Porta-bote haters: what's not to like?

[hpeer]

Skip,

You are 100% correct. Doing that with the PB tied alongside while making minimum way to keep steerage in 2’ seas at 1am is where the “stupid heroics” came in.

Much better to chuck a bilge pump over and let it do its thing, even though it takes longer.

[zemurray]

Originally Posted by seaductive

I read every single reply in this thread. I recently put a portabote 10’ in the aluminum color on layaway at the new year sale price through portabote for $2,200. I just retired a hypalon Achilles dinghy last spring that I bought new in 2012, the wooden floor was starting to rot and overall started showing severe age because of daily live aboard use for a few years. I am absolutely convinced I would love to have a portabote but I need some advice on the sizing. I currently have a com-pac 27 and hope to upgrade in a few years to a cape dory 31 or a PS 27 Orion. No boat smaller or larger than that.

I realize the 10’ will plane better and haul more gear, also row better plus the bow boarding ladder is only for the 10’ model. The extra weight isn’t much but there is the extra seat to find a place to store on the 10’ in such a small boat. So, question is 8’ or 10’ better for my purposes? I plan on hauling many 5 gallon water jugs and would like to scuba dive from the boat as well.

Mostly single handing and setting it up myself on deck. I would hope to store the folded boat on the inside of the lifelines lashed to the rigging, the boat has external chainplates. I’m sure the 10 portabote will fit there considering my 14’ kayak also fits there. Planning on using my 2017 Yamaha 2.5 to power it.

Can anyone give me some reasons to go with one over the other? Use for the near future will be creeks on the Chesapeake, keys, maybe Bahamas. Seems to be two schools of thoughts in this thread, some people go with the ten but several others bought the 10’ and downgraded to the 8’.

Thanks for the replies

Keep in mind that when you fold it, its going to be longer than 10’. We have an 8’ bote. There is just the two of us, sometimes my son will come but not often. Our boat is 28’ and space was a concern. The extra seat, extra weight, and extra length i did not want. I fold mine up and store it on the stanchions most of the time, although I do tow it some if the water is calm. You can leave the 3rd seat out I believe which could help. Free Range sailing has the 12’ on a 30’ boat and they only use 2 seats. You wont need a boarding ladder when snorkeling or diving, its not hard to roll yourself in even in the 8’ bote. It’s not easy to tip over. I see no problem hauling water and supplies. It is very buoyant. The 8’ is not rated for the bigger motors however and will not plane easily, so that may push you to the 10. I have a friend that has the 10’ and a 6hp yamaha, his planes no problem. We have a torqueedo on ours and do not plane.

[Celestialsailor]

I will throw my 2 cents in here since I have owned a 10 footer. I had a Hallberg Rassy 35 with an aft cabin. So the foredeck was small which meant the 10 footer was a bit of a challenge to assemble. The 8 footer might have been better. I have a Westsail 28 and currently looking for an 8 footer.

[zemurray]

Good points Celestial, we assemble ours at an angle, propped up on the bow pulpit on the bow of our boat. I dont think I could do this with a 10’. The other option would be to drop the lifelines and lay it across the bow, which I’ve wanted to try but our lifelines arent setup to drop from the front. Future project.

It takes us about 10 minutes to assemble and drop in the water using a halyard.

You do want to consider assembly on a small boat. I’m sure you’ll find a way.

[ejlindahl]

I have/had 8, 10 and 12' botes. I'd go with the 10 for sure if you are getting in and out of it with scuba gear or toting a lot of water jugs. I think the 10 will be more sea worthy too for when the wind pipes up and you need to get back to the mother ship, etc.... If you are lite that 2.5 might plane the 10 footer. My 3.5 2 stroke Tohatsu planes my 8' at 11 mph and the 10' at 13. For cruising I'd get the bow piece unless you are diy then I'd make a better one as I've posted previously. It adds a (small) increase in seaworthiness. Be careful in larger chop. I think you could swamp the bote pretty easily if weight is too far forward. Thats also why I'd recommendation of the 10 footer. Have fun

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by seaductive

I read every single reply in this thread. I recently put a portabote 10’ in the aluminum color on layaway at the new year sale price through portabote for $2,200. I just retired a hypalon Achilles dinghy last spring that I bought new in 2012, the wooden floor was starting to rot and overall started showing severe age because of daily live aboard use for a few years. I am absolutely convinced I would love to have a portabote but I need some advice on the sizing. I currently have a com-pac 27 and hope to upgrade in a few years to a cape dory 31 or a PS 27 Orion. No boat smaller or larger than that.

