Choice of Dinghy
 

Hello, I'm Ron Patterson. About 6 years ago I bough a 1964 34 foot
fiberglass sloop. It is an old boat but with a much newer Yanmar 27
horse diesel engine in it. The boat has been on Guntersville Lake in
North Alabama ever since I bought it. This is a terrible sailing area,
too little water and not enough wind. However I am retiring the last
of March 04 and we are moving to Pensacola, Florida.

So sometime in April, I will be taking the boat down the Tennessee
River to the Tenn-Tom waterway, and then down that waterway to Mobil
and on to the Rod and Reel Marina on the Big Lagoon in Pensacola. From
there I will do lots of sailing and sailboat fishing and who knows, I
may even take a trip to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.

My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided
about what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables,
particularly the Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold
up and be stowed away while offshore, which is something absolutely
necessary as far as I am concerned.

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?

Any information anyone can supply would greatly appreciated. Or, any
information about other dinghies would be appreciated also.

Ron Patterson

Choice of Dinghy
 

Ron,
We used to use a 10' Avon, but a couple of years ago, switched to a 12'
Porta-Bote(http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/PortaBote.JPG) and haven't
looked back. We still have the Avon, but it now lives in the garage
instead of on the boat and hasn't been used since we got the Porta-Bote
On our boat, it stores nicely on the coach roof
(http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/PortaCover.JPG) where it's out of
the way and adds virtually no windage and can be stepped on with out
fear of damaging it.
It's been great for us:
Stores easily.
Gives us a dry ride.
Sets up in the same or less time as the Avon.
More room in the Bote for "stuff".
Did I mention we don't get wet using it?
Much faster with the same tiny outboard as the Avon
Pretty much impervious to damage - no repair kit needed (EVERY
inflatable comes with one).

The only two valid negatives I've come across a
Some people think it's ugly.
When there are a zillion dinghy's at a dock, and you have to board
it directly from the bow, it's less stable than an inflatable. You
probably will want to use one hand to stabilize yourself. This can be
awkward if you're carrying a lot of stuff. On the other hand, with its'
pointy bow, it's easier to push theough a bunch of other dinghys to get
close to the dock.

They come with something like a ten year warrantee and the company is a
good one that will stand behind them. There have been some reports of
less than perfect finish work, but the company quickly corrects anny
problems.

There's a listserver on Yahoo dedicated to them
(http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Recr...&show_groups=1).
Check it out if you're serious.

The Porta-Bote web site leaves a lot to be desired, but their product is
a good one (less expensive than a good inflatable too).

BTW, I have no association with the company other than as a very happy
user of their product. I'm not even a customer as I bought mine 2nd hand.

Good luck - Dan

Ron Patterson wrote:

Hello, I'm Ron Patterson. About 6 years ago I bough a 1964 34 foot
fiberglass sloop. It is an old boat but with a much newer Yanmar 27
horse diesel engine in it. The boat has been on Guntersville Lake in
North Alabama ever since I bought it. This is a terrible sailing area,
too little water and not enough wind. However I am retiring the last
of March 04 and we are moving to Pensacola, Florida.

So sometime in April, I will be taking the boat down the Tennessee
River to the Tenn-Tom waterway, and then down that waterway to Mobil
and on to the Rod and Reel Marina on the Big Lagoon in Pensacola. From
there I will do lots of sailing and sailboat fishing and who knows, I
may even take a trip to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.

My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided
about what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables,
particularly the Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold
up and be stowed away while offshore, which is something absolutely
necessary as far as I am concerned.

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?

Any information anyone can supply would greatly appreciated. Or, any
information about other dinghies would be appreciated also.

Ron Patterson



--
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

Choice of Dinghy
 

Ron,
We used to use a 10' Avon, but a couple of years ago, switched to a 12'
Porta-Bote(http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/PortaBote.JPG) and haven't
looked back. We still have the Avon, but it now lives in the garage
instead of on the boat and hasn't been used since we got the Porta-Bote
On our boat, it stores nicely on the coach roof
(http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/PortaCover.JPG) where it's out of
the way and adds virtually no windage and can be stepped on with out
fear of damaging it.
It's been great for us:
Stores easily.
Gives us a dry ride.
Sets up in the same or less time as the Avon.
More room in the Bote for "stuff".
Did I mention we don't get wet using it?
Much faster with the same tiny outboard as the Avon
Pretty much impervious to damage - no repair kit needed (EVERY
inflatable comes with one).

