Hello everyone, I have a question out there for anyone who has bought a folding dingy. I have been interested in getting a 10ft folding porta-boat and wondering if this is a good choice as a dingy. I like it because I figure I can fold it up and secure it to the lifelines while not in use and then just take it down and unfold it when I want to go ashore. My question basically is does the boat preform well enough to justify it's rather lofty pricetag ($1200) or would I be served with an inflateable? If it is worth the price tag does anyone know where I can pick one up in Southern California? I'm looking to make a trip to Catalina in a few weeks and would like to have it before then. Thanks for all the help, -Levin
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Those Camperworld places usually stock
them for the motorhome crowd. They have their own website but I don't see where they are located. I prefer an inflatable to these but many people like them.
them for the motorhome crowd. They have their own website but I don't see where they are located. I prefer an inflatable to these but many people like them.
Not Debatable; Go Inflatable
Mr. Levin, Do not even think of what looks pretty nor fits tidily. This is your life you are talking about here. The porta-boat is fine in its place, but if you spring a leak, hit something, get run by freighter, et al...brother those boats SWAMP, then sink! I will not sing too many praises on inflatables nor brands, but they are unsinkable, make good dingys, great for diving, bringing a MOB aboard, and double well as a LIFERAFT. There is always a place for an infaltable, even if you are FORCED to deflate one-half of it for room on deck.
Mr. Levin, Do not even think of what looks pretty nor fits tidily. This is your life you are talking about here. The porta-boat is fine in its place, but if you spring a leak, hit something, get run by freighter, et al...brother those boats SWAMP, then sink! I will not sing too many praises on inflatables nor brands, but they are unsinkable, make good dingys, great for diving, bringing a MOB aboard, and double well as a LIFERAFT. There is always a place for an infaltable, even if you are FORCED to deflate one-half of it for room on deck.
porta-bote for a dinghy
I'm also looking at the porta-bote as a dinghy - for simple ship-to-shore duty in protected anchorages. The porta-bote, unlike an inflatable, will not puncture or sink, tracks well, and is quick and easy to assemble/disassemble. Practical Sailor also had favorable comments on the porta-bote (and other publications have also had very favorable reviews). My big issue is how to store the boat. I don't want to keep it on deck and at 8'10" x 24" x 4" it's too long to fit easily below. An inflatable packs up to about 36" x 15" x 12" and can store in a cockpit locker. It has another bonus - it has an optional sail kit to turn it into a little sailing dinghy for the kids while at anchor. Does anybody have experience with the porta-bote and it's sail kit?
I'm also looking at the porta-bote as a dinghy - for simple ship-to-shore duty in protected anchorages. The porta-bote, unlike an inflatable, will not puncture or sink, tracks well, and is quick and easy to assemble/disassemble. Practical Sailor also had favorable comments on the porta-bote (and other publications have also had very favorable reviews). My big issue is how to store the boat. I don't want to keep it on deck and at 8'10" x 24" x 4" it's too long to fit easily below. An inflatable packs up to about 36" x 15" x 12" and can store in a cockpit locker. It has another bonus - it has an optional sail kit to turn it into a little sailing dinghy for the kids while at anchor. Does anybody have experience with the porta-bote and it's sail kit?
My boat is smaller than yours Levin, and my
8.5 foot roll-up is just a little too long when packed to fit in the Starboard aft locker of the cockpit. However the 2 hp Honda does so it is stored there between trips for security and when daysailing. The dink stores in the aft half of the aft cabin (cause it's too claustraphobic to sleep on that half anyway) until the first night. From then on tow the dink & carry the engine on the stern. The air floors probably better than slats but I was too cheap. Most places in Catalina are such that if you wouldn't row an inflatable you wouldn't take a Potabote. Roll-up less than $1000 & Oceanside Marine Center has 2HP Hondas for $849 (call first they go fast). Now for $1800 you got a boat you can take in safely from the outer coves and explore the coast of the island in. Lots of fish etc., your own little powered dink is much better than the glass bottom boat tour. I'd even recommend a kayak for someone young & energetic like yourself over a porta-bote. Everybody in the anchorage will be watching to see if it folds back up before you get to shore.
8.5 foot roll-up is just a little too long when packed to fit in the Starboard aft locker of the cockpit. However the 2 hp Honda does so it is stored there between trips for security and when daysailing. The dink stores in the aft half of the aft cabin (cause it's too claustraphobic to sleep on that half anyway) until the first night. From then on tow the dink & carry the engine on the stern. The air floors probably better than slats but I was too cheap. Most places in Catalina are such that if you wouldn't row an inflatable you wouldn't take a Potabote. Roll-up less than $1000 & Oceanside Marine Center has 2HP Hondas for $849 (call first they go fast). Now for $1800 you got a boat you can take in safely from the outer coves and explore the coast of the island in. Lots of fish etc., your own little powered dink is much better than the glass bottom boat tour. I'd even recommend a kayak for someone young & energetic like yourself over a porta-bote. Everybody in the anchorage will be watching to see if it folds back up before you get to shore.
