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Great review, i have one and its fantasist. I have a 9.8 tohatsu 2 stroke and have reached 26 knts with just me on board. For the money, the size, quality and design, i dont think can be beaten. Its super stable when fishing especially when you are standing up.
Thanks for the feedback Adrian. Yeah it's super stable for standing up, even with two person on board. Forgot to mention this in the video. Definitely a great advantage for fishing.
I do not think these holes are for a safety cord. There's a loop on the inner motor mount plate that is there specifically to cable the motor to the transom. I think the holes are to mount eyes for either towing or hanging.
Awesome work brother. I bought one back in January and there was no info out there. Paid $1050 new so I was a bit worried it may have been rubbish compared to the much more expensive truekit etc. I run a 9.8 2 stroke parsun. 32km/hr one up and 26-28km two up, it can plane with upto 230kg of weight on board. I put the same wheels on. Took a bit to work out the measurements, but they work really well.
thanks man. Yeah you can't beat it for the price, eh. A 9.8 HP would be awesome. I only wen't with the 6HP to save on weight for traveling. It does make quite a difference if you get up to 32km/h.
@@Fishingreminder I run a 15 hp 2 stroke now for when I am loaded up. Doesn't really get a higher top speed get up to 32/hr with two and gear, but so much quicker onto plane and running at half throttle for a cruise at 28/km hr.
Hi mate, very nice boat, I had a rockboat 330 with 8hp Mercury and a Nifty boat with 5 hp, I enjoyed both of them a lot but I recently sold them and I bought a Smartwave 3500 with Yamaha 25hp, mate I'm so happy with the upgrade, no more worried of puncture the boats with the hooks again!! Also very good for even quite rough water, with inflatables when gets rough you keep jumping to the moon inside the boat hahaha lots of fun tough, but for long distances you get the panishment and you end up exhausted!! Anyway enjoy your boat and I keep waiting for more of your videos!!! Love them !!!
Cheers mate. I was first considering a nifty boat but the Aqua Marina seemed a bit more stable and suitable for getting in and out for diving. Yeah I bet the Smartwave is heaps of fun. If I ever settle down again I might get a small non-inflatable trailer boat as well. Punctures are a real pain with those inflatables :)
Great review . Considering a small inflatable for our caravan trips. To seal those air leaks you CAN patch using Stans tire sealant for MTB tires, works treat on my old hypalon boat, totally airtight for couple seasons then repeat. You may want to research chemicals used and see if they attack boat material. Alternatively try on inflatable floor first and see if it is OK after year before using on boat as floor is cheaper to replace. The holes in transom are for eyebolts, fit eyebolt to both sides. Used for craning boat when launch tender. I use inside ones to clip things to them. Especially a safety rope for your new motor, also tie the two motor clamps together with bit of rope to stop them unwinding. TH-cam has plenty of videos of outboards going south while underway. Tightlines
Justed edited my post replaced can't with CAN. If you can remove valve then pour a cup into air chamber. Fit valve pressurise enough to hold the shape and rotate boat so sealant flows to holes. In my case they were on top so upside down. Try to keep it out of valve. If you can't remove valve use syringe with small hose which should fit through valve. Only takes a few minutes to set, best left at low pressure for few hours.
EXTENSIVE REVIEW. I purchased the Aquamarine Aircat 335 in late July 2022, it's approx. 8 to 9 months old at the time of this review. I've had problems with an extremely sticky substance after about 2/3 months of use as a tender (I live on my boat in the Australian heat) It seems to exude from the PVC and is impossible to clean with conventional methods of maintaining an inflatable dinghy. It's so sticky that clothes are ruined if one sits on the tubes, as the substance transfers to shorts and WON'T come out in the wash. It's so sticky that if my little dog rubs against it, he sticks to it, poor boy!! I'm 78 years old and I've owned many inflatables over the last 60 or so years, luckily they were all made in America or the U.K. and are probably still going strong. My last inflatable was a 20 year old PVC 'American made' Mercury that I bought second hand and was used as a tender and all it had on it was scuff marks and general wear and tear marks, not even one puncture, but I was stupid enough to give it away to a friend when I bought this Aircat. This sticky mess is all over the dinghy, possibly wherever sun gets to it, even under the handles. If I give another boatie a lift then I have to put some canvas down for them to sit on. After trying all methods of cleaning, including specialized inflatable cleaners, sealers etc., and a Gurni high pressure gun, NOTHING removes the stickiness. I did a test patch with ACETONE, GOD FORBID, which removed it with a very hard rub. But then the sticky mess returns after a few days anyway so I have now totally given up cleaning this dinghy and it's in such a mess, it's embarrassing. If one rubs against it, then it will remove the hairs on your legs. Maybe I should sell it to a hair removal salon!!! We are in Autumn now and the stickiness has settled a bit so it's definitely the hot sun causing the stickiness. After 6 months of use as a tender the large sheet of PVC that holds the air floor in place, which is still securely attached to both hulls the full length of the boat, has stretched quite a lot and in turn, even a small amount of pressure pushing down with one hand in the middle at the front as a test will send the front under water, so trying to get back on this dinghy in deep water would be impossible without filling the thing with water. It was OK when brand new, but not now that it's stretched. This means that even with only 2 people on board at midships the front will go under water and the Aircat fills up with water!! This Aircat cannot be towed behind a boat...EVER...DO NOT TOW IT, as even towing it at 1 or 2 Knots the front will go under and the Aircat will fill up with water up to the top of the transom and will drown the outboard on the Aircat, which nearly happened to me. Aquamarines own compliance plate on the dinghy states it will take 5 people or 500 kilos!!! Well luckily I'm mostly on my own and it's very safe and quite capable even in a small/medium chop with my 4hp four stroke on it. The speed with one person on board with the 4hp is about 4/5 knots and I think it would plain with a 6hp outboard with one aboard. On the odd occasion I have a passenger on board it gets rather hairy when the bow goes under water when coming off the throttle and whatever gear is on the floor gets ruined when the boat takes on water. It's dangerous enough with 2 on board, so 5 people as per the compliance plate would be downright deadly in it's present state. This compliance plate should be changed to a maximum of one adult and one child... At the most. All the seams, handles, ply transom attachment etc. are still OK and the glue has not given way anywhere.....The supplied ply seat was totally the wrong size and would never fit and after I made lots of adjustments, it split anyway as soon as I sat on it and I'm not that heavy. Admittedly any dinghy used as a tender, has to work hard but a "decent" dinghy will cope. If you have children then please keep an eye on them while playing with this dinghy. In Aquamarines own video it shows this Aircat as a tender pulling up to a yacht, so anyone would think it's OK as a tender. Even left on davits, if it's in the sun it will eventually get the sticky mess. If you are cruising and only use it when you get into a new port and deflate it after every use, then it may last. The PVC on this Aircat IS NOT SUITABLE FOR PURPOSE. My emails to Aquamarine, the manufacturers, really didn't get me any satisfaction and I was told by them that I didn't maintain it, which really got my back up. Luckily, the Australian retailers were very good, understanding and came to the party. Photos available. Rob
Superb video thanks. Just retired my old seago .I've been looking at getting one of these and now having seen your video I'm convinced it's for me. Except work thankyou.
I see these on sale in UK right now for £434 or $550 USD !! That is a bargain, Im very tempted.. I want to take on road trips for spearfishing, might be just the ticket... Great video thanks ❤
I have the aqua marina 3.5m udeluxe can't recommend it enough for the money . But I find i can pump mine up in 10 mins with the 2 way pump supplied . But when I am inflating the floor I unscrew the 2 way valve and just have it on 1 way for the last part as it's too much pressure for the pump when you pulling pump handle back up. I have recently taken the boat to fiordiland and stewart island and it has been great. Also I tried the rib ports too and I think the boat has a silicone coating and if you have a look on burnsco they have a 2 part inflatable boat repair kit and that's what raillblaza recommended for gluing the ports down to the pvc. I run the merc 3.3 hp 2 stroke on mine as it was 13kg to fly into fiordiland . Gets on the plane with one person which is amazing . Would like a bigger motor now though. Great review enjoyed watching. Keep up the great work cheers
That's awesome Phillip. Cheers for the feedback. I'll be taking it down to the South Island this summer. Looking forward to it. Might take it to Steward Island as well. Did you use it to get to some campsites?
