Inflatable Fishing Boat and Necessaries Budget for $1,500 give or take

[ChaddC]

I am a new boater and i need a good quality inflatable fishing boat, electric trolling motor and battery, canopy, battery charger and all the necessaries. I will be fishing in saltwater, a good distance from land but not too far away. My Budget is $1,500 give or take.

I did some research and saw some top 5 inflatable boats like intext excursion 5, ancheer dingy but some dint seem like good quality.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChaddC]

also i was thinking about preferably a 14 ft or a 12 ft for 4 to 6 people

 

[QBhoy]

Hi there.

with all respect possible, I can only strongly advise you to think a little more around what you are after.
Perhaps at the very least, you might want to look at a reputable brand of SIB (if it really needs to be inflatable and compact) and forget the electric trolling motor all together please. They have their place. But their place is not anything near what you want to do. Get a good reliable petrol outboard for anything close to what you want to achieve.
with the boat. You’ll want something that at least has some sort of keel on it. Anything less are toys and should not be taken anywhere near the sea. Unless it’s a simple beach toy for the kids a few feet from shore and knee height depth.

 

[ChaddC]

Thank you for responding.
What is a good SIB for that purpose? i saw alot but i didn't know which one was good. Also i am only fishing for recreational purposes and not professionally and i wouldn't be far from land. Do you still think a petrol outboard will be needed?


i saw this one in the forum but not sure which brand it is

 

[Sea Rider]

Stay away from those cheapo chineese unsupported thin fabric inflatables. Need to ask yourself if the inflatable will be assembled/disassembled everytime will be used, if so better go for an air deck inflatable. Just deflate all tubes and keel, roll it up and store it. The others models with alum panel decks will bore and tire you soon if in need to constantly inflate/assemble/deflate/dissasemble them after use unless lives on a trailer top.

Saturn brand have nice pro ones on those sizes and with inflatable decks at affordable prices : Check their web page for them.

Right on, a petrol motor of at least 5 HP will be much better than an electric one if boating/fishing, potting around close to shores, closed beaches is what you intend doing.

Happy Boating

 

[QBhoy]

Searider who commented above is the best guy to ask and advise you. This is his speciality.

I’m not sure if the makes where you are, but the real high quality ones in the U.K. would be Avon, zodiac, suzumar and Honwave and similar.

 

[ChaddC]

Ok thank you. i was told that it would be good to use the petrol motor and a electric motor to sneak up on the fishes without scaring them off. So could you recommend the brand petrol motor and also a electronic motor for that size boat. Speed is not the main focus. Also which size battery and brand is good. I don't know much about boats just what i have been researching a few weeks ago.

 

[ChaddC]

also i saw some that was too close to the water that too much water might be getting into the boat and i was trying to avoid that. also i was looking for one that could drain the water from the boat

 

[ChaddC]

I need it for Jamaica

 

[Sea Rider]

Searider who commented above is the best guy to ask and advise you. This is his speciality.

I’m not sure if the makes where you are, but the real high quality ones in the U.K. would be Avon, zodiac, suzumar and Honwave and similar.

Not sure what you mean on who's the best guy to ask and advise you, this is his speciality ? Oh come on, with just $ 1.5 K give or take money will be able to buy less than half of those reputed european brands inflatables, happen to know all those brands. Are high quality brands at non affordable prices as first inflatables, unless you have the right money to pay for them.

A Zusumar and Honwave has nothing to do or compare to a Avon, Zodiac and other reputed european brands, those are chneese made with their own logos.....

In Jamaica should find different brand inflatables....

Happy Boating

 

[GA_Boater]

also i was thinking about preferably a 14 ft or a 12 ft for 4 to 6 people

You need a bigger boat for that many passengers or a few hook removal methods. Pay attention to max weight along with max passengers.

 

[QBhoy]

Not sure what you mean on who's the best guy to ask and advise you, this is his speciality ? Oh come on, with just $ 1.5 K give or take money will be able to buy less than half of those reputed european brands inflatables, happen to know all those brands. Are high quality brands at non affordable prices as first inflatables, unless you have the right money to pay for them.

A Zusumar and Honwave has nothing to do or compare to a Avon, Zodiac and other reputed european brands, those are chneese made with their own logos.....

In Jamaica should find different brand inflatables....

Happy Boating

Haha searider. To be fair I’ve had a few Avon sports boats. One as old as 1977. That’s still going strong. Great things.
I have a wee suzumar just now. Thats seems really good quality.
the wee Brigg Rib I have is something else for quality though. Also something else with the price of them new. Think they might be Irish made.

 

[Sea Rider]

I'm not discussing the quality made of the high end usually Hypalon european brands such as Avon, Zodiac, Zillinger or the italian brands, just saying that are over priced. For the other inflatable mentioned brands should not be an issue if made in China or Korea as long the factories where they are being asembled know their bussiness well. That's the use of high quality PVC, Polyurethane or Hypalon fabrics along high quality 2 part glues for their respective fabrics used.

Have my own (Sea Rider) high quality Sib-Rib brand, outperforms any other brand sold here in terms of quality, fabric made and price. Been selling them along offering maintenance and repair services for the last 12 years. We guarantee what we sell without any doubt.

Going back to the original OP's post, has not stated which type of inflatable he wants, that's if being alum or an air deck one, if will remain inflated, deflated and stored in their bag or if it will live on a trailer. With respect to the gasoline motors must check that out in Jamaica as the motor will need a warranty if someting fails. Could buy a nice 2 stroke 5 HP Tohatsu or bit larger in VBI...

Personally deslike electric motors, will need to secure battery somewhere on the boat, for me that's an uncomfy issue. With a gasoline motor will have a greater boating autonomy compared to a battery. Just prop right the selected motor to power well whichever of both size sibs in whichever brand you want to go for if plan buying an underpowered small portable motor.

OTOH, will need to double the actual give or take money to buy a nice sib along a nice gasoline motor.

Happy Boating