portaboat

[TAREUA]

8 footer; 1149, 10 footer; 1299, 12 footer; 1399, 14 footer; 1659. We will include shipping, oars/locks, and there is usually no tax to be paid (unless you license the boat).

THE PRICES ABOVE I GOT FROM PORTABOTE IN AUGUST IF THAT HELPS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE WAY TO GO FOR MY FAMILY OF FIVE, BUT I'LL WAIT UNTIL AFTER WINTER NOW.

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by TAREUA

8 footer; 1149, 10 footer; 1299, 12 footer; 1399, 14 footer; 1659. We will include shipping, oars/locks, and there is usually no tax to be paid (unless you license the boat).

THE PRICES ABOVE I GOT FROM PORTABOTE IN AUGUST IF THAT HELPS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE WAY TO GO FOR MY FAMILY OF FIVE, BUT I'LL WAIT UNTIL AFTER WINTER NOW.

Thanks...I'll check 'em out at the boat show. The Canadian dollar just hit $1.06 U.S., so it's interesting times for Canuck boaters.

[jonb]

Sorry to re-open a somewhat older thread (3 weeks old).

I am looking for a tender/motor combination and considering the Porta-bote.

What is the recommended outboard motor for the 10' model?
I have seen talk of good performance with 4hp with one aboard but not sure of performance with 300-400 lbs aboard. Does it make sense to go with a 6hp or is that too much for this boat? The specs show no maximum limit which I find disturbing as I'm sure a 220hp motor would cause problems.

[sailingdog]

They do have a maximum limit of 5 HP IIRC. I use a 3.5 HP motor on my 12' porta-bote...and it handles it quite well. The motor is about 36 lbs... and is a four-stroke.

[Valiente]

What motor is that, SD? I just bought a 10.5 foot Portabote from a fellow here on Sailnet, and it's chained to my deck for the winter (unless we get a significant warm spell!).

I was considering getting the Honda 2.5 HP (29 lbs.) four-stroke, because of the simplicity of the air-cooling and the weight (which my compact wife could handle easily). But seven more pounds is not going to make a huge difference. This engine would be shared between a nesting dinghy of the same length and the Porta-bote. It's anticipated that the Porta-bote would be the "cargo" tender, while the nesting dinghy (an NN-10 that can be also rowed and sailed and is currently being shipped here) would be the people-mover/potential lifeboat.

That extra horse could be helpful. Either tender will handle 4 HP or under 50 lbs., but I want the best ratio of light vs. HP, and I would take slightly less HP in favour of mechanical reliability/ease of maintenance.

[sailingdog]

Don't get the Honda 2 HP... it's really under powered and doesn't have a tranny... get the Tohatsu 3.5 HP... it's 36 lbs or so and runs about an hour on the built-in 1/3 gallon tank. They're pretty bulletproof IMHO.

[Valiente]

I'll check it out...thanks!

[jonb]

Sailingdog, Where is the max hp quoted as 5hp.
On the spec sheet I see a max weight of 56 lbs which corresponds to a 4hp or 6hp.

Is the 3.5 hp sufficient to drive the boat with a reasonable load?

[marcberoz]

Sailingdog said:

"I’ve also added padeyes to the bow, about four feet from the bow on either side, and to the rear corners as hardpoints to attach lines and such on my friend's boat and plan to do the same to mine. The two padeyes on the sides are used for a towing bridle."

My question is, don't the padeyes interfere with folding up the boat? They would end up on the inside when the bote is folded. Also how high are they in relation to the existing grommet holes on the bow?

Potabot said to just drill new holes where you want them for better towing. Has anyone done this? Any protection needed around the edge of the holes so they don't distort or tear?

Thanks for your comments.

Marc, Nonsuch 26, Westbrook, CT

[sailingdog]

Marcberoz—

The padeyes fold flat... so they don't interfere with the folding of the boat.
They look like this:



JonB-

Yes, it seems to work quite well.