Introduction
Inflatable boats, or tenders, have become pretty common in marine business. Tied snuggly to a cleat, you can find them lazily bouncing against the dock almost everywhere now. In fact, it has become so common that the boats almost blend into the setting seamlessly.
But, why are they so popular?
Well, the primary reason behind their popularity is that they are easy to drive. You can use the boat in almost every setting, and their overall flexibility is quite likeable too.
However, here’s the thing.
Not every inflatable boat is going to be ideal for you. Thus, you have to keep an eye on all the features they come with before making a decision. Keep reading to know more about them.
How to Buy an Inflatable Boat?
Almost every type of vessel available out there has a set of pros and cons. So, if you want to get the best fishing experience, you’ll have to look at both before buying something.
However, before we get started – here’s something you need to know. No matter what you are buying, always make sure to choose a reputed seller, like Red Beard Sailing.
This way, there won’t be any worries about getting a bad or cheap product.
1: The Type of the Boat
If you search properly, you may find three different types of inflatable boats in the market.
It might include the following –
- Roll-up Floor: These types of boats generally have the least expensive price tag, due to their overall build quality and design. However, they can be an excellent option for you, if you are looking for something with a massive amount of storage. But, the only issue they have is the lack of rigidity and durability. So, it might not be the best option if you are going on a fishing adventure in the sea.
- Hard Floor: Unlike the former, a hard floor boat is stronger, more rigid, and better as a whole. They are also quite heavy and, therefore, can offer a lot of stability. Hence, if you want, you may use it both in the sea and the river. But, as the weight of the model is pretty high, it might be a little difficult for you to control it. And if you’re driving it in forceful weather, driving might be riskier.
- Air Floor: The air floor options are quite lightweight that, in turn, makes them easy to drive in almost every circumstance. Besides they can be stored in a small place too, as you are capable of keeping them anywhere you want. However, the durability of it is a little questionable, as it can get punctured pretty quickly. Also, if you don’t buy a high quality product, it might get worn out within a month or so. These are expensive too!
2: Safety and Stability
At the end of the day, the safety and stability of a boat will always depend on the operator. If you are not good enough, even the Titanic can sink because of your incompetence.
However, here’s the thing.
When you’re buying an inflatable boat, you’ll have to ensure that you’re choosing something that’s compliant with the market-associated regulations. Besides, you will also have to check if there are some other components available in the boat. These are –
- Buoyancy tubes (these offer the right amount of stability to the boat)
- Safety valves (one-way valves which are responsible for keeping the flow of air in the buoyancy tube intact)
- Grab handles (that you can hold on to when the boat is being driven at a high speed)
- Life jackets (if someone is drowning you can throw it near them to save them)
- Paddles (to navigate the boat if the engine is not working anymore)
3: Fuel Capacity
Are you thinking about exploring a part of the sea with your boat? Well, in that case, you will need to check the fuel capacity of the model. You will want to make sure that the boat has lot of space to keep the fuel so that it can be used for a prolonged period.
This way, you will not run out of gas anytime soon. And, the responsibility of carrying a can or two of gas will not be on your shoulders too.
4: Storage Space
No one knows what’s going to happen when you’re traveling through the sea. So, you have to be as prepared as you can when you are going out for an exploration trip.
And this is where having a lot of storage space will be highly important for you.
Besides, you can also carry fishing gear, food, and a lot of other items in your boat. However, you will need to ensure that your boat is not getting too heavy in the process.
Or else, it might affect your driving skills to some extent. And if you are not aware, you may also encounter an accident in the middle of the sea. So, be careful.
5: Boat Length
The length of your boat will be required for two things. If you’ve a longer boat, it’ll be easier for you to get a lot of people onboard while going on an adventure in the sea. However, it will also make it difficult for you to cut through a difficult corner or have good control of the boat.
Also a longer boat will be difficult to drive in a shallower area. Thus, it might be better if you understand the depth of water you’ll be venturing at before buying a boat.
Find the Boat of Your Dreams!
So, now you know how you can move forward and find the boat of your dreams.
But yes, if you still feel like we have missed out on something or couldn’t elaborate a point in a proper manner – make sure to let us know all about it in the comment section below.
We will try our best to ensure that you are getting the right sort of information from us.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
