PortaBotes as Tenders w/Torqeedo

dacap06 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-21-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingdog

I personally like the PortaBote that my wife bought me for use as a fishing boat... it works quite well as a dinghy as well. One bonus is that it is relatively compact when folded up.

I'm glad to hear SD say that. I bought the 8' PortaBote at a Boat Show two weeks ago, although the factory is a bit behind and I'm still awaiting delivery. It looks like it should fit nicely tied to the lifelines forward.

I have two questions for those who have used a PortaBote:

1) What do you think of PortaBote stability? My wife is scared to death of small boats, being a non-swimmer (I keep her in a PDF at all times) and I'm hoping to reassure her with others' experience.

2) What do you use to power your Portabote and what sort of speed do you get? I'm considering the Torqeedo Travel 801 S. I'm sure it will be fine for tender duty here in the Chesapeake but maybe not for repeated long runs in the Caribbean after I retire again in 8 years or so. For that perhaps I would need to add an external battery.

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 03-21-2010

I don't know how the Torqueedo will do, but my 3.5 HP tohatsu was great. As for stability... the flexibility of the hull bottom makes it pretty tough to upset.

mberoz · #3 (**permalink**) 03-22-2010

My wife & I also have an 8 footer and find it very stable. We've used it for 3 seasons now & never have had a close call. We power with a 3.5hp Nissan 2 stoke. Can't tell you our speed, but fast enough. When alone I can plane easily.
Marc

dacap06 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010

Thanks for your thoughts! I feel better now about my plans.

erps · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010

10 footer with 3 h.p. 2 cycle Johnson will get me and the dog on a plane, but not me and the wife. We do not regret puchasing the portabote although I'm working on modifying the oar locks to facilitate regular oars instead of those cheesy aluminum ones.

Rodney Sheaffer · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010

I have one for about 7 years. Like it very much, it is 8' use 3 HP on it and I am 250 lbs. It will plain. The only two thinks that are draw backs. (1) is the black seats get very HOT! (2) iI you tow it keep a very short painter on it. Or it will be under water.

erps · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010

You're right about the hot seats. I painted the tops white.

sailingdog · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010

You do know that you can just use regular oarlocks in the oarlock mounts...that what I do... Haven't used the cheesy aluminum oars in years...

Quote:

Originally Posted by erps

10 footer with 3 h.p. 2 cycle Johnson will get me and the dog on a plane, but not me and the wife. We do not regret puchasing the portabote although I'm working on modifying the oar locks to facilitate regular oars instead of those cheesy aluminum ones.

erps · #9 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010

Did you drill out the plastic bushings to accomodate regular oar locks? I've been hesitant to do that but considered machining down a pair of oar locks instead so as to be able to still use the cheesy aluminum oars if I needed to.

sailingdog · #10 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010

No, the regular oarlocks I bought at WM fit without any modification.

Quote:

Originally Posted by erps

Did you drill out the plastic bushings to accomodate regular oar locks? I've been hesitant to do that but considered machining down a pair of oar locks instead so as to be able to still use the cheesy aluminum oars if I needed to.