Hi Slow, I am one of the rubber raft brigade and I use one of these, with a Suzuki 2.5HP Four Stroke outboard for fishing...
Please note that it is
not one of these...
... this green thing is a
pool toy.
I put it in the trailer when we are travelling and hang the outboard over the back of a seat in the car.
"how small do they fold up too?"
It packs away to a 1 foot by 2 foot by 3 foot package.
"how fast can you blow one up?"
It comes with a speed inflating foot pump and special one way valves, and pumps up in less than 2 minutes with quite easy pumping.
"are they pretty good on not getting a hole in them?"
The rubber/fabric material is very thick. It would be very difficult to poke a hole in it. I have snagged hooks on it without even making a noticeable hole. It has even survived being beached on the rocky shoreline around here in surf, that would have cracked a plywood boat like an eggshell. There are 4 separate air chambers, so one hole leaves 3 chambers fully inflated. Of course you could slash it up with a sharp knife or burn holes in it with a cigar. Just exercise common sense. Minor damage is easily repaired.
"any of you guys use a electric trolling motor on them?"
No but I use a gasoline outboard with a similar power output, and it works really well.
"I am not much of a paddler."
Me neither, but the oars on my dinghy are mounted on pins that force you to row correctly.
"how big of a lake do you get on with these rubber rafts. "
I take mine out on the sea, no more than a half mile out, in good weather, it copes with force 2 or 3 with no problems. But PLEASE do not buy one of those cheap pool toy dinghies (the green thing shown above)! That is asking for trouble.
"how easy are they to move when fully inflated? "
I can pick it up and carry it about on top of my head, or between me and the wife when we have the outboard fitted.
"I have heard canoes are on the tippy side. "
Experienced paddlers will tell you otherwise, they will say that it is about skill level and conditions, but having owned and built more boats, dinghies, kayaks and dories than most, the simple rule is that the narrower the boat in proportion to it's length, then generally the more tippy it is. So a narrow round bottomed canoe is more tippy than a wide flat bottomed dinghy.
"I am thinking about buying my self one."
Do it! Consider it an early Christmas present from me, that you are paying for yourself. You can thank me later! ;)
by Cliffmeister2000 » Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:47 am 
