Thoughts on Fishskiff 16 inflatable boat

[_JJM]

Hi

I am playing with the idea of of getting a Sea Eagle Fishskiff 16 inflatable boat. It's probably going to cost about $2500 to get in the water and it keeps me from having to do the whole trailer thing and simplifes storage.

 

Anyone have some experience with this boat?

 

Added image to show what I am asking about

 

[TnRiver46]

Looks pretty cool! People always worry about them popping but that’s the least of your worries. Inflatable boats run class 5 rapids everyday, always hitting rocks with much more frequency and force than fiberglass or metal boats 

[_JJM]

I am retired Navy and we have been using Rigid Framed Inflatable boats for decades. So I am good with the idea of it. But I am curious about this boat and maker. $2k to $3k is a lot of $36 a day boat rentals which is what I am doing currently

[GaryH]

That’s a heck of a inflatable. Outboard and trolling motor. ???

[volzfan59]

My ex father in law had a Sea Eagle inflatable kayak. He liked it quite a bit, but eventually sold it to get a Hobie pedal drive kayak. As it the durability, don't give it a second thought. He was famous for tearing up stuff. That Sea Eagle never gave him any issues at all.

[schplurg]

3 hours ago, _JJM said:

I am retired Navy and we have been using Rigid Framed Inflatable boats for decades. So I am good with the idea of it. But I am curious about this boat and maker. $2k to $3k is a lot of $36 a day boat rentals which is what I am doing currently

 

Where I live renting a boat costs hundreds per day.

 

Lake Del Valle

 

Regular 14′3 boat

all day $130

Deluxe Boat

all day $285

 

[_JJM]

8 hours ago, schplurg said:

 

Where I live renting a boat costs hundreds per day.

 

Lake Del Valle

 

Regular 14′3 boat

all day $130

Deluxe Boat

all day $285

 

14foot jon with ors (too sort metal one :)) is 20

Add a trolling motor it's $36. A bigger boat with two nice seats is $64(?).

 

It's been tough to justify the coast of a boat in my head. @130 I would probably already have bought one, that or just bank fished ?

[anglro39]

What I have is not the skiff but I have this. 

 

 

Since I got this in Feb 2022, I go to fish with it twice a week. I have no trailer and I just carry it on my trunk of GMC ACADIA. 

 

The durability of the inflatable is like a tire when you pump it to 11 - 15 psi. All setup takes 20 min. including the boat, trolling motor, and the accessories like fish finder and anchor. 

 

The dismantlement takes 25 mins. so you need to spend 45 mins whenever you go out with it. This is the thing we can’t avoid because there is no trailer. 

 

I got one puncture, but I fixed it with the repair kit. There is no leak so far. I am very happy with it. Hopefully you get one soon. 

[_JJM]

8 minutes ago, anglro39 said:

What I have is not the skiff but I have this. 

 

 

Since I got this in Feb 2022, I go to fish with it twice a week. I have no trailer and I just carry it on my trunk of GMC ACADIA. 

 

The durability of the inflatable is like a tire when you pump it to 11 - 15 psi. All setup takes 20 min. including the boat, trolling motor, and the accessories like fish finder and anchor. 

 

The dismantlement takes 25 mins. so you need to spend 45 mins whenever you go out with it. This is the thing we can’t avoid because there is no trailer. 

 

I got one puncture, but I fixed it with the repair kit. There is no leak so far. I am very happy with it. Hopefully you get one soon. 

Thanks for responding. This one was one of the options I am looking at. I just like the taller seats on the skiff more. I am in the same boat with not having a trailer as I plan on using my outback with the rear seat down. 

 

If you don't mind can you answer the following. Are you using the two stage electric pump or the wheel thing to move it around? What trolling motor are you using and are you happy with it? How stable is it and how much are you affected by wind?

Would you recommend the bikini top? Are you using the Sea eagle attachments for anchor and fish finder?

I know a lot of questions:) but you're the first person I have interacted with that has one of this class/size inflatable 

Thanks again !

[anglro39]

4 hours ago, _JJM said:

Are you using the two stage electric pump or the wheel thing to move it around? What trolling motor are you using and are you happy with it? How stable is it and how much are you affected by wind?

Would you recommend the bikini top? Are you using the Sea eagle attachments for anchor and fish finder?

 

You should have the two stage electric pump and the cart. I can’t imagine to take the boat without them. I tried to pump the boat with the hand pump, but I was exhausted and didn’t get the target pressure. The cart is very good to carry the boat and launch at a ramp. It will take some time to learn how to launch yourself efficiently, but I can do so you will be able to do. 

 

I am using the 70 lb water snake trolling motor in the package. The top speed is 4-5 mph for one person. It could be slow depending on what you need, but I have enjoyed it because mostly I fish in small or mid size lakes. If you want to go to a large lake or river with strong current, you should have a bigger motor. 

 

I am satisfied with the stability. I haven’t had flipping over yet. I do fish while standing and seating with no problem. I don’t like windy day, but I did when the wind was 10 knots. There was no problem. 

 

I recommend you to have the canopy because my wife loves it and also it’s good for hot summer and recreational purpose. I am using the deeper for fish finder and 9 lb anchor too. The fish finder is easily removable and could be optional but you should have the anchor to hold the current position in windy condition. 

