Aluminum ?

[jrd22]

Duroboat seems to be the choice of the commercial fishermen here in the PNW. They make different models so you can choose what weight you want. Bulletproof (almost). No affiliation.

Duroboat - The World's Finest Aluminum Fishing Boats

[maine50]

PORTABOAT-To get it up on a plane you move your weight forward a little- really could use handle extension on outboard. It goes from under 5 mph to 17 or 18 mph quickly as it planes. Takes a little to get used to going that fast in a 8.5 ft boat Also you don't turn too sharp or it will flip-(first time out I turned as if it was an inflatable) next thing i knew i was in the water and the boat upside down. We'll call that operator error.

[zeehag]

i had a portabote in 1990 for a few months--only until i could find something actually functional with which to replace it.
if you swim from dink--port a bote will not work.
if you enjoy gunkholing and fishing in yur dink--mebbe
if you try to crawl back into it from water---- FUGGEDDABOUDIT
if you desire a stable platform-- fuggeddaboudit


all in all, i figgered it wasnt up to my needs nor my safety at anchorage to have one of those menaces.

goood luck and have fun.

[capttman]

I use a 13' Carolina skiff 25 hp on her heavy but worth it dive off it load it with groceries can't sink it. It can be wet in rough water tho.

[beau]

I bought a fiberglass dingy which has the same shape as an inflatable.
It is a bit heavier than an inflatable but very practical.
What i do like is that it can be easily repaired with a bit of polyester resin.

It has a flat bottom, plenty of room and very very stable.

[BillKov]

Originally Posted by canucksailor

Hello all - I'm thoroughly fed up with my inflatable, for a variety of reasons. And it really irks me to know that in only a few years, IF I'm lucky, my $1000 plus investment will be worth nothing, just a sagging piece of plasticized fabric. If I'm not lucky, it'll be punctured or damaged beyond repair.
So I'm considering a 9 or 10 foot aluminum boat as a dinghy. It's about the same weight (75 pounds), should tow equally as well if not better, will stow on the bow in the same area, with just a 3.5 hp motor, be drier, and never, ever have to worry about rocks or shells puncturing it.
Drawbacks - somewhat less weight capacity, not useful for snorkeling, although I have a plan to fix that...
Any thoughts? I'm interested in your experiences with these boats.

Something you might want to consider - It's what we're going to use.. .

Livingston Boats - Model 12

[zeehag]

livingstons get very very heavy--longer ye pull em onto beach, heavier they seem to get. need wheels. water tender is a good lighter weight boat... both livingston and water tender hve innr shells to em... collect water-- but it seems the watertender is slower to take the water into its skin. goodluck ith this. they are both very very stable boats.

[BillKov]

Thanks Zee - Didn't know about that . . . . I'm a . . . sizeable person. . . over 6'6" and need the room and the weight capabilities - I'll look into that water tender you recommended and will speak with Livingston about absorption. .. will post what I hear back. . .

Fair winds

B

[HopCar]

I've had a bit of experience with aluminum boats in salt water. I like them but I think an inflatable makes a better dinghy in the 9 to 10 foot range. Grumman Iron Works once sold a really nice 8' aluminum sailing dinghy but it had soft chines and was tippy. When I was a kid, I cruised the Bahamas with my Dad and his friend on big trawler. The trawler had two aluminum boats on davits. One was about a 16 foot runabout, the other was an open 12' boat. Both boats worked very well and I was able to get in the 12' from the water. I was a lot smaller then! Remember the scene in Thunderball where the bad guys run a boat between the hulls of a big cat? (Tropic Bird?) We anchored near that same boat and of course I had to do that too. The little 12' Alumacraft did it just fine. Nobody even yelled at me.

[canucksailor]

Some interesting thoughts here, I'm learning a great deal. Thank you all. I've pretty much decided that the Porta Bote isn't for me...although it seems like a good product, the comments here and my own needs mitigate against it. There are some rotomolded dinghies out there that look interesting (Welcome on our website for example) but they are twice the weight of my inflatable or a similar sized aluminum dinghy, both weighing in at around 75 pounds. Weight is an issue for me.
One dinghy that no one has commented on yet is the Portland Pudgie - anyone have any experience with one?

[HopCar]

That Portland Pudgie looks good but heavy. What aluminum dinghies are you considering?
Have you considered building a dinghy? Take a look at this: Boat plan details, Nesting Dinghy 11 (FB11), Dinghies etc. up to 12'

[jjt]

If you like the Livingstone (except for the weight factor) and you are considering a rotomolded dinghy, take a look here:
Sportyak 245 BIC annexe boats the ideal dinghy

If you insist on aluminum and have space constrains and you are in Canada :
Instaboat is a smart foldable light boat. Instaboat est un ing¡¡ì¦®©eux bateau pliable.

Juanjo

[canucksailor]

Now that instaboat fisherman model, in aluminum, looks interesting. Pretty good reviews as well...now to try and reach the company about it.

[David M]

I am wondering if any manufacturer has considered building a RIB like aluminum boat but instead of a rubber inflatable section that same section is made of aluminum. I would think you would get the best of both worlds, stability, the ability to climb inside after snorkeling, lots of positive flotation and the inability to deflate. Adding a soft rubrail to it all the way around would keep it from beating up your hull.

Something like this could also be done in molded plastic and probably for less money.

Do you picture this?

[canucksailor]

If you go to Welcome on our website, there is a rotomolded boat as you describe. Problem is, it's heavy, I think it was 130 pounds for a 9 foot boat. As for doing it in aluminum, I'm no engineer, but I think making the 'inflatable' section out of aluminum would neither be simple nor cheap.
Makes more sense to me to have an aluminum dinghy with a floatation 'collar', which another poster showed us.