Inflatable vs aluminun ??

[John T2268]

I've been looking to buy a new boat , I've had aluminun v haul , I have a Kayaks . I travel and camp a lot . Some of the lake we travel to are good for kayaks some are not . The rivers a really pain to get back up or to find a place to get out . So I was thinking of a new boat . Inflatables or aluminun that I could cartop , with gas motor to fish out of . Whats the good or bad with the inflatables ?

 

[Luvinflatableboats]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

Hi,

Here is a pro and con for you:

Inflatables are (compared to aluminum):
lighter--easier to carry and store
Use less gas and go better with lower power
more stable
more payload--can carry way more
you can stand up in and fish
easy to cartop or carry in trunk
virtually cannot be capsized
if PVC should be protected from the sun when not in use
requires more maintenance
Easier to get in and out and also deploy since they can be stood on from either side
more comfortable--my opinion
Handling depends on the conditions



Don't last as long as aluminum
Not as strong may need to be fixed if punctured
Price you will need to determine by comparison

 

[likalar]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

I have both: aluminum 14' geezer boat with 20hp, trailered. 11' Achilles RIB, 20hp trailered. Both could be cartopped with the right rack and friends to hoist them up, but I'm guessing you're looking at something easier to handle (smaller and non-rigid bottom inflatable) with lighter motor options.

Luvin brings up many good points to consider. Depending on the waters you travel and your intended usage, consider aluminum for its strength and lasting ability. There are still thousands of 40 year old aluminum boats still in use. Rental boats and camp boats and hunters boats are almost always aluminum because they take a real beating. If you are the primary user, very caring with your boats, and have storage available, a top-line inflatable might be the better choice for portability, stability, and setup by the waters edge. But for heavy use, metal gets my vote.

Interior space is also something to consider if ample floor space is a concern. Inflatables have limited floor area; the tubes take up lots of space.

On coastal inlets with sandy shores, I see lots of inflatables. The small mountain lakes where I fish have granite outcroppings and rocky shorelines. I'd guess that 90% of the small motor boats on those lakes are aluminum.
Larry

 

[DJ]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

The ("Huff and Puff"/Inflateable) has a lot more stability than any "tinnie" of similar size.

They are a great option to a regular boat. Especially if storage is an issue. The last time I checked, air is easy to store.

 

[cobalt79]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

I agree with DJ. As a previous owner of 2 aluminum boats, 12ft and 14ft, they cannot be beat for toughness, but because of the nature of aluminum the hull designs are not always the most stable or seaworthy for the size. We do fresh and salt water and just bought our 2nd inflatable mainly because of ease of use, light weight and portablility. On the ocean we have to be careful of sharp rocks and barnacles so to beach we use landing wheels. I know of a number of people that use inflatables to camp up and down our coast which says a lot for their durability if treated properly and their seaworthiness. And as DJ says air is easy to store.

Just my opinion:

Jack

 

[John T2268]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

I have never fished from a inflatable , only aluminun . I camp an travel around the east coast where we run into lakes an streams ,and have no way of getting a boat there with the camper thats way I thought it would be a good idea to have inflatable to fish out of . I was worried about how easy they are to damage from rocks and sand or tree around a lake . What about fishing lures would they snag into the pvc tube ?

 

[Luvinflatableboats]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

Fishing lures usually bounce right off the material. I have only heard of one incident where when the guy was reeling in the lure came out of the water at the right angle and hit the boat and punctured it.

There is a book on inflatables by Jim Trefethen which is outstanding and explains pretty much everything you want to know about inflatables. It is of course out of print but copies can be ordered from the internet.

Title: Inflatable Boats: Selection, Care, Repair, and Seamanship (Paperback)

 

[John T2268]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

Thanks guys for all the information , do you guys ever recomend any brand over another as far as durablity ? Craftmanship , etc .?

