1. The Dinghy Doctor

    1. The Dinghy Doctor

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    San Diego, CA

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    The Dinghy Doctor

    3.3 (95 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Services - The Dinghy Doctor

    Boat repair

    Boat dealers

    The Dinghy Doctor Photos

    Nearby Special Offers

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    Reviews With Photos - The Dinghy Doctor

    Split seam close up (vert) on Dinghy Doctor used dinghy #2
    Pablo T.

    I can't tell if this is a cautionary tale about buying used dinghies, or a cautionary tale about buying used dinghies from the Dinghy Doctor, in San Diego. I'll just tell you my experience (see pics too), and you can decide what to think. When I first met Charlie (Charles), the new general manager, he seemed like a nice guy, and not deceptive at all. I had known the previous Dinghy Doctor owners (management), and so I had reservations about going back and doing business there. They had terrible customer service, and what I would consider shady business practices. They had many bad reviews, so I was relieved a little to see Charlie running things, and hoped they operated differently now. So I came in to purchase a used motor and dinghy early this past summer. I still had a used West Marine dinghy at home that was reliable, but I wanted one that had an inflatable keel and solid floor for better stability, etc. I mentioned that a couple of times to Charlie, so he showed me a small, used Zodiac dinghy. In the store, all parts of this dinghy were inflated, including the keel. It was sold "as is", without paddles or a bench seat. I presumed that "as is" meant that the Dinghy Doctor had checked it out, and was selling it in it's current "reliable" condition. Beware! Why they sell dinghies without seats or paddles is a mystery. When boaters trade in their used dinghies, do they not trade in the seats and paddles as well? So I bought a used Mercury 3.5 outboard motor and the Zodiac dinghy for a total of $900. Charlie and I rolled up the dinghy and put it in my car along with the motor. I thought it was odd it didn't have a seat or paddles, but I figured my old dinghy's seat and paddle would fit it. I was wrong. That's on me. But the worst was yet to come. Here's where my tale really turns south. I took this dinghy to my boat that same day, inflated it, and put it in the water. The next morning I discovered the inflatable keel was flat. I called Charlie and told him it wasn't holding air, and he said to bring it in and he would have a tech take a look at it. Since I had to go back and buy a seat that fit this particular used dinghy I brought it back in that day for them to check out. After several calls and several days, I went back in to check the Zodiac's status. I found it still rolled up in the store (I'm not sure they ever even checked it), and it was filthy dirty. Charlie said the tech checked it and it was fine. That I just needed to be carefull about putting on the inflatable keel's valve cap. The next day, same thing. The inflatable keel was flat. I tried several times to re-inflate and put the cap on really carefully. Same outcome. So I brought it back to the Dinghy Doctor, and they said the same thing. So I put it back in the water, and, without even using it, a week later the left pontoon was flat. (See wide shot of used Dinghy #1). At that point I called Charlie and told him I was bringing the dinghy back to him because it had never been reliable from day 1. Charlie seemed nice enough when I brought the dinghy back. He said he'd give me another used dinghy in its place, but that he couldn't give me my money back. He offered me another, larger, used West Marine dinghy that had just been traded in. (See Dinghy Doctor used dinghy #2 in store pics.) It was fully inflated when I saw it, but really dirty. Charlie walked me around it and said he usually looks at the seams on used dinghies as one of the ways to tell if it's in good shape. He said this one's seams look "...really good.") As part of the deal Charlie agreed to give me a seat and paddles. When I went back in to pick up used Dinghy, seat, and paddles, Charlie was nowhere around. The dinghy was clean. Me and another salesman scrounged around and found a seat that kind of fit, and two different colored paddles that were the right size. I really loved this dinghy (used dinghy #2), and cruised around Mission Bay a couple of days later with the used motor I had bought. But I noticed the upper part of the dinghy was really sticky and got dirty really fast. (Either the fabric had just gotten too old, or the Dinghy Doctor might have cleaned it using harsh chemicals like Acetone, which might have changed the chemical makeup of the surface.) About 3 weeks later, used Dinghy Doctor dinghy #2 was flat. (See wide shot of dinghy #2, and split seam pics.) So much for Charlie's "...look good" seams. And it was taking on water whenever I used it. I wanted to see if the dinghy's seams could be fixed, but Charlie wasn't returning my emails. So I called the only other dinghy place nearby, and after seeing these same pictures, they didn't think it was worth repairing. The repair costs would be almost what a new dinghy would cost. And so here endeth the lesson. Since you can't exactly take a used dinghy for a test drive like you can a car. Buyer beware. Especially if it's the Dinghy Doctor.

    undefined

    I own a 22ft cc with a 150 Honda outboard. I had the check engine light come on and had to bring it as well as get the 100 hr service. At first there was a small miscommunication due to the COVID-19 mess we are in. But Brian reached out and took care of it. As for the repairs it turns out there was a warranty issue with Honda and they took it up with Honda gave me daily updates and made the process painless and easy. They got me back on the water in no time. The service was taken care of they took it out on a sea trial to ensure it ran good, they washed it up and go it back to me. I was very happy with the communication with Brian and his staff. I would recommend them 100%. 10/10 company.

    Nasty old thermostat
    Francisco G.

    I had a great experience here! They had the exact parts I needed to replace on my 9.9hp Honda outboard. Charley took the time to explain everything in detail, answered all my questions and hooked me up with all I needed. I was able to replace my water pump and thermostat myself, same day and get on the water to fish the bay. Will def be back! Thanks guys!

    Daniel R.

    I just had the NEW Dinghy Doctor come out to my boat and pick up my 10' WestMarine RIB to be repaired for leaks and a total clean up. I was nearly ready to purchase a new dinghy when Rick advised me my boat could be repaired and restored nearly like new. I was skeptical that my boat could be brought back to life. Four days later, my boat was delivered to my marina and when I saw it, I could not believe my eyes! The dinghy looked like new! The price for repairs was a fraction of the cost of new. Thank you Dinghy Doctor for coming through with exceptional work and service! I highly recommend you and I will be using The Dinghy Doctor for future repairs and maintenance and someday, a new dinghy!

    Next morning after purchased, I come back for return. But they sad me NO!

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    Business owner information

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    6 years ago

    Great service and products. Charlie is very informative and helpful. We will be buying our next dinghy from him.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Dinghy Doctor

    Do they fix inflatable paddleboards here?

    Hi Stephanie, Thank you for your question. I appreciate your patience in regards to receiving a… 

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    Review Highlights - The Dinghy Doctor

    The repair turned out great, thanks to Brian, Pablo, Emile (?) and the shop crew.

    Mentioned in 16 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The Dinghy Doctor - boating - Updated July 2026

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