Porta Bote

I have a 12' Porta Bote and 5HP outboard.* This was actually my first boat.* I haven't used it much lately, but it occured to me that it might make a good dingy for my Camano if I could tow it behind.* In theory, I could break it down and stow it on deck but I know from setting it up on dry land that that would be difficult at best.

Use would be the AICW and adjacent rivers and sounds.* Speed would usually be 7 knots or so.

So - Any advice, suggestions,*or stories of towing a 12 foot rigid boat with outboard attached would be appreciated.

-- Edited by rwidman on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 08:04:30 PM

rwidman wrote:

I have a 12' Porta Bote and 5HP outboard.* This was actually my first boat.* I haven't used it much lately, but it occured to me that it might make a good dingy for my Camano if I could tow it behind.* In theory, I could break it down and stow it on deck but I know from setting it up on dry land that that would be difficult at best.

Use would be the AICW and adjacent rivers and sounds.* Speed would usually be 7 knots or so.

So - Any advice, suggestions,*or stories of towing a 12 foot rigid boat with outboard attached would be appreciated.

-- Edited by rwidman on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 08:04:30 PM

Click to expand...

We towed our 10' rigid hull inflatable with an eight horse 4 stroke on it for years with no real problems.*

My only experience with the Porta Bote is in witnessing friends tow theirs with a two horse for many years. They cruise 6.5 to 7 knots. Never a problem as I recall. They have towed it for ten years. They have on occasion broke it down for a long haul outside Vancouver Island.

Ron, our 12' Porta Boat has to be towed very close into the stern.* Otherwise it wanders a lot, especially with the outboard.* We suck it up so that it is riding up the stern wave about 3' behind the stern.* In that position, we tow it in the open ocean.* On a long lead, well, you'll regret it.* Naturally, use floating line and rig a bridle through the two eyelets on the bow.

I've towed our 11' Puffin many times with no problems. I use about 25 feet of double tow line.

Thanks people. Now I realize why I haven't tried this before - I keep my Camano in a slip in a marina. I have to travel down a fairway and back into the slip.

How do you handle a towed dingy when dealing with a marina and slips?

rwidman wrote:

Thanks people. Now I realize why I haven't tried this before - I keep my Camano in a slip in a marina. I have to travel down a fairway and back into the slip.

How do you handle a towed dingy when dealing with a marina and slips?

Click to expand...

We almost always back into our slip.* When we are towing the dinghy, before backing in it is moved and tied off the bow.* If someone is onboard to tend the line, that is good.* Other wise just snub it close.* When you are tied into the slip there is plenty of time to move the dinghy by leading it around from the deck.* It works very well for me.* When the grankids are on board, I just have one of them follow us into the marina.* When we are in the slip they bring it long side to be tied up.

*

Why do some people like to back into their berths?* I find I have less property damage if I drive the car forward into the garage rather than backing in even without*having to deal wind and current.

markpierce wrote:

Why do some people like to back into their berths?* I find I have less property damage if I drive the car forward into the garage rather than** backing in even without*having to deal wind and current.

Click to expand...

For my boat and any sedan style or express style also double cabins I guess, backing in makes the access to the dock convenient.* If they are floating docks you walk right out the tramson door and step off the swim platform.* If it is along side, usually the lowest part of the hull is at the stern.* It makes it allot easier loading groceries and other things onto the boat.* Also, in some marinas like Hampton VA Public Piers the finger piers are so short.* We have great visibility backing in and seldom pull in.* My single screw (no bow thruster) europa style trawler was back in for the same reasons.

*

Thanks, Don, for making the world make more sense to me.*

markpierce wrote:

Why do some people like to back into their berths?* I find I have less property damage if I drive the car forward into the garage rather than backing in even without*having to deal wind and current.

Click to expand...

If you look at the photo, there's no good way to get on or off my boat unless it's stern in.* All the boats at my marina back in.* Occasionally a dry stack boat will dock bow in because this is the first time they docked and they don't realize the problem they will have getting on and off the boat.

Since we spend a lot of time at the marina and on the boat without taking it out, stern in is very important.

*


-- Edited by rwidman on Thursday 13th of January 2011 05:46:00 PM

-- Edited by rwidman on Thursday 13th of January 2011 05:47:05 PM

If you tow yours like we tow ours (described above), you ignore it.* It's made of plastic and when it bumps into the hull doesn't hurt anything, unless you back it into the dock, of course in which you need new thwarts.* If you want to, run the lead to a side cleat before backing down.

