matt_weagle asked this question on 5/18/2000:
Hi everyone, I live in an urban apartment but would love to be able to get out on the water. Weekend trips and inland lake recreational use for 3-4 people, etc. Also, I'm totally new to boating and would like not to drown myself.
Because of obvious space and skill constraints, I was looking into foldable inflatables by Zodiac, Achilles, and AB (among others). I've read some about the pros and cons of these boats, but would like to get some real-world advice. How do these boats compare to regular boats and/or non-foldable inflatables? Are they well constructed? Is it reasonable to expect that I will be able to break down the boat on a regular basis in a short period of time? What kind of price range am I looking at? Any and all responses would be great. Thanks very much.
cetaylor gave this response on 5/19/2000:
Matt: Although the brands you mentioned are the top of the line and are excellent inflatables, they are really not designed to be inflated and deflated continuously. They are designed to be inflated and left inflated. Folding them is not good for the fabric that makes up the boat. You would be much better advised to consider a folding boat if this is the only thing that you can have. If this is an option, check out the following web site. These people make a boat that takes up very little space, takes next to no time at all to make up into a boat and is stable enough to hold you and a couple of other people without tipping. Since the boat folds, there is no floatation built into the boat and therefore, I would recommend the new automatic-inflating personal floatation devices for everyone aboard, AT ALL TIMES. I really feel that you would be much better served with this type of boat than an inflatable.
http://www.porta-bote.com/ Charlie...
matt_weagle asked this follow-up question on 5/19/2000:
Thanks for the reply. I had actually seen that site while 'net trolling and wasn't sure how leak-proof they might be. All I'm looking to do is wander around the many lakes and ponds around here (NW US). PFDs will be used no matter what I end up doing.
Also, some additional remarks and research have led me to think that perhaps a smallish "normal" boat might be a better option. Although I would have to arrange storage, it might be a better investment and more practical. Do you have any opinions as to this approach rather than an inflatable, foldable, or collapsable-type craft?
Thanks again for the information.
cetaylor gave this response on 5/19/2000:
You are definitely better off to get a "Normal" boat. What type of boat would strictly depend on the type of boating you wish to do. I would sit down with your partner and make a list of the things you would like to do with a boat (and the types and sizes of the bodies of water associated with these activities) and put them in order of preference. Then, talk it over and come up with an approximate budget, keeping in mind that used boats require maintenance, while new boat normally don't require maintenance for the first year or so. Once these lists are complete, you can make a fairly intelligent decision as to the type of boat you should get. As an example, if you primarily want to use the boat for recreational partying and skiing, you should lean toward a "Bowrider" or perhaps a pontoon boat. If you are strictly into lake fishing, then a pontoon, small bass boat, small center console or "Vee" bottom aluminum would be the proper choices. Stream fishing would require canoe, Scanoe or jon boat. Number of people carried would also play a big part in your choice. As you can see, this is a highly personalized process. Advice is fine, but the final choice must be yours. If you have a list of specific questions, just e-mail me and I will be happy to answer each and every one of them to the best of my ability and knowledge.
The average rating for this answer is 5.
matt_weagle rated this answer a 5.
Thanks for the reply. That's pretty much what I was thinking: what is the expected usage, the budget available, long-term costs, etc. If & when I can narrow down my selection you will probably be seeing another post from my way :) Thanks again for the reply.