Author Topic: Looking at inflatables (Read 5839 times)

JR · « **on:** August 19, 2015, 02:52:42 AM »

Thinking for some time about a smallish inflatable around 10 ft for fishing and other things. This size will go into the shell if deflated a little and will do well on a trolling motor and AGM batteries. I can get a 40lb trolling motor for $100 and have several AGM batteries and can charge in use with a single solar panel.

I am seeing them starting for around 600 for what I would say is OK. Most are made from .9mm or 1.2mm pvc now. I want 2 bench seats at least so that sets the size at around 9.8ft minimum.

I seem to be drawn to the round or squarer bows and rounded ends on the tubes. Some have splash guards all around and on the transom for that little wave that follows you. Some have alum decks, other have air-filled decks.

I can always get an outboard, but then I have to go through all the registration crud.

Feedback, recommendations??

Sammconn · « **Reply #1 on:** August 19, 2015, 08:48:13 AM »

JR, mine is an older Achilles, just shy of 12 feet. To my knowledge it is the .9mm material.
I don't have seats, and I think they are needed, not fun hangin butt in the waves sitting on the tube edge.
It has a three piece wooden floor, plus an inflatable bow pillow.

IT IS SMALL.

It is also nice that I can throw it on the rack of the quad, or tie it to a pack frame, and take it wherever.
I have only run it with an 8hp outboard, which is insufficient for anything more than me alone.
Insufficient being getting on plane and moving out in a hurry.
It does quite well, just pushing around, and if you are not after speed, then the electric will do just fine.
Heck the 50 pounder on my Lund moves it around just fine, just not fast.

As for the bow, it is the rounded bow, is supposed to have four chambers, but currently sports three.
I didn't blow the baffle, a previous owner did that, and monitoring pressure properly would have eliminated the rupture.
I don't know a lot of the internal construction, but it is not a cheap repair, and one I will likely not do.

Depending on requirements, some will take a .22LR at point blank (maybe more) without damage, may be the 1.2mm, I don't know for sure.
So that may be something to consider as well.

JR · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2015, 11:09:34 AM »

Thanks Sam. I will use this mostly for mountain lakes, maybe a little down here at SL so it will not be inflated until use.

They say a 55lb motor is recommended, but they start at 200 if you lucky and moving it around is all I am looking for. I do not expect it to plane.

It will be me, 1-2 boys for fishing, but want the option to put 5 in it if need be. I want a swivel seat in the back for me and have seen them on pedestals and mounted on the seats.

Wilbur · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2015, 02:46:08 PM »

I think this is what you need....just sayin' ha!

I think something like that would be great. I also like the idea of mounting a trolling motor on a canoe - via a square stern or with the mounting board that goes across the back.

KensAuto · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2015, 02:47:35 PM »

That doesn't look like any canoe I have ever seen. lol

JR · « **Reply #5 on:** August 19, 2015, 03:11:05 PM »

I bet thats not 1.2mm vinyl either. I'd be happy with that 50.

Is that Don shooting that?

Wilbur · « **Reply #6 on:** August 19, 2015, 03:39:35 PM »

When George HW was president (and even still) the SS would follow him around near their home in Kennebunkport in one of those. I am sure they had a blast following him because he has a 38' Fountain with trip 200's on it. To see them blasting through the chop catching air keeping up with 41 was pretty funny. And at least during the first Gulf War it had a 50 cal on it. The one I saw last summer didn't have that. but still very cool boats.

Sorry for the thread drift! ::)

My buddy has one of the smaller inflatables and uses it as a tender for his fishing boat. But its too small to be a real fishing boat (at least for more than 1 or 2 people).

JR · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2015, 06:36:36 PM »

That 50 was still there. Unless they removed it because of a possible "friendly fire" issue with O, but could that happen?

We had these, but nothing mounted;

JR · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2015, 06:41:35 PM »

Even got my boy behind the wheel during a Cub Scout event. He better be smiling, that a 250K boat!