Hi mate, yeah it's a fun little boat. So easy to launch anywhere and good speed with a little 6hp. I'd say it's less hassle than a ski and still lots of fun.
Hi guys. Very nice to meet you both today, even if the location wasn't that salubrious! Thanks for drawing my attention to this boat - it seems to be a very good option, especially with the add-ons you've described. Looking forward to watching your SI videos and perhaps I'll see you both again down at Twizel for some egg rolling. Cheers, Hugh.
On the off chance you need to glue things together, you might try looking for a glue called Goop. It's silicone glue, but it's better than any glue I've used. They market a variety of different formulas including a marine version. BTW, cute boat.
Really enjoyed your Review and setup . Good modification ideas as well! I will borrow your experience for my Takacat380 & 9.9 Yamaha. Thank you for sharing your experience.
cheers mate, glad it was helpful. The Takacat is also a great boat. You can get those railblaza rail mounts. They should work pretty good on the Takacat transom.
I think it would probably work, the propeller will be a bit low so not sure if that will have a negative effect on the planing. It might push the nose up. You might be able to counter that by installing an outboard cavitation plate.
cheers, I just bought a tube of glue for inflatable boats from a boating shop and put some over the bit of seam that was leaking. That stopped it. Super easy fix. The leak was only very tiny to start with.
@@Fishingreminder thx. I ended up going with a Takacat but I essentially agree with you. I’m not able to buy these aqua marina where I’m located but I’d rather have 3 of these than a single Takacat almost assuredly.
@@bluedoggum8373 awesome, I'm sure you'll be super happy with your Takacat, once you get over the price shock, haha. A real big advantage of the Takacat is the open transom. Makes beach launching so much easier.
the holes in the transom are to attach a safety cord to the motor. I normally add a ring bolt to one side of the transom, then i have a short chain with a snap hook to attach the chain through the carry handle on the outboard. I am a scuba diver and i cannot tell you how many motors i have had to search for. The problem is they never fall straight down. Because of petrol in the carb and air in the cover, they just carry on running because most people are too lazy to attach the safety cord to themselves. I once found one over 500m from where it had jumped off.
@@Fishingreminder people dont tighten them enough, they vibrate loose or the actual bracket breaks. Last year myself and my son spent over an hour underwater in place called Malin Beg Pier, Donegal, Ireland looking for a motor that had jumped off a professional fisherman's boat. Clearly was not on tight enough. Can happen to anyone. It was hard to find as the place is full of kelp. P.s. because the bracket can brake, the best is to loop a chain through the carry-handle on the engine.
@@leonbwr cheers for the tip, after hearing all the stories with outboards falling of, I'll get myself a chain and pass it through the carry handle as you suggested. Would be horrible to be miles out there and suddenly you find yourself without motor.
@Fishingreminder thank you for the swift response it's very much appreciated. I'm in the uk and we often do abit of light bait fishing here at anchor for our bream and plaice. Also my daughters are excited to be able to come out and have a little swim off her from time to time. Again thank you for your reply and really enjoying the vids . Making my way through the play lists. Great fishing you have over there. My cousin is over in Auckland and I spent 3 months camping around the North island a few years back , we did abit of fishing for snapper and kingfish and it was an amazing few months. Hope to get back there soon.
@@porkchop7652 cheers mate, sounds like the boat would be a good choice for what you intent to do with it. It's not very good in rough, choppy water but otherwise I'm still having tons of fun with it. Let us know how you get on, should you decide to get one and hopefully you'll be able to get back to NZ in the future. I've done a bit of fishing in the UK some years ago, it's very different from the fishing in NZ :)
Thanks man. Well it's been ordered now ❤. We should get her arond the end of next week. Really excited. Your honest review was a massive reason for us chosing this. Will let you know how we get on. Thanks again.
Little update. We have the boat, I put the same railblaza wheels I seen from your vid on her today. I have an old 4hp engine that has been stored on the garage wall for about 5 yrs, but at some stage it fell off the wall and snapped the tiler arm. Have an arm coming off Ebay now. I do have a crappy little 1hp electric engine that I might just wack on her to see how she goes. Not even sure if it will push it but gives me something to do after work while I wait for the tiler arm. It's just starting to warm up here now in the uk. Winter seems like it's finally a distant memory. Kids are getting excited and so am I 😂😂
Thanks for making a great vid! I just bought the 11ft model. I have a Hangkai 6hp, 2 stroke and plan in making a sail for it. Have you heard of anyone making a sail for an Aircat?
yeah it's good for spearfishing with the easy entry over the front. I used it for spearfishing quite bit already. You get a bit of water coming in when you climb in over the front, but it drains out quickly if you leave the drain plug open.
Cheers. Yea Possibly - although I had a quick look on their website and it only says welded tubes but doesn't specifically say anything about the drop stitch bottom. From the photos it seems that the floor is still glued.
Great video! Will a 2hp Yamaha 2 stroke be too small for this boat for 2 people? We don't care too much about speed, and we will mostly use it on lakes. The Yamaha 2d just looks so small and handy to bring along on camping trips
It should be able to move you along at a slow speed. I'm guessing about 5-10 km/h maybe with two on board. The only issue would be current and strong head winds. Current won't be an issue on a lake and you probably wouldn't go boating in strong winds anyway.
@Fishingreminder yeah we would only use it in calm weather anyway. BUT there is always a risk of a sudden change of weather I suppose. We would mainly use it in lakes but also the NZ south island sounds in summer. Maybe I should just pay 3 x the price of the 2hp and get a proper 6hp in stead
Nothing, only a few pinholes from fish spikes - my mistake, not being careful enough landing them - was easy to fix with a small patch. But no manufacturing faults or quality issues so far.
great detailed review Mark! haha cool to showcase a guide on the product too. great for ppl who would wanna buy something like this plus its definitely one boat that doesn't require a trailer haha
Thanks Peter, yeah I hope the vid is helpful for people who consider buying this boat. Not having to have a trailer is a big advantage. Especially for fishing and camping purposes :)
Hello! thanks for the nice review. I have had my boat for 4 weeks and am very satisfied. I have a Yamaha 4hp that weighs 23 kg. I carry boat and motor up in the apartment 3 floors so I think max 6 horsepower due to the weight or what do you think?
yeah if you transport he engine frequently I would not get more than 6hp. It would be getting too heavy and less portable. If it's too much hassle setting up the boat then you won't be using it as much either. So in my opinion stay as lightweight as possible.
Hi, do you think that the boat is sturdy enough to support a 20 HP engine? I know it is above specification, but I already have the motor. The idea would be use the engine at a medium throtle...
I doubt it. The problem is the weight of the 20hp engine. Not sure if the transom is sturdy enough to hold that weight since it's all just glued. It would be good fun though cranking that up with a little boat like that, you'd be flying, haha. Maybe give it a try and let us know if it works.
Hello! I am very happy with my boat. A thought regarding the engine. I have a Yamaha 4hp. Many want more, so looked a bit at 8 hp. It weighs considerably more then you have to have an external fuel tank which takes up a lot of space. 6hp still has built-in tank. Significantly cheaper and lighter than 8hp. But I have heard that it is not worth upgrading to 6 hp if you already have 4 hp. What do you think here? More speed is always good when going to fishing spots, and when going home if you are some distance from the port. Thanks in advance!
