Just had a couple of questions before I pulled the trigger on purchasing an inflatable boat. I plan on using it for fishing flats in the bay and running out baits in the surf.

I am looking at Boatstogo.com, at SD330 the 11' boat. Anyone ever heard anything about them?

How easy are they to fish out of?

How long will they hold air?

They say it is possible to stand on the air floor, is this true?

What hp outboard would be reasonable to run from fishing spot to spot quickly?

How well do they handle the choppy water?

How stable are they when you are standing?


Any other info will be greatly appreciated....

They will hold air for days.. We used them in Boy Scouts all the time for river trips and whatnot.. That 15hp will move too!!

Choppy water is a little rough, not as bad as a Carolina Skiff skiff of similar length..

We use to fly fish out of them back in the day.. I would get the chair attachment tho. Standing is very stable we used to have boat fights and whatnot at scout camps, who can knock who out of the boat first..

I checked out that website...they look pretty good. Alot less expensive than other alternatives, too.

I used to fish out of a 12' inflatable. Was a nice boat with a dry ride. A 10hp pushed it along nicely with 1 person and gear. Could seldom plane with 2 people and gear, I think it could have with the right propeller. It was also a very stable boat. Two big guys could stand on one tube and not flip it. As for holding air, mine stayed aired up for months, had a leak in the inflatable keel though. Chop will be rough as the boat is light, the worst part is that you sit while driving. As for what the boat will handle, it'll handle more than enough to scare the operator.

Eight, what brand boat did you own?

Do you think a 4hp motor would be enough for 1 person and a little gear?

I have seen people talk about trim tabs for inflatables which look like they would really help the boat get on plane.

I did/do own an Avon boat. It's made of hypalon and is a soft bottom with inflatable keel. I do not think a 4hp will plane one. The boat you're looking at is a foot shorter and a foot narrower than mine though. I'm sure a newer 8 hp would work fine, maybe a 6 hp.

http://www.zodiacmarineusa.com/

If you're in the market for an inflatable might as well use what the Marine Corps uses. Look at the Zodiac boats. We used them for amphibious landings in the surf all the time. You might get a little wet but they can take a beating trust me lol.

Rob