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Message 7 of 7
Posted by member Kerry Lord on Monday 21 April 2008
Likewise, we had an Avon Redcrest (8') which would roll up happily and sit on the chain locker when not being used. A high speed dinghy pump is excellent - inflates in 2 minutes and also deflates for flatter packing. We regularly tow along the coast with no probs. Needing more space we've upgraded to a 2nd hand Zodiac with a hard transom and a slatted floor this year. Still plan to fit it on the chain locker. Have also used the coachroof very successfully, but we've taken to carrying a small inflatable sailing dinghy up there (Aquaglide).
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Message 6 of 7
Posted by member Brian Bartlett on Saturday 4 August 2007
Hi,
Beware towing in strong winds - my dinghy was inverted and four feet above the surface during a crossing from Yarmouth to Lymington with a 30 kt. wind for the west. I have heard tales of dinghies arriving in the cockfit when the wind has been dead astern.
Have fun.
Brian
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Message 5 of 7
Posted by member Dominic And Nicola Gribbin on Monday 2 July 2007
Hi James
Like Stephen and Angus above we have always inflated our Avon Roundtail on the forward cabin roof and behind the bow rails. We also use a high speed electrical pump.
Never had a problem with space to inflate and likewise fits neatly stowed in bag on top of chain locker.
Talking tenders, I can highly recommend the roundtail (or eqivalent) for its weight and relatively small volume when packed. Perfect for the Pilot. Ours takes 3 adults but the slightly bigger version takes 4. Avon tenders are seriously rugged,natural rubber products that take extreme abuse and the sun....unlike most synthetic alternative brands. This is a tender that will be with you forever-unlike so many of the alternatives. So worth the few extra quid-trust me!
We are always using our tender so at least as far as we are concerned the Pilot presents no particulat issues to worry about in terms of inflation, deflation, launching and recovery.
Personally we rarely if ever tow.
Best wishes
Dom and Nicola.
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Message 4 of 7
Posted by member Kim Maclean on Wednesday 27 June 2007
hi, We are now on our third and hopefuly final tender and have settled on the following soloution.
We started last season using a Pioner 12 (12FT Bomb proof, rigid plastic tender) which towed very well and was great for getting ashore. It's major downfalls were that it was far to heavy for three kids and two adults to carry up the beach and storage ashore was also a bind. We then bought the smallest in the pioneer range and thought we had found a great soloution - small, portable and could be stored on its end against the house. It was looking as if we had found the perfect soloution. However, when we towed it any faster than 2knts it dived under the water at a rate that a submarine would have been proud of! Fortunately the pioneers are virtually unsinkable.
So we now have an inflatable wetline 270 which tows well, is light and the drag is hardly noticable behind the boat. Being a family its great having the piece of mind that in an emergency it is ready to board and beat a hasty retreat to shore!
We have thought of stowing the boat in the bow locker however the hassle far outways the convienience and safety. the only bind is when you have to berth in rafts or tight marinas. We have two eye bolts on the transom which we have attached a bridal for towing, not sure if these are standard but easily fitted if you decide on this option. Our advice on towing would be to have a painter / line long enough for the tender to 'sit' on the back of the stern wave where it sits nicely, any further forward and it 'bongo' slides on the face of the wave.
Anyway i hope that is of some use i've got to stop typing as were of for a two week cruise in Curach - were of up the Crinan canal and then out to Mull, Staffa, Fort William then back to Dunoon fingers crossed for good weather and following seas for all!
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Message 3 of 7
Posted by member Angus Geddes on Monday 25 June 2007
We have a small round tail inflatable which when deflated fits in the bow locker with a bit of a struggle. You can blow it up in the cockpit as long as the canopy is not up, if it is you have to part blow it up then finish it of over the side. Frankly it is so much hassel it rarely gets used. I do sometimes tow a 8 foot rigid tender and that works well although you have to go slowly. I have recently built a 15 foot skiff which tows much better due to the hull length up to about 7 knots. I have been worried about doing this in any more challenging conditions than within Poole Harbour... the entrance gets exciting on sunny afternoons.
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Message 2 of 7
Posted by member Stephen Pickthall Mem.No. 2214 on Monday 25 June 2007
i used to inflate mine on the front deck with a battery operated inflator , it only too a couple of minutes.
However I did see somewhere in an old boat magazine that someone had made a rack that fitted over thew top of the canopy and they had their dinghy stored there
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Message 1 of 7
Posted by member James Smith on Sunday 17 June 2007
Does anybody have any tips regarding the storage,inflation or towing of a tender with a hardy pilot? I would very much like to carry a tender on the boat but for the life of me cannot see how one would go about this....surely there is no room to inflate the boat onboard so is towing the only option? and if so, how? Any replies gratefully recieved.
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