Everything has a finite life, the length of that life is determined by the quality that was built in when it was new and the care and maintenance you gave it.

Maybe it's time to upgrade and stop playing Russian Roulette and wondering if you are going to make it ashore the next time. You may be a good swimmer, but can you say that about someone that you may be carrying in your tender when it fails again?

My philosophy in life has always been that I am too poor to be able to afford crappy cheap items

If one buys a pvc one, it is not going to be a long relationship as the pvc can not stand the Sun! It will fall apart in a short time.
Buy HYPALON ! Like Achilles. Expensive but you can leave it on the Sun.
As for repairs and advise: 02-95261886 or 0409099544
5/2-4 Kumulla rd. Miranda 2228

I think the post was like the first stage of grief; that is, hopeless denial that I have to cough up for another dinghy. Got over it, bought a new one. Not hypalon, but welded pvc at least.

Thanks for the feedback.

BTW: got a semi-inlfatable dinghy going for free.

I know I'm going to get howled down for this post but it's always an option.

There are several Chinese rubber duckies on the market at very reasonable costs. They are NOT Zodiacs and you certainly wont get the life out of them that you would expect if you spent a lot more money.

I have had three Zodiacs in the past and only the first one gave me problems (purchased new in '81) due to the hot weather. All three were very good and if I hadn't lived in the tropics I'm sure the first one would not have given me problems.

Having said that. I purchased a Chinese ducky from Whitworths when they were on special last year. I only purchased it because of time restraints and the local Zodiac people not having what I wanted in stock and then wanting me to pay extra to ship one that MIGHT get there in 'three or four' days time.

To my surprise the Chinese thing is quite OK to use. It will plane with one on board with a 3hp outboard.

It doesnt have the quality of the better brands and I don't expect it to last me more than a year or so. (it's six months old now and doesn't look worn ór battered) it lives on my davits and has reasonable directional control under power.

When it dies I will probably replace it with a better brand but then if I get good life out of it I may replace it with one the same.

As an antidote, I bought a Hutchinson inflatable (Hypalon) when I lived on and island in Bass Strait in 1978. It was 13ft and had a 35hp outboard that I bought as a dive boat. The Hutchinson outlived the outboard, and probably a few more outboards and as of three years ago was still being used at Laureton in NSW.

LooseChange,

A good example of your last comment is the availability of a popular Port wine that has vanished from the shelves.

When I made inquiries about getting some of the port in stock I was told by the manager of the franchise that it is no longer available. When I asked how a very popular port that sold well was no longer available he told me that the supplier had been offered a price so that the port could be discounted at the counter in competition with other brands of ports.

When the supplier declined the offered price, the chain of outlets simply refused to buy any more. This apparently applied to more than one chain of outlets.

The other ports currently for sale at the same price are pure crap when compared with the discontinued one.

Of course I can (and do) buy more expensive port but a lot of that is no better than the discontinued one and of course being a yachtie we can't put to sea, or even step on board without a nice drop of port waiting for us.

Another thing, how am I going to tell port from starboard without first looking through a port bottle to check on the colour.

Awesome guys. The poor bloke was after some technical advice about how to fix his real life inflatable. Good job.

lol

Stop giving me ideas