Bobsprit wrote:

No trouble getting on and off from the boat. I've had inflatables, and I don't
see any really clear advantage for the inflatable in this regard. Inflatables
are highly overated and over priced as tenders.


Can you put 5 adults into a 10 foot portaboat with the same measure of safety?
My quicksilver is rated to carry 1150 lbs of people and gear. I've had about
800lbs or so on board my inflatable with no trouble. The 10 foot P-boat is
something like 575 lbs max and it's just not as stable.
I'm NOT bashing the Portaboat. I just think the inflatable has an advantage in
this area, IF you need it.
That said, my wife says getting the deflated dinghy out of the cabin is like
dragging Orson Wells to the morgue! We may look into a Port-a-boat again when
we get our next boat.

We have the 12' and have comfortably (and dryly) hauled 5 full sized
middle-aged adults around the anchorage under power. Each had a
comfortable seat facing forward instead of sitting on the tubes and
getting their butts wet.

Note that ratings for inflatables are very different than other boats
because the tubes have so much buoyancy. 'Course they also cut down the
usable space for gear and supplies. The PortaBote (or any hard dink)
isn't rated for the same loads, but I'm more comfortable hauling heavy
loads around with it.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Ron Patterson wrote:

However I came across a rigid dinghy that folds and can be stowed on
deck. This is called the Porta-Bote. http://porta-bote.com/ Does
anyone know anything about this boat? I have sent for information and
pricing but I was would like an opinion from someone who actually has
one, or has seen one. I was wondering about the reliability of the
boat. Will the folding seams crack and leak?


We've had one for 4 seasons and love it. Ours is with us every time we
go out even though we only use it a few times a season. Whenever the
mood strikes, we have it. Personally, I think the website understates
the boat's capabilities. BTW, the Practical Sailor review sold me; it's
on the site under "experts talk" or some such.

Which isn't to say that it doesn't have some quirks. The first few times
you get up on plane (with a Honda 2 or 2.5 once), you'll be surprised by
the floor dropping down, one reason the boat is so quick. The black
tubes that define the folds will leave marks on the mothership. (that
can be fixed.) Stowing the seats and transom takes some room, about
5'x2.5'x2'. (The newest ones may take less room).

We have an ancient long shaft Honda 7.5 with sailboat (slow speed)
gearing. With it, we planed at 11-12 knots with 1, 2 or 3 adults
onboard. We didn't get on plane with 5 passengers, about 1000#, but
still moved smartly.

Curiously, though its performance under power is astounding, it seems
that most used in the Chesapeake as tenders are simply rowed. In our
case (and I suppose the others), mounting the outboard is more hassle
than rowing a half mile or so to the dinghy dock. Each stroke of the
standard oars pulls us more than a boat length; quite a bit further than
inflatables. Feels like a good rowing dink.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Ron Patterson wrote:

However I came across a rigid dinghy that folds and can be stowed on
deck. This is called the Porta-Bote. http://porta-bote.com/ Does
anyone know anything about this boat? I have sent for information and
pricing but I was would like an opinion from someone who actually has
one, or has seen one. I was wondering about the reliability of the
boat. Will the folding seams crack and leak?


We've had one for 4 seasons and love it. Ours is with us every time we
go out even though we only use it a few times a season. Whenever the
mood strikes, we have it. Personally, I think the website understates
the boat's capabilities. BTW, the Practical Sailor review sold me; it's
on the site under "experts talk" or some such.

Which isn't to say that it doesn't have some quirks. The first few times
you get up on plane (with a Honda 2 or 2.5 once), you'll be surprised by
the floor dropping down, one reason the boat is so quick. The black
tubes that define the folds will leave marks on the mothership. (that
can be fixed.) Stowing the seats and transom takes some room, about
5'x2.5'x2'. (The newest ones may take less room).

We have an ancient long shaft Honda 7.5 with sailboat (slow speed)
gearing. With it, we planed at 11-12 knots with 1, 2 or 3 adults
onboard. We didn't get on plane with 5 passengers, about 1000#, but
still moved smartly.

