Hi Guys. Small RIBS and big crocs are not a good mix. If a croc decides to chew on your 2.4 RIB while you are in it, you are in big trouble.

Cheers, Ross

When it comes to safety in dinghies with crocs, the bigger the dingy the better. You don’t want a big croc to see you as an easy target in a small dingy. I wouldn’t feel safe in a 3M RIB either and would be very wary about how far and where I went in the KC in a small RIB. It is likely you will come across crocs that are over twice the length of your 2.4M RIB. Then you will understand what I mean. If a reasonable size croc attacks a small RIB, it will tear it apart in seconds if it wants to..

Much of the fun in the KC is exploring many miles of creeks and rivers in a tender. If you don’t take a decent tender, (preferable not an inflatable) you will miss the best places, because after you come across your first big croc at close quarters in a tiny tender, you probably wont want the experience again.

You might be lucky enough to sail the whole KC without any trouble from crocs, but speaking from lots of KC experience and meeting plenty of people over the years who have regretted taking small RIBS to the KC, my advice is – don’t take the risk.

Cheers, Ross

We’ve got a 3.3m inflatable with 15hp motor (not a RHIB – inflatable side tubes, open front (like a small Thundercat), and inflatable floor). Too small and/or risky?

If size matters, then if we were to buy a tinny for the Kimberley how big should we go? We’re a sailing cat and could tow it.

Thanks!

At least 3.6, or longer if possible. Preferably with high sides. Check out a Kapten Boat Collar for stability, buoyancy and built in fender. They are great on small tinnies.

Cheers, Ross

We’re looking at high-sided tinnie’s such as the Horizon 355 Angler and Stacer 349 Territory. These only seem to be available new, which we’re not sure about as I’m not sure we’ll keep it once we leave croc country and head into SE Asia, so we’d be selling again in Darwin.

What’s the availability of used tinnie’s in WA? Gumtree seems to show a bunch of small Stacer dinghies. We’re hoping to not buy before we get to WA, but if we did buy new it seems about $1k cheaper on the East Coast.

As Ross has suggested inflatables just put you too close to the water line.  I lived a couple of decades in the Kimberley you’ll want as big a profile as you can afford to tow/carry to bluff a big crock.

In planning our last trip through the area I could comfortably fit a 3.2m boat on the davits but didn’t want to exceed 100kg total weight.

Ended up buying a 3.4m Stessle Daredevil for the high sides and fitted a Kaptain boat collar.  I compromised on the engine and only bought a 9.9 two stroke Mercury to keep within my self imposed weight restriction. It will still plane with just the two of us.  (One of us is really thin.)

This is the minimum boat I would explore a creek in during the dry.   I would not be comfortable though during the start of the wet season (October onward) in something this small when the crocs’ behaviour is more territorial.

Its pretty terrifying drilling holes in a new boat but once you’ve had a tinny with a collar fitted you will not go back.

I tried to upload a couple of pics but they may be over the size limit. Message me if you want to have a look.  I’m in Perth. Currently moored at Palm Beach.

Port a Boat is probably a little better than a similar size RIB, in that it wont deflate if a croc bites it. I have never been in one, so you will have to be the judge of how sturdy it is if a croc gets too friendly. My advice will always be that the biggest and toughest tender, with high sides, will be the best tender you can take to the Kimberley. Add a Kapten Boat Collar to it, will only improve its safety. https://boatcollar.com.au/

Cheers, Ross

G’day Teedrk, Have a 3.85m with 5HP 2 stroke that has done 2 trips kimberley coast,one Wyndham to Broome.Planes with two people,tough and stable,use full length wooden oars as they row well and you can punt them along in water too shallow for outboard.
Don’t have a collar as suggested by Ross as we fold it to fit beside cabin on 10m yacht,lots of advice re crocs elsewhere on this forum,cheers steve