Hi, I think it just comes down to speed and fun in the end. With my 6hp I get planing very easily when I'm on my own and reach a top speed of about 22km/h. Going fast on a calm day is lots of fun besides getting to a fishing spot much quicker. Even though I have an inbuilt tank on my outboard, I never use it. I use an external fuel tank - it's easier and a 10 litre tank lasts forever. When I'm fishing with my wife then the 6hp is not enough to get us planing unless it is super glassy and we don't take any extra gear. So in that I case I wish I had a 10hp engine :) I find the pull start quite annoying though. That's another thing to consider. The bigger the engine, the more force it needs to get started and the harder it will be on your shoulders and arm.
In regards to motor cavitation. The 15" on shortshaft motors can vary quite a bit between motor models by few cms. Motor specs should give the exact length. I have same issue on my boat, yamaha 8 & 15hp works fine but both yamaha 25hps are too short. Found tohatsu 30hp is perfect match.
Interesting that there is such a variation. I found that tilting the motor slightly to the second or third tilt position when going with two persons avoids the problem.
Thank you for the informative Video! Would you happen to know the height from where the motor sits down to the center of the prop? I'm not sure whether the shaft of my motor can be considered as long or short
thanks, I'm not sure but on the Suzuki page for the 6HP motor that I use it says the shaft lengths are 15" Shaft Length (Short) and 20" Shaft Length (Large)
Awesome review team like the honesty in the seams etc and leaks but all In all looks awesome esp if it goes 25km/h! Ya need to take me trout fishing in it 😍
yeah unfortunately it doesn't come in camo. But that would only be suitable for hunting or duck shooting, or just for the looks. For fishing, a white hull is actually not bad, because it is less visible from the water than a dark hull, meaning it has less contrast to the sky and sun when fish look up.
Hi, the boat is still going strong, I should make another update video I guess. I put it through a lot of frequent abuse and don't take much care of it. Most of the time it's sitting outside exposed to the elements. Despite this mistreatment it hasn't let me down. The transom and glue is fine as well.
@@Fishingreminder Thank you for your reply!! :D This is very nice to know. I was deciding between 2 dinghies Aqua Marina U-350 or Hydro Force Mirovia Pro. The latter is known for its glue issue (my concern is the transom plate). Very common problem and requires considerable maintence. Now I am starting to consider the aircat 335. How do you rate this boat? Recommend? Do you have problems with water inside on rough conditions? Is it drained fast through the transom hole?
@@danielfalcao9484 yeah I quite like it, I would buy it again. The main problem with getting water inside is when you try and launch on a beach and you have to get through some surf. It drains eventually but take a little while. For my purposes it hasn't been an issue. I never leave the drain plug in and haven't had any water issues in normal use. But if you intend to launch on surf beaches then you'd be better off with an open transom like the one on the takacat. But a takacat is 3 times as expensive.
Hi thanks for the great review , I ended being lucky enough to find the 11ft aircat on sale for €570 which was an absolute bargain just after I first watched this video, so I purchased with confidence. Can I ask you is it possible to roll up the boat and store it in its bag with those wheel brackets in place? I want to get wheels but I do need to roll up the boat after every use as I can't store it inflated. Thanks again .
Hey there, glad to hear that you got such a good deal. Yeah I roll mine up with the brackets on the transom. No problem. But I remove the wheels from the brackets first.
Hi Do you still use the aqua marina inflatable for fishing, if so has it served you well as I thinking of purchasing one, thanks for any feed back you can give me.
I have a large Tobinsports inflatable. We use it as a tender for our boat. We've had it for three seasons and it gets quite a hard life carrying people and things but it's holding up very well. It cost me £600 so I consider it good VFM. It's never going to last as long as a hypalon dinghy but for the cash, you can't go wrong IMO.
@Fishingreminder yeah I'm more concerned about the air deck actually a fish flapping around with spines or some treble hooks hanging out of its mouth could get interesting on there.
@@supersonic249 I usually take a big cutting board with me or use to top of my chilly bin or even the seat to handle the fish. You'd normally land them in a net, so with a bit of care this isn't really a problem. I had a few small pin holes from fish spines over the years but it takes forever for the air to leak out and easy to fix with a bit of glue and small patch.
How does this preform in chop or wind? I’ve always wanted one but my local bay gets very windy and choppy. Obviously small craft should not be out in that weather but I might encounter some of it.
It can handle light chop and wind. But when you go into the bigger chop it gets pretty slow going and bumpy as you can't really comfortably plane anymore. If you go into chop and strong wind gusts too fast head on they can lift the front of the boat up a bit as well. I've been out in some gnarly conditions and it's pretty much okay until you start getting white caps. Small chop is no problem and you can plane over it.
Yeah, still quite happy with it. The wheels are pretty easy to install. But I do recommend installing large wheels, like the railblaza dinghy wheels. Makes launching a lot easier.
Hi can i ask , you’ve had a lot of experience kayak fishing & now an inflatable boat , if you could start over & just have one which would you prefer for nz conditions & fishing & if you were to buy the inflatable again knowing what you know now - would you buy this same boat or spend the extra on something like a truekit ? thank you
hey mate, hard questions. I love kayak fishing, especially with a pedal kayak. Can't beat the stealth and cost effectiveness. But you got a limited range and you also depend a lot on the tides and currents. With a small boat you have an extended range and don't have to worry about currents and wind so much. Of course it depends on where you fish and how much exploring you're going to do. So yeah tough decision - at the moment I would probably tend towards the inflatable. It's good fun zooming around with it. And yeah I would buy the Aqua Marina again. I don't see any advantage of buying a True Kit. I would consider a Takacat because of the open transom. It would make it better for launching on a beach if waves crash over the bow. But considering that it is 3 times more expensive - not sure if that is enough of an advantage for me :) Hope that helps
Hey, I just found your channel, very cool and great information. Question for you, I am going to buy an inflatable this month with an Aluminum floor and transom. Is it best to store the boat deflated in the bag over the Winter months " I live in the Northeast" or keep it inflated. I am also concerned with mice getting in to the garage and eating the PVC Any recommendations? Thanks so much
Depends on the boat, you could keep it inflated under a tarp but I would release a little air so it's not fully inflated to allow for contraction and expansion with changing temperatures and have less stress on the seams. I'm not sure about mice but wouldn't think of it as a problem.
It has been pretty good in the sea. Under normal conditions there isn't any water coming over the front. It can't really sink either because the floor is also inflated. If water get's in it will drain out the back (if the drain plug is open). The only problem I found is when trying to launch on a beach with big waves. If they crash over the bow then there'll be lots of water in the boat and it will take a while until it drains out.
@@Fishingreminder okay thanks a lot. I'm in Athens and waves are choppy here so i ll probably go for the classic shape and maybe a bit elevated front if possible. Cheers
Them holes are for wheels to attach to the transom so you can move the boat by yourself without dragging it on the ground or having a 2nd person helping you carry it. There is a kit you buy through the manufacturer where you get wheels and rod holders together, and they attach to them existing holes in your transom. You drilled holes in your transom when you should have bought the wheel kart that went with the boat through the manufacturer. I don't recommend drilling holes into the bottom of the transom as you did. I have the same boat with the wheel kart and used the existing holes that were pre dilled by the manufacturer at the top of the transom. After market is fine but never works properly. You would have saved a lot of time and money just going to the manufacturers website and buying the proper wheels that go to this boat.
Thanks for the comment but Aqua Marina does not provide any wheels for their boats. If you can still find the wheels you were talking about then please send the link. The holes are to attach a rope so you can hang the boat on your davits, if you intend to use it as a tender. Some manufactures like Takacat provide wheels but not Aqua Marina. In my opinion it would make no sense to have the holes in that position anyway for attaching wheels. They are way too high up and you'd need more than two holes for stability. The holes are also too big for that purpose. But I'd be interested to see your setup. If you are talking about a third party wheel cart that you can strap to the boat somehow then you don't need to drill holes at all. But that wouldn't work for my purpose because I often launch on very rough terrain so I need the wheels that I have installed, which by the way are still great and no problems at all one year later.
