Porta-bote new 14ft

[sam-cox]

I one owned a 8 foot ally dingy, I used it to set my fyk netts. It was very un-stable and this was proven the day it sank.

A pal of mine had purchased a 86 foot dutch barge from a man on the Crouch, we needed to take the barge to its new birth in Maldon. We used my ally dingy to row out to the barge and then my pal insisted on side towing it against my advice. We got all the way round to Bradwell when a slight chop started to fill my ally dingy with water so I surgested towing it from the stern of the barge, by the time a disition was made she was almost full and as I cut the painter rope she sunk instantly. This put me off light ally boats.

If the Porta-bote is as un-stable as my ally dingy I would stay well clear, and realy would surgest you never took her anywhere near the sea....

[Jaffa]

Looks a really interesting boat. Depending on a persons particular circumstances they might actually go fishing more often, and more safely, than in a "proper" boat.

 

When I bought the Kayak I had actually been thinking about getting a "proper" boat but, by chance, stumbled on an article here at AN, followed that to the US kayak sites, and began to think maybe that's not so crazy an idea.

 

There are loads of "real" boats around my way that never actually move much. Launching near my haunts is a hassle involving getting a boat across soft sand at Carnoustie, Easthaven or Westhaven. Would always need someone else and all the organisation that entails. The tide curtails your time of launch at all of them to.

 

Another of my favourite places, Auchmithie, means a trip down a very steep and badly maintained non tarmacked road with some serious potholes; would be a nightmare to trail a boat down.

 

Arbroath harbour marina would cost money and its still not somewhere I would leave an outboard or valuable gear on the boat.

 

Can a kayak fish in the kind of sea/weather an Orkney longliner can or reach the same range of marks? no way, but a kayak still gets me more fishing in than a boat would.

 

Typically, come home from work and the evenings beautiful, got a few hours free. 5 mins to cartop the yak, grab the fishing gear (all boxed and ready), the bag with the wetsuit/safety gear, drive for 5 mins, 10 mins later on the water. 10 minute paddle and in among cod ( failed today though! )

 

When the weathers dodgy I don't bother. Still reckon that I fish a lot more than I would with a boat, and that I fish in much safer weather; less temptation to "push it" just because its all arranged and its been such a hassle to get to the point of launch..

 

Strikes me the portaboate is the same sort of thing; if in your circumstances it would actually get you more fishing time in then it is a better craft for you than the best seaboat in the world.

 

The portaboate is safer than a kayak idea seems strange to me. A kayaker is, or should be, dressed to be IN the water; how many boaters actually do that and stick to it. I've seen plenty of guys head off with an old seagull outboard, and no obvious life jacket, there is also no complicated engine to break down. If the kayak tips over (never happened to me at sea yet) then its simple enough to right, no bailing out to do, easy to get on, and all your gears still there because your first assumption was that its a possibility.

[sam-cox]

A yak you sit on yer, it must be hard to sink, as a port boat would take on brike like habbits in a chop.

[kentangler]

The Porta has a deep vee hull entry,so they claim a dry soft ride . it can aslo be rowed completely full of water.ie. it's unsinkable.If it's that unsafe, how come it has passed all US Coastguard tests for stability with flying colours??? All models have been compliance tested. It's also NMMA and EU approved for safety. The hull has a ten year warenty.

How can it survive being dropped from a crane with half a ton of concrete in it, and with no effect, it did not damage the boat, it did not sink. Try that with a glassfibre hull! or a kayak! How come it ws the only boat tough enough to be used by an RAF expedition accross a melted glacier. it was a world record, set in a Porta Bote. I think it is the concept of a boat that folds up that people have trouble with. They assume it is weak , and yet 80,000 have been sold around the world, and some boats of twenty eight years old have been found to be as strong as when they were new after 28years! The only thing is, I would want to go to lowestoft and see one for myself for real if I was considering buying one. The biggest drawback is not it's safety, it's the price. The 14ft X 6ft beam is £1874.

Add another £1000 for a 6hp motor, and it's expensive. It can travel at 25mph.

I may go and see one for myself one day in action. or try one out. I don't condemn anything until I have seen it myself. It must be 100 times stronger and safer than a kayak.

 

[ 02. April 2005, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: kentangler ]

[sam-cox]

bet it wouldnt pass a English coast guard test, plus how can a boat full of water be rowed. A yak as far as i know is quite strong a bit like a big plastic bannana that you sit on, totaly different style.

[captain cojones]

sam-cox:

A yak you sit on yer, it must be hard to sink, as a port boat would take on brike like habbits in a chop.

sam any chance you could post that in english?

[sam-cox]

sorry the dislexia kicked in a bit there...

[captain cojones]

sam-cox:

sorry the dislexia kicked in a bit there...

sam i was only joking,best wishes dave.

[Guest stevie cop]

I sold my 16ft Orkney longliner, with cuddy, for £1800, with a good Johnson 9.9 outboard and a 3.5 Yamaha auxillary. It was on a snipe galvanised trailer and came with anchor and warp, compass, bilge pump, nav lights, gps, fishfinder and oars. It was, (and still is), a good, comfortable and safe fishing boat.

 

Why compromise your safety by buying something that really isn't meant for sea fishing? If those things were £200, I might understand why you are tempted. But as you say, they are expensive for what they are.

[sam-cox]

dont feel to bad Dave, I type quicker than my brain can think, I should realy slow down.

Still think those porta-botes look like an expensive wet coffin.