12' Saturn

[cpenrose]

Well first let me say I bought the Saturn SD 365 about 2 months ago. So far I've only paddled around, as I'm still looking for a motor. I could very likely have a 96 evinrude 9.9 given to me soon. It seems like a great inflatable. In the two months I've had it, I've had her bass fishing, flounder fishing/ crabbing numerous times at my marina, and even brought her down to the keys and landed 30 snappers, One jack, 4 catfish(weird), an some strange fish, in 4 hours. So shes getting lots of use. I'm just dying to get some surf action :joyous:. Has anyone had problems with saturns? The transom is the only things that didn't impress me. It's already delaminating. I do keep it down the shore in the water most of the time though. Next,is it possible to make a real wooden floor? The air floor is fine, but I really wan't something solid as I fish mostly, and I would like to mount things to it, and it won't puncture. Finally, am I the only one who would take my boat out to maybe 3 miles in the ocean? Last time we were out on our 35'er it was 4 footers but they were very spread apart. I know it could handle them. Just does anyone do this. If I were to do this I'd likely get the console and a handheld vhf. I think it would be pretty safe.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: 12' Saturn

Is it "delaminating" or is the paint peeling?

 

[smashed]

Re: 12' Saturn

Hi Cpenrose,

I had a 13' Saturn briefly and now bought a 14' Saturn, it is more stable in the water. Like the boat very much so far, but had it for less than a month and can't speak of longterm quality. The paint on the floor and transom is definitely weak. The paint on one of the floor boards was partially removed just by the cooler sliding on it on one of the trips. Let's hope that when we repaint the wooden surfaces the new paint will hold much better.
A 10 hp motor seems to be powerful enough for the 12' or 13'. I even make 16 mph with a 9.8 hp on my 14' Saturn, with a kid and a battery on the boat.
As for a floor I saw boats to go offer an aluminum floor. I would get that instead of making it wooden one yourself. The aluminum seems sturdy enough so you could drill it and mount attachment hooks or bolt supports without worrying that water will penetrate in the hole and slowly decay the wood.

I have been about a mile into the ocean with a friend, near Sandy Hook, and had it on my mind to go further in. Have to be weather conscious though, I would attempt it only on a very calm water. Did you pass the safety boating course? It is required for NJ.

We are planning to get out on Saturday. You can join us if you like and if you don't mind the drive to Long Island, NY.

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: 12' Saturn

I believe you need to chat with weimed, I think he has the most up to date knowledge that would be of assistance. He frequents the mariner 4 threat even though I think he has a zodiac or Saturn, cant remember....

 

[Sinistre1]

Re: 12' Saturn

@CPenrose, We're not quite out in Long Island (Weimed and I are neighbors and we boat the bay (Jamaica) together. I also have a 12 ft saturn/ air floor, but it has not seen the water yet. Hopefully tomorrow. You are more than welcome to join. Im txting Weimed to see if he can get out. We may go again Monday. Where's home (city/town)? If you aren't far from Bklyn/ Queens, Jamaica bay is an easy trip, and you have company, lol. Not sure how we'd work out the no motor part in the interim. I have a dodgy 2hp as a backup but not really much use otherwise. We've been toying around with having a "club" of pocket boaters. Maybe pick a place and all show up. Boat, fish, swap stories/ ideas. The fact that our boats pack away in our cars makes anything possible (I've driven to FL with my old boat, and hung out at a sand bar party!). Nothing fancy, just a losely affiliated group of likeminded (boating/fishing) individuals. I started a thread for local folks to post their "names". Maybe time to revive it Btw, Weimed has a Zodiac Zoom 350...I'll let him tell you the name. Lol

 

[Sinistre1]

Re: 12' Saturn

Weimed just got back to me. He can't do tomorrow until very late in the day 5pm-ish which is too late for me. He is game for Monday tho...

 

[smashed]

Re: 12' Saturn

Anyway, Cpenrose, you are welcome to join us. We could even go with just my boat, I will be driving to NY. We should be there by 9 am. I live near New Brunswick, just come over in the early morning, there is a safe parking here. We will go with my old minivan... Up to you to decide...

