Choosing a Dinghy: Timber vs Plywood vs Fiberglass vs Inflatable Dinghies

Choosing a Dinghy: Timber vs Plywood vs Fiberglass vs Inflatable
(Which one actually makes sense for your small sailboat?)

A good dinghy is your car, grocery wagon, and lifeboat rolled into one. It shuttles people and gear, lets you explore shallows, and keeps you connected to shore when you’re anchored out. Choosing a dinghy that is practical and suited to your real needs is an important part of setting yourself up for a successful boat life.

Modern sailors have four main style “families” to choose from:

Traditional timber clinker (lapstrake) dinghies
Plywood dinghies (often stitch-and-glue or simple framed builds)
Fiberglass (GRP) dinghies
Inflatable dinghies (soft or RIBs)

Each has its charm, pain points, and budget profile. Let’s walk through them with an eye to what matters most in a tender: practicality, durability, handling, stowage, and cost.

1. Traditional Timber Clinker (Lapstrake) Dinghies

These are the classic, overlapping-plank wooden dinghies you see in old photos and glossy calendar shots.

What they do beautifully

✅ Aesthetics & “feel”
They look stunning alongside a yacht with traditional lines or varnished trim. If you care about the “yacht + tender as a set” look, a timber clinker dinghy is hard to beat. It also rows and sails very nicely if well designed.

✅ Solid rowing & sailing performance
Because they’re proper little boats rather than floating toys, they often have:

Fine entries and nice underwater shape
Good tracking under oars
Pleasant manners when sailed (if rigged as a sailing dinghy)

They’re a joy to use in their own right, not just as a shuttle.

Drawbacks in real-world tender service

❌ Heavy and awkward to handle
Even small clinker dinghies tend to be heavy:

Harder to hoist onto davits or foredeck
A pain to wrestle onto a trailer or roof racks
Not fun if you’re often single-handed

❌ Maintenance-hungry
You’re signing up for:

Painting and varnishing
Watching for splits, rot, and fastener problems
Being careful about freshwater pooling and sun damage

They reward care, but they definitely demand it.

❌ Vulnerable in “dock warfare”
As a daily tender:

Banged piers, rough concrete steps, marina corners and other dinghies will chew into the wood and paint
You’ll want decent fenders or rub-strakes, and you still wince every time someone scrapes it

Best for…

Owners of classic or traditional yachts who really value aesthetics
People who enjoy wooden boat work as part of the hobby
Places where the tender can live on davits or deck, not hauled up rough beaches daily

If you want a no-nonsense, low-care tender that can be abused, a clinker dinghy is usually too precious and too much work.

2. Plywood Dinghies

These are often home-built or kit boats: stitch-and-glue, simple pram dinghies, nesting dinghies, and light little sailing/rowing boats.

Strengths

✅ Light & stiff for their size
Properly built marine plywood hulls (especially epoxy-coated) can be:

Quite light
Reasonably stiff
Pleasant to row and sail

Compared to solid-timber clinker, you can get similar or better performance with less weight.

✅ DIY-friendly & budget-conscious
Plywood shines if you’re happy to build or finish one yourself:

Kits and free plans abound
You can control cost by doing your own labour
Epoxy and paint give long life if applied correctly

A basic pram dinghy or nesting tender in ply can be much cheaper than a new GRP or RIB.

✅ Clever shapes: nesting & folding designs
Because you can build to plan, you’ll see:

Nesting dinghies (bow fits inside stern) that store on small decks
Custom sizes to suit your foredeck or cabin top
Dual-purpose designs (row / sail / small outboard)

This can be a huge perk on small sailboats where storage is tight.

Weaknesses

❌ Vulnerable edges and coatings
The enemy is water ingress at:

Exposed plywood edges
Dings and chips in paint or epoxy
Screw holes and fittings that aren’t properly sealed

Once water gets in, you can get rot or delamination over time if it’s neglected.

❌ Needs periodic paint/epoxy attention
Less intense than traditional timber, but still:

You’ll occasionally sand and repaint
You’ll want to catch dings early
Plain “DIY plywood with house paint” tends not to age well

❌ Can still be too nice to abuse
A well-finished plywood dinghy with brightwork can feel only slightly less precious than a clinker boat. Great if you’re careful; frustrating if your reality is rocky shores and rough public jetties.

