Hi everyone,
Thinking about getting a new tender but eventually would be heading north through the Kimberly's Arnhem Land etc just curious what others are using for tenders ? I like the look of MAC 270 but a touch on the small side, polycraft ? Not sure ,I'm on a 40 ft monohull
I used a Walker Bay Rib. Pulled well up the beach when ashore and lifted each evening.. DON'T throw scraps overboard or blood from any packed meat down the sink and you'll not have too many interactions with the Crocs.
Hi Jaydee
When in crocodile country, you need to act as if there is a croc waiting to eat you sitting behind your boat at all times. Mostly there won't be, but there could be. Crocs can hide from you really well. I have had a passing boat spot the croc behind my boat before I saw it.
Tender needs to be as stable as possible, with your boarding procedures as simple and quick as possible, so duckboard/ladder/sugarscoop. The type of tender doesn't really matter, as long as you have the stability. Being able to easily lift the dinghy each night and for passages is important.
And if you are up here in the Wet, it really does rain! This means you need to lift the dinghy each night, get up to bail in the middle of the night, or install a bilge pump/float switch/battery.
Enjoy your time in croc country- it's magic
Reminds me of the question we were asked by a London cabbie in the early 80s when we got talking about sailing on Sydney Harbour - his question "I assume everyone takes a shotgun with them for the sharks"
I wouldn't take a tender up there.
I would take a tougher and Walker Bays are as tough as they get.
Mine is an 8 (rated for 2 persons) and happy with it but croc country a 10 is a better idea.
With a 40 foot mono a 10 to 12 foot tinnie should be easy enough to have on davits and will probably be a more stable option than a Walker Bay.
I grew up in Cairns and we used to go chasing Barra up the cape in Rivers and waterholes where saltys lived in my 10 foot Achilles inflatable
Probably not the best choice of boat but if a croc got serious it probably wouldn't matter what type of small boat you were sitting in
Regards Don
you need to talk to Knot Bored a few floors below.
His ally dingy is one of the nicest I have seen.
Croc proof.
When i did a boys trip to the cape a few years ago we used a Quintrex 350 Explorer as a tender. Proved to be a pretty good boat for up there it was stable, roomy, and fairly dry for what it is. Our one had a false floor in the front ( pictured below). IMO its still nice to have a tender that you can go for day trips away from the big boat in. Storage could be a problem on a 40 footer though.
Thats true Don.
Many years ago I went on a Wednesday night social sail out of Port Douglass Yacht Club.
When we put the boat back on the mooring afterwards, the locals said they often have crocs around their dingys, and on the ramp, as it borders the Daintree, and was especially important at night to have a good look before you step down into the dink.
The sailing was great, but i'll stay down south with the sharks thanks.
And get those wheels that go on the transom. It is a long lift back when you stuff your tide timings up