If you have been reading my blog, you know that my husband and I disagree about our dinghy and motor, whether to keep fixing the old or getting new. When we started researching choices, I was amazed at how many options we now have for dinghies. The previous posts discussed what our criteria were and a summary of the options.
I did agree to let Scott try to fix the old dinghy one more time, and while it did improve, it still leaked water at the transom. We discussed what we were trying to accomplish, where we had access to purchase a dinghy, and how much we wanted to spend. We live and travel full time on a boat, limiting options; we can’t quickly jump in a car and head to the nearest Costco without some planning.
While I love, love the new options in a hard dinghy, given this trip is a year and we are not sure what is next, combined with the need to keep the dinghy light, we decided to go with the inflatable with an air stitch floor. While still heavier than our current dinghy, it was the next lightest option. I have an air stitch floor kayak, and I love it; it is stable and feels sturdy. While not the most durable option, ideally, we need a year’s worth of use. If we decide to continue the cruising lifestyle after we complete the loop, we may need to invest in a different option.
That decided, next was where to purchase. West Marine is the logical choice; however, we have found them expensive and, surprisingly, not easy to get by water. I did some research on alternative brands that had good reviews and found one-Newport. Their website showed the 9 foot was sold out, however. Not good.
So where do you go when you need something delivered and fast? Amazon. I found the Newport dinghy on Amazon and a much higher price than the Newport website, but it was available. As we debated, I kept watching the Amazon page for this product, and like magic, I found a deal!
Amazon sells items that have damaged packaging at a significant discount. I had used this trick a couple of times before and always had success with the product itself being in good shape. Plus, Amazon has an excellent return policy.
So, for $300 less than the Newport site and $1,500 less than Amazon’s full price, we took a gamble. I am cheap that way. We had the dinghy shipped to a friend’s mother in laws near where we were and waited. It arrived when promised, and the packaging was damaged. We brought it to the boat and opened it and….there was slight damage to the wrap around the dinghy…ugh. We decided to keep going and fully inflate it before we made any decisions. We looked over the entire dinghy carefully and found one small superficial mark on the PVC.
We fully inflated it and checked the pressure an hour later. The pressure was holding. Next, I requested Scott take it for a test drive, passed. We waited a couple of days, and still no issue, holding air just fine. Good deal!
I can even stand up in it!
We have had it for almost 2 weeks now, and I have to say I love it. It is sturdy, and I am getting better at gracefully getting on and off it. The tubes are 18 inches, which means more stability, flotation, and less splashing. It has an air floor and keel, and I have a seat! I am not a fan of the ropes for handles, but I can live with it with a deal like this. As an unexpected plus, it is easier to pull up onto the swim platform to store than our lighter old dinghy.
Overall, it is excellent. We have a light, new, clean dingy with a seat for me. I stay dry, feel comfortable, and we now have a reliable motor. And we got a great deal, can’t ask for much better than that.
ohbuoy.net 