Best for…

Hands-on, DIY-inclined sailors
Small boat owners who need a nesting or custom-fit hard tender
Budget-minded cruisers who are willing to trade time and coating upkeep for a lower cash outlay

If you want “buy it and forget it,” plywood isn’t magical—it still needs ongoing care.

3. Fiberglass (GRP) Dinghies

The modern “plastic dinghy”—tough, moulded shells you see at yacht clubs, sailing schools, and on moorings everywhere.

What they’re great at

✅ Low maintenance, high toughness
Compared to wood:

No rot
Very little structural maintenance if not grossly abused
Easy to wash, repair, and live with

You’ll still need to watch for:

Gelcoat cracks from rough treatment
Occasional chips and scratches

…but generally they’re tough little workhorses.

✅ Good shape and performance
A decent GRP dinghy is a real boat:

Rows well
Often sails nicely with a simple rig
Can handle a small outboard

They’re widely used in sailing schools for a reason: predictable, durable, repairable.

✅ “Honest” wear and tear
Fiberglass dings are:

Honest and obvious (chips, cracks you can see)
Fixable with cheap glass/epoxy/gelcoat repair kits

You’re not worrying about hidden rot in a plank—just surface damage.

Drawbacks

❌ Heavier than comparable ply, often
GRP dinghies often weigh more than a minimalist plywood or inflatable tender of the same length. That can matter when:

Dragging up a beach
Hauling onto davits or the foredeck
Loading on/off a trailer or roof rack

❌ Hard on topsides & decks if not managed
Hard dinghy + yacht topsides = scratches and dents unless you:

Use decent fendering and rub-strakes
Control how it lies alongside
Use davits or proper hoists to avoid banging

❌ Storage can be tricky on small sailboats
On a small trailer sailer or compact cruiser:

A solid GRP dinghy may simply be too big and solid to stash sensibly
If you tow it everywhere, that’s extra drag and bother
If you lash it on deck, it may interfere with vision or sail handling

Best for…

Coastal cruisers with room for davits or on-deck storage
People who want a durable, low-maintenance hard tender
Those who will row and sail the dinghy for fun as well as use it as a shuttle

If you’re constantly launching and retrieving and have limited storage, GRP can feel like a lump, even though it’s very practical otherwise.

4. Inflatable Dinghies (Soft & RIBs)

The dominant tender type in many modern cruising setups.

Soft inflatables – flexible floors or slat floors, air or fabric tubes all around
RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) – rigid hull (often GRP or aluminium) with inflatable tube collar

For a small sailboat tender, we’re usually talking light soft inflatables, but it’s worth touching on both.

Why they’re so popular

Exceptionally kind to your mothership
Big soft tubes mean:

They won’t scratch topsides easily
They’re forgiving alongside jetties and other dinghies
They make a great “bumper” between your boat and everything else

Packability (soft inflatables)
A key advantage for trailer-sailers and small cruisers:

You can deflate and roll them up
Stow below decks, in a locker, or in a car/garage
Avoid towing drag and on-deck clutter when passage-making

Fantastic load-carrying relative to length
Wide beam + big tubes = very stable little platform:

Great for kids, pets, and less steady crew
Less twitchy when stepping in from a low dock or swimming
Great with small outboards as a “little truck”

Light for their capacity
Soft inflatables especially:

Can be quite light to carry
Easier to manhandle up a beach than a solid GRP dinghy of similar capacity

Weak points

❌ Punctures, leaks, and aging fabric
Modern inflatables are robust but not immortal:

Fabric (PVC or hypalon) can degrade from UV if left exposed
Seams and valves can leak with age
Sharp shells, metal, or carelessness can puncture them

Repairs are possible, but you’ll eventually reach a point where an old inflatable is more patch than boat.

❌ Rowing performance is usually mediocre
Most inflatables:

Row poorly compared to hard dinghies
Track badly
Are sluggish under oars, especially in wind

They come into their own with a small outboard; as pure rowboats, they’re a compromise.

❌ RIBs trade packability for performance
RIBs:

Row and motor much better than soft inflatables
Have superior hull shapes for speed and sea-keeping
Are very stable boarding platforms

…but:

You can’t roll them up – the rigid hull takes space
They weigh more than a pure soft inflatable
Stowage on a small sailing yacht can be a headache unless you’re towing or using davits

❌ Budget vs longevity
Cheaper PVC inflatables:

Cost less upfront
Typically have shorter working lives if exposed to sun and rough handling

Hypalon or higher-quality fabrics last longer but cost more. Over 10–15 years, the “true cost” of cheap vs quality fabric becomes apparent.

