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Ok, it took me three years, but I am happy with my choice of dingy or tender for my Mac and wanted to share my thoughts here. I remember Chip's advice way back about his trip to Cape Lookout where he said that a Mac doesn't need a dingy since it can beach or dock anywhere. I did that for the past several years and was pleased, but there were times where I wanted to explore some shallow water or creeks and when I wanted to moor the Mac out in the bay and dingy in for a while. I considered inflatables but I don't want to pump it up and down. I decided to buy a kayak if it could fit inside my MacX. I found one. A local store (Dick's) had a sale for $199 for a Potomac ES100, 10 foot kayak that fits into the aft section neatly. I love it. It only weighs about 19#. Here are some pics of how it looks and fits into the aft section. Hard to believe that it is all the way in there and not in anyone's way. Any 10 footer would probably work if it is slim in height. A sit-in type was preferable to a sit-on where your butt gets wet. Now, when I go to Florida soon, I can let the admiral off at the dingy dock and then achor out and then use the kayak to go back to her and walk around the town. I made a security cable to lock it up.




More photos:
Photo #4

Using a kayak sounds interesting! Is it challenging to get in and out from the 26X/M?

Did you say only 19 pounds weight.?

One seat capacity. How yu going to get the Admiral ashore.?

Any option for a sail.?

Saw a few products from feathercraft.com, they are in Vancouver, BC. Very nice quality materials and craftsmanship. Want one of their tenders (weights only 10lb) for myself but price bites.
P.S. I do not work for them.
Ilya.

How do you get out of the kayak when you come alongside...surely you would have to stand up. then there is the problem of the HIGH sides...To get from both my cheap inflatable or my hard fibreglass dinghy, onto SEAHORSE, I had to build a four step rope ladder that hangs off my starboard sheet winch...and its still a struggle...
Thats why I'mm full steam ahead for a MARLIN BOARD...check it out in the mods section.
Puggsy

To get it in the boat on land is easy, just point it up into cockpit and push it, then get into boat, remove step, and pull it in towards bow and then push it in towards aft and cock it to the port side seat. From water, I go to the back and grab onto the rudder cleated lines and using the ladder as well, clamber aboard the stern. Not easy or graceful. The I haul the kayak into the cockpit with the line I tied onto the bow of the kayak. Getting into the kayak from dock or boat is a learned skill, but I found that putting most weight on one foot into the dead-center will give some stability, again, I use the stern. I think that using a kayak from a MacX necessitates the possibility of a dunking, but I haven't yet.....

We have a "nearly identical" Kayak..."The Pursuit", also purchased on sale for $199. from the local Academy Sports & Outdoors, Inc. Its been a blast of fun.
Getting into the Kayak from the pier is a task requiring serious balance and practice. Getting into the kayak from the "aft area" of the Mac isnt a problem. We only use our Kayak within the Marina...or in our farm Catfish Pond. Kayaks are real popular in our local Marinas.

Hmmm. I wonder if you would have made the same choice had you the same experiences I've had while living, sailing, camping in Florida. A 14' sloop on a nice day off Boca Grande ... a 16" hammerhead taking a close look along side from one foot away as I was in irons, unjamming a snarl in the main. Or, a in a 17' Folboat on a lazy paddle then encountering an energetic 18' alligator who was very inerested in me or my family. After those, taking a dunk accidentally took on a whole new meaning. Maybe I'm getting old, but I prefer more stability now.

We sometimes carry kayaks for fun and exploring (two double inflatable ones) but would never consider these for a tender. When we anchor out we probably make 3 - 6 trips to shore a day with anywhere from 1 to 5 people and 2 dogs. Add to that occasional trips with tanks for water or to a restroom with the potty tank and we find our Mac requires a real tender.

So to continue your story, you dropped off the admiral, anchored, paddled in to the dock, enjoyed you shore visit. Now how are both of you going to get back to the boat for the night?

Beaching is absolutely not an option for us. Not only would it be very hard to find a place to beach that would not damage the boat, but within 10 minutes the boat would be high and dry or floating away. Tides here can be 14' and go up and down twice a day, the water level is ever changing. Beaching couldn't be used even for a short 1/2 hour shore visit in the Northwest.

