When you visit a boat dealer, it's easy to gravitate toward the large powerboats. While there's no disputing that they can be appealing, it never hurts to browse around the store to look at other boat options. One type of small boat that is available at many boat dealers is a dinghy, which you can buy with an outboard motor. Many dinghies are inflatable, while others have rigid sides. Lots of people enjoy driving their dinghy on their own, but it's often possible to also fit a passenger into the boat with you. Dinghies offer a high degree of versatility, with a number of useful applications. Here are some different ways that you can use this type of boat.

Traveling To And From A Larger Boat

If you're an avid boater who owns a sailboat that is large enough to prevent you from docking it against your dock, it's convenient to have a dinghy. You can use the smaller boat to travel to and from the sailboat. Many dinghies are small enough that you can store them on larger boats. This means that after a day of sailing around the lake, you can drop your sailboat's anchor, climb into the dinghy, and travel to shore. When you're ready to use the sailboat again, you'll simply ride out to it in the dinghy.

Getting Children Familiar With Boating

A dinghy can be a good boat for families with children to purchase. You might enjoy taking your child out for a ride in this boat, but there will come a time that the child is old enough to control a boat on their own. A dinghy can be a good place to start, given its small size. There's little doubt that your children will be excited about being able to drive the dinghy while you supervise — eventually, building up to being able to take solo outings along the shoreline.

Fishing In Shallow Areas

While most people don't associate dinghies with fishing, the reality is that this boat can be useful for this pastime. This is especially true in water that is shallow, as dinghies don't have deep hulls. It would be a challenge for two people to share this compact space for fishing, but if you prefer the solitude that comes from solo fishing outings, you may favor doing so in a dinghy. Your local boat dealer can show you different dinghy models to help you decide which one will best suit your needs.

A local boat dealer can advise you if you are unsure of what to look for in a dinghy.