Did anybody experienced such effects like in the recent post? I am planning to buy this boat, I generally use it 5-6 times in a year on dead river and on the Aria so maybe it fits to my requirements. Now I have a Kolibri 290T pro paddle boat but it doesnt have enough space for 3 people, but on the other hand it is a well made boat, i had accidents in few times with really sharp rocks and it handled. My other question is that: what is the overall equipmnent's packed dimesnions? What materials they used on the outer hull on this boat (g/m2, thickness, producer, anything) because i did not find these info at all?
I wouldn't recommend this boat for 3 people fishing. Not enough space. You could transport 3 people from point A to point B maybe - but not fishing - unless you guys enjoy cuddling 😂 The packaging size is pretty small for a boat like this. I don't have the exact dimensions right now but but it fits into a small car boot ( Honda Fit for example )
yeah the 6HP Suzuki outboard has been pretty good with it. Enough power to get it planing and moving along at about 22km/h. If you intend to use it predominantly with two people I would suggest going up to a 9hp motor.
I like your video but I have a question. Since I like it portable, yes, a 6HP is the best choice (around 55 pounds which is okay). But, the Aircat 11'00'' is 73.9 lbs while the U-Deluxe 9'9'' is only 61.7 lbs. I would like a boat not for fishing, not as a tender, but only to go on the water (lake and ocean). The speed is important for me. Do you think I can go faster with the Deluxe boat or the Aircat boat ?!? The wind is also something I have to think about. While going against the wind, do you feel as safe in a Cat ? Meaning a U-shape boat can't fly !
I think with a longer boat you can go faster in general than with a shorter boat and with a cat you have much less drag in the water than with a u-shape hull. If you want to use it mainly for fun then I would definitely go for a cat style. I feel very safe against the wind and chop. I haven't tried beach launching in bigger waves yet. The drain plug is fairly small compared to a Takacat where you have a completely open transom and all water that comes in drains out right away. But for small wind chop and non breaking waves I have not found any issues and the water drains fast enough.
Can you mount a bimini top on the Aircat? In principle yes, but how is the stability? There is a risk of the boat capsizing when the wind is strong. However, the bimini top should only be set up when anchoring (shading). What is your opinion?
Not so sure about that. I don't think it will affect the stability of the boat at all. You might have to glue on a few holders to the pontoons for the bars. But that's probably not much of an issue.
@@Fishingreminder Thank you. On our lake (Walensee in Switzerland) and on the Mediterranean it will work for anchoring in a bay (up to wind force 2-3). For the Holes: answer form Aquamarina: it is used to lift up the boat with hooks
Cheers Marco, appreciate the feedback. We used to live in Auckland but now we're nomads and cruise around. We stop by in Auckland every now and then :)
Nice video taping and great commenting. But you need to prolong your video playing a slower. Too fast cutting and switching, making very dizzy to watch.
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Great review, i have one and its fantasist. I have a 9.8 tohatsu 2 stroke and have reached 26 knts with just me on board. For the money, the size, quality and design, i dont think can be beaten. Its super stable when fishing especially when you are standing up.
Thanks for the feedback Adrian. Yeah it's super stable for standing up, even with two person on board. Forgot to mention this in the video. Definitely a great advantage for fishing.
26 knots? My motor is basically the same and I am getting 32km/hr max which is 17knots. Prop maybe on the Tohatsu is more grippy than the parsun.
Hi do you know the best way to mount a fish finder transceiver to the Aqua Marine Aircat?
The holes in the transom are for a safety cord or chain to the motor so the motor doesn’t fall in the water
I’ve seen many fall in while boating at least if it falls in your motor won’t hit the bottom
hey Ray. we hang our Rib off davitts at the transom of our and most catamarans.This is another reason for these holes
I do not think these holes are for a safety cord. There's a loop on the inner motor mount plate that is there specifically to cable the motor to the transom. I think the holes are to mount eyes for either towing or hanging.
Awesome work brother. I bought one back in January and there was no info out there. Paid $1050 new so I was a bit worried it may have been rubbish compared to the much more expensive truekit etc. I run a 9.8 2 stroke parsun. 32km/hr one up and 26-28km two up, it can plane with upto 230kg of weight on board. I put the same wheels on. Took a bit to work out the measurements, but they work really well.
thanks man. Yeah you can't beat it for the price, eh. A 9.8 HP would be awesome. I only wen't with the 6HP to save on weight for traveling. It does make quite a difference if you get up to 32km/h.
@@Fishingreminder I run a 15 hp 2 stroke now for when I am loaded up. Doesn't really get a higher top speed get up to 32/hr with two and gear, but so much quicker onto plane and running at half throttle for a cruise at 28/km hr.
@jwqc1 I am interested in getting one of these with a 15hp outboard. Do you think the boat handles the bigger outboard well? Not too heavy?
Hi do you know the best way to mount a fish finder transceiver to the Aqua Marine Aircat?
@@jamesdfriend handles it fine, but its a light 2 stroke 15. Not sure about a heavy 4 stroke
Hi mate, very nice boat, I had a rockboat 330 with 8hp Mercury and a Nifty boat with 5 hp, I enjoyed both of them a lot but I recently sold them and I bought a Smartwave 3500 with Yamaha 25hp, mate I'm so happy with the upgrade, no more worried of puncture the boats with the hooks again!! Also very good for even quite rough water, with inflatables when gets rough you keep jumping to the moon inside the boat hahaha lots of fun tough, but for long distances you get the panishment and you end up exhausted!! Anyway enjoy your boat and I keep waiting for more of your videos!!! Love them !!!
Cheers mate. I was first considering a nifty boat but the Aqua Marina seemed a bit more stable and suitable for getting in and out for diving. Yeah I bet the Smartwave is heaps of fun. If I ever settle down again I might get a small non-inflatable trailer boat as well. Punctures are a real pain with those inflatables :)
Great review . Considering a small inflatable for our caravan trips. To seal those air leaks you CAN patch using Stans tire sealant for MTB tires, works treat on my old hypalon boat, totally airtight for couple seasons then repeat. You may want to research chemicals used and see if they attack boat material. Alternatively try on inflatable floor first and see if it is OK after year before using on boat as floor is cheaper to replace.
The holes in transom are for eyebolts, fit eyebolt to both sides. Used for craning boat when launch tender. I use inside ones to clip things to them. Especially a safety rope for your new motor, also tie the two motor clamps together with bit of rope to stop them unwinding. TH-cam has plenty of videos of outboards going south while underway.
Tightlines
Thanks for the feedback and the tips. Much appreciated. Also for telling us what the holes in the transom are for. Good idea to secure the outboard 👍
Justed edited my post replaced can't with CAN.
If you can remove valve then pour a cup into air chamber. Fit valve pressurise enough to hold the shape and rotate boat so sealant flows to holes. In my case they were on top so upside down. Try to keep it out of valve. If you can't remove valve use syringe with small hose which should fit through valve. Only takes a few minutes to set, best left at low pressure for few hours.
The holes are for umbrella, anchor rope, fishing rod, etc
EXTENSIVE REVIEW.
