Intro to this form

[harrystrybos]

Hi All

I asked webmaster John to include this as another "feature" of fishing , and boats. Thank you, John

"Rubber duckies" tend to be a different thing from "normal" boats. Your basic model does not need a trailer, or, in fact, even a boat ramp.

My experience started back in the early 70s with an inflatable boat that I bought from an Army Disposals outlet in Sydney. It was a very cheap thing and could only handle a 2hp outboard (the transom flexed very badly). I used it for skin diving.

In recent times I have, after becoming a "born again" fisherman, bought another "rubber duckie", but a more modern version. The model I bought is a Zodiac 3.1 Active Keel. That is to say, it is not flat bottomed, but rather has a keel, which makes it much closer to a "real" boat. The thing can plane and gets up to about 20knots with a 9.8 Tohatsu! There are 4 floatation chambers, so sinking is a bit remote.

For those of you that say..."yeah, got one already" I ask for a bit of patience for those that do not have an inflatable.

Boats are very expensive, then there is the trailer, rego, waiting at the boat ramp, getting parking etc. Infaltables circumvent most of these problems (but they do have a few problems of their own)

A brand new good quality inflaltable with an outboard as described above plus anchor, flares, v-sheet and 12v compressor (you do not want to pump it up by hand:) ) etc costs around $5,500.00. This comes with a bag to roll up the in and essentially get you out in the water.

I have found there are a number of things that can cause problems.

The trim angle of an inflatable needs to be less than a solid boat. The setting for mine is the first position against the transom.

When in the boat on your own, sitting on one side or the other causes the boat to want to steer in that direction. This becomes more of an issue when you get the boat up to plane.

Inflatables are by nature, inflatable, so whacking a hook in the side of one, or running full speed into an oyster bed is not a good idea.

You really need to setup some rod holders on the transom. You don't want loose hooks around the boat. "Loose hooks sink ships:woohoo: "

Inflatables still need to be registered if the motor is bigger than 2 hp (did the government really think there would be anybody outside this category?)

You still need to have a marine licence if the outboard is greater than 6hp.

Now, the good bits:

The whole thing, outboard included, fits into the average car boot.

The boat, on average weight about 30kgs, so is managable by one person

They can be launched from nearly anywhere (either with two people or one with some patience)

Even with a 9.8 Outboard is very economical, four to six hours from a 13 lire tank

Anyway...

Cheers

Harry Strybos

[Feral]

Thanks for that Harry, Got a mate who picked up a second hand small one he carts all over the place. His planes quite well with him and his missus in it using a 6hp. Goes like a cut cat with just him in it. He loves it. He says it is kevlar fibre, so very hard to put holes in.

[Dan23]

Hmmm, so what would one of these cost kitted out with an electric that would push it along at trolling speeds?

[harrystrybos]

The people I bought mine from are MarineSafe at Slacks Creek. I have no affiliation with these people but they treated me very well. Give them a call.

[Do$tylz]

Does this count as an inflatable???:laugh: [img size=500]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/P1260061_AFO.jpg

[ellicat]

^^ hahaha. I saw a bunch of blokes trying to do a surf launch in one at Coolum one day. Very funny. :laugh:

[chubbstar]

I'm sure they are the same people down at Wello point a couple of weeks ago.

Jayson