Which dinghy should you buy? The complete tender buying guide

Published on 1 July 2026

Size, material, floor type and engine: the four factors that decide which dinghy you need, explained with practical rules so you don't get it wrong.

Start at the end: where will your dinghy live?

The number one mistake when buying a dinghy is starting with the model. Start with stowage: where the dinghy will live decides 80% of the purchase.

• Locker or cabin → you need a folding inflatable with an air-deck floor. No debate: it’s the only thing that fits.
• Stern davits → small RIB (2.4–3.2 m). Weight matters: look at aluminium if your davits are near their limit.
• Swim platform with chocks → RIB up to ~3 m, the lighter the better.
• Trailer or own mooring → now we’re talking about a big RIB (4.8 m and up) that is a boat in its own right.

Size: the people rule

The second question is how many of you are really aboard, not on the spec sheet:

A trick nobody mentions: the small dinghy gets used; the big dinghy gets enjoyed. If you’re torn between two sizes and have room to stow it, the bigger size always wins.

PVC or Hypalon (CSM): the decision you notice after 5 years

Tubes come in two fabric families:

• PVC: cheaper, perfectly valid if the dinghy sleeps covered, in a garage, or you sail in cool waters. Its enemy is the sun: heat and UV degrade the seams over the years.
• Hypalon (CSM): 20% to 40% more expensive, but practically immune to sun and heat. In the Mediterranean, if the dinghy lives outdoors from May to October, the price difference pays for itself many times over in service life.

Quick rule: covered or occasional-use dinghy → PVC. Dinghy in the sun all summer → Hypalon, no hesitation. In the Navisoul range by Caral Marine you can choose the material on every model.

Air deck, fibreglass or aluminium floor

• Air deck (inflatable floor): folds completely, weighs little, stows in a bag. Sails worse: the floor flexes and you feel it in chop. Perfect for short runs.
• Rigid fibreglass hull: sails infinitely better (cuts the wave instead of bouncing), lasts years and is the RIB standard. Heavier and doesn’t fold.
• Aluminium hull: weighs less than fibreglass and takes beaching on stones and gravel without cracking. If you beach the dinghy daily or use it hard, it’s the best buy.

The engine: less power than you think (or much more)

For an anchorage tender, 4–6 hp is plenty and you can carry it by hand. The big jump is planing: to plane with 2 adults, a 3 m RIB needs about 8–9.8 hp; with 15 hp it planes loaded.

Quick decision table

And now, prices

Price depends on size, material and configuration, and changes every season. Our advice: choose the configuration first with this guide, then request a fixed quote — it’s free, no obligation, and it stops you buying on price what doesn’t fit your boat.