Portabote Sea Test Trial

[Locozodiac]

Before becoming a boat importer, some research was done in the net, wanted something easy to install, with good seaworthiness and good priced to offer to clients. The first research was done to Portabote, had some tech, price information exchange with them, was about to order Portabote 10” & 12” samples, was in God’s will not to order. A friend of mine had a second hand 12” and wanted to buy a portable engine, but wanted to try it first before buying, so we got together as I was wanting to sea test the boat before importing one and my friend wanted to test a small engine on this boat before throwing himself into the pool.

You’ll be asking why am I posting irrelevant information on a boat that is not a sib, rib, hard hull, it’s a origami boat, as a long term sibber have been touched by the false propaganda Portabote uses to promote their products, that is, demonazing sibs as if they were real dangers to use, just see first picture to see what I’m referring. If this would really happen, this type of users would be a real danger to society, should be in a mental institution and not using boats. Some other false propaganda stated on their web site:

Disadvantages Of An Inflatable: (Mostly Lies)

1-Takes between a half hour and an hour to inflate or deflate.
False : Not with double action pumps or electric inflators.

2-Punctures easily if you hit a sharp rock
False : Will depend on the fabric used, PVC, Akron, Hypalon and it's thickness.

3-Inflated tubes uses up 30% to 40% of available interior space – unless they are punctured!
No answer for this one, what the heck! At least have tubes to sit on comfortably.

4- Portabote needs only a small 4HP- 6HP outboard to go up to 15 mph with one person. Portabote will get up on a plane with as little as 2 HP with one person aboard!. Inflatables needs at least a 20 HP outboard weighing over 120 pounds (54.5kg) for similar performance.
False : Any sib up to 12" will fly with a 20 HP engine, besides who will go out with such small 4-6 HP engines and have full day cruising divertimento ?

5-No pumps, no patch kit, no more worrying about a popped air chamber, no more trying to stop the slow leaks that develop every day you own an inflatable boat. Over 70% of new Portabote owners are former inflatable owners who have "had it" with all the hassle involved with an inflatable.
False: Must be real sib newbies that couldn't take the sib out of the bag.

Where I live, this is call “false propaganda” and is fined by law, you cannot lie, cheat on a advertisement on behalf of your product and advertise directly against other products making irrelevant and stupid comparissons. As you see, the web can hold whatever true or false statements you want to post, without any advertisement restriction whatsoever.

So this is my personal sea test trial, the truth of what have found :

The Portabote takes it’s time to assemble, has a horrible eye catching origami view, won’t accept nothing larger that a 10 HP, once on throttle and wanting to plane the thing, the bottom deck rocks too much, has great water slag, although the propaganda states that won’t flip, the excessive side rocking issue says the contrary. The floor lacks rigidity even standing on it, also bumps, The outer transom and bow view are the worst that have seen, looks cheapo and awfully crafted. Lacks nice speeding/cruising sensation as a sib. A real sea nightmare if used on open oceans with fast winds, currents, only intended for lake or river mostly fishing use. The tested 12” model with a 5 HP didn’t plane at all, not even with one light mate. The worst money investment of all times, buy one and throw your money directly to sea, and they are more costly than same size sibs.

Botom line : If you are real sibbers, stay away from this non professional expensive clumsy origami boat, the only perfect end use I can think of is, use it on your pool as a floating solarium, fill it with soil, plant nice plants on top, will look great and original in your garden. These real pics speaks for themselves.

Maybe John will be in total disagreement about this tech post as Portabote is advertising here, we're in democracy and Portabote doesn't have the right to lie to potential new buyers in that huge false terms against sibs to buy or preffer their product and state a huge, potential tehc differences against our belowed sibs.

To end, would like to know your point of view regarding this false propaganda issue demonizing /slighting sibs & sibbers as well. What are your thoughts, ideas, sibber’s community ?

Long Live the Sib…

[Nos4r2]

Portabote is actually a google ad.

I agree-it's hideous. Is there any bouyancy in them?

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Portabote is actually a google ad.

I agree-it's hideous. Is there any bouyancy in them?

Ok for the Google correction, it's bouyant, floats a lot, but sideways rocks too much, like a halve nut on water, it's a toy trying to be professional use, the last floating "thing" would ever want to buy...

Happy Sibbing

[Nos4r2]

So it'll sink if it's swamped when empty?

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

So it'll sink if it's swamped when empty?

