Research
The reading
before the
buying.
Ten guides covering the decisions that actually determine whether you end up with the right boat — and the numbers manufacturers do not publish.
Core method
The Most Important Number: Ready-to-Use Weight
Brochure hull weight is not the number your davits care about. Here is how to calculate what you will actually be lifting — and why it changes shortlists.
Methodology
How We Rate Dinghies
Every model is rated for the job it is actually being bought to do — not given one score for the whole manufacturer. Here are the three weighting systems we use.
Sizing
What Size Tender Does Your Yacht Need?
The honest answer is smaller than you want and bigger than you can store. Here is how to resolve that.
Materials
PVC vs Hypalon / CSM: Which Tube Material?
The single decision most likely to determine whether your tender lasts five years or fifteen in Australian sun.
Materials
Aluminium vs Fibreglass RIB Hulls
Fifteen to thirty percent of the weight, or a noticeably better ride. You do not get both.
Format
Inflatable vs Inflatable Catamaran vs Hard Dinghy
Three genuinely different answers to the same problem. Most buyers only seriously consider one of them.
Propulsion
Matching the Outboard to the Dinghy
The transom rating is rarely the limit you hit first. Weight and shaft length usually are.
Before you sign
The Dinghy Buying Checklist
Twenty questions that separate a good purchase from an expensive education.
Used market
Buying a Used Dinghy in Australia
Many excellent tenders remain in service long after ranges are discontinued or Australian distribution changes. Knowing which is which is the whole skill.
Sailing
How to Buy a Sailing Dinghy
Buy the fleet, not the boat. Everything else is a detail.