I purchased the Aquamarine Aircat 335 in late July 2022, it's approx. 8 to 9 months old at the time of this review. I've had problems with an extremely sticky substance after about 2/3 months of use as a tender (I live on my boat in the Australian heat) It seems to exude from the PVC and is impossible to clean with conventional methods of maintaining an inflatable dinghy. It's so sticky that clothes are ruined if one sits on the tubes, as the substance transfers to shorts and WON'T come out in the wash. It's so sticky that if my little dog rubs against it, he sticks to it, poor boy!! I'm 78 years old and I've owned many inflatables over the last 60 or so years, luckily they were all made in America or the U.K. and are probably still going strong. My last inflatable was a 20 year old PVC 'American made' Mercury that I bought second hand and was used as a tender and all it had on it was scuff marks and general wear and tear marks, not even one puncture, but I was stupid enough to give it away to a friend when I bought this Aircat. This sticky mess is all over the dinghy, possibly wherever sun gets to it, even under the handles. If I give another boatie a lift then I have to put some canvas down for them to sit on. After trying all methods of cleaning, including specialized inflatable cleaners, sealers etc., and a Gurni high pressure gun, NOTHING removes the stickiness. I did a test patch with ACETONE, GOD FORBID, which removed it with a very hard rub. But then the sticky mess returns after a few days anyway so I have now totally given up cleaning this dinghy and it's in such a mess, it's embarrassing. If one rubs against it, then it will remove the hairs on your legs. Maybe I should sell it to a hair removal salon!!! We are in Autumn now and the stickiness has settled a bit so it's definitely the hot sun causing the stickiness. After 6 months of use as a tender the large sheet of PVC that holds the air floor in place, which is still securely attached to both hulls the full length of the boat, has stretched quite a lot and in turn, even a small amount of pressure pushing down with one hand in the middle at the front as a test will send the front under water, so trying to get back on this dinghy in deep water would be impossible without filling the thing with water. It was OK when brand new, but not now that it's stretched. This means that even with only 2 people on board at midships the front will go under water and the Aircat fills up with water!! This Aircat cannot be towed behind a boat...EVER...DO NOT TOW IT, as even towing it at 1 or 2 Knots the front will go under and the Aircat will fill up with water up to the top of the transom and will drown the outboard on the Aircat, which nearly happened to me. Aquamarines own compliance plate on the dinghy states it will take 5 people or 500 kilos!!! Well luckily I'm mostly on my own and it's very safe and quite capable even in a small/medium chop with my 4hp four stroke on it. The speed with one person on board with the 4hp is about 4/5 knots and I think it would plain with a 6hp outboard with one aboard. On the odd occasion I have a passenger on board it gets rather hairy when the bow goes under water when coming off the throttle and whatever gear is on the floor gets ruined when the boat takes on water. It's dangerous enough with 2 on board, so 5 people as per the compliance plate would be downright deadly in it's present state. This compliance plate should be changed to a maximum of one adult and one child... At the most. All the seams, handles, ply transom attachment etc. are still OK and the glue has not given way anywhere.....The supplied ply seat was totally the wrong size and would never fit and after I made lots of adjustments, it split anyway as soon as I sat on it and I'm not that heavy. Admittedly any dinghy used as a tender, has to work hard but a "decent" dinghy will cope. If you have children then please keep an eye on them while playing with this dinghy. In Aquamarines own video it shows this Aircat as a tender pulling up to a yacht, so anyone would think it's OK as a tender. Even left on davits, if it's in the sun it will eventually get the sticky mess. If you are cruising and only use it when you get into a new port and deflate it after every use, then it may last. The PVC on this Aircat IS NOT SUITABLE FOR PURPOSE. My emails to Aquamarine, the manufacturers, really didn't get me any satisfaction and I was told by them that I didn't maintain it, which really got my back up. Luckily, the Australian retailers were very good, understanding and came to the party. Photos available. Rob
Superb video thanks. Just retired my old seago .I've been looking at getting one of these and now having seen your video I'm convinced it's for me. Except work thankyou.
Appreciate that, thank you - glad the video was helpful
You did a really great video. Extremely informative!
Thanks you so much, glad it was helpful.
I see these on sale in UK right now for £434 or $550 USD !! That is a bargain, Im very tempted.. I want to take on road trips for spearfishing, might be just the ticket... Great video thanks ❤
Awesome, that's a bargain!
I have the same holes in my transom too, my boat came with stainless steel towing eyelets!
I have the aqua marina 3.5m udeluxe can't recommend it enough for the money . But I find i can pump mine up in 10 mins with the 2 way pump supplied . But when I am inflating the floor I unscrew the 2 way valve and just have it on 1 way for the last part as it's too much pressure for the pump when you pulling pump handle back up. I have recently taken the boat to fiordiland and stewart island and it has been great. Also I tried the rib ports too and I think the boat has a silicone coating and if you have a look on burnsco they have a 2 part inflatable boat repair kit and that's what raillblaza recommended for gluing the ports down to the pvc. I run the merc 3.3 hp 2 stroke on mine as it was 13kg to fly into fiordiland . Gets on the plane with one person which is amazing . Would like a bigger motor now though. Great review enjoyed watching. Keep up the great work cheers
That's awesome Phillip. Cheers for the feedback. I'll be taking it down to the South Island this summer. Looking forward to it. Might take it to Steward Island as well. Did you use it to get to some campsites?
Hi man. You have a nice boat. I subscribe from Netherlands 🇳🇱. All the best to everyone !!!
thanks Alex, appreciate it
Hi Mark, Ive been showing the guys at work this video. Its a cool boat and ideal for what I want around Canterbury.. Until I get a jet ski!!
Hi mate, yeah it's a fun little boat. So easy to launch anywhere and good speed with a little 6hp. I'd say it's less hassle than a ski and still lots of fun.
@@Fishingreminder what length is your one?
@@StuWNZ I got the 3.3m - I think the smaller one is a little too small to be comfortable at sea.
Hi guys. Very nice to meet you both today, even if the location wasn't that salubrious! Thanks for drawing my attention to this boat - it seems to be a very good option, especially with the add-ons you've described. Looking forward to watching your SI videos and perhaps I'll see you both again down at Twizel for some egg rolling. Cheers, Hugh.
Hi Hugh, it was great meeting you the other day. Glad you enjoy our videos. Happy travels!
your mods are on point! Awesome!
subscribed!
Glad you like them, thanks for the sub!
Hi , Great review .. would you recommend the boat would have the space for a set of scuba gear ??
With one person and scuba gear yes with two persons plus gear you'd be pushing it.
The similar holes in my Zodiac transom are for the launching wheels.
Also I used them for the rope ladder.
On the off chance you need to glue things together, you might try looking for a glue called Goop. It's silicone glue, but it's better than any glue I've used. They market a variety of different formulas including a marine version. BTW, cute boat.
great tip, thank you !
A very good review and video! Have ordered mine.
thank you, I'm sure you'll enjoy the boat!
I have a 12ft inflatable. I take it Halibut fishing out of Cook Inlet Alaska, it's a very stable little boat.
awesome, that must be an awesome spot for fishing.
Really enjoyed your Review and setup . Good modification ideas as well! I will borrow your experience for my Takacat380 & 9.9 Yamaha.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
cheers mate, glad it was helpful. The Takacat is also a great boat. You can get those railblaza rail mounts. They should work pretty good on the Takacat transom.
Nice presentation and informative review
Thank you so much 🙂
Hi, great review and just wondering if the outboard has to a short shaft? Could we manage with a long shaft outboard?
I think it would probably work, the propeller will be a bit low so not sure if that will have a negative effect on the planing. It might push the nose up. You might be able to counter that by installing an outboard cavitation plate.
I use the holes in the transom to attach eye bolts and the bow ones to hoist the dinghy up on to the deck of the boat or use them with a davit
Where did you buy this great looking . Sure like to get this boat
Good video. How did you fix the seam leaks on the floor. Was it an easy fix?
cheers, I just bought a tube of glue for inflatable boats from a boating shop and put some over the bit of seam that was leaking. That stopped it. Super easy fix. The leak was only very tiny to start with.
@@Fishingreminder thx. I ended up going with a Takacat but I essentially agree with you. I’m not able to buy these aqua marina where I’m located but I’d rather have 3 of these than a single Takacat almost assuredly.