 

 

[_JJM]

11 hours ago, anglro39 said:

 

You should have the two stage electric pump and the cart. I can’t imagine to take the boat without them. I tried to pump the boat with the hand pump, but I was exhausted and didn’t get the target pressure. The cart is very good to carry the boat and launch at a ramp. It will take some time to learn how to launch yourself efficiently, but I can do so you will be able to do. 

 

I am using the 70 lb water snake trolling motor in the package. The top speed is 4-5 mph for one person. It could be slow depending on what you need, but I have enjoyed it because mostly I fish in small or mid size lakes. If you want to go to a large lake or river with strong current, you should have a bigger motor. 

 

I am satisfied with the stability. I haven’t had flipping over yet. I do fish while standing and seating with no problem. I don’t like windy day, but I did when the wind was 10 knots. There was no problem. 

 

I recommend you to have the canopy because my wife loves it and also it’s good for hot summer and recreational purpose. I am using the deeper for fish finder and 9 lb anchor too. The fish finder is easily removable and could be optional but you should have the anchor to hold the current position in windy condition. 

 

 

You rock thank you. You moved me one step closer to getting this boat, maybe two

[anglro39]

good luck!

[FishTank]

There is an old timer that fishes at Eagle Creek near my house that has a boat similar to this. I saw him breaking it down and he looked like he had his hands full. I asked if he needed help but he told me he was a retired member of the Coast Guard and that he had been doing this for 30+ years. So I stood there and watched for 20-30 minutes as this almost 70 year old man meticulously and quickly broke down this boat in military fashion and loaded it up in the back of his truck. The boat was old, maybe mid 80s but the material looked thick and almost bullet proof. If breaking the boat down wasn't enough,  the old guy picked up the 9.9 engine and put in the bed of truck too. I felt humbled.

[Motoboss]

On 9/2/2022 at 2:35 PM, FishTank said:

There is an old timer that fishes at Eagle Creek near my house that has a boat similar to this. I saw him breaking it down and he looked like he had his hands full. I asked if he needed help but he told me he was a retired member of the Coast Guard and that he had been doing this for 30+ years. So I stood there and watched for 20-30 minutes as this almost 70 year old man meticulously and quickly broke down this boat in military fashion and loaded it up in the back of his truck. The boat was old, maybe mid 80s but the material looked thick and almost bullet proof. If breaking the boat down wasn't enough,  the old guy picked up the 9.9 engine and put in the bed of truck too. I felt humbled.

 

Would that be West side Indy Eagle Creek?

[FishTank]

1 hour ago, Motoboss said:

 

Would that be West side Indy Eagle Creek?

 

Yes. Sure is.

 

[Motoboss]

Used to fish it quite often when we lived in Indy. Now in Martinsville so not so much anymore.

[FishTank]

12 hours ago, Motoboss said:

Used to fish it quite often when we lived in Indy. Now in Martinsville so not so much anymore.

 

Not to hijack this thread but.....

 

Fishing there has improved some for bass but not so much for crappie. You can catch some of them but there are people there that keep whatever they catch and it limits the amount of big ones. The enforcing (no joke - $2500 tickets to start) of the 9.9 motor limit has helped to keep some of the pressure down on the bass by keeping some of the bigger boats out. The wind out there is about 15-20 mph almost all the time and sometimes in two different directions.  I still like it because its close to me but it can be challenging for a kayak.

 

 

[_JJM]

8 hours ago, FishTank said:

 

Not to hijack this thread but.....

 

Fishing there has improved some for bass but not so much for crappie. You can catch some of them but there are people there that keep whatever they catch and it limits the amount of big ones. The enforcing (no joke - $2500 tickets to start) of the 9.9 motor limit has helped to keep some of the pressure down on the bass by keeping some of the bigger boats out. The wind out there is about 15-20 mph almost all the time and sometimes in two different directions.  I still like it because it close to me but it can be challenging for a kayak.

 

 

Yep that's one reason I am looking for a larger boat. Even though an inflatable will be pretty susceptible to the wind

[bulldog1935]

On 8/31/2022 at 3:28 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Looks pretty cool! People always worry about them popping but that’s the least of your worries. Inflatable boats run class 5 rapids everyday, always hitting rocks with much more frequency and force than fiberglass or metal boats 

Certainly not to offend or detract, but...

When the topic came up on TKF, everybody lauded the toughness of inflatable boats for abrasion and even oyster shell. 

However, the two boats that popped, both were sitting in the summer sun, rigged and waiting to be floated.  The sun and heat did it before the boats could get wet. 

[_JJM]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

Certainly not to offend or detract, but...

When the topic came up on TKF, everybody lauded the toughness of inflatable boats for abrasion and even oyster shell. 

However, the two boats that popped, both were sitting in the summer sun, rigged and waiting to be floated.  The sun and heat did it before the boats could get wet. 

Over inflated maybe? Coefficient of thermal expansion is no joke. Boats inflated full, boat and air inside heats up.... pressure goes up enough.. pop.

[bulldog1935]

It's more like General Gas Law, PV=nRT

The volume is fixed and constrained gas expansion with increasing temperature rapidly increases pressure (much greater than thermal expansion of solids). 

Note the change in pressure with temperature is a straight line. 

 

BTW, plastic does the opposite of thermal expansion.  Increasing temperature causes the polymer chains to coil up and shorten (this is what makes multi-viscosity oil work).  You always notice with your kayak rigging that the dyneema lines are shorter in the summer and longer in the winter - and why you need a bungee in your rigging. 

you really see the length change in deployent lines