Dear all:
I had my first drift boat experience and have been thinking of buying a little boat to open my fishing possibilities (reaching otherwise unreachable fishing spots).
I like the idea of a light boat I can take without the need for a trailer or a storage facility...
Any input on this one (https://www.flycraftusa.com/products/the-stealthx-3-man-inflatable-boat)?
Thanks in advance.
Noé,
As you may know I have been using a small raft for my fishing the last many years because of my inability to walk and keep my balance due to MS. Like you I have focused on inflatable boats that can pack down small enough to fit a trunk. My choice has been smaller pontoon style boats, and they have done the job and been very practical and easy to handle. My main problem has been rust since I fish mainly saltwater.
I have no specific experience with the craft in your link, but judging from the price, I'd guess that it's a quality product. Even for a boat this size, it's not cheap, even though the price is of course significantly lower than many "real" boats. My experience with larger inflatable boats is that size matters, in particular if you are two or three people in the boat. It doesn't take much movement or commotion to create instability, and a larger boat usually feels a lot safer than a smaller one.
The boat in your link seems quite narrow, but it's obvious from the images that they are three people onboard, and two are even standing, so it must be quite stable.
I would recommend trying one out if at all possible before buying. This will allow you to judge quality and stability and maybe trying to unpack and inflate and deflate and packing it down afterwards, which can be quite a job, even with a smaller boat.
I hope this helps.
Martin
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As you may know
Noé,
As you may know I have been using a small raft for my fishing the last many years because of my inability to walk and keep my balance due to MS. Like you I have focused on inflatable boats that can pack down small enough to fit a trunk. My choice has been smaller pontoon style boats, and they have done the job and been very practical and easy to handle. My main problem has been rust since I fish mainly saltwater.
I have no specific experience with the craft in your link, but judging from the price, I'd guess that it's a quality product. Even for a boat this size, it's not cheap, even though the price is of course significantly lower than many "real" boats. My experience with larger inflatable boats is that size matters, in particular if you are two or three people in the boat. It doesn't take much movement or commotion to create instability, and a larger boat usually feels a lot safer than a smaller one.
The boat in your link seems quite narrow, but it's obvious from the images that they are three people onboard, and two are even standing, so it must be quite stable.
I would recommend trying one out if at all possible before buying. This will allow you to judge quality and stability and maybe trying to unpack and inflate and deflate and packing it down afterwards, which can be quite a job, even with a smaller boat.
I hope this helps.
Martin