@@bluedoggum8373 awesome, I'm sure you'll be super happy with your Takacat, once you get over the price shock, haha. A real big advantage of the Takacat is the open transom. Makes beach launching so much easier.
the holes in the transom are to attach a safety cord to the motor. I normally add a ring bolt to one side of the transom, then i have a short chain with a snap hook to attach the chain through the carry handle on the outboard. I am a scuba diver and i cannot tell you how many motors i have had to search for. The problem is they never fall straight down. Because of petrol in the carb and air in the cover, they just carry on running because most people are too lazy to attach the safety cord to themselves. I once found one over 500m from where it had jumped off.
I always wonder how the outboards can come off. I heard that it happens quite often. I might have to attach a chain to mine as well.
@@Fishingreminder people dont tighten them enough, they vibrate loose or the actual bracket breaks. Last year myself and my son spent over an hour underwater in place called Malin Beg Pier, Donegal, Ireland looking for a motor that had jumped off a professional fisherman's boat. Clearly was not on tight enough. Can happen to anyone. It was hard to find as the place is full of kelp.
P.s. because the bracket can brake, the best is to loop a chain through the carry-handle on the engine.
@@Fishingreminder sorry meant to say. fantastic video. thanks
@@leonbwr cheers for the tip, after hearing all the stories with outboards falling of, I'll get myself a chain and pass it through the carry handle as you suggested. Would be horrible to be miles out there and suddenly you find yourself without motor.
Cool vid. Thinking of getting one myself. Just wondered do you ever fish at anchor and where would you attach the anchor line
I seldom anchor up but if I do then I just clip the anchor line into one of the front D-rings with a carabiner clip.
@Fishingreminder thank you for the swift response it's very much appreciated. I'm in the uk and we often do abit of light bait fishing here at anchor for our bream and plaice.
Also my daughters are excited to be able to come out and have a little swim off her from time to time.
Again thank you for your reply and really enjoying the vids . Making my way through the play lists.
Great fishing you have over there. My cousin is over in Auckland and I spent 3 months camping around the North island a few years back , we did abit of fishing for snapper and kingfish and it was an amazing few months. Hope to get back there soon.
@@porkchop7652 cheers mate, sounds like the boat would be a good choice for what you intent to do with it. It's not very good in rough, choppy water but otherwise I'm still having tons of fun with it. Let us know how you get on, should you decide to get one and hopefully you'll be able to get back to NZ in the future. I've done a bit of fishing in the UK some years ago, it's very different from the fishing in NZ :)
Thanks man.
Well it's been ordered now ❤.
We should get her arond the end of next week. Really excited. Your honest review was a massive reason for us chosing this. Will let you know how we get on. Thanks again.
Little update. We have the boat, I put the same railblaza wheels I seen from your vid on her today.
I have an old 4hp engine that has been stored on the garage wall for about 5 yrs, but at some stage it fell off the wall and snapped the tiler arm. Have an arm coming off Ebay now. I do have a crappy little 1hp electric engine that I might just wack on her to see how she goes. Not even sure if it will push it but gives me something to do after work while I wait for the tiler arm. It's just starting to warm up here now in the uk. Winter seems like it's finally a distant memory. Kids are getting excited and so am I 😂😂
Thanks for making a great vid!
I just bought the 11ft model.
I have a Hangkai 6hp, 2 stroke and plan in making a sail for it.
Have you heard of anyone making a sail for an Aircat?
glad you found the video helpful. I haven't heard of anyone using it with a sail. Could be an interesting experiment.
Where was this filmed? Lake is so beautiful.
Hey, that was filmed in New Zealand :)
Is is the boat I with used in Lemon Bay Englewood Florida .thank you so much
Thinking about going this route for spearfishing, was looking at True Kit, but like you said very pricey.
yeah it's good for spearfishing with the easy entry over the front. I used it for spearfishing quite bit already. You get a bit of water coming in when you climb in over the front, but it drains out quickly if you leave the drain plug open.
Excellent review, thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for making this video. Im sure they say they are welded on the website. Maybe they have changed from glue since you made this?
Cheers. Yea Possibly - although I had a quick look on their website and it only says welded tubes but doesn't specifically say anything about the drop stitch bottom. From the photos it seems that the floor is still glued.
@@Fishingreminder ah, okay!
Hi !
Very nice video…
Its’s possible to stand up in this bote??
Yes, absolutely. I stand up for casting very often, but the sea has to be calm.
Great video! Will a 2hp Yamaha 2 stroke be too small for this boat for 2 people? We don't care too much about speed, and we will mostly use it on lakes. The Yamaha 2d just looks so small and handy to bring along on camping trips
It should be able to move you along at a slow speed. I'm guessing about 5-10 km/h maybe with two on board. The only issue would be current and strong head winds. Current won't be an issue on a lake and you probably wouldn't go boating in strong winds anyway.
@Fishingreminder yeah we would only use it in calm weather anyway. BUT there is always a risk of a sudden change of weather I suppose. We would mainly use it in lakes but also the NZ south island sounds in summer. Maybe I should just pay 3 x the price of the 2hp and get a proper 6hp in stead
Small holes in transom maybe for towing tires
Hi Mark. Did you did you guys get any holes or stitches come off yet?
Nothing, only a few pinholes from fish spikes - my mistake, not being careful enough landing them - was easy to fix with a small patch. But no manufacturing faults or quality issues so far.
great detailed review Mark! haha cool to showcase a guide on the product too. great for ppl who would wanna buy something like this plus its definitely one boat that doesn't require a trailer haha
Thanks Peter, yeah I hope the vid is helpful for people who consider buying this boat. Not having to have a trailer is a big advantage. Especially for fishing and camping purposes :)
excellent infos, thank you, video shots excellent
Glad it was helpful! Cheers
Holes are probably for cables for a steering option or canopy.
Hello! thanks for the nice review.
I have had my boat for 4 weeks and am very satisfied. I have a Yamaha 4hp that weighs 23 kg. I carry boat and motor up in the apartment 3 floors so I think max 6 horsepower due to the weight or what do you think?
yeah if you transport he engine frequently I would not get more than 6hp. It would be getting too heavy and less portable. If it's too much hassle setting up the boat then you won't be using it as much either. So in my opinion stay as lightweight as possible.
Hi, do you think that the boat is sturdy enough to support a 20 HP engine? I know it is above specification, but I already have the motor. The idea would be use the engine at a medium throtle...
I doubt it. The problem is the weight of the 20hp engine. Not sure if the transom is sturdy enough to hold that weight since it's all just glued. It would be good fun though cranking that up with a little boat like that, you'd be flying, haha. Maybe give it a try and let us know if it works.
can you measure carryon bag and tell us what the dimensions are when stored, thanks in advance
What size are the tubes circumference . 👍🏴
Hello! I am very happy with my boat. A thought regarding the engine. I have a Yamaha 4hp. Many want more, so looked a bit at 8 hp. It weighs considerably more then you have to have an external fuel tank which takes up a lot of space. 6hp still has built-in tank. Significantly cheaper and lighter than 8hp. But I have heard that it is not worth upgrading to 6 hp if you already have 4 hp. What do you think here? More speed is always good when going to fishing spots, and when going home if you are some distance from the port. Thanks in advance!
Hi, I think it just comes down to speed and fun in the end. With my 6hp I get planing very easily when I'm on my own and reach a top speed of about 22km/h. Going fast on a calm day is lots of fun besides getting to a fishing spot much quicker. Even though I have an inbuilt tank on my outboard, I never use it. I use an external fuel tank - it's easier and a 10 litre tank lasts forever. When I'm fishing with my wife then the 6hp is not enough to get us planing unless it is super glassy and we don't take any extra gear. So in that I case I wish I had a 10hp engine :) I find the pull start quite annoying though. That's another thing to consider. The bigger the engine, the more force it needs to get started and the harder it will be on your shoulders and arm.
