Newport Vessels 10ft 6in Inflatable Dinghy Boat Transom Sport Tender - 5 Person - 15HP USCG Rated

Spent a lot time considering something to fish out of. Looked at a lot kayaks but don't have the room to store it and didn't really want to haul it on the roof. Started looking at inflatable kayaks, but in all of the planning of what I wanted out of the kayak (including modifications for a trolling motor) I realized that might not fit the bill, particularly if I wanted to bring someone with me. I started looking at inflatables and for the price this one hit all the right buttons.I bought this boat last December and have been waiting to use it. Finally got it out last weekend. It's a great boat. Really nice looking and it seems well made. The material seems quite sturdy and well assembled, time will tell if the materials hold up. I once had a Sea Eagle SE9 and there is no comparison between the two. The Sea Eagle took forever to inflate even with an electric pump. It didn't hold up very well either developing slows throughout the hull. Compare prices, there's no comparison.I bought an electric pump for this boat but was really surprised how quickly it inflated, even with the foot pump. It literally took 90 seconds per bladder to inflate to about 75%. Put in the floorboards, a little tricky but watch some videos on Youtube and they will go together pretty quickly. It took an additional 60 seconds per bladder to fully inflate the boat. The keel inflates in about 30 seconds. Total time from the trunk to the water was about 20 minutes, but that includes mounting the motor, wheeling it to the water with my homemade dolly, and putting all our tackle in the boat. I expect to get faster with use. I have a small hatchback and I put the boat, motor, battery and all tackle and equipment in the back of the hatchback. It's pretty cool to be able to take so much in a small space.We have a 30 lbs trolling motor but I will be buying an outboard later this year. The trolling motor pushed it along with no problem. It was a little tight with two of us in it but I plan on not bringing the large cooler the next time and expect to have plenty of room for two to fish out of it. I'm a big boy at 6'2" and 275 lbs. Really looking forward to taking it out by myself, There will be plenty of room for me and any fishing tackle imaginable. Downside - it blows around a bit in the wind. This is common for most inflatables so it's not really an issue of this boat specifically. Bring an anchor.One of the things I hated about the Sea Eagle was the pain in the back I got from sitting on the low seats in the boat. This boat has larger tubes and this raises the seating position to nearly a normal height. This might seem like a small issue but spend 4 or 5 hours in the boat fishing and this will be an advantage over other boats. In studying this I don't know of any other manufacturer which has tubes this large. I expect the larger tubes will also be helpful once at speed on plane. Standing in the boat wasn't even an issue, another reason to forgo the kayak.This is a real boat with all the advantages you'd have from any boat with the exception of needing to inflate it before use. A downside to an inflatable is what you gain in portability and space you lose in convenience. For me it was the right compromise.

The boat clearly exceeded my expectations. First, let me describe why I needed an inflatable boat. I have a small travel trailer pulled by a Kia Sorrento. Therefore, I had no practical way to take a boat with me except by car (SUV) topping it. My better idea was to purchase an inflatable boat that I could carry in the trunk area - fits just fine with left over space.I also need to inform you I am almost 81 years old and it is difficult to handle a car top boat anymore.OK, what about assembly/disassembly. It takes a little time but with another person, usually my wife, it took about 40 minutes to assemble and inflate. Note the foot pump is all you need. It took about 30 minutes to deflate it, repack it and put back in the trunk. Getting some additional assistance would be helpful.Please note, there are two seats pictured but you only received one seat as noted in the description. This misinformation should be corrected, but Newport Vessels was very helpful in providing a second seat.I have purchased and drilled the holes for the detachable wheels but haven't needed them yet.But the big question is how did it perform. We were on a lake with no motors allowed so I rowed. It was so stable my wife can't keep from commenting about the secure feeling she experienced. And, having caught some trout was great.I am planning to add rod holders and a fish finder. I am also planning to add folding/rotating boat seats.Don't hesitate to buy the boat - it is a great boat and Newport Vessels customer service personal are excellent - and they are here in America while the boat is built overseas. See the Newport Vessels website and don't hesitate to call them.

great boat. I use it to get to shore off of my 27' sailboat when anchored and for that purpose it's great. It juuuust fits on the foredeck with enough space to maneuver the anchor and dock lines. I really like the 18 inch tubes, which are larger than any other dinghy at the same price point and quality that I could find. It's a good buy. Setup was a snap, I'd recommend looking on youtube, there's a video from the manufacture that was helpful in learning how to get it put together. I was pleasantly surprised that it fit back into the supplied bag and back down to the same size that it was when I pulled it out of the box. the printed directions weren't great, only prob, but didn't cause me any trouble.

My son wanted a good boat that he could use to fish and have fun in and would be easily transportable. I asked him as he is only 12 to do the research and to look at both good and bad reviews online. He came back to me with this boat. I took a further look and I couldn't see a better boat for both the price and the quality. I ordered it and it arrived, We were worried about the assembly but it was a piece of cake once you look at the video. It took about 15 mins to assemble/inflate and less then that to repackage and put in the trunk of the car. The packaging, how it folds is very smart.I would recommend this boat and will update my review once we get it out and on the water.