PortaBote - The Ultimate Adventure Dinghy?
The long awaited video regarding our experiences over the last few years with the PortaBote dinghy. We list our pros and cons with the dinghy, as well as, why we think it has been the most suitable dinghy for us to explore remote Northern Australia in our 30' sailboat.
This is another bonus video (not part of our weekly vlog) being released to patrons early so you have not been charged for it.
We look forward to your comments and hope you enjoy the fishing highlights!
All the best
Troy and Pascale
Comments (21)
Great sound! So good if we can actually hear your great advice. We have an AB RIB and love yet. We do have Davits but we chose a small lightweight outboard, only 2.5 HP intentionally as we like to putz around slowly. No real waves to worry about in Florida so works fine. May get a 6 Hp if we cruise fulltime but dont like the weight of larger engines.
That weight issue on outboard is a real consideration. Tackles can be rigged for any weight but the ease with which you can sling around those little motors is a blessing sometimes. The two strokes are nice too in that they can be laid on their side without harm.
Excellent video, extremely informative.
Thank you Wayne.
The first time I saw a porta-boat was in the early 2000's. It was a long weekend and the gate to the lake had been left open (by law) to allow all comers into the lake (land-locked). It was a busy time with tons of boat traffic on our usually very quiet lake (4 miles long by 1 mile wide). We stood on the deck and watched these two guys unload, put-together, board and use this white thing with black piping. We looked at eachother and said at the same time "I want one!" Never did get one, but still very cool.
Probably a good thing you didn't buy it then from what we can tell they are a better product nowadays. Do people go sailing on your lake?
I'm really interested in the inflatable sailing cats (Minicat, Smartcat etc... even AliExpress!) Apart from the chew toy problem and being a bit tricky to carry over rocks, they seem pretty good. Or there's the tandem sea kayak option (but they're almost as long as Mirrool :)
In non croc water, I reckon canoes have a lot of advantages and they can also be powered by the smallest of outboard, say, up a river then paddled back down. We started with a ski as well as the portabote, which you can see in the Kimberley first videos but we gifted it to a friend in Exmouth as crocs were coming up.
This morning there's videos from you two and from Sailing Britaly. Who also have a folding tender. The difference is that they're pootling amateurishly round the Med in the sunshine (and she is very pregnant). For some reason the contrast between that and your more serious stuff makes me laugh. Both are good though.
Canvas and ply? Old school, I'll have to have a look. I've sidelined a couple of riders on those bikes myself to pepper with questions. I thought the loss of the ability to stand in the pedals would be a handicap but it seems your bum muscles are incredibly powerful in that pose.
I think so because your voice was louder than Pascale's.... And then beautiful edited with only a few older fill-up shots, but still a wonderful engaging and informative episode... How do you do it? It must be the way you talk and interact... Your dearness is lovely !!! Thank you !
We do have a lapel microphone and another on order so we can do audio remote from the camera in the outdoors as well as give more polished interviews with people we meet who have knowledge we think should have an audience. David was a case in point. He was very knowledgeable but very modest and quietly spoken. If we could give him a mic, the finished videos would have much better audio quality. In this way, the funding from you fine people is being reinvested into a better Free Range Sailing.
One steady shot from camera on tripod... Did you use a little clip-on mic, Troy?
Love that you guys always manage to make something apparently mundane so watchable and enjoyable .... it’s an awesome skill - thanks for sharing such an interesting assessment. Sail well ⛵️👌🥇
I was concerned about our ability to hold people's attention during a dinghy chat but we were confident that stock footage of Pascale engaged in battle would pull us through!
Croc resistance aside the ease of getting back onto one of these boats must be a big selling point for divers or even potential croc bait in the far north. Well done on another great video.
It was a prime reason in the selection process as well as my perception that I stood a chance of repairing it far from civilization. I had no idea how long I was to be away from the outside world and add it turned out, the first trip south through the Kimberley we had no resupply for 4 months. Good times!
We owned a marine business for about 14 yrs and should have had you guys as sales people?? sold a range of supposedly top of the line inflatables and thats a sad story in its self.
I've seen a lot of inflatables come unglued in the tropics that would otherwise be ok in cold and temperate areas. That would be upsetting in the Kimberley! Some look pretty good but I can't think of any that really row as well as our funny looking boat or are as light.
Thanks for this one guys it is very timely as I am in the process of selection a new Tender and a Portaboat is high on my list for all of the reasons you have set out in you Video. Very informative:)
I think the later versions like ours have addressed some of the problems others are describing with these boats. I've certainly not spared this wee boat any abuse.