Hi all,
We have a sailboat and as a tender we have a 1996 Tinker Traveller hypalon fold and stowe inflatable with sailing kit that we have had since 2006 and love but it is beginning to show wear and tear. I'm contemplating whether I can rebuild/replace the plywood floor and I've got a temporary repair patch to the hypalon that I need to replace with something more permanent shortly.
I keep my eyes open for another Traveller on Craigslist and such but they're rare here in the USA and especially now that they're no longer made. Also keeping a lookout for an easy-to-fold-away hypalon inflatable used that we could have as replacement but it is really difficult to find a similar load capacity (1100 lb), light weight (60-some lb) and easy to fold up/inflate and such. Looking for something like an Achilles LSI 310 (or is it LSR w/aluminum floor?) but not sure what might do and so decided to join here and start reading up about various inflatable tenders that might work for us.
We figure we'll have to find a way to keep the Tinker going since it is a fun little boat to sail (and row) and is easily launched from our sailboat. Pic sailing:
Here's a pic of our Tinker Traveller in use while my hubby is hauling a crabpot in Alaska
And here I've snapped a photo of him picking blackberries while standing knee-high in water after sailing the dinghy from our anchorage over to the blackberry bushes along the edge of a slough in California
spy-sea-one
