There's a reason that they say the two good days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it. In addition to spending thousands on the boat itself, you're looking at dock fees, trailer equipment, boat parking at home, maintenance ... the expenses go on and on. Dutch outfit Aquacrafts employs inflatable design to help cut down on some of those expenses, offering a sailboat that's much easier to transport and store. The 3-in-1 boat can also float under man and motor power.
Aquacrafts developed the inflatable DinghyGo to increase versatility, portability and ease of use in sailing. The boat packs into a 66-lb (30-kg), 44 x 26 x 16-in (1.12 x 0.65 x 0.40-m), two-bag package, meaning that you can leave the boat trailer back at the showroom and easily transport your sailboat in a car, camper, yacht, etc. When the day is done, there's no need to pay to dock the boat at the marina, and home storage is much more convenient than with a hard-hulled sailboat – particularly if you live in a small apartment.
At the water, the crew can get the DingyGo ready to set sail within minutes. In the video below, Aquacrafts demonstrates the vessel being unpacked, rigged and pumped up in the matter of about 3.5 minutes. The 9-foot-long (2.75-m) DingyGo 2 has a payload of 1,100 lb (500 kg) and is designed to carry up to four people. In addition to its use as a sailboat, the boat can also be rowed with the included oars or powered by an outboard motor up to 8 hp, providing three boating options in one easy-use package.
When compared to the TIWAL 3.2, another inflatable sailing dinghy we looked at recently, the DinghyGo is lighter, cheaper and quicker to set up. However, TIWAL's model includes an aluminum frame, designed for added stability in high winds, and appears to be better suited for speed and performance. The DinghyGo 2 looks to be designed more around simplicity and versatility.
Aquacrafts introduced the DinghyGo 2 at the Boot Dusseldorf show this week. It retails for €2,599 (US$3,525) and is available for pick-up at demo centers in the Netherlands and UK, and for delivery in other European markets. It comes with a sailing kit, which includes a 43 sq ft (3.9 sq m) sail, pump and repair kit. Aquacrafts also offers the smaller DinghyGo S, which measures 7.3 ft (2.2 m) in length and carries up to three, for €2,399 ($3,250). Deliveries will begin in April.
Gizmag will be on the floor of the Boot Dusseldorf show later this week, bringing you the latest news on cool water toys of all shapes and sizes.
Source: DinghyGo