I think this is pretty one-sided. I own an inflatable boat, and then have a smaller hardshell. Both have their place. If you live in a harsh climate you cannot leave your inflatable boat outdoors year round. In the hot sun you need to keep an eye on air pressure to make sure it doesn't over inflate, and when you get to the river in really cold water you again need to check pressure. You don't have to check pressure in a hardshell. UV, heat and high humidity can cause glue joints to come apart. When the cold weather hits you have to disassemble (deflate) put your aluminum floor boards away if you have those (I do), and then store in a warm, but not too humid heated interior. My boat is 175 pounds with floor boards and that's a 12 foot boat. Many inflatables are a lot heavier. I have a 125 pound two-stroke motor, and I don't think there's anything portable about that! I can also say if you puncture a tube in route, you may not sink your boat, but just try powering an outboard when half of it sinks into the water at an angle. There is no control. A good bilge in a hardshell is a lot safer if you develop a leak, and you can get home at full throttle. Not limp home. Inflatable are extremely stable, and can handle a lot of weight. I agree there. They are generally lighter weight than aluminum and definitely fiberglass. I would say it is harder to mount accessories and such, as everything you add needs to be planned so that it can come off. The thing has to roll up afterall. I still trailer mine everywhere, but I can certainly see if you get into something that's less than 100 pounds, and then maybe a small 5 hp or something that's actually transportable, then you have a truly mobile package. A 175 pound boat with 125 lb motor is not exactly easily transportable. More like it's a big hassle and takes up a lot of space in a car or truck. Sure I can ship it across the country, can't do that easily with a hard shell. Would probably sell and buy new if I moved anyway. I can also say my 175 pound boat with motor on the back is damn heavy to try to move around on transom wheels. How about pulling it up out of the water up a boat ramp? You better have a good back and healthy heart!. And in my case I use trim tabs because the front of the boat is so lightweight I just about need them, so I can't use transom wheels anyway. So, I do like my inflatable, and like the fact that the end of the season I can deflate and store it in my basement, but it would actually be easier with a hardshell just to leave it set up in the yard and put a cover on it. I do like the weight factor of an inflatable, and stability. Otherwise, I like the hardshell. And this does come from a guy who owns an inflatable.
..want even more stability in rough water in an inflatable? Open the drain plug to allow the boat fill with water, it will only go up to the floorboards or below the air deck. Major stick to the water surface. You might not even know you have water aboard, unless you try to motor away in a hurry...
I love lakes, pond, is kind off remind me back home, where is born.. so after 36 yrs in US..working like a machine..🤷.. now still ... but stressful build up.... end up with heart attack ..🤷... after 2 yrs I been recover, I go back to work... 🤷.. but most of my day off, if no rain... I took my sk365xl out.. and cruise around the lake for all day... sometime I eat on the boat, some time I landed some where ... it's beautiful ... I don't have big truck, I had my small car, I can deflate the boat and put in my trunk... I feel very safe on my boat... 👍
Inflatables all the way... With 2 stroke engines... Excellent portability, cheap, and easy to repair. Just use the right kind of adhesive and patch. Its painful to watch crews of 3 4 to 5 ppl struggle to dock a hard boat in rough weather. Meanwhile i jist dock, pull it up the ramp , slide the dollie underneath, and roll it to my car. 20 mins tops to take it apart and store it away.
Transporting an inflatable boat is easy, about what about setup and take down? A canoe you can just slide into the water and go. Same with light jon boats (depending on the amount of equipment you have).
Inflatables no matter SIBs or Kayaks are a PITA if you don't have a trailer. A many day I've spent sweating my ass off 90 degrees or higher at ramp putting in a floor and inflating a SIB. They are great though if you RVing and want to go boating.
Now for the disadvantages. Inflatables cost way more per foot than either metal or fiber glass. They are only efficient at slow speeds. (all performance inflatables have a solid bottom.) You will never be able to fold them back to the way they were originally packaged because you can never remove ALL the air. Inflatables deteriorate in the sun and water. If you don't have a pickup truck, you need a trailer. Do you really want to put that nasty thing in your car. Forget about getting it back into the bag. Resale value for most boats is good. There is no resale value whatsoever for an inflatable. Finally, if you manage to somehow put a whole in a jon boat, it is easily fixed. Would you ever really trust a patched inflatable? It could happen again and if it leaks in the water, uh-oh! I actually own a bass boat and an inflatable boat (sea eagle fpb285) I just want to level the playing field.
The inflatable boat will not survive if native cannibal islanders throw spears and violent criminal gangs fire machine-gun puncture and sink an inflatable boat. The inflatable boat will doom in Tsunami waves. Holy Inflatable Boat Doom, Batman!
This is one sided but I do like inflatables. I don;t own a trailer or have a pick up truck BUT I can fit either one of my inflatables in my VW Hatchback. I have a Saturn SK396 Kaboat and a Saturn SD380.
I think this is pretty one-sided. I own an inflatable boat, and then have a smaller hardshell. Both have their place.