Curiously, though its performance under power is astounding, it seems
that most used in the Chesapeake as tenders are simply rowed. In our
case (and I suppose the others), mounting the outboard is more hassle
than rowing a half mile or so to the dinghy dock. Each stroke of the
standard oars pulls us more than a boat length; quite a bit further than
inflatables. Feels like a good rowing dink.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

We have an ancient long shaft Honda 7.5 with sailboat (slow speed)
gearing. With it, we planed at 11-12 knots with 1, 2 or 3 adults
onboard. We didn't get on plane with 5 passengers, about 1000#, but
still moved smartly.

According to Portaboat the maximum safe operating weight is 670 lbs. I can't
see how 5 200lb folks aboard would be a good idea.

http://www.porta-bote.com/dimensions.html

RB

We have an ancient long shaft Honda 7.5 with sailboat (slow speed)
gearing. With it, we planed at 11-12 knots with 1, 2 or 3 adults
onboard. We didn't get on plane with 5 passengers, about 1000#, but
still moved smartly.

According to Portaboat the maximum safe operating weight is 670 lbs. I can't
see how 5 200lb folks aboard would be a good idea.

http://www.porta-bote.com/dimensions.html

RB

I could be wrong, but I think that max weight rating may be based on
it's bouancy when swamped. We also have a 12' and our experience is
pretty much identical to Jere Lull and Bobsprit's (except we use our
little 2.5hp outboard more than we row - just lazy, I guess).

Bobsprit wrote:

We have an ancient long shaft Honda 7.5 with sailboat (slow speed)
gearing. With it, we planed at 11-12 knots with 1, 2 or 3 adults
onboard. We didn't get on plane with 5 passengers, about 1000#, but
still moved smartly.

According to Portaboat the maximum safe operating weight is 670 lbs. I can't
see how 5 200lb folks aboard would be a good idea.

http://www.porta-bote.com/dimensions.html

RB



--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean" http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG

I could be wrong, but I think that max weight rating may be based on
it's bouancy when swamped. We also have a 12' and our experience is
pretty much identical to Jere Lull and Bobsprit's (except we use our
little 2.5hp outboard more than we row - just lazy, I guess).

Bobsprit wrote:

We have an ancient long shaft Honda 7.5 with sailboat (slow speed)
gearing. With it, we planed at 11-12 knots with 1, 2 or 3 adults
onboard. We didn't get on plane with 5 passengers, about 1000#, but
still moved smartly.

According to Portaboat the maximum safe operating weight is 670 lbs. I can't
see how 5 200lb folks aboard would be a good idea.

http://www.porta-bote.com/dimensions.html

RB



--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean" http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG

I could be wrong, but I think that max weight rating may be based on
it's bouancy when swamped. We also have a 12' and our experience is
pretty much identical to Jere Lull and Bobsprit's (except we use our
little 2.5hp outboard more than we row - just lazy, I guess).

At the Nowalk Boat show last year I was told that those were the "safe"
operating weights. That was from the Portaboat rep. While you can always
overload a dinghy, I like the fact that my 2 foot shorter Quicksilver still has
a "safe" limit of 1150 lbs. I like the Portaboat, looks aside, but like ANY
tender it has it's weaknesses.

RB

I could be wrong, but I think that max weight rating may be based on
it's bouancy when swamped. We also have a 12' and our experience is
pretty much identical to Jere Lull and Bobsprit's (except we use our
little 2.5hp outboard more than we row - just lazy, I guess).

At the Nowalk Boat show last year I was told that those were the "safe"
operating weights. That was from the Portaboat rep. While you can always
overload a dinghy, I like the fact that my 2 foot shorter Quicksilver still has
a "safe" limit of 1150 lbs. I like the Portaboat, looks aside, but like ANY
tender it has it's weaknesses.

RB

Bobsprit wrote:

We have an ancient long shaft Honda 7.5 with sailboat (slow speed)
gearing. With it, we planed at 11-12 knots with 1, 2 or 3 adults
onboard. We didn't get on plane with 5 passengers, about 1000#, but
still moved smartly.

According to Portaboat the maximum safe operating weight is 670 lbs. I can't
see how 5 200lb folks aboard would be a good idea.

http://www.porta-bote.com/dimensions.html

RB


True, that's above the placard, but we were only going a short distance
in calm water. The point is that we had plenty of freeboard left and no
one got wet.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/