Looking for solid floor inflatable

[Todesengel]

Hey everybody,

Its fishing season and I am sick of the shore. I am looking for a small 4 or 5 person inflatable boat that I can stand up in and fish. I also would like to put a small outboard on it under 5hp. My budget is around $500 for just the boat and possibly motor mount and seats. I would like something solid that I could possibly mount swivel seats on. What would you guys recommend? I have been looking at the Sevylor Fish Master 325. Do you think I would be able to mount swivel seats on those wooden planks? This also has a rib style floor, could I put some marine grade plywood on top of that?
http://inflatablesstore.stores.yahoo.net/sefi.html

I am open to all opinions, I appreciate your help!

Thanks,
~Josh

 

[launboy]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

I don't know about putting swivel seats in one, but you might want to look at the Intex inflatables. One has a soft floor that you could probably put Marine Plywood in and mount a seat, the other one(Mariner) has an extruded plastic Roll-up floor.

From the pictures and reviews I read, they seem to have thicker material then comparable Sevylor models.

I just bought one and it seems to be constructed well.

Here's mine:http://www.intexcorp.com/boats_marine_seahawk_II.html

Here's the two boats they offer that seem most suited to your application.(click on the pictures to get to the boats information)
http://www.intexcorp.com/boats_marine.html

Hope I'm not breaking any Rules,
Adam

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

If you're thinking of a RIB, which is a fiberglass hull that has inflatable chambers around it, you should know they're more expensive than "regular" boats.

If all you want is a light boat that's solid for fishing, I'd recommend looking for an aluminum boat. I saw one on craigslist today with a motor and trailer for about $500.

There are some nice fishing/hunting semi-inflatables here in iboats... example is:http://www.iboats.com/Walker_Bay_An...5902834--**********.567362455--view_id.247950


If you want to know the types and prices of new wood floor and aluminum floor inflatables, check out the various models and sizes listed on defender.com... they have a good list.


Erik

 

[rlb81]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

I second the aluminum boat suggestion. I've seen plenty of aluminum boats w/ electric motor and trailer in the price range you're looking. A few even w/ gas engine included. Just keep scouring craigslist daily and you'll come across something.

 

[rlb81]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

This is a nice starting point

http://cnj.craigslist.org/boa/609139824.html

Maybe its just my area, but like I said I see these setups fairly regularly. And like I said, now and then its a 4 piece deal up for sale (boat, trailer, elec motor, gas engine)

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

Oh, and I think I touched on this a while back, but you probably want to alter your sign-in name. "Nazi death angel" will probably offend a lot of people here, and we do have some dutch and german speakers.

Erik

 

[Todesengel]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

Well I appreciate everybody's feedback. Up here in Arizona we don't see a lot of aluminum fishing boats. And when I looked on craigslist all I can find is in the 2-3grand range. And Eric, my name has absolutely nothing to do with the Nazi's... Just because it a German name, doesent signify any relation to the Nazi's... All it simply means is death angel. I could change it to the Japanese word meaning death angel Shinigami, and then are you going to try and say I might offend somebody that was in Pearl Harbor? Get your facts straight.

I did find a Achilles 10' Inflatable Boat made from Hypalon thats 23years old... its in good condition for its age and I can prob pick it up for $200.

Here is a picture. Do you guys think its worth $200?

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

It was used to refer to a particular "Angel of Death" named Josef Mengele after WWII. Just type "todesengel" into wikipedia and see where it takes you.

I think you'll find that there are plenty of people still offended by him.

It's up to you, of course, but I think I'll just avoid dealing with it myself by avoiding your threads. All of 'em.

 

[MrBill]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

Regarding the Achilles inflatable...if it has no leaks it is well worth $200. Check around the seat area...if equipped with plywood seat, that area is subject to getting loose and chafing the Hypolon, causing leaks. Achilles builds extremely durable inflatables. I just spent $400 to have my 1986 model repaired...it was well woth the expense. Over time, sunlight and UV tend to break down Hypalon, unfortunately mine is in constant sunlight May til October, but it has stood up well for 20+ years. I would buy any $200 Achilles Hypalon without leaks that I could get my hands on....

 

[Sol Searching]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

FYI, I just bought one of these (8.5') and am VERY pleased with it!

http://stores.ebay.com/Affordable-Inflatable

 

[Chris in Indiana]

Re: Looking for solid floor inflatable

I have owned a Sea Eagle cheapie and now have a 1991 Achilles. In your price range a used Achilles is head and shoulders above anything you can buy new. $200 is a good deal, even if you have to make some repairs to the floor. A piece of plywood and marine paint will go a long way. Buy it before someone else does!

 

[FasterDaddy]

There seems to be some consensus on the Ribnet site that PVC boats made in the last 10 years will last longer than they used to. Call me skeptical, but still, for the money I could buy a couple PVCs for the price.... So, I think I will drop $1,200 on the Newport Vessels Dana with a wood floor. For that price I get the accessory package that has anchor and line, cover, flip up and removable wheels that can be mounted on the stern for moving the boat around on land (important with a 10hp motor on the back!), second seat, bilge pump and a couple of other things. It all weighs about 100 lbs, can be rolled up, but still has a hard floor. There is also an optional aluminum floor available for about another $200. An aluminum floor makes for a boat that weighs about 5lbs less but it can be dented.

This is all for RV'ing. We tend to stay at places for a week or more at a time, so spending an hour setting it up and taking it down once every week or so doesn't seem like a big deal. Once its blown up, it can be tied down into the bed of our pickup, with the motor hanging off the back, for short trips from the RV site to the water. Folded up it can even go in the back seat of our pickup. Motor, boat and boating stuff would together weigh about 200 lbs, easy to move around with the stern wheels. It sounds like a 10hp on a 8 foot 10 inch boat will be quite a bit of fun.

We've taken our trailer trailer quite a few places around the country in the last few years where we've kayaked, but it would have been really nice to have a small motor boat. We've been to Grand Tetons NP, Yellowstone NP, Armistad Reservoir near Del Rio Texas, Mobile Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, Voyageurs NP, Glacier NP, Lake Powell, a few others I can't remember, and of course our own Skaneateles Lake, in NY. This is the view from my front porch this morning. This is the first day this summer when there's been almost no clouds:

 

[jbcurt00]

@FasterDaddy avoid posting in old inactive topics

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