If you live in a harsh climate you cannot leave your inflatable boat outdoors year round. In the hot sun you need to keep an eye on air pressure to make sure it doesn't over inflate, and when you get to the river in really cold water you again need to check pressure. You don't have to check pressure in a hardshell. UV, heat and high humidity can cause glue joints to come apart.
When the cold weather hits you have to disassemble (deflate) put your aluminum floor boards away if you have those (I do), and then store in a warm, but not too humid heated interior. My boat is 175 pounds with floor boards and that's a 12 foot boat. Many inflatables are a lot heavier.
I have a 125 pound two-stroke motor, and I don't think there's anything portable about that! I can also say if you puncture a tube in route, you may not sink your boat, but just try powering an outboard when half of it sinks into the water at an angle. There is no control. A good bilge in a hardshell is a lot safer if you develop a leak, and you can get home at full throttle. Not limp home.
Inflatable are extremely stable, and can handle a lot of weight. I agree there. They are generally lighter weight than aluminum and definitely fiberglass. I would say it is harder to mount accessories and such, as everything you add needs to be planned so that it can come off. The thing has to roll up afterall.
I still trailer mine everywhere, but I can certainly see if you get into something that's less than 100 pounds, and then maybe a small 5 hp or something that's actually transportable, then you have a truly mobile package. A 175 pound boat with 125 lb motor is not exactly easily transportable. More like it's a big hassle and takes up a lot of space in a car or truck. Sure I can ship it across the country, can't do that easily with a hard shell. Would probably sell and buy new if I moved anyway.
I can also say my 175 pound boat with motor on the back is damn heavy to try to move around on transom wheels. How about pulling it up out of the water up a boat ramp? You better have a good back and healthy heart!. And in my case I use trim tabs because the front of the boat is so lightweight I just about need them, so I can't use transom wheels anyway.
So, I do like my inflatable, and like the fact that the end of the season I can deflate and store it in my basement, but it would actually be easier with a hardshell just to leave it set up in the yard and put a cover on it. I do like the weight factor of an inflatable, and stability. Otherwise, I like the hardshell.
And this does come from a guy who owns an inflatable.
..want even more stability in rough water in an inflatable? Open the drain plug to allow the boat fill with water, it will only go up to the floorboards or below the air deck. Major stick to the water surface. You might not even know you have water aboard, unless you try to motor away in a hurry...
I love lakes, pond, is kind off remind me back home, where is born.. so after 36 yrs in US..working like a machine..🤷.. now still ... but stressful build up.... end up with heart attack ..🤷... after 2 yrs I been recover, I go back to work... 🤷.. but most of my day off, if no rain... I took my sk365xl out.. and cruise around the lake for all day... sometime I eat on the boat, some time I landed some where ... it's beautiful ... I don't have big truck, I had my small car, I can deflate the boat and put in my trunk... I feel very safe on my boat... 👍
Inflatables all the way... With 2 stroke engines... Excellent portability, cheap, and easy to repair. Just use the right kind of adhesive and patch. Its painful to watch crews of 3
4 to 5 ppl struggle to dock a hard boat in rough weather. Meanwhile i jist dock, pull it up the ramp , slide the dollie underneath, and roll it to my car. 20 mins tops to take it apart and store it away.
More stabability. Sorry, I meant more stability, LESS stabability.
Transporting an inflatable boat is easy, about what about setup and take down? A canoe you can just slide into the water and go. Same with light jon boats (depending on the amount of equipment you have).
The only 1 downside to inflatables is punctures! However the pros outweigh the con inflatable all the way.
easy to transport ..for me..come to my room too sir tq
Inflatables no matter SIBs or Kayaks are a PITA if you don't have a trailer. A many day I've spent sweating my ass off 90 degrees or higher at ramp putting in a floor and inflating a SIB. They are great though if you RVing and want to go boating.
Now for the disadvantages. Inflatables cost way more per foot than either metal or fiber glass. They are only efficient at slow speeds. (all performance inflatables have a solid bottom.) You will never be able to fold them back to the way they were originally packaged because you can never remove ALL the air. Inflatables deteriorate in the sun and water. If you don't have a pickup truck, you need a trailer. Do you really want to put that nasty thing in your car. Forget about getting it back into the bag. Resale value for most boats is good. There is no resale value whatsoever for an inflatable. Finally, if you manage to somehow put a whole in a jon boat, it is easily fixed. Would you ever really trust a patched inflatable? It could happen again and if it leaks in the water, uh-oh! I actually own a bass boat and an inflatable boat (sea eagle fpb285) I just want to level the playing field.
The inflatable boat will not survive if native cannibal islanders throw spears and violent criminal gangs fire machine-gun puncture and sink an inflatable boat. The inflatable boat will doom in Tsunami waves. Holy Inflatable Boat Doom, Batman!
Towing an inflatable is like dragging a plow. I much prefer my hard dink. It bobs along happily behind producing practically no drag whatsoever!
This is one sided but I do like inflatables. I don;t own a trailer or have a pick up truck BUT I can fit either one of my inflatables in my VW Hatchback. I have a Saturn SK396 Kaboat and a Saturn SD380.
they can pierce
Petros Kouklotheatros Or be pierces for that matter.
only if you have a crap one
Inflatable boats win because you chose the arguements...