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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Another Folding Boat...

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/14/2004 : 14:37:52

Cruisenews has this site on it's new links... they make a folding aluminum boat. Looks promising.

http://www.instaboat.com/

WOTAM - '77 Catalina 25 SK/SR Sail Number 158

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2004 : 16:48:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClamBeach
 ...they make a folding aluminum boat. Looks promising.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Bruce,

Did you notice the price?

Or am I just out of touch with dingy prices?

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2004 : 17:52:22

Just looked... $1,300. Hmmm.. that's pretty similar pricing to a 10' Walker RID.

I haven't seen a price on a new "port-a-boat" (very similar concept) but I wouldn't be surprised if it was similar. Of course, a quality 10' inflatable is up in the $2,000 range !

I guess none of this surprises me anymore... I've been sticker shocked so many times that I've gone numb.

Edited by - on

sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2004 : 21:58:54

I ordered the price list and info package on the "Porta-Bote".
8 foot boat is $1149. 10' $1199. 12'$1299. and 14' $1495. They include the oars and deluxe locks and shipping right now is $85.
Seems similar in price. The Porta-Bote also offers a sailkit for an additional $500

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2004 : 10:02:56

I know I am a simpleton lake sailor, but, I see old 14' aluminum deep-v fishing boats everywhere. Surely these things are plentiful enough that they are super cheap and would work as fine dingys. I had asked about john boats before but I would think they would only be good as a tender that is left at a mooring, whereas the fishing boats could be towed well. Is there just too much bad kharma in these things?

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 02/15/2004 10:27:07

Captain B
1st Mate

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USA
88 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2004 : 10:30:08

This might be ok for fresh water sailors, but light aluminum and salt water just don't mix!

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2004 : 10:36:01

In the colder water up here in the Pacific NW, aluminum boats hold up ok.

The problem with the generic 12' aluminum boat is that there's not enough room to 'park' it on a C25... Even if you could stow it on deck, at 200 lbs or so, it's a bit more than I'd want to wrestle over the side. I guess if you were in a venue where you could tow it everywhere you'd be ok.

Like so many topics posted here, the I think the 'right' solution depends on your particular situation. When I go cruising I'll need something that fits on the deck.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5909 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2004 : 10:37:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Just looked... $1,300. Hmmm.. that's pretty similar pricing to a 10' Walker RID.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> A 10' Walker RID would be a much better and more stable yacht tender than the folding boat.

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2004 : 14:37:56

fhopper,

I agree completely with ClamBeach, that radically different dinghies can satisfy drastically different needs or patterns of usage. For that matter, very diverse styles of dinghies might satisfy the same needs. The part about whether or not the dinghy can be towed everywhere you'll need it, or has to be brought aboard for longer passages on larger bodies of water, is an important consideration. Some of us (me!

) feel that a dingy should also be able to sail and row well. Those considerations might very well out weigh the ability to plane with a large outboard.

On my cruise last year, most of the destination shoreline consisted of, or at least included, very hard rock with a sharp surface texture like torn sponge magnified. It made barnacles look inviting by comparison. I wouldn't have felt comfortable beaching a soft bottom inflatable or even a thin aluminum boat on that stuff.

My plywood fiberglass & epoxy pram survived with only superficial scratches, even with my weight in it as waves bounced it across the rocks.

So it all depends...

-- Leon Sisson

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