Gig Harbor Boatworks Inflatable Sponsons / $375.00
Taking a solid-hull dinghy out for a row can be a wonderful, relaxing experience. However, when the weather is foul or you’re loaded up to capacity, nobody wants to worry about tipping over into the chilly Pacific Ocean brine. Fortunately, Gig Harbor Boat Works resurrected their line of inflatable external sponsons, formerly known as “Dinghy Dogs”, to put us at ease.
These revamped inflatable sponsons attach easily to the gunwales of a boat and sit high enough to stay out of the water (so as not to add drag), but angle downward in order to stay clear of the oars. The makers in Gig Harbor have put their inflatable sponsons through all kinds of tests (aka, put somebody in a drysuit and try to sink the dinghy), and the sponsons spared the dinghy and tester a watery fate every time.
These inflatable sponsons store flat or folded when deflated, which should make them easy to stow when underway. The valves are compatible with just about any basic air pump, so adding air or deflating should be simple. Simple, yet useful, just how a good boating product should be.
If you’re a fan of taking the dinghy out for a row, but want to be ready for when things go south, you may want to have a pair of inflatable sponsons on hand, just in case. They are priced at $375 per pair and a separate compatible air pump is also available for $20. You can learn more or order them online from the Gig Harbor Boat Works website (ghboats.com).
