A 20-knot wind really let us know which boats ûcould take a chop. At 59 pounds, the Bombard ûTropik was the lightest of the 9-foot-plus air- ûfloor boats tested. It performed very well.

Need a tender?

Maybe you’re just not interested in the conventional fiberglass dinghy. They certainly seem to be falling from favor. Those who like to row often gravitate to more efficient hull forms—long and slender shells with sliding seats or kayaks—and do so to stay healthy. If you never liked to row in the first place, you probably had a small outboard for your dinghy—a British Seagull or Cruise 'n Carry. Often loud, smelly and cantankerous, the 2-hp banger pushing an 8-foot slow and tippy dinghy leaves a lot to be desired. …