We are considering the porta-bote to be used as dinghy. We would prefer to keep it assembled and tipped on the swim deck. In measuring our swim deck we can handle a 10 ft. Is there any easy davit system or method to tip it up without damaging the wooden swim deck? Likewise we have wood toe and handrails (way too much teak in my opinion) that need some protection? Any ideas? We are so grateful for all the advice offered in this forum.

rusbet wrote:

We are considering the porta-bote to be used as dinghy. We would prefer to keep it assembled and tipped on the swim deck. In measuring our swim deck we can handle a 10 ft. Is there any easy davit system or method to tip it up without damaging the wooden swim deck? Likewise we have wood toe and handrails (way too much teak in my opinion) that need some protection? Any ideas? We are so grateful for all the advice offered in this forum.

Click to expand...

I have to ask. Why would you buy a Porta Boat if your intention is to leave it assembled on the swim step? IMHO there is not an uglier dinghy available. Sorry!! If you had need to fold it and put it on deck, then I might forgive you, but... *

*

Carey,
In the navy sailors used to paint boats while standing on a raft that does look like it's related to the Bull Frog.

nomadwilly wrote:

Carey,
In the navy sailors used to paint boats while standing on a raft that does look like it's related to the Bull Frog.

Click to expand...

Especially my gray Bullfrog.*

*

rusbet wrote:

We are considering the porta-bote to be used as dinghy.

Click to expand...

Why?* Porta-botes are, or used to be, popular with floatplane pilots because folded up they could be lashed to the float struts (in the states where this was legal) and used for fishing or whatever when you landed.

But for a shoreboat/dlnghy for a cruising boat I would think just about anything else*other than a kayak or canoe would be better than a Porta-bote unless you already owned one and wanted to make use of it.

We, and from I've seen, most cruising boat owners use their shoreboats for carrying several people, dogs, supplies, etc.** A Porta-bote is a clever design where a high degree of portability is desired and capacity and stability are secondary.* We see a lot of boats up here with kayaks on them--- Carey carries one, for example.* But it's never the boat's main shoreboat.

Given the nature of your boat I'd think either an inflatable or RIB or a hardshell dinghy would be a whole lot more practical.* Our boat came with a lovely Montgomery sailing dinghy carried in a cradle on the aft cabin top.* Nice little boat but terrible as a utility shoreboat.* So we added a Livingston that's carried in Weaver Snap Davits on the swimstep.* Easy to launch, easy to retrieve, stable as all get out.*

I'm not saying*a Livingston is the way to go--- it suits us for now but when we have time to take longer cruises up north we'll change it for 10' Bullfrog.* But I believe a "proper" shoreboat/dinghy is far more suited for most cruising situations*than a Porta-bote.

markpierce wrote:

Why do some people like to back into their berths?* I find I have less property damage if I drive the car forward into the garage rather than backing in even without*having to deal wind and current.

Click to expand...

For the winter I usually pull in bow first. As the slip faces west and most of the winter weather comes in from the west

it regularly blows 30 to 50 knts. so having the bow in at least gives me less exposiure.

SD**

Our Porta Bote is indestructible, so when we drag it across rocks on a beach, we don't worry about it.* Fiberglass gets damaged in many of the circumstances we don't think about with the PB.* When it gets dirty, I power wash it.* It's butt ugly and no one wants to steal it.* We carried it on the top of our Albin 28, tied to the lifelines on our Cape George Cutter, and tied to the bulwarks on Delfin.* It was primary on the sailboat and Albin, and proved ideal in most circumstances and pefectly adequate in all others.* Ask people who own them and see if you can find an owner who sees it differently.

One question I would have about the Porta-bote is the matter of floatation. I've seen plenty of them, mostly folded and stowed, but I've never been in one or examined one very closely.

But before relying on one to be our main shoreboat I would want to know what happens to it if it is totally swamped. Our Livingston, for example, will remain at the surface of the water if it's totally swamped because of the foam in the hull's compartments. A dinghy like Carey's Bullfrog by virtue of what it's made of will remain on the surface if totally swamped. And the mutiple compartments of an inflatable or RIB make it unlikely that the craft would disappear completely if a chamber is punctured or ripped open. I would want to know that a Porta-bote has a similar degree of floatation so if it did flip or swamp it would at least remain at the surface and provide something to hang onto or cliimb onto.

-- Edited by Marin on Monday 21st of February 2011 03:01:47 PM

I too think a PB is a GREAT dinghy. There's a 40' fish boat here in town that uses one. And I suspect a 5hp OB would push one to 10 knots. And when one hauls out on the beach it's easy to take the engine off, carry the engine up and then carry the boat up above the tide. Can't do that w a RIB. They have form follows function lines and despite the fact that the bow sheer line goes down instead of up the sheer line as a whole is rather pleaesing.
But in defense of what Cary said the PB does have the "I was purchased where fishing poles and guns are sold" look about it.

