Inflatable on pickup truck bed - Maximum reasonable size?

[jaymoussy]

I may consider getting an inflatable for quiet trolling in local inner bay (a 320?) , and it would be tempting to transport it inflated on a pickup truck bed (Tacoma), for very short runs to local landings.

What would be the reasonable maximum size I should consider?

Anybody with such a "rig"?

Same question would apply to motor, I guess..?

 

[alanfox55]

No Title

Yeah I use to do that. I had an 8ft Sea Eagle and it fit perfectly on my Dodge 6ft bed. I think it would probably work fine with their 10ft model also. Keep in mind that some of the smaller models of inflatables are not designed to plane which was the case with the 8ft Sea Eagle. That's not a problem if all you intend to do is travel at trolling motor speeds. For most of the time I owned that boat I only had a trolling motor and did a lot of fishing with it up and down my river. After awhile I picked up a 1972 Johnson 6hp but for that boat I think the trolling motor was much more convenient. By the way that Johnson was a darn good motor. When I bought it I knew nothing about outboards,knew nothing about how to maintain an outboard and like a dummy didn't take the time to learn about them ether. But every time I went to start it it would fire up first time every time and run like it was new all day long. I sold that motor last year for $300 still running great. Think about that! a motor 42 years old and still running great!

 

[Sea Rider]

A 320 is a excellent sib size starter, measure available truck bed space to see if it will fit preferably with back gate closed. Put a blanket, cover on bed and transport with inflated or deflated keel.

Happy Boating

 

[jaymoussy]

A 320 is a excellent sib size starter, measure available truck bed space to see if it will fit preferably with back gate closed. Put a blanket, cover on bed and transport with inflated or deflated keel.

Happy Boating

Thanks.

I was thinking of loading the boat over the bed sides, rather than in the bed itself, which would allow for larger boat, even if there is a need for some custom fixture over the bed....

 

[fbpooler]

We use fiberglass toneaus on the trucks and carry ours with the keel deflated on top of the toneau.

Inside the bed you have wheel wells to contend with.