How is your Porta-Bote set up?

I'm a new owner of an '05 12'...haven't been able to even put it in the water yet. I've got a 50# troller and a 7.5 horse Eska outboard with external fuel tank. I bought a 10# mushroom anchor, 4 feet of chain and a 50 foot rope and a life vest. What other gear do you guys bring with you in yours? I plan on picking up a boat horn but just haven't yet. Plans are to motor around the canals, lakes and once in a while in the Intra-Coastal Waterway down here in sunny South Florida.

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

you could just get a whistle, if you don't have a horn, and you need a fire extinguisher when using a gas motor, also a flashlight, in case something goes wrong and you are out after dark. want to add, a paddle. same as any small craft

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

I've got the paddles. Good call on the flashlight and fire extinguisher. Good to know that a whistle will work, I've got a super loud Fox 40 that would fit the bill nicely.

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

the fire extinguisher is not required in an open boat with a portable tank, but is still a good idea. the light is supposed to be white and visable 360 degrees, to be presented in time to avoid collision

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

I won't be running at night or in foul weather at all, so I'm not as concerned about the anticollision light.

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

I would look into nav lights as you never know when you might be stuck out after dark, weather, mechanical problems, etc. They make D cell battery operated lights that clamp onto the boat, cheap and you won't have to mess with them unless you need them.

coolbri70 said:

the fire extinguisher is not required in an open boat with a portable tank

Click to expand...

Depends on where you are at, out here a fire extinguisher is required if fuel is carried on board. Check your local regulations.

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

second Dan's thoughts on the nav lights. i have those battery powered LEd lights and like em pretty well. you don't need a running light, just get the anchor light.....you'll be glad you do the first time you fish a little late or get on the water early. it also helps cast light in the boat for fishing at night

i fish mine offshore, so i also carry: flares and signal kit; handheld VHF radio; depthfinder/GPs unit powered with two 6V lantern batteries in series; 2 hp kicker stowed in bow and spare fuel; spare prop and shear pins/cotters for both motors; basic tools; spare 6 gallon tank and 5 gal jerrycan for main motor; spare water and food (can;'t drink the stuff where i fish); wetsuit top; and all "abandon ship" necessities stowed in a floating yellow "ditch bag" (which also has the waterproof container where i stow the cellfone and truck keys attached to one of the handles)

i've also added a bunch of rod holders and other convenience stuff, to help with the tendency for everything in the boat to end up in center of bilge when hull starts to flex. here's a pic
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Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

and the REALLY good news is that with the 36:1 mix (some even run 24:1) on that Eska, you shouldn't have any mosquito problems....

for use in FL, you might also want to consider a bimini top....but DON'T bother with the PB factory unit, undersized and a pile of junk. get a simple 2-bow top from our esteemed sponsor and you'll be glad you did

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

Wow, that's some setup! Do you actually break that down or just trailer it? Funny you should mention the Eska...it's definitely a smoker. It's running right now but not properly. PO let it sit and never did a lick of maintenance to it since he bought it new, so I just ordered a new impeller and some repair parts for it. Looks like it fell down and bent both mounting bolts, and the tensioner is stripped out so the motor rotates way too easily. It still has the original spark plug, even. If you're totally bored and simply enjoy the sound of an outboard running, I made a video yesterday...but it's a yawner. The video doesn't really show it, but when I killed the motor it was definitely a bit cloudy!

Eska Gamefisher 7.5 - YouTube

Good call on the bimini. How much should I anticipate spending on one of those?

Re: How is your Porta-Bote set up?

i used to have 2 Eskae, a 3.5 and a 7.5, so i know the SMoke of Doom. ended up giving em both away because they aren't really designed for salt water (no anode) and i already have the 8hp pictured. big weight difference between that (2 cyl) and the Eska, tho....i think the Eska was over 10 lbs lighter!

i'm thinking about building/buying a trailer for when i'm stateside but for the Mexico trips, i'd have to get an importation permit and post a bond if i took a trailer, so the 'bote just goes down on the roof of truck, with seats and transom on rear rack. [/URL][/IMG]

all that carp does take about an hour to set up.

i think i dropped about 180 on my bimini about 4-5 yrs ago and it's held up nicely. this last trip, i even figured out how to tape rod holders to the rear arms of bimini so i can troll 5 lines without them getting tangled.