Choosing a dinghy

Best for…

Small sailboats with limited deck space (soft inflatable you can roll up)
Crews who value stability and outboard use more than rowing joy
Cruisers who want a tender that’s gentle on topsides and marinas

If you’re anchored a lot and regularly run into town by outboard, a decent inflatable is often the most practical overall tender.

5. Budget-Friendliness: Initial Cost vs Lifetime Value

A quick comparative sense of money vs lifespan (very generalised):

Upfront cost (rough feel, for “typical” sizes)

Cheapest to buy or build:
- DIY plywood dinghy (if you value your time low)
- Basic PVC inflatable
Mid-range:
- Small production GRP dinghies
- Better-quality PVC / entry-level Hypalon inflatables
Highest initial outlay:
- Hand-built timber clinker dinghies
- Good-quality Hypalon inflatables and RIBs

Long-term costs

Wood (clinker) – high ongoing maintenance cost in materials and time. “Cheap to buy, expensive to keep” is common with older boats.
Plywood – moderate ongoing cost; less than solid wood, but you must protect edges and coatings.
Fiberglass dinghy – comparatively low long-term cost: occasional gelcoat repairs and maybe repainting inside after many years.
Inflatable (soft) – low running-maintenance, but finite lifespan: fabric and seams age out, especially cheaper PVC. Replacement every X years is the real long-term cost.
RIB – hull lasts like a GRP dinghy; the tubes age like an inflatable. Tube replacement is possible but not cheap.

Realistically:

If you’re thinking pure dollars over 10–15 years, a simple GRP dinghy or well-looked-after plywood boat can be very economical.
Inflatables are affordable and practical, but you should mentally amortise them like a long-lasting consumable.
Traditional timber clinker boats are more like owning a classic car: wonderful, but maintenance is part of the deal.

6. Matching the Tender to Your Small Sailboat & Use

Ask yourself:

Where will I store it?
- Little deck space? → Soft inflatable or nesting plywood dinghy.
- Davits or big foredeck? → GRP or RIB more viable.
How will I use it most?
- Short hops, light loads, occasional use? → Small GRP, ply, or soft inflatable.
- Frequent trips with people, groceries, water jugs, outboard? → Inflatable or RIB tends to win.
- Want to row and sail the tender for fun? → Plywood or GRP hard dinghy shines.
How rough is the usage environment?
- Rocky beaches, rough public jetties? → Inflatable or tough GRP.
- Calm moorings, gentle docks? → Wood or ply more realistic.
How much do I enjoy maintenance?
- Love varnish, paint, and woodwork? → Clinker or ply might add to your enjoyment.
- Want “hose it off and go”? → Fiberglass or an inflatable will suit you better.

7. Quick Comparison Summary

Traditional Timber Clinker Dinghy

🌟 Beautiful, rows/sails wonderfully, classic vibe
😬 Heavy, high maintenance, too precious for rough tender duty
💰 Often expensive to build / maintain compared to the utility you get

Plywood Dinghy

🌟 Light, stiff, DIY-friendly, can be nesting/custom
😬 Needs good coatings and ongoing paint/epoxy work
💰 Very budget-friendly if you’re hands-on

Fiberglass (GRP) Dinghy

🌟 Tough, low-maintenance, rows/sails decently, widely available
😬 Heavier than ply, awkward to stow on small boats, hard sides mark topsides
💰 Solid long-term value; buy once, repair as needed

Inflatable (Soft & RIB)

🌟 Stable, kind to topsides, soft to bump, packable (soft types), great with small outboard
😬 Mediocre rowing, finite fabric lifespan, RIBs hard to stow
💰 Good short- to medium-term practicality; accept eventual tube replacement or replacement boat

Final Thoughts

For most modern small sailboats, especially trailer-sailers and modest cruisers, the decision often narrows down to:

A soft inflatable (or small RIB) if you prioritise stability, stowability, and outboard use, and you’re okay with replacing it after a number of years.
A small GRP or plywood dinghy if you want a hard tender you can row and possibly sail, with a focus on long-term durability (and, for ply, a bit of elbow grease).

Traditional clinker wooden dinghies are gorgeous and truly enjoyable boats in their own right—but as everyday tenders, they’re usually chosen with the heart first and the spreadsheet second.

If your main goal is practical, reliable shuttling on a realistic budget, it’s hard to beat a decent inflatable or a tough little GRP dinghy as the best real-world companions to a small sailing yacht.