hello Would this work for paddling around a small lake?
also I weigh 175 pounds and am 5.4 feet tall would this be big enough for me? http://www.dollargeneral.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12715196

Or would I be better off getting this
http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Explorer-200-Boat-Set/dp/B000051ZHS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/8920883/would_this_work#Post8920883

You already posted this once before don't you think that is enough?

this is diffrent

ok just for water fun. wear pfd

Are you serious??

yak finaddic what is your problem?

I am sorry kid, how about you go ask the tubers. They might be able to answer some of your questions. Then again they are using actual tubes not pool toys. For your safety please stay off the water until you can find something a little more practical to get you on the water.

Don't even bother with those rafts. They are pool toys and not made for lakes. Yak fin is right. Do your research before getting on the water.

Your not going to get anything safe to use on a lake for 20 bucks... Check Craigs List and buy something at least made of plastic, NOT rubber.. Good luck with your search

Ah, I recall being 14 years old and day dreaming about rafts and stuff. You will learn from playing with your new boat. I've never used that boat but I've messed around with various inflatables and still own an inflatable kayak.

Perhaps nothing inflatable that retails for less that about $200 is very good for fishing unless you are getting some sort of float tube setup. But everything in life has a cost and benefit to it. If you catch 20 fish in that boat, you've got a 1 to 1 ratio of dollars to fish. How many boat owners can honestly say that?

I see one scenario where a boat like that could be pretty handy though. If you "lake" is one of those where it is choked w/ 20' of grass around the banks, get out just past those weeds facing the wind. Then you will have a way to pull out a big bass without getting them stuck in the muck. However, just be prepared to be swimming with the fish!

I think the boat will come with a warning that it is basically a glorified pool toy, but if you cannot swim to / from where ever it is in the water safely it is not a good idea to use it. You must wear a life jacket. The wind can quickly blow you across the lake. The best days would be < 5 mph wind days.

If you put some kind of floorboard in it, it will add some utility to it I imagine. Maybe even just a plastic lid from a storage container or something like that.

I dont understand why it could be that bad for paddling around the lake without fishing. Just for fun. The description says that it is made for pools or calm lakes and ponds. plenty of people who reviewed it said that it works fine in lakes. So I guess im not sure why some of you think it wont work. Again I will not be fishing in this if you think that's what im trying to do

btw it is also made of 13-gauge PVC plastic

I bought a cheap raft like that from Wally world on the way to Ray Roberts one holiday weekend. The kids on that trip played in it at the sandy beach swim area for about an hour before it got a leak and deflated. I think you would be wasting your money, and I certainly think its a bad idea to get out in deep,water, or very far from the bank In one of those.

Ok what would be the best anchor for this?

Hi Bearskin,

Since this is the kayak section of the Texas Fishing Forum I think we all assumed you'd be fishing and you'd be out on a Texas lake with Texas weather (think tornadoes) and other Texas boaters, etc. I remember last summer it was a calm day and a freak wind blew through. A guy ended up drowning from a boat like that on my local lake, and he had a life jacket on. No one wants to over sell you on this boat where you get in a dangerous situation.

However in a small sheltered environment where the water is not too cold and you have a life jacket on I think it would work.
In a boat like that if the wind kicks up you will not be able to counter it, it will blow you to whatever end of the lake you end up at. In general it will be slow, i.e. difficult to get above 2 mph. The bottom is real spongy. You sort of flop into a boat like that and when you shift your weight so does the shape of the boat. Any sort of "floorboard" will make it better. A long rope is helpful. Duct tape might work for quick repairs.

Finaly got a pfd and got to try it out and wow it's fun lol. exspecialy when your in a smaller part of the lake and tbere are no waves. There is an island in the middle of the lake that I might go to tomorrow.