For coastal cruisers, which must make up 95% of sailboats on the east coast, their dinghies are towed. We're sailing anchorage to anchorage, harbor to harbor, 10 to 20nm per day(that's a broad assumption), most of the time. It's rare in my sailing area to see a dinghy on deck, or no dinghy in tow(except local racers/daysailers), unless a boat has just arrived from offshore.

A question for boats with inflatables is, "are we going far enough-in rough enough conditions, to bring the outboard aboard?" I'd say most keep the OB off the dinghy in Penobscot Bay. But a short trip in calm conditions allow the lazy choice(leave it on the dinghy) to about a quarter of those I see towing inflatables.

Then in typical protected coastal Maine sailing conditions of 5 to 10, can you(will you) sail with the added drag of an inflatable? How about with the added drag of an inflatable with the motor mounted?

This beautiful Pearson Invicta in 6-7 knots on the beam(if moving east) with the added drag of RIB/OB didn't look like it sailed on this leg.

Around our boat though, a couple of 40+ footers had full sized RIB's with planning capable outboards mounted, ready to sail or go ashore with ease. Not a bad idea if you have a big boat.

Most boats are in between. A Canadian boat similar sized to ours towed their modest inflatable into Pulpit under power, small outboard on the stern rail. That's the norm I observe. An inflatable is a lot of drag to tow but most of us aren't going to deflate/inflate, lug ondeck etc., for most of our coastal cruising.

The negative effect of the drag of a towed dinghy is at it's worst in light air. Do boats sail less because of this? Do you bring your inflatable aboard for a short light air sail?