Hey Paul,

The ugliest feature of those things is the weight... 130 lbs, empty of gear or any accessories??? You've got to be kidding me...

I can't imagine how one could cruise with a tender that bulky and heavy, on anything less than about 45'... Even then, swinging one from a set of stern davits would appear to be the only option...

The nesting Spindrift I built several years ago came in at less than half that weight. Even in two pieces, it was an incredible PITA to launch and recover by myself... Rigid dinghies involve way more drama in launch and recovery than an inflatable of equivalent weight, wrestling that beast back aboard a boat like mine, the drama would increase exponentially. I simply can't imagine dealing with it on a regular basis, especially without assistance. My 9' Avon Lite, at about 70 lbs, is right about the max of what I'd ever want to have to bring back aboard and stow, and is far and away the most elegant solution overall for a tender on a boat like mine, making for a pretty sleek and low-profile package on the foredeck... Placed anywhere other than on stern davits, that Ugly Pudgy would have to present a HUGE obstacle to forward visibility, on even the largest of boats...

One thing I always do when stowing my tender on deck, is to stow the foot pump, seat, and oars along with it... If I'm ever gonna have to take to the liferaft, that whole package is coming with me as well, with all the equipment I'd need to inflate it afterwards, in the event of an abandonment...

Tom is right, some of the stupidest tricks I routinely see cruisers performing out there regard their unsafe practices in dinghies, it's very easy to become casual about their use in some of the more remote places like the Bahamas...

best regards,

Jon