Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska inflatable boats?

Yep, we've hit the big time I reckon

it's certainly smaller than the one in Anchorage though.

it's in the part of the old Fred Meyers building where Granger was.

The old Freddys across from bentley small?

If you see that guy that sold it to me, give him a smack for me, woodja?

yep you nailed it.


come up sometime, I'll be happy to show you the sights here in the "big" city! lol

Ironbender
I am sure that scoundrel that sold you that rifle has been hung as a thief by this time.

By the way, The search for an inflatable is over, I bought a used Mercury inflable today-

What motor you going to run Royce?

Jason

Pretty much decided on a Yamaha 9.9- Reaons being I amtold they are not as fussy about fuel as the Honda. I'd go with more HP but want to keep the weight down. What are your thoughts?

Fred

Were they formerly sold as US Marine?

I had a 10'6". It seemed to run best with the max reco'd HP motor. Mine was rated for 15 hp.

Too bad. Seemed like a pretty good guy.

Probably be up towards the end of Aug to move my girl kid.

This boat is rated for 25 HP and I think that would be best but because it's going to be in and out of the truck a lot, I'd like a light motor. (Read "I am a wimp"). As long as it goes faster than a grizzly can swim, I'll be happy. Hopefully will try it out on the Chilkoot Lake in Haines in the next two or three weeks, and maybe on Chilko Lake in BC on the way home.
It's been driving me crazy to drive by all these lakes and ponds and not be able to get on them.

Fred

Different criteria I suppose for a lake vs running upstream. Good point on the lifting and toting.

In the 2 stroke world (the only one I would consider if lifting and toting by a wimp is involved) the 9.9 and 15 hp are usually the same engine and almost 85 pounds.

Going 4 adds 40#...

A two-stroke 15 is the best use of weight/power.

Plus a 2 stroke can be laid on it side, not critical like a 4 stroke whose powerhead has to be elevated. The 9.8 HP Tohatsu is light for a 4 stroke and it weighs 81.5# but a lot of waters require the use of 4 stroke motors.

I made a bracket that goes on a cargo carrier hitch mount for my outboard. Pull the inflatable off the pick up rack turn boat around in water and lift motor and put it on transom. To much work to haul it out of truck and keep powerhead elevated. My 8 HP 2 stroke is around 58#.

Good pick on the Yamaha motor, they are very good motors and you should get years of use from it.

Good choice on the Yamaha. But the Mercury inflatable is one of the crappiest on the market, if it is PVC. Should have done your due diligence.

What makes the Mercury the crappiest? Where is it apt to fail?
thanks.

Fred

Another vote for a two stroke 15 hp, used aren't too crazy expensive and hard to go wrong with E-rude, Johnson, Yamaha or Suzuki.

If I were getting a 4-stroke kicker I'd go with the Tohatsu 9.8 horse as it's far and away the lightest 4-stroke at ~80#'s. Most 9.9-15 4-strokes are 100-120#.

As far as power, a 9.9 is going to be marginal to get a ~10' inflatable and two people on step, you'll want a 15 for that. On the flip side, there are lakes that are limited to under 10 hp, so the 9.9 has an advantage.

While PVC rafts aren't the best, with care you should be able to get quite a few seasons out of it. A less than ideal boat you can afford beats the heck out of the perfect boat you don't have. We've gotten a lot of use out of our little PVC inflatable.

add 12/14 pounds ... Suzuki > EFI DF15AES = Fuel-Injected AND 50% more ponies.....
....tie them Carbureted Yamaha-Hondas to the anchor chain imo