The only two valid negatives I've come across a
Some people think it's ugly.
When there are a zillion dinghy's at a dock, and you have to board
it directly from the bow, it's less stable than an inflatable. You
probably will want to use one hand to stabilize yourself. This can be
awkward if you're carrying a lot of stuff. On the other hand, with its'
pointy bow, it's easier to push theough a bunch of other dinghys to get
close to the dock.

They come with something like a ten year warrantee and the company is a
good one that will stand behind them. There have been some reports of
less than perfect finish work, but the company quickly corrects anny
problems.

There's a listserver on Yahoo dedicated to them
(http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Recr...&show_groups=1).
Check it out if you're serious.

The Porta-Bote web site leaves a lot to be desired, but their product is
a good one (less expensive than a good inflatable too).

BTW, I have no association with the company other than as a very happy
user of their product. I'm not even a customer as I bought mine 2nd hand.

Good luck - Dan

Ron Patterson wrote:

Hello, I'm Ron Patterson. About 6 years ago I bough a 1964 34 foot
fiberglass sloop. It is an old boat but with a much newer Yanmar 27
horse diesel engine in it. The boat has been on Guntersville Lake in
North Alabama ever since I bought it. This is a terrible sailing area,
too little water and not enough wind. However I am retiring the last
of March 04 and we are moving to Pensacola, Florida.

So sometime in April, I will be taking the boat down the Tennessee
River to the Tenn-Tom waterway, and then down that waterway to Mobil
and on to the Rod and Reel Marina on the Big Lagoon in Pensacola. From
there I will do lots of sailing and sailboat fishing and who knows, I
may even take a trip to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.

My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided
about what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables,
particularly the Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold
up and be stowed away while offshore, which is something absolutely
necessary as far as I am concerned.

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?

Any information anyone can supply would greatly appreciated. Or, any
information about other dinghies would be appreciated also.

Ron Patterson



--
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

Choice of Dinghy
 

On 7 Dec 2003 10:45:46 -0800, (Ron Patterson)
wrote:

---------------------------------- snip ---------------------------------
My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided
about what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables,
particularly the Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold
up and be stowed away while offshore, which is something absolutely
necessary as far as I am concerned.

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?

Any information anyone can supply would greatly appreciated. Or, any
information about other dinghies would be appreciated also.

Ron Patterson

Ron,

An alternative you might consider, especially if the length of the
stowable package is of more concern than the thickness, is a Niccolls
Lite NN10: http://www.niccollslite.net/page1.html

Its bow and stern halves nest for stowage (kind of a Boston Whaler
that's already sawn in half, rather than during a TV commercial g).

It's not cheap, but looks good enough for my application (fore-deck
stowage on a 31ft aux. sloop) that I'm planning to buy one for next
season. I find the built-in floatation and truly rigid hull appealing.

From http://www.niccollslite.net/page2.html :

"With up to 6 watertight compartments and over 2
cubic feet of ridged foam floatation (twice the US
& CDN Coast Guard recommendations.) Plus a
comfortable 1/2" water proof foam on the seats
......she's unsinkable. "

Fair winds,
Al
s/v Persephone

Choice of Dinghy
 

On 7 Dec 2003 10:45:46 -0800, (Ron Patterson)
wrote:

---------------------------------- snip ---------------------------------
My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided
about what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables,
particularly the Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold
up and be stowed away while offshore, which is something absolutely
necessary as far as I am concerned.

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?

Any information anyone can supply would greatly appreciated. Or, any
information about other dinghies would be appreciated also.

Ron Patterson

Ron,

An alternative you might consider, especially if the length of the
stowable package is of more concern than the thickness, is a Niccolls
Lite NN10: http://www.niccollslite.net/page1.html

Its bow and stern halves nest for stowage (kind of a Boston Whaler
that's already sawn in half, rather than during a TV commercial g).