Sammconn · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2015, 08:09:41 PM »

What amazes me about the inflatables, is how much power you can put on them.
My little 12-ish footer is rated for something ridiculous like 40Hp.

It will get on plane with me with an 8Hp tweaked just right, can't imagine with 40 on it.

JR · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2015, 01:08:22 AM »

Found one local for just 350 but no seats and was 7 years old. Was a little big to at 13ft and 33 wide inside! Had to pass, just didn't feel right.

So did an offer on ebay for 550 on a 10ft. Most are around 8-900 with a few more options.

JR · « **Reply #11 on:** September 03, 2015, 03:04:01 AM »

Picked a Bris .9mm PVC boat in 10.8 ft. 1.2mm is tougher but I am not white watering this this just cruising mountain lakes. Also found out average life is only around 5-10 years so I went a little cheaper. This even has a 3 year hull warranty and they are in the state AND I will have it for the weekend. Plus I got it with wheels for less than asking. Alum floor, 26x93 inside, 4 chambers, 1200lbs cap.

Went to wally and got a Minnkota 30lb trolling motor which should be fine. 45-55 is better, but the 45 was $60 more and I can always return for better.

I have two 95ah AGM batteries a neighbor gave me and should be perfect for this. Going to try with just 1 and have a solar panel to recharge as I use it.

I plan on leaving the bench up front for the kids and putting a swivel in back for me.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #12 on:** September 03, 2015, 07:48:10 AM »

Sounds like a good find. Looking forward to more photos when you get it.

Sammconn · « **Reply #13 on:** September 03, 2015, 09:17:34 AM »

Mine is quite old, so the 5-10 maybe with a grain of salt. Who knows, maybe the new ones just aren't made like the old ones. That looks good though JR, and you'll appreciate the wheels...
Now to define quite old, I bought it from a friend about 8 years ago, who bought it from a friend about 10 or so prior. He was not original owner. Quite honestly, I have no idea how old, but over 20 years. And its been used, I haven't had to yet, but there are a lot of patches from sharp rocks and such.

So the 5-10 may not be all it lasts. Enjoy the silence of the trolling motor and have some fun!

JR · « **Reply #14 on:** September 03, 2015, 02:10:16 PM »

The older ones were more than likely made from Hypalon from Dupont. They stopped making it in 2010 from research so many are the PVC now called Denier. Mine is .9mm, 1100 Denier, the 1.2 are 2000. I saw an intex at Cabelas that looked pretty nice and had a solid feel and it was 500 denier.

Actually, mine just showed up and I have it unrolled in the yard. Waiting for the boys to come home and will see how my 12v vacuum fills it up. Just 3.5psi so it should be fine.

Sammconn · « **Reply #15 on:** September 03, 2015, 04:17:18 PM »

Yes not much pressure.
Some I've seen have gauges in the fill valves, others a gauge you plug in.
Mine has neither, just watch if you fill it in the shady coolness, it will really raise pressure in the sun.

Have fun!

JR · « **Reply #16 on:** September 03, 2015, 08:54:54 PM »

Set up to practice and let it relax a little. Glad I didn't go smaller. 2 adults would be fine in this and with my 2 boys we will be OK.

Floor measures out to 30" x 74" and going to get a piece of carpet for it, that alum will get hot!

Bench will be about worthless for me. I may put a stool in it but for now just a regular folding chair will do.

Not sure if the 30lb Minnkota will be enough but will try it out. Big sale at Cabelas this weekend (10% off and free shipping) but 40-55lb are double the $$$.

Here are a few pics, used a 12v vacuum to fill it but need an adapter for sure.

JR · « **Reply #17 on:** September 11, 2015, 02:32:38 AM »

The 30lb Minnkota did a good job, but was just not enough. Maybe 2-3 mph but it was solid. I took one 12v AGM 95 amp battery (a gift) and after 2-3 hours, much under full power it still showed 12.4 volts. Kids got a kick out of going over little ripples, it handled a little wind with ease.

