Inflatable layout?

B

bob Petritsch

Active member
I would love to add a real layout boat to my marina but the Admiral has had enough with my boats already. I really have more than I should.

I have an 18 foot side console Crestliner to use as a mother boat. I thought I would be using my Higbee BB Sneakbox as a layout but it hasn't worked out. The Higbee is too heavy for me to pick up and launch. My hunting partner hates to trailer anything and towing it is a drag.

I do have an inflatable boat, an 8 foot Bombard. It is a small dinghy,roll-up kind with small pontoons. It is not a toy and has been used as a dinghy for our sailboat for years including living aboard for a year and two crossings to the Bahamas.

It is light enough for me to lift aboard and launch. I am 70 and not as strong as I used to be. It is very comfortable to lie down in....much more comfortable that the Higbee. All it needs is a properly colored cover....it is bright red. Or maybe I could paint it if someone can recommend a paint that will adhere to an inflatable boat. Would love to hear feedback from anyone who has gone this route.
 
Get rid of the Admiral.... LOL Problem solved more toys!

Waterfowl works makes a few light boats that may interest you I think the Erie or the MLB classic would be reasonable in weight. Plus safe.
 
Bob,
I took a look at an 8' Bombard dinghy. For safety reasons, I wouldn't use it.

I have done quite a bit of layout hunting on big water in Michigan on a true layout boat: 10'x4' fiberglass with a combed top.

Not sure what you would do with the waves coming over your pontoons or the up and down movement of that boat in the chop.

Might be better to just decorate your Crestliner with Christmas tree limbs and stay with the big boat.

Larry Eckart
 
Are you talking big open water, too deep to wade, layout hunting?
Or shallow, wade-able, relatively protected layout hunting?
If the latter, it would probably be fine.
 
I don't think you could find a much safer boat if you tried. We used to use them as retrieval boats while hunting divers from shore. I've put similar boats out into wicked waves when I was younger and came back safely every time. Often we would end up with the boat half full of water when launching in surf and it wouldn't stop us. I say go for it, should work just fine!
 
I might never find out. Took the sailboat to Okracoke Island last week. Took the Bombard out with the Admiral and her dog to do some clamming.

Boat leaked a little, boat leaked some more and the Admiral had a hard time keeping up with bailing. Made it back to the dock with a severe leak,while unloading stuff onto the dock the whole seam between the pontoon and the bottom had a total failure. Left me standing in an inner tube.

This was the boat I gave to my son and he "lost" for six years, then found it in the attic. Got it back without oar locks nor a pump. Bought a new pump andoarlocks two days before we left. Also re-registered it for $33.

That wasn't even the worst part of the week.. In the Pamlico Sound....the engine died. With all the bouncing I assumed it was junk sent down to the fuel filter. Emptied to deck box and hung upside down to get to the fuel filter. Changed the filter but there was a lot of water in the separator. Put it all back together and Iran the engine for awhile, drained more water out of the filter....again and again. Then the engine quite for good

All this time the Admiral was driving the boat under spinacker, looking very concerned. We knew the wind was forecast to die later in the day and that would leave us without any propulsion. Next thing was to bleed the fuel lines. Ton of water got into the lines. Now problem bleeding the engine ...until I snapped the bleed screw in half. Was able to fit the broken half of the screw back into the housing with the aid of some lock tight to make it seal. Got home just at sundown after 12 hours on the water.......and no, I didn't see any ducks in 60 miles.
 
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