On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:02:06 -0700 (PDT), fred1995
wrote:

I've heard very bad things about the hinges on these.


I know a lot of people with porta-botes, and all feel they are more or
less indestructable. I have no idea what you "heard", but I tend to
discount it based on what everyone who has one, knows about them. They
have a service lifespan that is expressed in terms of a "half-life".
I've been abusing mine for many years, and fully expect that it will
be part of my son's inheritance.





On Aug 13, 6:39*pm, Larry wrote:
friend wrote in news:cbd04cdf-26cd-4c3f-abfc-
:

I'm looking for a tender I can use on my 24' sailboat for mostly
sheltered waters.

That'll work. *Trail it behind you but don't back over it. *Deflating and
stowing one just sucks.

But, there IS a great alternative:http://www.porta-bote.com/versus.html
Comes right apart and folds flat. *Got 3" of width against the lifeline up
forward? *That's what you do with the folded up hull. *Just tie it to the
rail and use it as a sprayrail...(c;

Assembly and disassembly is real easy on a sailboat, too! *Tie one of the
halyards from up the mast to the bow. *Use your winch to winch the
portabote vertically up the mast until the stern is at a convenient, non-
stooping over, height. *Take out the seats and fold 'er up for storage in
about 2 minutes. *Pay out the line while #2 lines the stern up against the
rail and tie it down fore/aft to hold it vertically in place against the
rail so it uses no deck space at all. *Just reverse order to assemble, then
pay out the line from up the mast while #2 pushes the stern over the rail
to launch perpendicular to the sailboat. *Your boom and a preventer make a
great sea painter to hold it away from the gelcoat when it's in the water
and you're aboard at anchor.

Unlike the blowup boat....the ride is DRY and STABLE so the groceries don't
arrive WET, like the passengers. *Portabote is also a great little cruising
around at anchorage and fishing bote to go exploring in. *Even has beer
holders built into the seats...(c;