Nice demo and crystal clear video. Thanks. Having said that why would someone looking for a folding boat want to listen to "clubbers music" throughout a 6+ minute video. It was all I could do to watch the entire thing.
My 12 footer is about 11 years old, and I use it for duck hunting. I'm amazed that the floor still stays absolutely dry. I assemble it at home and car-top it with 16' rachet straps that loop over the boat and inside the car. I do 60 and 65 with no strain. I stand the boat straight up on its stern behind the car before I push it up/slide it down the car roof - one man. The boat takes a lot of abuse; I just drag over whatever to get it to the car or to the water. Maybe I'll do this on video.
I'm with you on this. I have a Jon boat and all you do is hull your boat in the water, jump in and turn your motor and come back to shore. Put an anchor at the shore and take your car/trailor out of the water and park. After that, you walk to your boat and off you go to fishing. Hell, If I have to take 30minutes to set this up and put my thing on the boat. I might as well just fish on the shore. LOL!
Mish Thank you very much - your video shows the entire process from a fixed point that makes it clear how the boat is assembled and launched and hauled out You sold a boat for the company - after watching your extremely helpful video - I went ahead and bout a 12 footer. P.S I also liked the sunny music track very much Mahalo BH
Congrats. 12ft'er is a great all-around size and still easy to handle for one person. And yeah, you'll definitely get better with the setup. The setup in the video is def a little noobish and now done much faster. The seats? Check out "canoe seats" at Cabela's. Very nice quality, padded seat bottom, light weight Alum frame, snap on installation straps--VERY COMFY.
Bought a portebote in 2010. Best investment I have ever made. I attached it to the side of my motor home and always try to camp near water. Takes my wife and me minutes to set up and get in the water. I use it more than my 21' Tahoe roundabout!
You definitely need a rack of some kind. The 14 ft portabote is stiffer than the smaller versions. My buddy does not use a front tie to stabilize the front but you should use one if there is a lot of undulation on the highway. Get a pair of heavy duty racheting straps.
Much Better Than an Australian Version by the same Name. This one is a boat, the ones seen here are sort of..............not? Well, maybe a different model or version of this one. Who is the Agent in Australia?
@radlations If you do not want to buy a rack for your sedan, they do sell universal foam block mounts for kayaks that you just plop on your roof. Some kits like the one Malone makes have the straps too.
You are forgetting us city boys don't have room for a boat and trailer. Folded up, the Portabote takes up as much room as a ladder. If I had room, I would definitely get a boat/trailer!
That's pretty cool. I want one. BTW, do you listen to techno dance club music while you're fishing, or do you only like it as a background soundtrack to your collapsible boat videos?
You know what would be neato! If sombody figured out how to make a boat where the trailer for pulling it was also used as the frame. Just back it into the water, unhitch, and then somehow flip the tires and hitch neck up out of the way. Maby into a recessed area. Or over the rail into the boat where flip down seats covered them and hid them and reclaimed the space. Also a paddle wheel or sail version would be sweet! Thanks!!!!
@Galadrm I bought it second hand, so I don't know its age. My plastic welder arrived in the mail. I bought some polypropylene welding rods. As soon as I get some time off, I will try to make the repair.
Make it a habit of washing and wiping down your bote after each use. Make sure to air dry it thoroughly before putting it on a shelf for storage--moisture behind the foam will reek if not!
The 14 ft portabote is rated to hold 800lbs including motor and gear. The seats are a solid plastic but not so strong that you can stand on them if you are a pudge--they will crack.
I noticed you only show launches with a trolling motor attatched, but make it look like you have a 9.9 in the shots just before you put in/take out. Is that because it's not as easy as you want people to believe?
@Ndemu I can assure you that there is no intent to conceal any shortcomings (if there were any). The dolly is NOT heavy duty but the portabote is pretty light, even with motor. The video footage was shot at 3 different lakes--including one electric only lake. The motor is I think a 4.5 or 5.5 hp in the video. Kenny G got a 9.8 hp more than a year later. He launches and exists the same way just about every time--with porta-dolly at a boat launch.
Despite the economy, the price of these boats seem to be increasing each year. According to Cabela's, they cost anywhere from $1870 - $2450 with the boat pictured (14ft'r) being top of the line.
the back looks flimsy, and how did you screw in the piece in the back without leaving holes on the side open? this is actually kind of cool I don't have room for trailers where I live this seems like a decent alternative to having a solid cheap fishing boat I would have to feel safe on it though bringing my family on it
@jsizzle4o8 Most vehicles with roof rails need crossbars. I'm sure there are factory one you can buy or Thule/Yakima make some. Factory ones usually look the best (to me) but the aftermaket ones typically have a lot of accessories you can buy to customize the rack. You will have to see if it is stable enough to avoid using fore or aft tie-downs. Generally the 12fter on a small vehicle (ie. small crossbar spacing) can problems.