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: 12' Saturn

Man I'm jealous! I live in the mountains in VA and there isn't a cool group to hand with around here. Most people here are too stuck up to even realize the potential of an inflatable....you guys have fun!

 

[cpenrose]

Re: 12' Saturn

I'm actually 14 so I couldn't do any of that lol... But thank you. I'm like 2 hrs from The area. I did pass the course by the way. The transom paint is peeling is what I meant. Am I the only one who added u bolts to the transom?

 

[Sinistre1]

Re: 12' Saturn

Cpenrose,

You are no longer alone in the quest for traveling far afoot, Smashed motored from Sandy Hook all the way over to Jamaica Bay... and back! In less than ideal conditions.. some 30 or more total miles through shipping lanes, commercial traffic and less than ideal wind/ wave conditions. 3 miles in good conditions should be a cake walk. I have the same boat as you and its a beast with 15 hp. I did notice that my air floor softened a bit by days end, and the front end really pops up before she goes to plane, so i have to sort that out but otherwise, I love the boat and it is plenty boat for my needs 1 or 2 persons fishing.

I just now caught that you said you are 14!! I'm impressed 14 and already a boat owner and Captain!!?? I waited WAAAYYYYYY too late, lol.

 

[ronaldj]

Re: 12' Saturn

Man I'm jealous! I live in the mountains in VA and there isn't a cool group to hand with around here. Most people here are too stuck up to even realize the potential of an inflatable....you guys have fun!

Do you ever get over to the chesapeake bay. I was up near the baltimore inner harbor this weekend


Btw
There are zodiac type boats running the upper Potomac all the time. In fact it was seeing the Coast Guard running Zodiacs that made we get one

 

[sharkbass]

Re: 12' Saturn

I also have a 12' Saturn (SD365) that I bought 4 years ago. It has an air floor, but I put a carpet to protect it from dirt and fishing hooks. I only use it in fresh water and don't store it in the water. I use 6 hp Nissan (Tohatsu) outboard plus 30 lb trolling motor. I never had any problems with the boat, and it got a lot of use over the four years. I think you can buy a wooden floor from BoatsToGo, but I prefer the air floor. You can make a frame out of PVC pipes to mount your your staff on it.

 

[stilesp]

Re: 12' Saturn

Sharkbass, can you share some more pics of your setup pvc frame etc? I'd also like to see a close up of the outboard with trolling motor next to it and how much room you have there. I keep thinking I might uprade to a bigger Kaboat but I keep eyeing the 12fter or even 13.

 

[sharkbass]

Re: 12' Saturn

Sharkbass, can you share some more pics of your setup pvc frame etc? I'd also like to see a close up of the outboard with trolling motor next to it and how much room you have there. I keep thinking I might uprade to a bigger Kaboat but I keep eyeing the 12fter or even 13.

Stilesp, I will take a picture on the weekend and post it. On my 12' Saturn I have enough room for a trolling motor on one side of the outboard and a fishfinder on the other. I also have a 15' Kaboat (SK470), which I like very much for the portability and the speed, but I only can fit one motor on it, so every time I have to choose between the electric or the gas one. I will post pictures of both.

 

[stilesp]

Re: 12' Saturn

Then you are a the perfect person to give feedback on my next boat. I have the 12ft SK396 that I've been using for me and my 5yr old with a 55lb trolling motor. Though I have several friends with kids as well and would like to have a boat big enough for 2 adults and 2 kids. I was thinking the 15 or 16ft XL kaboat would probably be perfect since it's a tad bigger all around than the regular kaboats. I'm a inland lake only type of guy here in OH so I really don't encounter to much rough water so that's not really a concern. Mostly I'm thinking of the best layout for 2 adults and 2 kids with a outboard and a trolling motor. I figure I can probably rig some type of side mount for the Kaboat trolling motor if I add a gas engine. Or if you were me would you just go with the 12ft SD365? I swear I think it would be easier to fish 2 adults and 2 kids out of a kaboat at least the type of fishing(casting) that I do since you can be spaced out a little bit. I'm worried in the SD365 we'll be forced to be to close together.