It's not cheap, but looks good enough for my application (fore-deck
stowage on a 31ft aux. sloop) that I'm planning to buy one for next
season. I find the built-in floatation and truly rigid hull appealing.

From http://www.niccollslite.net/page2.html :

"With up to 6 watertight compartments and over 2
cubic feet of ridged foam floatation (twice the US
& CDN Coast Guard recommendations.) Plus a
comfortable 1/2" water proof foam on the seats
......she's unsinkable. "

Fair winds,
Al
s/v Persephone

Choice of Dinghy
 

Friends who have lived aboard for 24 years (mostly at anchor), and travel
annually from Nova Scotia to SC and back, have used a Porta-bote for the last 5
years and love it. Every time I see them (twice a year) I ask if they still
endorse it, and they say yes, for all its minor faults, its still the best, and
certainly the best value. They complain about some of the non-hull
construction, but the hull itself has taken a huge beating and show no serious
signs of wear. Since they often anchor a distance from town, they appreciate
that the Porta-Bote will plane and stay fairly dry. Their engine is small (8
HP?) but they are both light so it planes if not loaded down with groceries.
With 3 or 4 people it doesn't do as well, but it does stay drier than an
inflatable. They avoid overloading - when we visit they do 2 trips, and it may
be faster than one overloaded trip.

This issue has come up before here, so I'm sure a few others will add their
opinions.

BTW, I have a Trinka 10 and a Fatty Knees 8, both excellent rowing dinghies, but
they will set you back a bit. The old Trinka wouldn't fit on my new boat, so it
got retired to my brother's cabin on a lake. I like rowing, it being the only
exercise I get while cruising, but I'm more likely to pay for a mooring near the
town dock than anchor out. If I were doing it again on my now more limited
means, I'd get a Porta-bote.



"Ron Patterson" wrote in message
om...
Hello, I'm Ron Patterson. About 6 years ago I bough a 1964 34 foot
fiberglass sloop. It is an old boat but with a much newer Yanmar 27
horse diesel engine in it. The boat has been on Guntersville Lake in
North Alabama ever since I bought it. This is a terrible sailing area,
too little water and not enough wind. However I am retiring the last
of March 04 and we are moving to Pensacola, Florida.

So sometime in April, I will be taking the boat down the Tennessee
River to the Tenn-Tom waterway, and then down that waterway to Mobil
and on to the Rod and Reel Marina on the Big Lagoon in Pensacola. From
there I will do lots of sailing and sailboat fishing and who knows, I
may even take a trip to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.

My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided
about what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables,
particularly the Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold
up and be stowed away while offshore, which is something absolutely
necessary as far as I am concerned.

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?

Any information anyone can supply would greatly appreciated. Or, any
information about other dinghies would be appreciated also.

Ron Patterson

Choice of Dinghy
 

Friends who have lived aboard for 24 years (mostly at anchor), and travel
annually from Nova Scotia to SC and back, have used a Porta-bote for the last 5
years and love it. Every time I see them (twice a year) I ask if they still
endorse it, and they say yes, for all its minor faults, its still the best, and
certainly the best value. They complain about some of the non-hull
construction, but the hull itself has taken a huge beating and show no serious
signs of wear. Since they often anchor a distance from town, they appreciate
that the Porta-Bote will plane and stay fairly dry. Their engine is small (8
HP?) but they are both light so it planes if not loaded down with groceries.
With 3 or 4 people it doesn't do as well, but it does stay drier than an
inflatable. They avoid overloading - when we visit they do 2 trips, and it may
be faster than one overloaded trip.

This issue has come up before here, so I'm sure a few others will add their
opinions.

BTW, I have a Trinka 10 and a Fatty Knees 8, both excellent rowing dinghies, but
they will set you back a bit. The old Trinka wouldn't fit on my new boat, so it
got retired to my brother's cabin on a lake. I like rowing, it being the only
exercise I get while cruising, but I'm more likely to pay for a mooring near the
town dock than anchor out. If I were doing it again on my now more limited
means, I'd get a Porta-bote.