 

[Luvinflatableboats]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

Hi,

There are a number of excellent brands. Zodiac is the originator and they are good, so is Achilles, AB and whole host of others. China has cheaper labour rates and therefore boats made in China are cheap. Some Chinese boats are excellent and in fact I have one. The other consideration is the material the boat is made from. Most products coming from China are made from PVC. PVC is cheaper to make than other boat material namely hypalon. There are two premium manufactuers of PVC in Germany called Heytex and Mehler. I would recommend going with material from either of them. PVC made in Asia is a crap shoot some are good and some are not as good. You will only discover the quality after a few years when the PVC starts to get sticky and develops cracks or not. Boat warranties are another thing to look at. Most of the name brand boats have great warranties and will look after you if you get a dud. Many of the lesser known brands will require you to send it back to them which could cost hundreds of dollars for transport both ways. They also almost always have an out and can say that you over inflated or UV damage etc. Hypalon is heavier, more resistant to UV, resistant to chemical spills and must be glued. You can search the two material on this forum. From what I understand that the vast majority of boats are PVC and indeed I have a PVC boat. Good quality PVC when treated properly and protected from UV damage will give many years of boating pleasure.

I bought a Titan boat here in Canada from a reputable dealer and the material is Mehler. The boat holds air better than my Zodiac (traded it in). I bought a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) which offer the best of both worlds. The lightness of an inflatable with a hard bottom (aluminum). I would suggest this is a great way to go if you are not looking to pack it away in the trunk.

 

[likalar]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

Thanks guys for all the information , do you guys ever recomend any brand over another as far as durablity ? Craftmanship , etc .?

I can attest only to the quality of both Achilles and Zodiac, having had good experience with both products spanning several years. All were stored indoors, washed and treated with 303 Protectant regularly. There are different fabrics (Hypalon, PVC....) and methods of construction used by the different companies. I think some serious searching will help you decide; I don't know enough to make a specific recommendation. Some models have been around for years, and are well proven (Zodiac's Futura and Mark boats come to mind). with aluminum floors, strong transoms, etc. Other models (Zodiac's Zoom, for instance) are cheaper boats meant for light sport use. This web site (iboats.com) has great info. Click "boats for sale" at the top of the page
Larry

 

[FH alumni]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

I had the same quandary and decided to go with the inflatable. I live in Oregon and have lakes, ocean and big rivers. I have a travel trailer and needed something I could bring with me while hauling the other toy. It was a 14' aluminum Smoker Craft Alaskan with a truck rack or an inflatable.

I got a used zodiac Mark II Grand raid 13'9" aluminum floor with a new 2008 25HP Yamaha 2 stroke OB. The thing FLIES 30mph+. It is far superior for fishing as I can stand up and fight a salmon and have no issues taking it out to Buoy 12 on the Columbia or the bays in Newport or Waldport, It is good for any lake in the state. Can't do that in a 14' boat, pop had a 14' Lowe as a kid and it was good for lakes but any swell or chop it got dicey. Bigger water was out of the question. The AL is not stable and you can't stand up in it w/o fear of tipping. The Al does have more floor space and is very tough, but I don't feel my Zodiac is a wuss. I also think the Zodiac is safer as I will float if only one chamber keeps air. The navy and CG use inflatables not Al boats-there has to be a reason. Finally, as long as you are not hugging the shore and launch from a ramp there is not much concern for rocks or poky things. If you hit something at speed be it Al, rubber or fiberglass you are toast however-the inflatable may be more forgiving.

If $ is an issue the aluminum will be much cheaper you can find a 14' car topper for $750. A good quality inflatable is much more.

Also, the inflatable does not require an ugly rack be mounted to my truck.

Either way a boat's a boat-HAVE FUN!!

 

[John T2268]

Re: Inflatable vs aluminun ??

What about Saturn an Seawolf inflatable boats ? Good bad or the ugly ? Is there anyway of attaching a trolling motor to inflatable?