Excellent Review!! Thank you 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
So compact and easy to assemble
have links for the parts you added?
for me also please😄
cheers, will add some links later today
Thanks for the review, do you know if they have the sun cover for this kind of boat ?
I don't think aqua marina makes a sun cover specifically for this boat but you could probably fit a generic one.
Great review. What was the name of the transom wheels? Thanks
Found it😁
cool, was just a about to reply, haha They are made by Railblaza :)
In regards to motor cavitation. The 15" on shortshaft motors can vary quite a bit between motor models by few cms. Motor specs should give the exact length. I have same issue on my boat, yamaha 8 & 15hp works fine but both yamaha 25hps are too short. Found tohatsu 30hp is perfect match.
Interesting that there is such a variation. I found that tilting the motor slightly to the second or third tilt position when going with two persons avoids the problem.
Thanx plenty of useful infos without excessive blah blah.
Thank you, glad it was helpful!
Hi do you know the best way to mount a fish finder transceiver to the Aqua Marine Aircat?
Thank you for the informative Video! Would you happen to know the height from where the motor sits down to the center of the prop? I'm not sure whether the shaft of my motor can be considered as long or short
thanks, I'm not sure but on the Suzuki page for the 6HP motor that I use it says the shaft lengths are 15" Shaft Length (Short) and 20" Shaft Length (Large)
Awesome review team like the honesty in the seams etc and leaks but all In all looks awesome esp if it goes 25km/h! Ya need to take me trout fishing in it 😍
cheers mate, yeah absolutely - let's do a bit of trout fishing when we get back in September :) Can't wait.
@@Fishingreminder awesome I'll hold you to that!😉🤙
@@fisheatrepeat haha, yeah for sure :)
Would be better in a darker colour i would have thought,especially for fishing purposes.Olive,Black or even camo ?
yeah unfortunately it doesn't come in camo. But that would only be suitable for hunting or duck shooting, or just for the looks. For fishing, a white hull is actually not bad, because it is less visible from the water than a dark hull, meaning it has less contrast to the sky and sun when fish look up.
nice video , gonna buy me one for fishing ( trolling ) i hope its go fine :)
cheers, glad it was helpful, it's a nice boat
I have a black and red mercury inflatable that works great but the black gets really hot in the sun…
the holes are probably there to attach your motor to the boat in case it falls of
We have the same brand of boat and set up but mine with aluminium floor with 5.8hp Parsun engine. I have been fishing also at kawakawa
Awesome mate, have you replaced the inflatable floor with a custom aluminium floor?
@@Fishingreminderprobably has the other model not the aircat
Hey! It's been one year since this video! Did you have problems in the mean time? Did de glue in the transom unstick?
Hi, the boat is still going strong, I should make another update video I guess. I put it through a lot of frequent abuse and don't take much care of it. Most of the time it's sitting outside exposed to the elements. Despite this mistreatment it hasn't let me down. The transom and glue is fine as well.
@@Fishingreminder Thank you for your reply!! :D
This is very nice to know. I was deciding between 2 dinghies Aqua Marina U-350 or Hydro Force Mirovia Pro. The latter is known for its glue issue (my concern is the transom plate). Very common problem and requires considerable maintence.
Now I am starting to consider the aircat 335.
How do you rate this boat? Recommend? Do you have problems with water inside on rough conditions? Is it drained fast through the transom hole?
@@danielfalcao9484 yeah I quite like it, I would buy it again. The main problem with getting water inside is when you try and launch on a beach and you have to get through some surf. It drains eventually but take a little while. For my purposes it hasn't been an issue. I never leave the drain plug in and haven't had any water issues in normal use. But if you intend to launch on surf beaches then you'd be better off with an open transom like the one on the takacat. But a takacat is 3 times as expensive.
Hi thanks for the great review , I ended being lucky enough to find the 11ft aircat on sale for €570 which was an absolute bargain just after I first watched this video, so I purchased with confidence. Can I ask you is it possible to roll up the boat and store it in its bag with those wheel brackets in place? I want to get wheels but I do need to roll up the boat after every use as I can't store it inflated. Thanks again .
Hey there, glad to hear that you got such a good deal. Yeah I roll mine up with the brackets on the transom. No problem. But I remove the wheels from the brackets first.
Brilliant thanks @@Fishingreminder
Hi Do you still use the aqua marina inflatable for fishing, if so has it served you well as I thinking of purchasing one, thanks for any feed back you can give me.
Hi, yes it has certainly served me well and I'm still using it. If you have a look at our recent videos, you'll see it in action :)
Here in Uganda we have hippos and giant crocs in the lakes. Do they offer something in the 4-5 meter range?
in your case, perhaps an inflatable is not the best choice? 😂
Nearly all of the issues/concerns you raised about this boat are exactly my thoughts about the "Tobinsports" inflatable boat
I have a large Tobinsports inflatable. We use it as a tender for our boat. We've had it for three seasons and it gets quite a hard life carrying people and things but it's holding up very well. It cost me £600 so I consider it good VFM. It's never going to last as long as a hypalon dinghy but for the cash, you can't go wrong IMO.
Please tell me where to buy this little boat
It is probably easiest to search google for where you can buy it near you.
Does it seriously only come with 1 seat?
yeah, but honestly you only need one seat, most of the time I don't use it at all because it's more comfortable to sit on the sides anyway.
@Fishingreminder yeah I'm more concerned about the air deck actually a fish flapping around with spines or some treble hooks hanging out of its mouth could get interesting on there.
@@supersonic249 I usually take a big cutting board with me or use to top of my chilly bin or even the seat to handle the fish. You'd normally land them in a net, so with a bit of care this isn't really a problem. I had a few small pin holes from fish spines over the years but it takes forever for the air to leak out and easy to fix with a bit of glue and small patch.
How does this preform in chop or wind? I’ve always wanted one but my local bay gets very windy and choppy. Obviously small craft should not be out in that weather but I might encounter some of it.
It can handle light chop and wind. But when you go into the bigger chop it gets pretty slow going and bumpy as you can't really comfortably plane anymore. If you go into chop and strong wind gusts too fast head on they can lift the front of the boat up a bit as well. I've been out in some gnarly conditions and it's pretty much okay until you start getting white caps. Small chop is no problem and you can plane over it.
@@Fishingreminder 😄🤷🏻♂️I think I should buy one. You talked me into it lol. Thank you for responding!
@@brandon.4451 😂cheers, I think you'll have a lot of fun with it. Let us know how you get on.
Where can I buy one in New Zealand- Their website just sends me in circles! not even a price. Their 'interactive dealer map' does not work
Marine Deals were selling them online last time I checked. I bought mine from a place called Family Boats in Auckland.
Great little boat. Shame it doesnt come with launching wheels for the transom
Yeah, still quite happy with it. The wheels are pretty easy to install. But I do recommend installing large wheels, like the railblaza dinghy wheels. Makes launching a lot easier.
Hi can i ask , you’ve had a lot of experience kayak fishing & now an inflatable boat , if you could start over & just have one which would you prefer for nz conditions & fishing
& if you were to buy the inflatable again knowing what you know now - would you buy this same boat or spend the extra on something like a truekit ?
thank you
hey mate, hard questions. I love kayak fishing, especially with a pedal kayak. Can't beat the stealth and cost effectiveness. But you got a limited range and you also depend a lot on the tides and currents. With a small boat you have an extended range and don't have to worry about currents and wind so much. Of course it depends on where you fish and how much exploring you're going to do. So yeah tough decision - at the moment I would probably tend towards the inflatable. It's good fun zooming around with it. And yeah I would buy the Aqua Marina again. I don't see any advantage of buying a True Kit. I would consider a Takacat because of the open transom. It would make it better for launching on a beach if waves crash over the bow. But considering that it is 3 times more expensive - not sure if that is enough of an advantage for me :) Hope that helps
@@Fishingreminder thank you for your advice & yes it certainly helps … cheers & have a good weekend 👊
What would be the problem if you used a long shaft motor with this boat?
