Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Crabbing - trolling, inflatable boat
I don't know what the person that rated this thing a 1 star was thinking but I've had this boat now for 2 years and never had an issue. Here is what I do. I bought the hardwood floor for it which work great. I bought myself a deep cycle marine battery with a large plastic box and an extension cable so that I can put the battery to the front of the boat while I sit near the motor. I love this thing. Fits in my trunk of my car just fine. The HF360 is very rugged and works great with a 30 lb thrust trolling motor as long as you have the motor mount. Sevylor Fish Hunter Inflatable 4-Person Boat
I have been a loyal Sevylor customer for over 15 years. During that time I have purchased three or four Fish Hunter inflatable boats and have recommended them to countless others. I live in the Sierra Nevada foothills and it has been ideal for the smaller lakes and rivers of this region.
I recently purchased a new Fish Hunter to replace one that had been damaged by rodents. I found that the new contruction and design of this boat, from a durability and safety aspect, are unacceptable. The boat now lacks the rigidity to adequately support sporting activities. While I was trying to boat a fish in fast flowing water, the cap on the valve of the main air chamber (now a push on type rather than a screw on type) came off and allowed air to escape at full flow.
I will no longer be purchasing Sevylor products and I will do my best to inform others of the lack of quality that I have found in them.
Paul Rainey
I bought the large 6-person boat with all the accessories, motor, motor mount, battery, etc. Once I assembled it, put it in the water, I quickly noticed that this was not going to work. The battery had to be pulled right next to the rear seat so the power cable could be attached. The "battery holder" is a joke and the battery kept flopping over. I could not sit in the seat and run the motor. I had to sit on the side of the boat and this is not safe. I am 6'3 and had my 10 year old with me, and the boat was so cramped, we could not fish. If you are less than 5'7", just want a rubber raft with oars, this might work for you, but there is no way you can put more than two people in this thing. We pulled it out of the water after five minutes, boxed it up, and returned it.
This boat was ordered and delivered to my APO AE address within a week! I assembled it and inflated it with my Coleman 12V pump in less than 5 minutes. I ordered the 4 person knowing that it would "not" be big enough for 4 persons. I am 6'4" and my wife is 5'9". My wife, dog and I fit with no problem. Can't wait to put it in the water and see how it holds up.
You can't beat the price, tax-free, and free shipping of Amazon. It was delivered in about a week.
I bought the 12' boat (not the 9') and motor mount and put a 28lbs. thrust trolling motor on it. It works well. I had 3 full sized adults in this boat, two lounged across the front and myself running the motor, plus a cooler. The 12' would is comfortable for 2 adults plus tackle and safety equipment. The 9' would be cramped and best for solo missions. I took it in a Jersey bay around Atlantic City. The small motor took the boat against the current, slow and steady, but successfully. I threw down an anchor and used it as a dock to hang crab traps off of. It takes about 25 minutes to fully inflate and mount the motor using a Coleman 12-volt inflator. The material is thick, tough, and well constructed. I bought a 45 gallon tote at Walmart for $15 and it works as a good container to store and travel with in the back of my car. It's hard to stand up in, but the floor accessory should help with that. If you don't mind feeling like Pee Wee Herman while you are passed by "real" boats, then this is the boat for you!
Update: I got 2 summers out of this boat so far and it still holds air. The Sevylor motor mount is a little shoddy because the plastic sleeves that hold the extendable arms in place broke from tightening the screws. I modified them by drilling holes all the way through and dropping bolts in them instead of tightening. I also bought the wooden floor which is a nice addition. I found that putting a bungie cord or duck tape around the side bars to keep them in place while getting around helped a lot. The seat cushions are not made of the same material as the boat and lose air quickly. I found that a medium size cooler fits nicely on the ends of the boat, keeps you sitting up higher than the cushion, and has dual purpose. It is a very fun boat of the novice and has provided hours of enjoyment so far.
First of all I only rated this inflatabe a 4 star. I would have give it a 5 star Not that I am whinning , overall I would like to rate it higher if there was two seperate ratings , After I rec the package,Yes, dummy me, open the box took out the boat unfolded and then relized it was not the one pictured in the photo It resembled the 6 person that had the large Yellow top . I orignally bought the boat,for duck hunting, Knowing I would only have to really drap the front end with a little bit of camo netting. Stuff happens. It only causes me to find larger pc of camo I can deal with this minor issue, I did not call or send it back. I fish also ,and the way I figure even with the amount of yellow; with the camo the ducks will never know the difference. I give this boat 5 Star Overall excellent quality boat and good price . Next season I will be buying the 6 person sevylor and give this one to my son and grand daughter. I don't blame amazon for the foul up, but I hope in the future they at least contact buyer and let them know of the situation as where the Item ordered is not excatly what was pictured. Or I will contact the seller and double check my order.
You know the air pump the paddles and the motor mount don't do me a whole beans of good if there is no boat to use it on. I Do Check the box that, ship everything together in one order it cost me a lot more money when you guys break up the order like this. If there is no boat I don't have much use for the other stuff. How much longer will the boat BE?
Alex Lee - Inflatable Boats - Crabbing - Inflatable Boat - Trolling'
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