Opinions on portabotes?

[lboiv001]

I like what I see, generally, about porta botes, and I am almost ready to pull the trigger on a used one, but I am concerned about one thing....

How well do the 'soft bottoms' fare in an oyster bed rich flats evnironment?

Any other advice and experienced opinions would be gretly welocme, and thanks in advance.

[hpeer]

We have a couple but have not put them to hard use. According to others on similar threads here they are damn near indestructible.

I have replaced the cheapo oar locks with real oar locks backed by 1/4 mahogony, they then row much better. I also filled the transome with Great Stuff as they tend to leak, or mine did.

[happyendings]

A Porta-bote is a good choice for durability--I knew a couple who lived on an iron shore with a tiny landing of sand interspersed with coral who used a larger one as their "car" in Utila, Honduras for that reason. As to using them as a tender, I think the main consideration involves the ability to assemble the boat on your deck without too much heroics.
-Z

[hpeer]

It was suggested that to assemble/ disassemble lift with a halyard so that it is standing.

We have been using that and it works well.

[Sailingdiver]

The ugliest but one of the most practical dinghies I've tried. 8 ft porta bote
Prior dinghies:
9' hard bottom inflatable Caribe
Portland Pudgy
Various FG rowboats
14' porta bote, too big!

[lboiv001]

So, are they then pretty much oyster proof?

I like the flats here in Florida, but the main hazard with this environment is the oyster beds just under the surface....very sharp.

Thanks for all the replies thus far.