Porta Bote

A mate of mine (member of our 4x4 club) has one and it's the ducks guts!!! Muddy Doe (also a member of same 4x4 club) is going to get one too.

They are very stable on the water although a little strange when you first ride in one as the floor tends to flex under your feet.

Very manouverable, but we haven't had it out it out in really rough/choppy seas; I think it's ideally suited for calmer waters.

I'm not a boatie, but this is what I'd be getting if I needed a little run-about.

Cheers

Roachie

I thought i saw this porta bote on the new inventors last year . Or am i dreaming again .

Funnily enough I am just about to list mine in the trader section.
12 foot, sail kit, 2.2hp Merc (4hpTohatsu outboard, badge engineering!) has been sitting unused in the garage for the last five years, outboard has had about 15hrs work total but needs a new pump impeller.
Not quite yet ready for sale as I want to fix the outboard and clean the dust off, but if anyone is interested let me know.

A friend has a PortaBote and is very pleased with it. He bought it for when he does the Big Trip (if he ever does the trip). Only problem when using it as a day to day boat is that it is a pain in the butt when you get to the beach and you have to cart the boat and all the bits for it plus fishing gear, anchor, oars, motor, lifejackets, etc from the 4WD to the water.

OK when you are in their 20's OK but for someone nearing retirement age and not fit, he finds it a problem.

He now assembles it at home and takes it to the water on a trailer at a boat ramp. I also don't like the idea of a wet boat dripping salt water over my vehicle.

However if you are touring with a caravan long term, it is the way to go.

Stevesub

I have trout fished out of one and it was great considering how easy it was to transport .

I am not so sure that it would be good for the big trip around Australia though , as the estuary wind chop and the crocs would make it very marginal in the tropics .

Cheers ,

Willie .

search on 'portabote' for plenty of opinions

distributer is in Syd -will freight anywhere

best advice is to buy the smaller one - 10ft. Lighter and easier to handle which is important for a portable item. 12ft and 14ft are too cumbersome.
they are not for open water like a decent tinnie but do the job for dams, creeks and still water areas.

unbreakable, light, easy to clean and store and always there when you need it. carrying the outboard is the biggest hassle, lives on the camper trailer at the moment.

can be a pain to put together sometimes but I still wouldn't buy a tinne and we have a boat at the ready.

good for touring especially wind drag but if you're not, buy a tinnie and trailer or roof loader.

we also carry an inflatable Kayak for streams and gorges etc.
cheers
John