It is a nice little boat, but little was the word. With 3 of us and just basic gear it was cramped. So now it is up for sale and I may have a buyer down the street.

So I had looked at an 8 year old raft and texted the guy back to see if he still had it, which he did. It is a Baltik which I hear is one of the better brands, but still made in China. It still looked good, had a few home brew options and was $350. Needs a good cleaning but here is a pic. It is 13ft (vs 11) and is almost a foot wider and is registered in Ca (yup, any boat with a motor here)

I also had a line on a Honda 4 stroke 5hp motor that I picked up the night we came back (we really had fun).

So now I am into the new to me raft and the motor for what the first raft cost. Hopefully I will get close to what I paid, it is new.

JR · « **Reply #18 on:** September 11, 2015, 02:36:10 AM »

Yep, the garage needs a good cleaning too. That is my current project which includes moving 2 motors outside.

Friday though I have another front bearing hub to replace, 2nd time for the left. Hopefully the lift will remedy this some but right now I am throwing a cheapo spare I have on.

Nate · « **Reply #19 on:** September 12, 2015, 02:09:33 AM »

http://www.ultraskiff.com/products.html

thought i would share?

JR · « **Reply #20 on:** September 13, 2015, 05:31:20 PM »

You have one of those? Good for smooth water more or less.

JR · « **Reply #21 on:** September 15, 2015, 02:52:52 PM »

Looks like the motor will go with old raft too. Honda's are nice but the more I read the temperamental I hear the 4 strokes are and I think 5hp is not quite enough for this larger raft.

I found a Suzuki 9.9 2 stroke and think that will suit this larger raft a bit better. Its oil injection so no mixing and only about 12lbs heavier than the 5hp Honda (72 vs 60). Plus you just change the reed valve and it is a 15hp motor!!

Need a top for it too. We cooked a little last time. Wondered about how to mount it and came up with a couple pieces of PVC tube should work good. Just zip tie to the rope/splash rail and that should keep firmer than just zipping it to the rail.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #22 on:** September 15, 2015, 05:49:43 PM »

Interesting. I would have thought anything that said Honda on it was GTG

JR · « **Reply #23 on:** September 18, 2015, 12:52:09 AM »

Oh the Honda is nice and ran fine when I got it. However the raft got bigger and the Honda would have been just OK on that.

Today I scored the Suzuki 9.9 which can turned into a 15 with a reed upgrade. I was a little turned off at first as it didn't come with a tank, thats another $70 or so. From the CL pictures you really can't see much and they came down a little on the $$ and met me about 1/2 way. The icing though is the motor is NEW. Not even the prop has a scrape on it.

Used the honda tank and it fired up right up, purred like a kitten. 19 years old, but who cares!

JR · « **Reply #24 on:** September 21, 2015, 03:23:09 AM »

See we have all the posts back but pics are in cyber space.

Here are couple pics of the new 9.9 2cycle. I need to see which reed is in it for the upgrade. Some 9.9s have a 2 petal and other have a 3 petal that only opens so far.

Another pic of the Honda 5hp too. The motors are the same size, both short shafts. The Suki is 12 lbs heavier, but twice the hp.

JR · « **Reply #25 on:** September 24, 2015, 12:07:50 AM »

The honda 5hp sold in one day, broke even on it so can't complain.

I figure to loose a little on the raft, but live n learn.

Will post a few more pics of the new raft when cleaned up more. Got some good cleaner for it and need to mount up some seats.

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #26 on:** September 24, 2015, 12:20:59 AM »

Looks like a nice little motor you got there!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

JR · « **Reply #27 on:** September 24, 2015, 10:08:44 PM »

Thanks, I'm happy and just it registered. Here in Cali if it has a motor, DMV wants you!