 

[Guest]

Re: 12' Saturn

Then you are a the perfect person to give feedback on my next boat. I have the 12ft SK396 that I've been using for me and my 5yr old with a 55lb trolling motor. Though I have several friends with kids as well and would like to have a boat big enough for 2 adults and 2 kids. I was thinking the 15 or 16ft XL kaboat would probably be perfect since it's a tad bigger all around than the regular kaboats. I'm a inland lake only type of guy here in OH so I really don't encounter to much rough water so that's not really a concern. Mostly I'm thinking of the best layout for 2 adults and 2 kids with a outboard and a trolling motor. I figure I can probably rig some type of side mount for the Kaboat trolling motor if I add a gas engine. Or if you were me would you just go with the 12ft SD365? I swear I think it would be easier to fish 2 adults and 2 kids out of a kaboat at least the type of fishing(casting) that I do since you can be spaced out a little bit. I'm worried in the SD365 we'll be forced to be to close together.

I would say 2 adults would have no problem fishing. I would use 6ft rods though.

 

[sharkbass]

Re: 12' Saturn

Then you are a the perfect person to give feedback on my next boat. I have the 12ft SK396 that I've been using for me and my 5yr old with a 55lb trolling motor. Though I have several friends with kids as well and would like to have a boat big enough for 2 adults and 2 kids. I was thinking the 15 or 16ft XL kaboat would probably be perfect since it's a tad bigger all around than the regular kaboats. I'm a inland lake only type of guy here in OH so I really don't encounter to much rough water so that's not really a concern. Mostly I'm thinking of the best layout for 2 adults and 2 kids with a outboard and a trolling motor. I figure I can probably rig some type of side mount for the Kaboat trolling motor if I add a gas engine. Or if you were me would you just go with the 12ft SD365? I swear I think it would be easier to fish 2 adults and 2 kids out of a kaboat at least the type of fishing(casting) that I do since you can be spaced out a little bit. I'm worried in the SD365 we'll be forced to be to close together.

Stilesp, where are you in OH? I am in Columbus and also fish only inland lakes. I would, probably, go with 16ft kaboat for four people fishing. It has 4 benches, and the 15ft only has 3. The SD365 is perfect for 2 people fishing, and, probably, could accommodate 3, but 4 will be too much, especially for casting. When we take just a leisure ride on a lake with my wife, my friend, and his wife, 4 people can sit very comfortable in the SD365, but for 4 people fishing I would prefer something bigger.

 

[stilesp]

Re: 12' Saturn

Ha we may need to start a central OH sib club. I live in Lewis center about a mile from alum creek marina. So I'm not far at all depending where in Columbus you live. I usually fish alum or oshay but need to start hitting Hoover more.

 

[cpenrose]

Re: 12' Saturn

So I am getting a 2004-2007 johnson 8hp this weekend probably. He says they run and he will test them it for me. They were used for rental boats. Anyone have any info? They don't seem to exist. Are they 2 or 4 stroke?

 

[cpenrose]

Re: 12' Saturn

So today we were using the motor. Surprisingly, it ran with only 3 pulls or so after putting it on the transom. It ran pretty good but it died twice, once we went to a random dock and sat and it started right up. The next time I just paddled back to our bigger boat's slip. After dieing it starts right up. Anyway, the main issue was cavitation. Well that's what I think it's called. Every time I tried to get on plane I could just hear it rev real loud. I didn't get on plane for over 5 seconds all day from this. Also when I turned sharp it did that too. Don't know if it matters but my friend and I are about 130 lbs each. When he sat in the middle it did the best, but in on the floor of the bow it would do it instantly. It was verry annoying. Do I have to cut the transom lower? The wind was like 20 mph too. Pretty hard to control with just me in it especially when going onto plane.