"Ron Patterson" wrote in message
om...
Hello, I'm Ron Patterson. About 6 years ago I bough a 1964 34 foot
fiberglass sloop. It is an old boat but with a much newer Yanmar 27
horse diesel engine in it. The boat has been on Guntersville Lake in
North Alabama ever since I bought it. This is a terrible sailing area,
too little water and not enough wind. However I am retiring the last
of March 04 and we are moving to Pensacola, Florida.

So sometime in April, I will be taking the boat down the Tennessee
River to the Tenn-Tom waterway, and then down that waterway to Mobil
and on to the Rod and Reel Marina on the Big Lagoon in Pensacola. From
there I will do lots of sailing and sailboat fishing and who knows, I
may even take a trip to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.

My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided
about what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables,
particularly the Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold
up and be stowed away while offshore, which is something absolutely
necessary as far as I am concerned.

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?

Any information anyone can supply would greatly appreciated. Or, any
information about other dinghies would be appreciated also.

Ron Patterson

Choice of Dinghy
 

On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 10:45:46 +0000, Ron Patterson wrote:


My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided about
what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables, particularly the
Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold up and be stowed away
while offshore, which is something absolutely necessary as far as I am
concerned.

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?


Hi,

As usual, you need to work out how you will be using a boat before you can
make a good decision on buying one.

The main drawback I see to inflatables is that they don't row well. I like
rowing around anchorages and marinas, as an end to itself as well as as a means
to get somewhere. There's also sailing - would you want to be able to sail the
dinghy?

If "no" to both, and you only want the dinghy to get you and your crew from
boat to shore, then an inflatable or portabote is probably the best. I THINK an
inflatable (rigid floor, large outboard) would be better if you're thinking of
using the dinghy for more adventurous exploration, such as fishing, etc. outside
the anchorage.

I prefer a boat I can row, but what I've observed is:
1. Portabote owners seem to really, REALLY like their boat, to the extent that
they can find nothing wrong with them (This concerns me: EVERY boat has it's
flaws...). They're like Mac owners.
2. The vast majority of "get-you-there" dinghies are inflatables, but for some
reason they all seem to be stored inflated. I've seem them stored on deck, on
davits, lashed to the roof of hardtops, towed behind... I don't think I've EVER
seem somebody inflate/deflate their dinghy. Donno why - just an observation.

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8

Choice of Dinghy
 

On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 10:45:46 +0000, Ron Patterson wrote:


My question is about dinghies. I do not have a dinghy and am undecided about
what kind to buy. I have been thinking about inflatables, particularly the
Achilles LSR 96 or LSR 104. This inflatable can fold up and be stowed away
while offshore, which is something absolutely necessary as far as I am
concerned.

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?


Hi,

As usual, you need to work out how you will be using a boat before you can
make a good decision on buying one.

The main drawback I see to inflatables is that they don't row well. I like
rowing around anchorages and marinas, as an end to itself as well as as a means
to get somewhere. There's also sailing - would you want to be able to sail the
dinghy?

If "no" to both, and you only want the dinghy to get you and your crew from
boat to shore, then an inflatable or portabote is probably the best. I THINK an
inflatable (rigid floor, large outboard) would be better if you're thinking of
using the dinghy for more adventurous exploration, such as fishing, etc. outside
the anchorage.

I prefer a boat I can row, but what I've observed is:
1. Portabote owners seem to really, REALLY like their boat, to the extent that
they can find nothing wrong with them (This concerns me: EVERY boat has it's
flaws...). They're like Mac owners.
2. The vast majority of "get-you-there" dinghies are inflatables, but for some
reason they all seem to be stored inflated. I've seem them stored on deck, on
davits, lashed to the roof of hardtops, towed behind... I don't think I've EVER
seem somebody inflate/deflate their dinghy. Donno why - just an observation.

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8

Choice of Dinghy
 

I'm another happy portabote owner. Got tired of inflatables needing patches,
etc. I bought the 12 footer and can carry 4 adults comfortably. In
hindsight, I probably would have gone for the 10' model, as 2 feet can make
a few more storage options available. I've owned it for 4 years and trust
me, it's tough. The kids take it out all the time and I never have to worry
about a fish hook making another hole like in a portable.

Happy hunting. BTW, search around on the net and you can save yourself a
couple hundred simolians. I did.

D Turner
SV Wind Dominated