The boat is tough and made of thick polypropylene. The 10ft hull is about 60lb. The largest 14ft'er is just under 100lb. They are manageable with 1 person but better with 2.
That would work if you have the space, such as a single family dwelling or resources to pay for a large storage facility to store the boat. If you have two people, 6 minutes isn't much time to wait. I see this boat would be great for small apartment dwellers who would be more like the general population.
Not any video of it being used with that 4.5 horse motor or the electric trolling motor? That would have shown the absence of transom warpage or distortion under load a bit more for me. Lastly no video of it moving thru the water to show hydrodynamic design and hull distortion or the ability or not to plane the hull.
@@johnsmith-xd9ej It's a purely cosmetic piece that most people leave out. The dip in the hull is still there, creating a gap, even with the bow piece in place. 8 years and leaving it out has never been a problem for me.
It does really well in the ocean. Check out episode #125 of a show you can watch right now online called "Let's Go Fishing" with Ben Wong. George Purdy is the distributor for these boats here in the islands and he's gone on many trips with his Porta Bote in the ocean here in Hawaii.
I was a little harsh perhaps, but very few apartment dwellers as a percentage actually ever fish. Not having a boat isn't the reason they do not fish. Still, I enjoy seeing innovation and like the boat for that reason, but as a practical matter, you will never see this idea gain much market share.
Most owners of this boat keep it for many many years and I've yet to read a bad review of it yet. I've been researching portable/inflatable/foldable boats and so far this is the absolute best, especially for the 14ft model that I'm interested in getting really soon. Looking to bring more than just 1 friend along when fishing.
What is it like to step on the floor? How can two people maneuver around inside the boat? Considering it for doing soundings measurements in shallow waters.
+C Panetta There is some give to the floor like you are stepping on a soft trampoline or hard water bed. It is very stable though and probably destabilizes the entire boat less than stepping around on a hard boat. Love the 14 ft Portabote over the smaller variants--more room, faster, more stable
hello I'm from Brazil and I love to fish I wonder how much it cost and how the assembly would sell me one of those if you can answer me thank you very much.
Julio Pineda I have a 14' alpha 1 on a small 4 door car with no roof rack. If I can do it on that, you can do it on a small SUV. I use four 2" wide 15' long ratcheting tie down straps and 2 foam kayak blocks. Put the foam blocks as close to the front and rear of the roof as possible since these are the strongest parts. 2 tie downs as close to the foam blocks as possible, and wrap each one around the boat completely one time and through the door frame meeting with the ratchet part inside the car so you can keep an eye on it. 1 from the bow ( I use a gun cable lock through the eyelets to provide a strong easy mounting point for the tie down hook) to the frame under the front bumper. The stern is just wrapped around twice and hooked back under the rear bumper to the frame. Tighten it all up so it grabs the boat and doesn't move. Only takes a few minutes to tie it down once you do it a few times. It's as long as the car, but is rock solid and doesn't move at all at highway speed. Fastest I have gone is 80 mph, nothing moved at all, but the wind makes a buzzing noise on the tie downs above 70. As for everything else... the dolly wheels, oars (in two pieces), and 4 boat seats all fit in the trunk. Motor tied upright to the back of the passenger seat. A large cooler and tackle box behind the motor in the rear seat. Fishing poles and net wherever you can fit them. Front passenger seat and one rear seat is still wide open for extra people to go with you or anything extra you want. Good to go, no truck or trailer required. All this is about a 10 minute set up from parking to in the water. It rolls really easy with the dolly wheels, they are a must for the larger boat. Even with the outboard I can roll it with one hand easily up and down boat ramps. Only feels like lifting a few pounds. 14' model isn't light to lift up onto the roof alone, but it is doable. Just lay down a towel so you don't scratch your car as it slides on. Depending on your SUV it might be easier to just lay the front and rear seat flat and slide it in stern first, and secure it with the bow section sticking out the back and tied back to the suv. Once you figure out what works for you it goes quick.
Very helpful video! Thank you! I just ordered the 14-footer this Friday and can’t wait to go boating with my wife and kiddos!
Nice demo and crystal clear video. Thanks.
Having said that why would someone looking for a folding boat want to listen to "clubbers music" throughout a 6+ minute video. It was all I could do to watch the entire thing.