For me, this is a decision that I haven't really looked at yet. I have a 14 foot plastic canoe. in lakes and rivers this is plenty. when I've been out on the Puget sound with it, its been quite an adventure. I wouldn't recommend going out with a canoe for anyone. I've been canoeing practically since birth and I've surfed with a canoe plenty of times, still its a daunting task, with the currents and all. Its easy enough to fit just about any canoe with an outrigger, and set up like that, you can do just about anything. but without that cheap easy fix, its a bad plan. if you do have a fold able outrigger, its just about as awesome as can be, I could load up my canoe with about 500 pounds of supplies and still have room for 2 full size American men. that's a lot of shopping. the only remaining issue is still a biggie, and that's towing a canoe. one lil wave and she becomes a rather large water anchor. so without an outrigger its probably a no-go.

Duane,
To answer your question, I alone would paddle out, and then motor back in to get the admiral. Works for me. But, here in NC, it is rare that a friendly dock is not there for docking the Mac. In Wrightsville Beach town limits, there are 4 or 5 restaurants with large (from 5 to 20 slips) dinghy docks that can accomodate dinghys and up to 50 footers. There are 3 marinas that you can stop at and buy what you want and use the facilities. And then there is Wynn Plaza, the town's own dinghy dock that has three finger docks and can take 30+ footers. From Wynn Plaza, within 1/10 mile, there are 4 restaurants, a clean public restroom (closed Oct 31 to Feb 28) and the beach about 1/4 mile.

Most importantly, in most of NC you can beach or ground with impunity, because the bottom is soft mud or sand as long as you avoid oyster beds. This is why I could go 2.5 years without anything. I say all this because each person's circumstance is their own. I now have an option I wanted but was hindered previously about where in the heck I could put the kayak. My discovery was that the kayak can fit inside the Mac26 and I like that. I can easily understand why a full sized tender/dinghy is a pleasure for you and your family.

We had been looking for an inflatable - as a first time choice. Something that we can use around a marina, put a small electric motor on, and will move one adult and two kids.. perhaps more.. I know there are good arguments for a good kayak - or kayak/cataman (ie, with sail) that are made.. So spending a little on something we can use now - and will be a backup later - seems a good idea...

These are what we have been looking at.. like everything, we use google to check for feedback on the web..... We arbitrarily set a $200 budget on.. . it has to be something we can repair easily - as that will happen a lot in the places where we sail.. Can't run the Mac26 up on rocks, or rough brush, after all....

Seylor 12' Fish Hunter - 1200# capacity
http://www.sevylor.com/dyn_prod.php?p=STRU222&k=78930

Intex Excursion 5 Boat - 880# capacity
http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Excursion-5 ... 028&sr=8-2

Seahawk II Super Tough - 600#
http://www.amazon.com/Seahawk-Super-Tou ... 028&sr=8-5

Sevylor 9'2" Fish Hunter
http://www.amazon.com/Sevylor-Fish-Hunt ... 028&sr=8-9

Coleman 4-Person Colossus Inflatable Boat
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-4-Person- ... 719&sr=1-1
(you need to add oars to this.. this is a really cheap boat - but is small and good for a "extra".. more of a pond boat... )

If I had my druthers, I would druther get a good folding boat or a kayak - that I can put a sail or electric motor on. That might cost a good bit though..

I think that two adults and misc gear might push 500#. If I were out on a rougher area, I would put "fenders" on the outside too.. neat stability trick...

I sure would appreciate feedback - and opinions..

********

Worse thing would be to be on in the Marina - - and not have ANY tender - because you want to save up for the PERFECT tender.. The cheap backup holds some attraction....

--jerry

some things for use to think about... how many times you can inflate.. how hard to patch... how hard to find air leaks.. how many chambers - ie, if a puncture - what is the flotation (ie, buying "overrating capacitry"), what is the expected life.. how much weight - and stability (consider that the 12 and 16 year old are in the boat...)

For those of you that own/use inflatable type dinghies...

How do you "secure" the dinghy when you row ashore?

Just wondering.

Thanks,
Jim

rope if heavy enough (ie, stuff in boat....)

rope - front and back if on land - or near something useful to tie off...

*****************

have you a windstorm in mind>??

--jr

I have looked at the types available and I think the Walker Bay rigid inflatable dinghy (RID) would be the best choice if cost were not an issue.
However, whom am I kidding, cost is always an issue and Walker Bay must be very proud of their products considering their retail price.

The hard shell dinghy with the addition of the Hypalon inflatable collar goes for $1958 for the 8-foot length, and $2598 for the 10-foot length at one retailer I checked.

Fortunately, the Mac can be beached in most locations in Florida, so I can do without a dinghy and the expense for now.