Just Bought a Porta-Bote - How Do You Carry it on Your Boat ?

[cheepguy]

Just bought a 10' porta bote.
Took it apart then put it back together, put it in the pool, kids capsied it and swamped it then bailed it out. Thing did not sink.
I'm going to drive it to the boat (hood 38) this weekend.
I'm not sure of the best way to attach it to the lifelines.

How do you carry it on your boat?

[James S]

I guess it depends on what type of sailing you'll be doing...if its going include green water over the bow/rails I might be concerned about something with a large surface area being tied to the stanchions or life lines.

Any chance of lashing it down flat on the fore deck?

[hpeer]

I have two but not much experience with either.

I have 10' on a 33 and a 12' on a 44' cc.

One year I tried to lash it to the rear life lines on the 33 but it got in the way of the winch handle and I couldn't see over it so I felt like I was in a cave.

It is stored on the forward life lines now, kinda laying down on the deck. I didn't have the boat out this year. The 33' doesn't tend to take water over the bow so I think that may work.

On he 44 it is right against the lifelines forward over the spinaker pole. But I have not had the boat in any kind of weather it being new to us. This boat is a bit wetter (I think) so the location may be an issue.

I find the damn seats are more of a problem. On the 33 I put in tie downs on the wood of the companion way cover and they are there. On the 44 we have them lashed to the aft life lines with paddles bungied to the wind generator pole. We are going to get an arch and/or hard bimini and will design that to accommodate the porta bote.

A word of warning, I find they tow poorly. They tend to dig in their bow and fill up. I asked the company owner and her advice is to pull them up right tight, with the bow almost out of the water. That seems to work much better but I don't have enough experience yet.

Good luck, I'd be interested in what you finally do.

[cheepguy]

Our hood 38 is a surprisingly dry sailing boat. Course the cost is a somewhat high freeboard for a 38.

I sail with my wife and 9yr old daughter most of the time so I'm trying to keep the deck as clutter free as possible as that was one of the reasons for picking the porta bote.
This has me thinking as far as other possibility's for placement of the bote during passages.
Thanks

[mbianka]

I use a nylon tie down around the folded hull to keep it folded and then use the bow line that I attached to the Porta Boat to secure it to the the lifelines and add extra lines if I feel they are needed. It actually helps reduce getting hit by spray too depending which side of the boat you put it on. There is also a photo in the following post (scroll down to see it)
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: AN ELECTRIC SAILBOAT CRUISE TO NEW YORK: PART TWO
of how I carry it fully assembled on the deck my 30 foot Nonsuch. Which is how I usually carry it. A side benefit is that it covers the forward hatch and allows it to remain open in the heavy rains while allowing the breeze in and helps keep the cabin top cool too in the sun.

Capt.Mike
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG

[hpeer]

Both our boats are cutters with staysail booms precluding keeping it on deck that way.

[sarafina]

Our life lines run down to the deck at the bow, not to the pulpit. If this is the case I recomend this technique;

Align the portabote so the bow is pointing towards the bow mpulpit, with the PB keel UP. This meand the sides are folded inwards and the PB is basically like a book with the keel as a spine. Raise the PB up parallel to the lifeline and lower it onto the lifelines so that half the PB is on each side of the line. Settle the bow forward enought that it sets down nicely. We use the painter to lash it down to hardware on the deck. It doesn't need much, the weight of the PB keeps it pretty settled.

This picture is the stern end of the PB on our lifelines. That black tube is the keel seam. You can see the lifeline running out the stern end.

Makes a great back rest for anyone sitting on the deck ; -)

[Greg S]

I made a base (two chocks) out of Starboard. Each chock also holds one of the seats. I also added one tie down on the cabin top, this, in combination with existing attachment points, held it in place very securely.

[chris07732]

Are they easily assembled while on your boat? I have a 40' center cockpit, I don't have 10-12' of flat deck or cabin top to follow the assembly procedure in their website

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Greg S

I made a base (two chocks) out of Starboard. Each chock also holds one of the seats. I also added one tie down on the cabin top, this, in combination with existing attachment points, held it in place very securely.


Attachment 29186

Very, very slick! Now you've given me ideas! Thanks!

[Kapena]

Can I recommend you paint the seats white? Also the transom. Sunlight will crack them after 4 to 5 years, so the protective paint. The first time you sit on the black plastic seats, after the dinghy has been in the sun for a few hours, will clue you into why I painted mine white. I used the cheapest spray enamel I could find and it works well.