I think the prop would be sitting too deep, rising the bow up too much when throttling. It would make it much more difficult to get onto a plane
Hey,
I just found your channel, very cool and great information.
Question for you,
I am going to buy an inflatable this month with an Aluminum floor and transom.
Is it best to store the boat deflated in the bag over the Winter months " I live in the Northeast" or keep it inflated.
I am also concerned with mice getting in to the garage and eating the PVC
Any recommendations?
Thanks so much
Depends on the boat, you could keep it inflated under a tarp but I would release a little air so it's not fully inflated to allow for contraction and expansion with changing temperatures and have less stress on the seams. I'm not sure about mice but wouldn't think of it as a problem.
Thakstons mate
Glad it was helpful
Running a 3.35m with a mercury 15hp 2 stroke and its flying 25+mph with two up
amazing, didn't think it could handle a 15hp - must go off like a rocket
is this type of boat (front geometry) good for the sea? Or does it increase the risk of water coming in and sinking?
It has been pretty good in the sea. Under normal conditions there isn't any water coming over the front. It can't really sink either because the floor is also inflated. If water get's in it will drain out the back (if the drain plug is open). The only problem I found is when trying to launch on a beach with big waves. If they crash over the bow then there'll be lots of water in the boat and it will take a while until it drains out.
@@Fishingreminder okay thanks a lot. I'm in Athens and waves are choppy here so i ll probably go for the classic shape and maybe a bit elevated front if possible. Cheers
Hey,
What did you think about the quality from boat? After 7 Monats
Hey, I'm still using it regularly and haven't had any issues with it so far.
Use a electric leaf blower for faster high volume air and finish with the high psi pump save you 20 min
good tip
We sell the OutdoorMaster pump and Aquamarina products in the UK. Can we share your video on our social media please?
Yes sure. But please make sure to leave a reference to our channel :)
@@Fishingreminder we will do. Thank you.
me puedes recomendar como guardarlo
Holes are for wind resistance.
LOL that's gotta be it 😂
Hi could you tell me the brand and model of electric pump please ?
Many thanks Marc
It says on 2:19 mate😂 2:27
it's an outdoor masters shark 2 pump
Is the small one rated only 5hp? Will it handle 8hp 4stoke?
How long is this boat?
3.30m
Them holes are for wheels to attach to the transom so you can move the boat by yourself without dragging it on the ground or having a 2nd person helping you carry it. There is a kit you buy through the manufacturer where you get wheels and rod holders together, and they attach to them existing holes in your transom. You drilled holes in your transom when you should have bought the wheel kart that went with the boat through the manufacturer. I don't recommend drilling holes into the bottom of the transom as you did. I have the same boat with the wheel kart and used the existing holes that were pre dilled by the manufacturer at the top of the transom. After market is fine but never works properly. You would have saved a lot of time and money just going to the manufacturers website and buying the proper wheels that go to this boat.
Thanks for the comment but Aqua Marina does not provide any wheels for their boats. If you can still find the wheels you were talking about then please send the link. The holes are to attach a rope so you can hang the boat on your davits, if you intend to use it as a tender. Some manufactures like Takacat provide wheels but not Aqua Marina. In my opinion it would make no sense to have the holes in that position anyway for attaching wheels. They are way too high up and you'd need more than two holes for stability. The holes are also too big for that purpose. But I'd be interested to see your setup. If you are talking about a third party wheel cart that you can strap to the boat somehow then you don't need to drill holes at all. But that wouldn't work for my purpose because I often launch on very rough terrain so I need the wheels that I have installed, which by the way are still great and no problems at all one year later.
Did anybody experienced such effects like in the recent post? I am planning to buy this boat, I generally use it 5-6 times in a year on dead river and on the Aria so maybe it fits to my requirements. Now I have a Kolibri 290T pro paddle boat but it doesnt have enough space for 3 people, but on the other hand it is a well made boat, i had accidents in few times with really sharp rocks and it handled.
My other question is that: what is the overall equipmnent's packed dimesnions? What materials they used on the outer hull on this boat (g/m2, thickness, producer, anything) because i did not find these info at all?
I wouldn't recommend this boat for 3 people fishing. Not enough space. You could transport 3 people from point A to point B maybe - but not fishing - unless you guys enjoy cuddling 😂
The packaging size is pretty small for a boat like this. I don't have the exact dimensions right now but but it fits into a small car boot ( Honda Fit for example )
Is this the 11' one?
yes, correct
The holes are to attach a rope so you can hang the boat on your davits.
cheers
How about the motor please ???
yeah the 6HP Suzuki outboard has been pretty good with it. Enough power to get it planing and moving along at about 22km/h. If you intend to use it predominantly with two people I would suggest going up to a 9hp motor.
The amount of water that comes over the bow is insane, I ended up sending it back
I like your video but I have a question. Since I like it portable, yes, a 6HP is the best choice (around 55 pounds which is okay). But, the Aircat 11'00'' is 73.9 lbs while the U-Deluxe 9'9'' is only 61.7 lbs. I would like a boat not for fishing, not as a tender, but only to go on the water (lake and ocean). The speed is important for me. Do you think I can go faster with the Deluxe boat or the Aircat boat ?!? The wind is also something I have to think about. While going against the wind, do you feel as safe in a Cat ? Meaning a U-shape boat can't fly !
I think with a longer boat you can go faster in general than with a shorter boat and with a cat you have much less drag in the water than with a u-shape hull. If you want to use it mainly for fun then I would definitely go for a cat style. I feel very safe against the wind and chop. I haven't tried beach launching in bigger waves yet. The drain plug is fairly small compared to a Takacat where you have a completely open transom and all water that comes in drains out right away. But for small wind chop and non breaking waves I have not found any issues and the water drains fast enough.
Quindi va bene come barca veloce da divertimento?@@Fishingreminder
What is the biggest boat they make?
I think it's this one - 335
Can you mount a bimini top on the Aircat?
In principle yes, but how is the stability? There is a risk of the boat capsizing when the wind is strong. However, the bimini top should only be set up when anchoring (shading). What is your opinion?
Not so sure about that. I don't think it will affect the stability of the boat at all. You might have to glue on a few holders to the pontoons for the bars. But that's probably not much of an issue.
@@Fishingreminder Thank you. On our lake (Walensee in Switzerland) and on the Mediterranean it will work for anchoring in a bay (up to wind force 2-3).
For the Holes: answer form Aquamarina: it is used to lift up the boat with hooks
@@gerrypi51 thanks for the update 👍
What size is this 2.8 or 3.3
It's 3.3. I find the smaller size not quite comfortable enough for fishing
What size boat is this
It a 3.3 meter length
The 2 holes are used to add a fishing rod holder.
I don't think that's the intended purpose of these holes - but they could probably be used for that with some creativity.
Love your vids bro, are you based in Auckland by any chance? Cheers 👌
Cheers Marco, appreciate the feedback. We used to live in Auckland but now we're nomads and cruise around. We stop by in Auckland every now and then :)
Those holes in the back are for a Bimini top to get out of the sun
Ciao posso montare 15 cv ? E solo adatto al lago? Onde mezzo metro ?
il massimo è 10 CV. sì, puoi usarlo in mare con piccole onde, nessun problema.
@@Fishingreminder grazie per la tua risposta con un 10 CV diventa divertente ?
Nice video taping and great commenting. But you need to prolong your video playing a slower. Too fast cutting and switching, making very dizzy to watch.
Thanks for the feedback 👍