According to manufacturer no, has countour all around boat buoy green foam like slides, will still float full of water, did not tried this isuue out, didn't want to flood my 5 Hp engine. Besides, the water test on extreme water flatness was a real boating disaster. Alleluya tested before ordering two costly 10" & 12" samples. Pic Nº 4 shows upper lateral bouyancy slides, besides plastic weights none and floats a lot, like cork.

Happy Sibbing

[Nos4r2]

So...if it capsizes you wouldn't be able to right it and bail it out?

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

So...if it capsizes you wouldn't be able to right it and bail it out?

If by capzizing you mean the hull is completely up including engine prop, don't have an answer for this one, maybe wrong, will asume once completely flooded will tend to make a suck like issue when trying to right it back, once back easy to bail out (is that taking all water out) ? Don't know if this answer is at the Portabote web page as they seem to have an answer for everything to ridicule sibs.

Happy Sibbing

[kelson]

There are a couple of guys that surf around the point here in San Diego using one of these boats. Pretty amazing that they occasionally round the shelf area off the point in a vessel with so little freeboard at all. They do stick to the surf spot inside of the point when there is real surf. The two of them get back in the boat as a two man drill. One weighting a side and the other pulling over the opposite side from on top his surfboard. Guess they aren't taking too big of a risk since they are in wetsuits, have surfboards and it's just a long paddle home? It isn't just an issue of the vessel remaining afloat, I kind of like it when my engine doesn't get swamped. I thought my boat was a toy...

[Bigmuz7]

Saw this recently whilst researching folding canoes would you believe, it just looks so flimsy, and that if anything hits it, youre done for ! When you can fold an SIB into the size of a large suitcase, I just dont see the point. An SIB will take a battering which that thing never will, and still float. I've tortured my little SIB, Groundings, Rocks, fast beachings, you name it and its still a reliable and safe mode of transport on the sea (with and odd patch ....) *edit* thats another point .. the SIB repairs easy too!

[Locozodiac]

There are many Portabote fans around the world, being used to suit many different ways of boating needs. Don't think that any owner who has owned a sib and used it correctly will switch for a Portabote. Maybe a change just in terms of easy storage, light weight transportation and that's all to it. I'm not prettending to be mean with this origami light boat, but definiteley it's a crime, out of this world issue, to compare and pretend to be better than a sib. The owner needs to have both ears pulled.

Happy Sibbing.

[Fishery Pokery]

I considered one of these for quite a while, but never saw one in the flesh. Since getting my SIB though, I'm very pleased I went this way.
Geoff

[prairie tuber]

They look more like an origami coffin than a boat.

[m chappelow]

unlike an inflatable which usually supports the full load if even fully swamped i dont think this would come near ,even with bouyancy , not taking into account any extras eg ,engine ,fishing tackle,yacht stores , ,you may have a chance at rocking the swamped boat to spill some water out then try to reboard, the only thing that it may be better at than an inflatable is when rowing ,looks to me like in the first pic that someones run a truck over it in a car park .

[fred bolton]

Originally Posted by Locozodiac

2-Punctures easily if you hit a sharp rock
False : Will depend on the fabric used, PVC, Akron, Hypalon and it's thickness.

If it's that sharp I would think it would puncture the Portacrap sorry bote

[Sinistre1]

I got to see one in "action" first hand. First I would have to say it is not exactly crap. For what it is, it is not the worst thing I could think of. That being said, at its price point and performance level I would say no thank you. An older gentleman was using it to fish here in Jamaica Bay (Brooklyn, USA). He had a 6hp outboard (forgot the brand) and the thing moved along well, though far from planing. It seemed to rock a bit more than I would like but in most respects, I viewed it as another solution to fit a need. Portable, stowable boating pleasure. To that end it is a success. I personally would not purchase one (although it was on my list when I was shopping) but I would not exactly berate someone who did.

On the SIB side, the performance of my Quicksilver 340s (with added airdeck) trounces the Portabote. Assembly and disassembly times were about even. With a 6hp at full throttle and 1 up I can probably just achieve planing speed (which the portabote could not). With my 15hp (which the portabote could not handle) I could run SERIOUS rings around the portabote. When the guy told me where he was fishing (he had a nice catch of bluefish I was eager to duplicate) he said I should try it, it was only a half hour run, I thought to myself I know where that is and it isn't 15 minutes from here. Hell I usually won't even stop there it doesn't seem far enough away from shore!. I think that is one of the biggest differences. From what I saw in use, I wouldn't care to venture too far or too fast in the portabote. I have traveled way too far (read, "oh s#i+!, i'm almost out of fuel") and almost too fast (at least for a sharp turn) at 21 mph. Can't even begin to imagine a portabote doing that. Doesn't hurt that the Quicksilver was significantly cheaper than a portabote!!!

