Albert P. Belle Isle wrote:

Do you have a 10 footer? I had (prematurely) decided against a
Porta-Bote due to the (mis-)impression that 10 ft was the shortest.

I've since been informed that there's an 8-footer, which may be _just_
what I need. Is yours an 8-footer?

Hi Al,
No, Mine's a 12' model. Spacious for 2 or 3 people, comfortable for 4
and we can squeeze 5 into it.
As a lot of people have heard me say before when this topic comes up,
I'm a convert. We have had a 10' Avon for years (and still have it, but
haven't used it since we bought the Porta-Bote 2+ years ago). I'll be
happy to wax eloquent on the details as to why we like it so much, but
the short answer is that as a tender, it is MUCH better than our Avon in
all ways except one. The inflatable is easier to board from the bow at
a crowded dinghy dock.

We have also not had a chance to confirm that it works well as a skin
diving platform (which the Avon is great at). We should get a chance to
do this on a Channel Islands trip we are trying to put together for next
summer (the water here in N. Calif. is too cold for me to enjoy spending
a lot of time in the water

You asked about fit and finish. No problems with ours, but a few people
have had some minor issues. The factory, however, stands behind the
product and resolves any problems. Yahoo.com has a listserver dedicated
to the Porta-Bote. Check it out the archives for a real look at what
the owners talk about. Rarely are any problems mentioned. One
important issue to me is the ruggedness, We never worry about rubbing
against rocks or running it up on the beach.

They also come up on Ebay now and then. In fact, that's where we bought
ours.

--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean" http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG

I also found out something I find rather funny, here in South
Carolina......

DNR quietly changed the rules of late to INCLUDE all sailboats, even
ones that have no engine, in the titling/licensing/personal property
taxing scam on us. The only sailboats not titled and taxed are
"windsurfers" in the new regs.

So, if you buy the sailing rig for the Walker Bay 8, here in
Charleston, you have to register it with DNR so the county tax
bureaucrats can tax it, even though it has no motor.

How stupid can they get....(c; You can still ROW the WB8 without a
license here. Your state may not be as stupid as ours.....


Larry W4CSC

NNNN

I also found out something I find rather funny, here in South
Carolina......

DNR quietly changed the rules of late to INCLUDE all sailboats, even
ones that have no engine, in the titling/licensing/personal property
taxing scam on us. The only sailboats not titled and taxed are
"windsurfers" in the new regs.

So, if you buy the sailing rig for the Walker Bay 8, here in
Charleston, you have to register it with DNR so the county tax
bureaucrats can tax it, even though it has no motor.

How stupid can they get....(c; You can still ROW the WB8 without a
license here. Your state may not be as stupid as ours.....


Larry W4CSC

NNNN

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 05:42:03 GMT, "Daniel E. Best"
wrote:



Albert P. Belle Isle wrote:

Do you have a 10 footer? I had (prematurely) decided against a
Porta-Bote due to the (mis-)impression that 10 ft was the shortest.

I've since been informed that there's an 8-footer, which may be _just_
what I need. Is yours an 8-footer?

Hi Al,
No, Mine's a 12' model. Spacious for 2 or 3 people, comfortable for 4
and we can squeeze 5 into it.
As a lot of people have heard me say before when this topic comes up,
I'm a convert. We have had a 10' Avon for years (and still have it, but
haven't used it since we bought the Porta-Bote 2+ years ago). I'll be
happy to wax eloquent on the details as to why we like it so much, but
the short answer is that as a tender, it is MUCH better than our Avon in
all ways except one. The inflatable is easier to board from the bow at
a crowded dinghy dock.

We have also not had a chance to confirm that it works well as a skin
diving platform (which the Avon is great at). We should get a chance to
do this on a Channel Islands trip we are trying to put together for next
summer (the water here in N. Calif. is too cold for me to enjoy spending
a lot of time in the water

You asked about fit and finish. No problems with ours, but a few people
have had some minor issues. The factory, however, stands behind the
product and resolves any problems. Yahoo.com has a listserver dedicated
to the Porta-Bote. Check it out the archives for a real look at what
the owners talk about. Rarely are any problems mentioned. One
important issue to me is the ruggedness, We never worry about rubbing
against rocks or running it up on the beach.

They also come up on Ebay now and then. In fact, that's where we bought
ours.

Thanks for all the info, Dan.

It's made me very interested in a PortaBote, but I have one other
thing to consider.

The Admiral feels that she'd be more comfortable with a hard dink vs
something that has "assembly required," in case our collection of fire
extinguishers proved inadequate to an onboard fire.

That's also a consideration in the towing vs foredeck-stowing
decision, since galley, engine, fuel tank and LPG tank are all aft of
the mast - but any lashings of an inverted dink would have to be
quick-releasable from a forward hatch opening under the dink.

(Would mitigate against lashing a folded Porta-Bote on top of said
hatch, also. I'd probably have to try to follow your example from your
pics of the cabin-top lashing, or accept the create-a-bulwark mode.)

We'll have to think it all over yet again, I guess.

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 05:42:03 GMT, "Daniel E. Best"
wrote:



Albert P. Belle Isle wrote:

Do you have a 10 footer? I had (prematurely) decided against a
Porta-Bote due to the (mis-)impression that 10 ft was the shortest.

