porta boat
Submitted: Monday, Mar 21, 2011 at 23:45
ThreadID:
85155
Views:
3505
Replies:
5
FollowUps:
10
This Thread has been Archived
hicksy
hey guys
recently i have been researching on taking some kind of boat around oz with us..
been mainly looking for a 10 to 12 foot tinnie to go on top of the troopie .. but been thinking it may be hard work with just me and my gal to get off and on and wana keep my full length rack for storing stuff on so don't want a self loading rack..
so have been told to look at fold up boats, the porta boat looks like the best of them.. was wondering if any one has taken one around oz and what they think of them and also how
well they go in a bit of open ocean??
thanks kai
Reply By: Ozrover - Tuesday, Mar 22, 2011 at 16:24
Tuesday, Mar 22, 2011 at 16:24
Hicksy,
I had a 10 foot Porta-Bote, travelled up the top end across the gulf & through the centre, they are a bit fiddly to assemble but are as safe as you can get.
mine had a 4hp Mercury outboard which was enough to get it up on the plane with 2 adults & a child on board, don't know if i'd take it too far off shore but it was great on the Darling, Murray,
Cooper creek & the Nicholson rivers.
It was also great on waterways where an outboard motor isnt allowed as it was very easy to row.
AnswerID:
448963
Follow Up By: hicksy - Wednesday, Mar 23, 2011 at 20:10
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2011 at 20:10
yer cool jeff, iv'e been looking at one in the paper its a 11 footer with ay 4hp johnson i think and he wants about 2 grand for it. what do you think of that price the motor is 98 he didn't no how old the boat was though
FollowupID:
721380
Follow Up By: Ozrover - Thursday, Mar 24, 2011 at 09:26
Thursday, Mar 24, 2011 at 09:26
Price sounds about right, the older ones had a wooden transom & seats, the newer ones have plastic ones.
Motor should be ok as long as it was looked after.
Make sure that it has all the little bits & pieces to put it together.
FollowupID:
721426
Reply By: Member - Rob D (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 22, 2011 at 16:30
Tuesday, Mar 22, 2011 at 16:30
I have a 12ft 6in (3.7m) Porta Bote with a 8hp Tohatsu outboard (max recommended by Porta Bote). I have measured a 17km/hr speed with 2 passengers using a GPS. It is fine in lakes and rivers, but I would not take it out in a heavy swell. It fits on the roof rack easily and I have fitted a roller to ease the putting the boat on and off on my own.
I also have an outboard motor mount that fits on one of the spare wheel carriers if I am not carrying the motor in my camper trailer.
My main problem is that my wife, who is not a good swimmer, is scared of water and will not go out with me and objects to me take it on long trips. I have seen others using Porta Botes quite happily in some very remote
places.
I am thinking of selling the whole thing as I don't get much use out of it. I have only used it for about 20 hours maximum, mostly with my mates in local waters.
AnswerID:
448964