[limeydal]

Originally Posted by kelson

There are a couple of guys that surf around the point here in San Diego using one of these boats. Pretty amazing that they occasionally round the shelf area off the point in a vessel with so little freeboard at all. They do stick to the surf spot inside of the point when there is real surf. The two of them get back in the boat as a two man drill. One weighting a side and the other pulling over the opposite side from on top his surfboard. Guess they aren't taking too big of a risk since they are in wetsuits, have surfboards and it's just a long paddle home? It isn't just an issue of the vessel remaining afloat, I kind of like it when my engine doesn't get swamped. I thought my boat was a toy...

Gees!!! I am going to keep my eyes open for that one off Cabrillo.
Would make some entertaining photos to watch anyone get in it from the water
cheers Dal

[prairie tuber]

I can't see the point of a portaboat, it certainly would not come close to a SIB in terms of seaworthiness or ability to handle the larger portable outboards. In fact, I can't see it being anymore stable or buoyant than a fairly wide, closed-deck canoe with a square stern that would be capable of handing a similar sized outboard. For transportatation with a car, it would require a roof roof rack just like a canoe does, plus the additional setup time that a canoe would not need. For the company to try to hype their product as a better option than a SIB is an apple & oranges comparison that fails miserably.

[Locozodiac]

Reading all comments on this origami flimsy toy, must say that if this is your first time water transport, probably you'll find it exceptional and eye catching, pic-1, untill you have the opportunity to be in command of a sib and make a real sea trial comparisson. Afterwords, the owner will probably dispose off properly his Portatoy in a huge container, if he's lucky to find one once arrived to shore. "Thumbs-Up"

This is a completely personalized & much nicer version of a Portatoy, the standard one is awful, hope that 50 thousand boats sold worldwide as stated on their web site, have same equal content owners. Who knows...

Long Live the Sib

[kelson]

I can see why the portabote has appeal for some. Certainly would open up some small lakes and bays to those who have limited transportation options. Those flimsy walls buckle and bend, but they have stood up to two surfers boarding and it sure does fold down flat. However, as we all know, the urge to extend whatever boat you have into new adventures is universal. The margin for error on the portabote seems a little thin. The two surfers I posted about putted around the point in their portabote recently. I thought they were a little agressive in their shortcut. Just after they cleared the shelf area a nice set of waves rolled through. Being lucky is sometimes better than being smart? They know they are pushing their luck and don't seem too worried about the boat and the motor getting swamped. I think they got the boat for free.

[Sharkbyte]

Originally Posted by Locozodiac

Disadvantages Of An Inflatable: (Mostly Lies)

1-Takes between a half hour and an hour to inflate or deflate.
False : Not with double action pumps or electric inflators.

2-Punctures easily if you hit a sharp rock
False : Will depend on the fabric used, PVC, Akron, Hypalon and it's thickness.

3-Inflated tubes uses up 30% to 40% of available interior space – unless they are punctured!
No answer for this one, what the heck! At least have tubes to sit on comfortably.

4- Portabote needs only a small 4HP- 6HP outboard to go up to 15 mph with one person. Portabote will get up on a plane with as little as 2 HP with one person aboard!. Inflatables needs at least a 20 HP outboard weighing over 120 pounds (54.5kg) for similar performance.
False : Any sib up to 12" will fly with a 20 HP engine, besides who will go out with such small 4-6 HP engines and have full day cruising divertimento ?

5-No pumps, no patch kit, no more worrying about a popped air chamber, no more trying to stop the slow leaks that develop every day you own an inflatable boat. Over 70% of new Portabote owners are former inflatable owners who have "had it" with all the hassle involved with an inflatable.
False: Must be real sib newbies that couldn't take the sib out of the bag.


Long Live the Sib…

1- Ten minutes to inflate and rig a Zodiac Fastroller.

2- I don't see many Portajokes running the white water rapids of the Colorado!

3- Try sitting six people (or one, for that matter) on the portacoffin's gunnels.

4- Portacarton will plane with a 2 hp....only if someone has removed a 0 sticker from the cowl. I'd expect like for like performance for a given horsepower, except that on an inflatable with 20 horses, I wouldn't be worried about the transom overtaking me.

5- Sounds like Porta-pottie must have quite a few disgruntled, ex SIB owning Porcupines as customers.


;-)