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[Sinaran]

guys, i am thinking of getting one for local lake fishing, for let's say, 2 to 3 persons.  I have seen the ads at canadian tire there's a "Colossus" or something that goes for 89.99 . Is that good enough? Like, is it safe to boat around the Buntzen/Kawkawa/Allouette?  maybe not? if so, any suggestion? Thanks  for any input!!   

[oddjob]

 I've always wondered about how safe are these average priced inflatables .

[troutbreath]

I have used them for years on hike in lakes. On the bonus side is that it would take a massive tear all the way down the side to let all the air out. So at least they are near impossible to sink. Get the ones with the double chamber on the outside, even safer. I just bought the Coleman 2 person to replace my older ones, and it's great for one person. The bigger the inflatable the more the wind catches it so take that into consideration.

[Sinaran]

I have used them for years on hike in lakes. On the bonus side is that it would take a massive tear all the way down the side to let all the air out. So at least they are near impossible to sink. Get the ones with the double chamber on the outside, even safer. I just bought the Coleman 2 person to replace my older ones, and it's great for one person. The bigger the inflatable the more the wind catches it so take that into consideration.

oh thanks for the valuable information, i guess i would go pick up the coleman one too.  

[Fish Assassin]

Army and Navy has the Sevylor 4 man boat on sale for $169.99

[Sterling C]

Here is the boat I use for all my fishing in Alberta. I've used it on some very large bodies such as cold lake and have never had any troubles. The one thing I would reccomend though, is ditching the stock paddles and buying some canoe paddles.

[gheart008]

I would suggest getting one with the capability of adding a motor mount so in the future if you decide you want to add a motor to it, you can.

I vote for the Intex Seahawk 400 2004 model.

[troutbreath]

Army and navy have good prices on double action pumps for inflatables Walmart sells the 2 person Coleman for 25 canadian loonies. Foot pumps don't work as well. Still looking for a decent beverage holder other than warming my beer by cooling my crotch

[Chrome Mykiss]

A boat is probably the most important piece of equipment when it comes to lake fishing. You are relying on your boat to safely take you out on the lake and return you to the shore. It's definitely something you shouldn't cheap out on Investing in a proper boat can not only provide you with safety but enhance your fishing abilities. A proper boat will allow you to do things that may seam small, but are highly advantages. Such as the ability to stand up in your boat, this will give you a better line of sight when it comes to spotting fish. Having a rigid rowing system will allow you to travel to different areas on a lake and allow you to get to shore quickly when needed. A more rigid bottom boat will allow you to use an electric motor, since it requires a heavy battery. Even a seat is very important, which will enable you to fish more comfortably. So don't buy crap, cause your just going to replace it with something better down the road.

[Sinaran]

wow dudes, u guys should know this well..
yeah i guess i shouldn't go cheap on this , as chrome mykiss has suggested.  One other reason why i am choosing an inflatable over a pantoon/canoe is that i drive a small coupe with limited trunk area, so , convenience and flexibility would be the key.. i would go check it out at army and navy, and cdn tire as well, hopefully there's one fits my criteria..
keep the suggestion coming if u do know of any good one..thanks again guys!

[Bhinky]

I use an Avon 9' inflatable zodiak. I'm pretty sure you can pick one up for about $2000. I drove a prelude for years and there is room in the trunk for the floorboards, stringers and oars and the boat itself folds up into a pouch the size of a hockey bag. These boats are awesome because they don't tip and you can put up to a 30hp motor on most of them. I have been using it for a while and have never had a problem (aside from having a few too many wobbly pops and falling out of it, but that was my fault). They are so stable you can stand on the pontoon of one side of it and it doesn't even move. I recommend one of these!

[coryandtrevor]

Check out Aquamarine Boats in Richmond.

http://www.aquamarineboat.com/.

Quality boats , rigid air cell floors and packs up into a nice trunk sized bag. Around 800 bucks or so.

Fully stable boats that can easily take an outboard/electric a battery and one or two more people depending on how big you want it.

Also try Zebec boats , they are similar but cost a bit more around 1000 bones.

Good Luck

[ja]

I'm in a similar situation as you Sinaran having only a mid size car for transportation. I bought an 11' acquamarine with airdeck and am very happy with my setup. I have a 40lb electric trolling motor and a rod holder attached to the wood bench.  I've been out at least 25 times with no problem. I can pack everything in my prelude trunk, including inflatable, motor, rods, battery....If you're the only person to be in it you can go with a 9' one, but I'm with my son so need a slightly bigger one. I don't think they'll ever quite compare to a regular boat, but for me that just wasn't an option. I'm happy with it...plus you can launch the thing in places you'd have much difficulty with a regular boat. If you wish you can put a larger gas engine on, but again that takes away from the portability of the whole package.

Just my two cents

ps. I also had looked into the seveylor type dinghy's and decided against them.  Big difference in the quality, material, safety, in my opinion.

[Sinaran]

I'm in a similar situation as you Sinaran having only a mid size car for transportation. I bought an 11' acquamarine with airdeck and am very happy with my setup. I have a 40lb electric trolling motor and a rod holder attached to the wood bench.  I've been out at least 25 times with no problem. I can pack everything in my prelude trunk, including inflatable, motor, rods, battery....If you're the only person to be in it you can go with a 9' one, but I'm with my son so need a slightly bigger one. I don't think they'll ever quite compare to a regular boat, but for me that just wasn't an option. I'm happy with it...plus you can launch the thing in places you'd have much difficulty with a regular boat. If you wish you can put a larger gas engine on, but again that takes away from the portability of the whole package.

Just my two cents

ps. I also had looked into the seveylor type dinghy's and decided against them.  Big difference in the quality, material, safety, in my opinion.

thanks for the reply.. 
since u guys r recommending these aquamarine boats, i guess i would just go take a look then.  I need a boat that is flexible, not taking up too much room and help me survive the waves at alloutte lake. 

[Eagleye]

I bought a 14' aquamarine with aluminum floors off ebay and am happy with it so far.  I put a 25hp 2 stroke yamaha on mine and it rides very well.  My only complaint is the seats are really cheap as my friend broke one on the first outing and had it replaced.  Now I put a cooler under one that fits snug to support the weight of my passengers.  Not a big deal though considering their price.  I plan on mounting downriggers with rod holders and a fish finder to the other seat.