I realize the 10’ will plane better and haul more gear, also row better plus the bow boarding ladder is only for the 10’ model. The extra weight isn’t much but there is the extra seat to find a place to store on the 10’ in such a small boat. So, question is 8’ or 10’ better for my purposes? I plan on hauling many 5 gallon water jugs and would like to scuba dive from the boat as well.

Mostly single handing and setting it up myself on deck. I would hope to store the folded boat on the inside of the lifelines lashed to the rigging, the boat has external chainplates. I’m sure the 10 portabote will fit there considering my 14’ kayak also fits there. Planning on using my 2017 Yamaha 2.5 to power it.

Can anyone give me some reasons to go with one over the other? Use for the near future will be creeks on the Chesapeake, keys, maybe Bahamas. Seems to be two schools of thoughts in this thread, some people go with the ten but several others bought the 10’ and downgraded to the 8’.

Thanks for the replies

We've had both. The 8' is pretty small and we find the 10' way, way better. If you can fit a 14' kyack on board, you can fit a folded 10'. The 2.5hp is the right motor. Most of the problems people have, IMO, stems from putting on too big an outboard.



These boats tow poorly if on a long painter, but if you cinch it up to the stern they ride great. I mention this because you will find setting on up on the deck of a small sailboat to be an adventure. If you're close by, I'd love film it and see if you can replicate the Youtube video of the guy who got swallowed by his during the process. So, setting up on a dock, then towing might sound pretty good to you after you explore the alternatives.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Mike,

That Eternabond, if you trace it down, seems to be just butyle tale. They sell it in different thicknesses.

Eternabond is nothing like butyle tape. It's a lot like 5200 in the sense that once it's on, you aren't removing it (it does stay soft and pliable unlike 5200). I've never seen different thicknesses...width and length of sheets, yes...thickness, no. It's pretty tough stuff but I'm not sure how well it would hold up to abrasion. It's typically meant for repairing rubber roof seams on RVs...which don't get a lot of abrasion.

As far as finding it any RV parts place will have it.

Oddly, this thread came to life as I was looking at a 12ft model on Craigslist for $750.

Comes with the beach wheel kit and a storage box that mounts under an RV. Heading to Alaska in 2022 in the RV and was considering something like this as there are lots of small lakes to explore along the way. Figured a trolling motor and a deep cycle battery or two which could be stored on the trailer tongue and linked into the trailer house bank with a quick connect. That would give us better capability away from shore power in the trailer and in just a couple minutes, we could disconnect and move the battery to power the boat.

Anything I should look for with a used model. It appears to be a 12ft Genisis III from the pictures but otherwise the pictures look good.

[Jammer]

I am surprised at the number of port-bote owners out there who never collapse their boats.


I note that the "Fun on Holiday" youtube couple have had a 'bote for several years. They either tow it, or for longer passages carry it assembled on the foredeck. I don't think I've ever seen it collapsed in any of their videos.

[Tomodore]

We cruise with a 10’ .Have pad eyes inside the stern and run a line forward from each to a ring just forward of the bow attached to the tow line. It still doesn’t tow great but it is better. Also helps to have some weight aft so it doesn’t track as strongly. We also use 1/4” eye bolts on middle seat to attach lifting harness for pulling out of the water at night. Also fitted with inflatable dinghy wheels with stand off on stern. And no I do not allot 10 minutes to build more like 30.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I am surprised at the number of port-bote owners out there who never collapse their boats.

How odd... That's one of the major benefits of these dinghies; the ability to fold down for easy and safe storage. It does take a bit of effort to assemble or disassemble, but it's not that hard once you've done it a few times. I've never timed it, but I estimate 10-15 minutes if moving at a relaxed pace. If need arises, it can happen faster.