My 12 footer is about 11 years old, and I use it for duck hunting. I'm amazed that the floor still stays absolutely dry. I assemble it at home and car-top it with 16' rachet straps that loop over the boat and inside the car. I do 60 and 65 with no strain. I stand the boat straight up on its stern behind the car before I push it up/slide it down the car roof - one man. The boat takes a lot of abuse; I just drag over whatever to get it to the car or to the water. Maybe I'll do this on video.
I've been fishing in mine for ten years. Has plywood seats and not as tricked out as this.....but a great boat for launching where there are no ramps!
Great Job Building your Porta-Bote that fast. We hope you continue to enjoy fishing with it!
I'm with you on this. I have a Jon boat and all you do is hull your boat in the water, jump in and turn your motor and come back to shore. Put an anchor at the shore and take your car/trailor out of the water and park. After that, you walk to your boat and off you go to fishing.
Hell, If I have to take 30minutes to set this up and put my thing on the boat. I might as well just fish on the shore. LOL!
Mish
Thank you very much - your video shows the entire process from a fixed point that makes it clear how the boat is assembled and launched and hauled out
You sold a boat for the company - after watching your extremely helpful video - I went ahead and bout a 12 footer.
P.S I also liked the sunny music track very much
Mahalo
BH
One of the the best videos made. Nice job!
Congrats. 12ft'er is a great all-around size and still easy to handle for one person. And yeah, you'll definitely get better with the setup. The setup in the video is def a little noobish and now done much faster.
The seats? Check out "canoe seats" at Cabela's. Very nice quality, padded seat bottom, light weight Alum frame, snap on installation straps--VERY COMFY.
WOW! That's cool!
Hey, I bet the navy seals could use somthing like this!
The wheel thing is an awsome idea.
Definitely! Does great in flatwater. For large waves, it might not be the best.
Great demo video 👍. Thanks for the effort. However please take that soundtrack and put cement shoes on it and sink it to the bottom of that lake
I would love to see a video of that!!!
Great video and song!
Bought a portebote in 2010. Best investment I have ever made. I attached it to the side of my motor home and always try to camp near water. Takes my wife and me minutes to set up and get in the water. I use it more than my 21' Tahoe roundabout!
Hadn't considered that. Good point.
Can you show me how that attached to the side of your motor home?
Waooo funtastik boat nice thanks
thank you for your advice! cheers!!
You definitely need a rack of some kind. The 14 ft portabote is stiffer than the smaller versions. My buddy does not use a front tie to stabilize the front but you should use one if there is a lot of undulation on the highway. Get a pair of heavy duty racheting straps.
here im Brazil in the Samue's Lake, 8hp mercury 14feet. Porta-bote na represa de samuel
Much Better Than an Australian Version by the same Name. This one is a boat, the ones seen here are sort of..............not? Well, maybe a different model or version of this one. Who is the Agent in Australia?
Cool man ..
They have a shade that works pretty well. I think it covers only two benches though.
Damn thats awsome, wish I had one.
@radlations If you do not want to buy a rack for your sedan, they do sell universal foam block mounts for kayaks that you just plop on your roof. Some kits like the one Malone makes have the straps too.
These things are so cool, how much are they?
I live in the tropics and have a lot of sun here. Any idea if better shades are available? i.e. to cover the whole boat area. thanks
You are forgetting us city boys don't have room for a boat and trailer. Folded up, the Portabote takes up as much room as a ladder. If I had room, I would definitely get a boat/trailer!
That's pretty cool. I want one.
BTW, do you listen to techno dance club music while you're fishing, or do you only like it as a background soundtrack to your collapsible boat videos?
How long did it last?
You know what would be neato!
If sombody figured out how to make a boat where the trailer for pulling it was also used as the frame. Just back it into the water, unhitch, and then somehow flip the tires and hitch neck up out of the way. Maby into a recessed area. Or over the rail into the boat where flip down seats covered them and hid them and reclaimed the space. Also a paddle wheel or sail version would be sweet!
Thanks!!!!
tanks my friend exelent information. apreciate.
are you selling portabote to the Uk, i would like to buy one please
@damianraver - WORD! I love how this mix just builds to crescendo!
How did you attach both outboard and trolling simultaneously? My transom doesn’t have a space for a 2nd
@Galadrm I bought it second hand, so I don't know its age. My plastic welder arrived in the mail. I bought some polypropylene welding rods. As soon as I get some time off, I will try to make the repair.
Great deal dude! What accessories did it include? I can't imagine a 2006 would be anything other than great condition. Congrats!
