A memory from before we started Cruising…
23 August 2007
We sold the hard dinghy yesterday since we had two Dinghys and couldn’t take both of them with us. We werent even done washing it, and it sold right out from underneath of us!
Then we rolled out the inflatable which was to be our dinghy for the trip. (Whichever one didnt sell first was to be our dinghy to start off with). The inflatable had a grapefruit size hole in it! A mouse had eaten in to it and made it its home – it had sat in our shed for the last few years. It was very dissapointing. $260 to fix it professionally – and it wasnt in the easiest place to fix – seams in the way and all.
So, we started researching RIBs, which is really what we wanted anyways. This boat will be dragged over coral and rocks on an every day basis and sit in the hot tropical sun day in and day out…so a RIB, with a hard bottom but inflatable sides is hopefully the best of both worlds for us…Easier to get in and out of in the weater, for snorkelling and swimming and using our new SeaBreathe unit…Easier to Row than a traditional inflatable, and can be abused a bit. We got a decent deal at a local chandler, and he took our trade in of the cheap inflatble with the grapefruit size hole in it. SO we are happy, although a little broker. Its a NICE Rib, by Avon, brand new, and waiting for us to pick her up in the morning!
Now instead of selling the 5HP that we WERE selling, I guess we will sell the 2.5 HP instead…
(Update years later…we sold the 5HP, have baught two 15HP engines since, and we still have that 2.5 HP Mercury!)
To find the Dinghy right for you, please use my Amazon Links below to start your shopping. Hopefully this helps you, and it helps us too!