MJB Reply
Dear Mjb, Wasn't there some coffee or other? I don't want to burst your bubble, I have known folks that wrote for Sea magazines, and 'Practical Sailor' some have never been at sea. A Hyperlon infaltable can be: drug across feefs, landed on coral reefs in white-water, catch fish-hooks, and fall off a van at some sixty mph, and still not sink. I have yet to see, but keep an open mind, an inflatable sink. Be it an Avon Red-Crest or a Sport-Boat with transom, if completely swamped they will not sink, and I have infalted a ten footer in the water with only my breath. I have heard/read of liferafts sinking, falling apart.A famous book, true story, of a family that was attacked off the Galapagos by Orcas. Their 50' schooner was stove in, two weeks later their 'inflatable'liferaft sank, luckily they had towed their 9 1/2' fiberglass dingy, the family surveived for 72 days, picked up by a Japanise fish-boat. "Survive The Savage Sea". This is ONE case whence a hard dingy did indeed prevail above an inflatable... I believe there were five souls in that 9.5 ft. dingy!!!!!
Dear Mjb, Wasn't there some coffee or other? I don't want to burst your bubble, I have known folks that wrote for Sea magazines, and 'Practical Sailor' some have never been at sea. A Hyperlon infaltable can be: drug across feefs, landed on coral reefs in white-water, catch fish-hooks, and fall off a van at some sixty mph, and still not sink. I have yet to see, but keep an open mind, an inflatable sink. Be it an Avon Red-Crest or a Sport-Boat with transom, if completely swamped they will not sink, and I have infalted a ten footer in the water with only my breath. I have heard/read of liferafts sinking, falling apart.A famous book, true story, of a family that was attacked off the Galapagos by Orcas. Their 50' schooner was stove in, two weeks later their 'inflatable'liferaft sank, luckily they had towed their 9 1/2' fiberglass dingy, the family surveived for 72 days, picked up by a Japanise fish-boat. "Survive The Savage Sea". This is ONE case whence a hard dingy did indeed prevail above an inflatable... I believe there were five souls in that 9.5 ft. dingy!!!!!
I had one
I had one for 2 years. MJB is totally correct. It's a great little boat and does everything that's advertised. However, I just couldn't unfold that sucker safely on deck. It has a v bottom which makes it rock from side to side while assembling and it can get pretty scary when you're bouncing around at anchor. It's also a bear to wrestle it off and onto the deck. We found that we stored it on deck lashed to the lifelines when in home port and only assembling it on the dock prior to going somewhere and towing it behind us until we got to our destination. We disassembled again only after we got back to our home dock. I eventually sold it and got an inflatable which is so much easier to inflate and deflate on deck. If you feel you want one, my advise is to get the smallest one you can live with. BTW, check Ebay--I've seen them for sail there on occasion.
I had one for 2 years. MJB is totally correct. It's a great little boat and does everything that's advertised. However, I just couldn't unfold that sucker safely on deck. It has a v bottom which makes it rock from side to side while assembling and it can get pretty scary when you're bouncing around at anchor. It's also a bear to wrestle it off and onto the deck. We found that we stored it on deck lashed to the lifelines when in home port and only assembling it on the dock prior to going somewhere and towing it behind us until we got to our destination. We disassembled again only after we got back to our home dock. I eventually sold it and got an inflatable which is so much easier to inflate and deflate on deck. If you feel you want one, my advise is to get the smallest one you can live with. BTW, check Ebay--I've seen them for sail there on occasion.
Catalina
Hello everyone... Thanks for all the good advice... but of course now I'm even more confused, but that is to be expected because it sounds like people have differing opinions. I can't decide based on price as the porta-boat and a good comparable infatable cost about the same amount of money, and where the inflatable most likely will take up less space deflated the porta-boat could easily lash to the lifelines and take up next to no space (if you don't count the space the seats sound like they take up). Well I'll decide here soon, but thanks again for all the help. -Levin Andy: Thanks for the offer to check out the porta-boat I might take you up on that. I'm doing the Catalina trip over the Thanksgiving holiday so if you and the family want to come along that would be great. I think Isaac and his wife is already planning on joining so the merrier.
Hello everyone... Thanks for all the good advice... but of course now I'm even more confused, but that is to be expected because it sounds like people have differing opinions. I can't decide based on price as the porta-boat and a good comparable infatable cost about the same amount of money, and where the inflatable most likely will take up less space deflated the porta-boat could easily lash to the lifelines and take up next to no space (if you don't count the space the seats sound like they take up). Well I'll decide here soon, but thanks again for all the help. -Levin Andy: Thanks for the offer to check out the porta-boat I might take you up on that. I'm doing the Catalina trip over the Thanksgiving holiday so if you and the family want to come along that would be great. I think Isaac and his wife is already planning on joining so the merrier.
Hey Levin!
That's why this web site is so invaluable! Eveyone has given good insight based on each one's personal experience. I hope we've given you plenty to think about to make an informed decision! Let us know which way you go. I'm sure we'd all like to get your input too!
That's why this web site is so invaluable! Eveyone has given good insight based on each one's personal experience. I hope we've given you plenty to think about to make an informed decision! Let us know which way you go. I'm sure we'd all like to get your input too!
mjb
Attach a small pad eye to each corner of the transom. Run a line from one pad eye to the middle of the boat and back to the other. Then another line from the the grommets installed at the bow to the center of the first line. This gives a 3 point lifting system which is real easy to use. If you suspend this off the end of a whisker pole or spinnaker pole, it can be swung on and off the foredeck with ease.
Attach a small pad eye to each corner of the transom. Run a line from one pad eye to the middle of the boat and back to the other. Then another line from the the grommets installed at the bow to the center of the first line. This gives a 3 point lifting system which is real easy to use. If you suspend this off the end of a whisker pole or spinnaker pole, it can be swung on and off the foredeck with ease.
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