I've since been informed that there's an 8-footer, which may be _just_
what I need. Is yours an 8-footer?

Hi Al,
No, Mine's a 12' model. Spacious for 2 or 3 people, comfortable for 4
and we can squeeze 5 into it.
As a lot of people have heard me say before when this topic comes up,
I'm a convert. We have had a 10' Avon for years (and still have it, but
haven't used it since we bought the Porta-Bote 2+ years ago). I'll be
happy to wax eloquent on the details as to why we like it so much, but
the short answer is that as a tender, it is MUCH better than our Avon in
all ways except one. The inflatable is easier to board from the bow at
a crowded dinghy dock.

We have also not had a chance to confirm that it works well as a skin
diving platform (which the Avon is great at). We should get a chance to
do this on a Channel Islands trip we are trying to put together for next
summer (the water here in N. Calif. is too cold for me to enjoy spending
a lot of time in the water

You asked about fit and finish. No problems with ours, but a few people
have had some minor issues. The factory, however, stands behind the
product and resolves any problems. Yahoo.com has a listserver dedicated
to the Porta-Bote. Check it out the archives for a real look at what
the owners talk about. Rarely are any problems mentioned. One
important issue to me is the ruggedness, We never worry about rubbing
against rocks or running it up on the beach.

They also come up on Ebay now and then. In fact, that's where we bought
ours.

Thanks for all the info, Dan.

It's made me very interested in a PortaBote, but I have one other
thing to consider.

The Admiral feels that she'd be more comfortable with a hard dink vs
something that has "assembly required," in case our collection of fire
extinguishers proved inadequate to an onboard fire.

That's also a consideration in the towing vs foredeck-stowing
decision, since galley, engine, fuel tank and LPG tank are all aft of
the mast - but any lashings of an inverted dink would have to be
quick-releasable from a forward hatch opening under the dink.

(Would mitigate against lashing a folded Porta-Bote on top of said
hatch, also. I'd probably have to try to follow your example from your
pics of the cabin-top lashing, or accept the create-a-bulwark mode.)

We'll have to think it all over yet again, I guess.

Many thanks, to

Bobsprit
Larry (W4CSC)
BinaryBillTheSailor
Dan Best
and
Lloyd Sumpter

for taking the time to help with my dink (in)decision.

Fair winds,
Al
s/v Persephone

Many thanks, to

Bobsprit
Larry (W4CSC)
BinaryBillTheSailor
Dan Best
and
Lloyd Sumpter

for taking the time to help with my dink (in)decision.

Fair winds,
Al
s/v Persephone

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 22:41:48 +0000, Albert P. Belle Isle wrote:

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 21:36:00 GMT, (Larry W4CSC) wrote:

Before you give West Marine some outrageous amount of money for this
cutesy milk bottle boat, how about do a little simulator testing on
the Hunter to see how it's gonna work out?


I can get one a lot of places cheaper than Waste Marine, Larry. Like
for $495 in one case, and $595 in several others - vs $748 list.


Wow - that's expensive! I got mine for $500 CDN at Steveston Marine
(had to assemble it myself - took all of 1/2 hr).

Lloyd Sumpter
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 22:41:48 +0000, Albert P. Belle Isle wrote:

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 21:36:00 GMT, (Larry W4CSC) wrote:

Before you give West Marine some outrageous amount of money for this
cutesy milk bottle boat, how about do a little simulator testing on
the Hunter to see how it's gonna work out?


I can get one a lot of places cheaper than Waste Marine, Larry. Like
for $495 in one case, and $595 in several others - vs $748 list.


Wow - that's expensive! I got mine for $500 CDN at Steveston Marine
(had to assemble it myself - took all of 1/2 hr).

Lloyd Sumpter
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 22:41:48 +0000, Albert P. Belle Isle wrote:



One of the attractions of the Walker Bay 8 is an empty weight of 71lbs
vs 80 for a Midget. However, I think either will be tolerable for two
people with a simple 3-point line-harness to my spinnaker halyard.

I was interested to hear if anyone here had actual experience trying
to duplicate the Walker Bay marketeer's (posed) photo of the guy
apparently trying to life-test his life-lines by dragging one over
them onto his fore-deck.


Yup. I've even pulled it up over the stern rail by myself while underway.
As you implied, it's a bit of a strain on the lifelines, and since my
stancions are not in the best of shape, I prefer to use the main halyard
to get it onboard.

I have no problem towing it, but not if I run into heavy weather. I
have litle use for anything that plays sea-anchor, or can't be easily
rowed. Hence, my lack of interest in de-flatables. But, I'm only
interested in a hard-dink if I have a place to put it - if I want to.


It tows very well - no problems at all. It's so light it just skims over
the water.

If you're interested in a REALLY light hard dinghy, plywood prams such as
Bateau's D4 are easy to build, look good (depending on your building
skills!), easy to row or sail, take a small (electric?) motor, and since
the bow is flat, they have a lot of bouyancy for their length, especially
at the bow so it's easier to get in/out at the stern of the "mothership".
And they weigh less than 60 lb!

http://www.boatplans-online.com/proddetail.php?prod=D5

Lloyd Sumpter
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8