Marin, the PB floats.* I would prefer to get swamped in our Whaler, but then again, the Whaler doesn't fold up to 8" thick, so it's a trade off.*

If you don't have any issues with what you have getting dinged on rocks or shells on the beach, or have space issues I don't know why you'd change.* We like the PB because on a sailboat there was no place to stow another type, and on the Albin there wasn't convenient room.* Once we had one of these buggly boats, their utility is pretty clear.* Your first impression is "what a cheap piece of ****".* However, 20 years later, the 'inner beauty' of the thing is pretty clear.

Delfin wrote:

Your first impression is "what a cheap piece of ****".* However, 20 years later, the 'inner beauty' of the thing is pretty clear.

Click to expand...

I just*took a look at the Porta-bote website and from the shots*the boat has more interior volume than I had remembered or assumed.**At the time we bought our GB we were having a heavy-duty debate*between buying a cruising boat and a de Havilland Beaver on floats.* Had we bought the plane we would have immediately had brackets added*and purchased a Porta-bote to carry on the float struts.*

-- Edited by Marin on Monday 21st of February 2011 04:35:49 PM

We think the Porta-Bote is a practical boat, both for use as a dinghy and also for using as a small fishing boat for my husband as we travel the Great Loop. We have a dog and need to make shore visits so we are not inclined to disassemble it each time we bring it back to the boat.
Any thoughts on a good way to tip the Porta-bote onto the swim platform and secure it so that the swim platform and transom are not damaged.

rusbet wrote:

Any thoughts on a good way to tip the Porta-bote onto the swim platform and secure it so that the swim platform and transom are not damaged.

Click to expand...

For a lightweight boat like the Porta-bote I would think Weaver Snap Davits and standoffs would be ideal.

*

The Weaver Davit folks just confirmed that their system will not work with Porta-Botes. Here is their response: ...sorry the PortaBote will not work with our system due to the dinghy will fold up when its on it side and the material that it is made out of when drilling thought it the dinghy will crack.

If the Porta-bote will collapse if placed on its side then no mount that holds it this way work. There are davit systems on the market that suspend a dinghy above and aft of the transom in an upright, horizontal position that then pivot down to place the dinghy in the water just clear of the swimstep but I suspect that for the cost of the davit system and installation you could buy whole bunch of Porta-botes. So it's probably not cost effective to use one of these systems for that purpose. But they would work just great.

Rusbet, if I understand correctly the concern is that the PB will crack if drilled.* Won't happen, can't happen given the material it is constructed of which is designed to fold some 1000's of time without cracking.* I haven't tried it, but the 12' has a center thwart on which the thing shold tip just fine.* It will be a lot more flexible than a stiff boat, but they are so light if you have a transom step there should be a way to attach it.* Weaver knows their product, but it doesn't sound like they are familiar with the PB if they think it will crack.

If this is helpful, when the thing fills up with crud I'll tip it up on its transom and power wash it clean.* 3000 psi doesn't bother it, so it's not a leaf.

Marin, in our 12' we sometimes carry 2 bicycles, 2 dogs and the 2 of us.* We probably look like refugees from Haiti in transit, but we get there and back.* Force 8 and above excepted, of course.

In addtion to the cracking when drilled the Weaver folks said the boat will collapse (fold flat) if tipped on its side. But I would think if the seats are left in place it won't do this. Do the seats fit or snap into their mounts in such a way that they can't fall out when the boat is on its side or even slightly upside down?

Trust me, it won't crack, so I don't know what the concern is there.* The wood for the transom is held in place with SS bolts, which pass through drilled holes.* These take the thrust of the 3 hp outboard.* The thwarts go into plastic receivers and are held in place with SS pins.* Ours is 15 years old, so they may have changed this but the theory is the same.* So I think the answer is that it really can't collapse if tipped on its side and is resting on the thwart.* If you rolled is while on its side to the stern, the beam would probably compress no more than an inch or so.

Tell you what, I am traveling this week but should be on the boat on Saturday.* I'll snap the beastie together, lay it on its side and take some pictures so you can decide for yourself.

One other disadvantage - the 12' will plane with a 3 hp motor.* On plane, it is pretty scary because you're doing 20 knots in a tupperware container that doesn't exactly track like a normal boat.* I always feel like the slightest mis step with the outboard and I'd be over the side.* That's why I always drink quite a lot before going fast.* Steadies my nerves.

Marin wrote:

In addtion to the cracking when drilled the Weaver folks said the boat will collapse (fold flat) if tipped on its side. But I would think if the seats are left in place it won't do this. Do the seats fit or snap into their mounts in such a way that they can't fall out when the boat is on its side or even slightly upside down?

Click to expand...

The seats will not fall out.* The are each secured with*two pins when the boat is set up.* The seats are what keep s the boat from folding.* Seats and the transom which is bolted in place.

*


-- Edited by rwidman on Tuesday 22nd of February 2011 02:57:47 PM