Dinghy for fishing

L

Larry Patrick

New member
Just got first trailer to pull behind truck camper.Wells Cargo 5x10 used but in good shape can haul a motor cycle has front tire rack. Always need more storage with truck camper,but you can pull your boat. Would like a way to fish when traveling ,and not towing boat. Was thinking would be easy to stow a dinghy and motor in trailer . Never having owned one does anyone use them to fish freshwater lakes? What about hooks are they fairly tough if careful? Will be hauling bikes ,firewood ,Tupperware for storing clothes ect,but would make room for dinghy. For fishing a half day can it be comfortable? Porta boats I have seen some mounted to some truck campers. But figured it could be used on C-Dory outings and maybe fishing trips. Guessing with electric pump they can be inflated fairly quicly not sure about comfort, thanks. With low radar arch not sure where I could put an in flated dinghy on board,and it seems like they don't get much use .They seem like there just incase as long as you can put one somewhere out of the way?
 
Mine has seen lake duty a bunch of times. It depends on the lake. You might have to register it if you run a motor on it....But, that is stupid and out of the scope of the discussion.
 
Porta-Boat, I think, is a good option for you. I have considered doing the same with a trailer full of toys, (motorcycle, peddle bike, Porta-Boat, outboard, and a closet for off season clothes, or other things. The Porta-Boat can lay on the top of the trailer, or go inside, along one side, diagonal front up, rear down and you can put a 12 footer into a 10 foot trailer.

BTW, you don't need to inflate a Porta-Boat. Just unfold it. I considered an inflatable, but probably not. Would take more room and more work and is more destructible.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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We've had the 9'+ porta boat for a decade and can attest to it's indestructibility. Multiple dogs with nails, fish hooks, dive spears, etc...Heck, you could drop a concrete building block from 40' and it wouldn't bother the dingy at all. For traveling on a trailer we keep it folded on top of the dive platform hand rails, kind of like a gullwing. It has traveled up there many miles with no issues to 70 mph. While cruising we tow it behind the boat like any other dingy. If we feel, or have a need to get up on plane, we just slide it into the cockpit fully assembled and slide it out when we arrive at our destination. We use a dinky little Honda 2 hp and it pushes 2 adults and 2 dogs just fine. Dogs are 90 and 60 lbs.
 
For me a kayak makes the perfect fishing boat. We have two that live on top of our boat all the time. They are light, don't require a motor, and can take you lots of places that get little fishing pressure. You could carry them on top of your truck camper and not need to pull the extra trailer.
 
We have tried different dinghies over the years. We used a Porta-Bote (when we had a Corsair sailboat), and like others, found it indestructible. They fold to the size of a thick surfboard, but... you still have to have storage room for the seats and transom. We found those items took up as much space at the Porta-Bote, but were not able to fold flat. We also had a dolly for the PB - more to store.

You also need space to unfold/assemble it, so you'd have to do that on land or on the dock, and then tow the PB while cruising.

I was told a 5hp motor would plane the 12' Porta-Bote with two adults onboard... that was not our experience, with a 5hp Honda. Our Corsair had a 20' beam (trimaran), so we could put the PB on one of the nets - if you slide the bottom "seam" of the PB on white gelcoat, it makes gawd-awful black skid mark (worse than any shoe). We replaced it with an inflatable dinghy.

If you have room for the PB in/on a trailer behind your camper, I would think it would be very functional. As a dinghy to use with a C-Dory, I think it would be more work. That said, I am not a fan of towing a dinghy when cruising. An inflatable can go on top of a C-Dory, even positioning over a radar dome, if necessary.

On small cruising boats like the C-Dory, any dinghy is going to be work. If you are cruising in areas where you don't have access to docks, the dinghy opens up so much land access, though. You either tow it behind or stow it on top. Dealing with a line behind, how waves affect it... or hefting it up and getting it down.

We have hauled a Porta-Bote and an inflatable when RVing. If you have the space, either will work. Keep in mind you will need space to store the motor, too. Unless you decide to row it. We found the PB rows better than a flat-bottom inflatable.

Jim
 
I agree that the portabote could be a nice option for fishing/traveling. If I was to go with an inflatable, I would use something light with transom wheels for easy movement on land with a boatload ready to fish.

A Kayak is also worth considering as they make many styles to suit the task pretty well especially if you are fishing alone.

We are about to buy our third Saturn Kaboat so you might guess I would recommend that craft for the purpose also. You do need to be more careful with hooks but that is easy or hard depending on how careful a person you are.

Greg
 
Thanks for sharing your expierences,guess I will be checking out porta boats as better option. They sound tuff ,and have been around a while. Wonder if long shaft or short shaft on motor? Only want to buy one motor that could be used on porta boat and inflatable dingy when we get one if it will work on both?
 
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