Unless we're staying put (which does happen some years) most cruising seasons sees our portabote spending more time stored on deck, than in use on the water. Since it's so easy to stow it, I rarely feel the need to tow it anywhere. The only time I've towed is when traveling a very short distance, and when I know weather will be uneventful.

[Tomodore]

Well Mike we each have our own cruising grounds and habits. This past summer we cruised the central Sea of Cortez where the daytime conditions are mild and the distances short. Didn’t fold up for months and didn’t have any problems. This Fall we traveled the 400 NM to the Mexican mainland winter cruising ground and you bet we folded it up. When we sailed to South America a few years back we stowed the folded boat lashed to the cabin side but mainly when we stow it it goes in the brackets on the stanchions. No one answer for me but towing when easy is one less project.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

How odd... That's one of the major benefits of these dinghies; the ability to fold down for easy and safe storage. It does take a bit of effort to assemble or disassemble, but it's not that hard once you've done it a few times. I've never timed it, but I estimate 10-15 minutes if moving at a relaxed pace. If need arises, it can happen faster.

Unless we're staying put (which does happen some years) most cruising seasons sees our portabote spending more time stored on deck, than in use on the water. Since it's so easy to stow it, I rarely feel the need to tow it anywhere. The only time I've towed is when traveling a very short distance, and when I know weather will be uneventful.

Once out, in the Bahamas, we never folded ours again until we passaged.

My first water entry (seen here and in the subsequent pages: Pictures: Flying Pig Early Refit + Projects/Finishing_Touches-Readying_To_Splash/Porta-Bote_Maiden_Voyage_and_Sculling_Modifications ) was, including the installation of the custom mod for fiberglass sculls and their regular oarlocks, 5 minutes from opening the van doors, and the same was true in reverse...

And that was with the 4-bolt aft transom installation (vs today's foldout, much quicker)...

In that same area (Pictures: Flying Pig Early Refit + Projects/Finishing_Touches-Readying_To_Splash/Porta-Bote_Maiden_Voyage_and_Sculling_Modifications/BridleDetails ) I show my towing bridle detail; it takes the shock of waves...

[Mike OReilly]

Nice mods Skip. I may copy them if I ever get back to my boat (and bote) .

I've had seasons where my portabote was kept in the water most of the time, but those are when I'm not going anywhere. Two sailing seasons ago (not counting the lost Covid-19 year) I sailed out 15 miles, dropped the anchor, and then three months later sailed back. That season the bote stayed in the water ... much to enjoyment of the thick coating of barnacles which needed to be scraped off with my paddle.

Generally though, I really dislike towing anything, so if I'm traveling more than a few miles I usually carry the bote on deck. It's a lot easier to haul it on deck than to deal with a crisis when a squall has surprised me and my bote is now tossing around in the wind and waves .

[seaductive]

Thanks for all the great replies to my post. After much going back and fourth with myself I decided that the 10’ would be better. In my experience a longer boat is always better than a shorter one. I will deal with the negatives about the 10’.

Reasons I went for the 10’ versus the 8’

More load capacity
Tracks better rowing
The Option to use a 6hp
More stable
More room for a dog and 2 people with a cooler, gas, life jackets, fishing gear.
Not much weight difference
Optional accessories offered for the 10 and not the 8

The only downside is I pretty much know it will not fit upside down on the foredeck where the 8’ would. Plus as stated before I will use the kayak where the larger boat isn’t required and leave it folded up.

I’m a younger guy, 35 so I shouldn’t have too much trouble wrestling it on deck. It was easier wrestling a boat on the foredeck 10 years ago though.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by seaductive

I’m a younger guy, 35 so I shouldn’t have too much trouble wrestling it on deck. It was easier wrestling a boat on the foredeck 10 years ago though.

I'm 53 and don't have much trouble wrestling my 10-footer up on the foredeck. That's one of the reasons I chose and like portabotes -- they don't require a halyard hoist to be lifted out of the water. I just lift the bow up to the toerail, and then pull it over onto the foredeck. Quite easy to do with one person. Even easier if you have a helper.