Make it a habit of washing and wiping down your bote after each use. Make sure to air dry it thoroughly before putting it on a shelf for storage--moisture behind the foam will reek if not!
Sorry to hear. I definitely know the benches can crack if you stand on them. And as you pointed they and the transom are hollow plastic.
The 14 ft portabote is rated to hold 800lbs including motor and gear. The seats are a solid plastic but not so strong that you can stand on them if you are a pudge--they will crack.
I noticed you only show launches with a trolling motor attatched, but make it look like you have a 9.9 in the shots just before you put in/take out. Is that because it's not as easy as you want people to believe?
very interested, found one on craigslist I'm going to check out. But this music EEEEYUK!!! I had to turn the sound down to watch this.
beast!!!
@Ndemu I can assure you that there is no intent to conceal any shortcomings (if there were any). The dolly is NOT heavy duty but the portabote is pretty light, even with motor. The video footage was shot at 3 different lakes--including one electric only lake. The motor is I think a 4.5 or 5.5 hp in the video. Kenny G got a 9.8 hp more than a year later. He launches and exists the same way just about every time--with porta-dolly at a boat launch.
Despite the economy, the price of these boats seem to be increasing each year. According to Cabela's, they cost anywhere from $1870 - $2450 with the boat pictured (14ft'r) being top of the line.
nice video , but how much does it cost and how fast does it go??
I just did a search on that. Looks pretty good. How compact do those go? Can you store it in the garage somewhere?
Where you get that rack? for your suv?
Boa noite qual o valor de um barco desse e como Fasso para comprar e meu sonho aqui no Brasil não tem desses e como pesco só E uma blz
Cool. What size did you end up getting?
Hey man what are the specs of the first (bow) bench mine flew out of my truck.
Hi, mishmosh2000:
what's size for the boat in the video? 12' or 14'. think to buy one, but not sure the size. thanks.
the back looks flimsy, and how did you screw in the piece in the back without leaving holes on the side open? this is actually kind of cool I don't have room for trailers where I live this seems like a decent alternative to having a solid cheap fishing boat I would have to feel safe on it though bringing my family on it
This should answer some of u'r ?'s PortaBote
@TheWerkSpace warranty? how old is your hull?
@jsizzle4o8 Most vehicles with roof rails need crossbars. I'm sure there are factory one you can buy or Thule/Yakima make some. Factory ones usually look the best (to me) but the aftermaket ones typically have a lot of accessories you can buy to customize the rack. You will have to see if it is stable enough to avoid using fore or aft tie-downs. Generally the 12fter on a small vehicle (ie. small crossbar spacing) can problems.
It's good boat, how much?
The boat is tough and made of thick polypropylene. The 10ft hull is about 60lb. The largest 14ft'er is just under 100lb. They are manageable with 1 person but better with 2.
Does that wood spreader come with the boat? ...it looks homemade
Where can i buy one of these xD So cool :D
Have 16 footer I'm selling. Lots of fun. Needs a 6 or 7 hp engine and look out. Versatile in every sense of the word. $800 cash
what size is this boat it looks like a 12 footer
whatcha do to secure it? I own a ford escape, any suggestions?
That would work if you have the space, such as a single family dwelling or resources to pay for a large storage facility to store the boat. If you have two people, 6 minutes isn't much time to wait. I see this boat would be great for small apartment dwellers who would be more like the general population.
ok thanks - I saw that on the website. Has anybody tried any other shade which can cover more than 2 benches? Thanks
Not any video of it being used with that 4.5 horse motor or the electric trolling motor? That would have shown the absence of transom warpage or distortion under load a bit more for me. Lastly no video of it moving thru the water to show hydrodynamic design and hull distortion or the ability or not to plane the hull.
How bout 9.5 HP ? PortaBote
Looks like the front bow cover was missing here!
yes you are right!
@@johnsmith-xd9ej It's a purely cosmetic piece that most people leave out. The dip in the hull is still there, creating a gap, even with the bow piece in place. 8 years and leaving it out has never been a problem for me.
@kcmac1991 - I know Cabela's was one of their biggest retailers--not sure why it is listed as not in stock.
Correct.
Really? I thought PortaBote was available worldwide. Sorry, I do not have distribution info.
Saturn dealer. It is a factory accessory.
how can i buy this im from asia
I just bought a 1988 porta-bote where can I get a set of aurs? thanks in advance
+Rex Packard, how much did you got yours for? Just want to compare to the price on similar models and years.
how does this boat do in the ocean?
