding back on its painter and never yawing around
See also
Dinghy Capacities; Dinghy Life.
