We now have a supply of new Bestway inflatable dinghies, of the type we have used for the Croesor-Rhosydd trip and for paddling around in other abandoned mine workings.

The 'baby' of the range is the RX-1000 at 55" x 35". This is not really suitable for carrying people (other than very small ones) but similar ones have been used to transport rucksacks. Price is £6.

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-2-Image-003/[/img]

There are two 'person sized' dinghies - the RX3000 at 73" x 43" and the Rapid at 78" x 48". I can fit in either of these, but my legs dangle over the edge: I've also sat in one and rowed it around the Chamber of Horrors, while towing SimonRL... These are £10 each.

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-2-Image-004/[/img]
[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-2-Image-002/[/img]

We've also got a couple of RX-4000s - this is 92" x 53" and includes two paddles and a pump. I've not seen one inflated, but 92" is 7'8" or 2.3m, so it's quite big. Price is £20.

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-2-Image-005/[/img]

These prices are pretty comparable with the best internet prices - they don't include carriage, which we're happy to quote for, but to reduce costs we'd prefer to hand them over if anyone's in north Wales on a trip etc.

At the moment we have no paddles, but some should turn up shortly. Pumps are available, prices to follow...


Disclaimer: it's probably worth pointing out a couple things about these dinghies - they are intended for children to use in shallow water, within their depth and while tethered to their parents or the shore. They're certainly not designed for mine exploration and aren't very well suited to sharp bits of rock, tending to deflate with a surprising speed once punctured. Although the inflatable floor is a separate chamber to the tube so there's some residual buoyancy, this won't keep you afloat and some sort of lifejacket would be a very good idea as well.

That said, these are the staple fare of the Croesor-Rhosydd trip and have the advantage of being light to carry. Just don't expect them to last very long, or to keep you floating...

---