It does really well in the ocean. Check out episode #125 of a show you can watch right now online called "Let's Go Fishing" with Ben Wong. George Purdy is the distributor for these boats here in the islands and he's gone on many trips with his Porta Bote in the ocean here in Hawaii.
I was a little harsh perhaps, but very few apartment dwellers as a percentage actually ever fish. Not having a boat isn't the reason they do not fish. Still, I enjoy seeing innovation and like the boat for that reason, but as a practical matter, you will never see this idea gain much market share.
It is indeed the 14 footer--which in reality is not much bigger than the 12...just a fair bit sturdier.
As the boat and paid for as per the engine?
Does anyone know how to repair these boats? My boat has a 10 inch crack near the seam? I've ordered a plastic welder as my next attempt on a repair.
how in the heck do you actually buy this thing i have been looking through their website and cant find anything.
how much is this
holyy.. I bought a 15 year old used boat.. haha
Good video
Music is painful. I felt like I should be dropping E instead of going fishing
@mrpotatoman6 Not cheap dude! Check Cabela's website or a dealer near you for current pricing. Seems like the price goes up every year.
the background hammering noise...my head TT
10 ft to 14 ft range from $1870 to 2450 currently.
Looks an awful lot like Nimisila. Wondering how well you still like the boat after a few years of ownership.
Most owners of this boat keep it for many many years and I've yet to read a bad review of it yet. I've been researching portable/inflatable/foldable boats and so far this is the absolute best, especially for the 14ft model that I'm interested in getting really soon. Looking to bring more than just 1 friend along when fishing.
Anyone know where to get one of these? Need one lol
how much did you pay for that boat?
@nancyweeal Yes, you must register you boat according to the laws of your state.
What is it like to step on the floor? How can two people maneuver around inside the boat? Considering it for doing soundings measurements in shallow waters.
+C Panetta There is some give to the floor like you are stepping on a soft trampoline or hard water bed. It is very stable though and probably destabilizes the entire boat less than stepping around on a hard boat. Love the 14 ft Portabote over the smaller variants--more room, faster, more stable
Quanto é um desse?
I was interested in this boat until I found out what it costs here in Ontario Canada.
this one is good, but it is too long after u fold it, could not get in the car. why not buy one, it could put in car. more portable, i can help u
And? The price is?
How much?
how much $
hello I'm from Brazil and I love to fish I wonder how much it cost and how the assembly would sell me one of those if you can answer me thank you very much.
I just leave the wheels on, much closer to the stern.
no v8 ?
Eu conpro um porta bote
I didn't know IKEA made boats.
@mishmosh2000 how much are they
It is about $2500.
To my opinion better let the wheels because its help floating and stablity.
wath size is planed to buy one but i have small suv. same like yours let me know tanks
Julio Pineda
I have a 14' alpha 1 on a small 4 door car with no roof rack. If I can do it on that, you can do it on a small SUV. I use four 2" wide 15' long ratcheting tie down straps and 2 foam kayak blocks. Put the foam blocks as close to the front and rear of the roof as possible since these are the strongest parts. 2 tie downs as close to the foam blocks as possible, and wrap each one around the boat completely one time and through the door frame meeting with the ratchet part inside the car so you can keep an eye on it. 1 from the bow ( I use a gun cable lock through the eyelets to provide a strong easy mounting point for the tie down hook) to the frame under the front bumper. The stern is just wrapped around twice and hooked back under the rear bumper to the frame. Tighten it all up so it grabs the boat and doesn't move. Only takes a few minutes to tie it down once you do it a few times. It's as long as the car, but is rock solid and doesn't move at all at highway speed. Fastest I have gone is 80 mph, nothing moved at all, but the wind makes a buzzing noise on the tie downs above 70. As for everything else... the dolly wheels, oars (in two pieces), and 4 boat seats all fit in the trunk. Motor tied upright to the back of the passenger seat. A large cooler and tackle box behind the motor in the rear seat. Fishing poles and net wherever you can fit them. Front passenger seat and one rear seat is still wide open for extra people to go with you or anything extra you want. Good to go, no truck or trailer required. All this is about a 10 minute set up from parking to in the water. It rolls really easy with the dolly wheels, they are a must for the larger boat. Even with the outboard I can roll it with one hand easily up and down boat ramps. Only feels like lifting a few pounds. 14' model isn't light to lift up onto the roof alone, but it is doable. Just lay down a towel so you don't scratch your car as it slides on. Depending on your SUV it might be easier to just lay the front and rear seat flat and slide it in stern first, and secure it with the bow section sticking out the back and tied back to the suv. Once you figure out what works for you it goes quick.