This is what I'd like to get if I needed a replacement inflatable boat.  From China I found this for $5400 USD plus shipping (??$$)

 

 

 

Qingdao Jenhal Boat Co., Ltd.

We are a manufacturer of rib boat, inflatable boat, sports boats, fishing boats and kayaks.

We have 10 different models available in 30 sizes. This selection has attracted buyers from, Greece, France and Germany. We think you'll like it too. Our annual sales reach $2 million.

Our daily output is 40PCS of inflatable boats. So we can always finish your orders in 30 days. For rush orders, we can cut it down to 20 days.

We use fabrics and glue imported from South Korea and Europe, so we can supply high quality boats. We make FRP hulls and color transoms by ourselves. We can also produce as per customers' requirements and logos. My boats have got CE certification and ISO9001-2000 by SGS & UKAS.

My 14ft Yukon Sportboat purchased in 1988

This is my one and only inflatable boat that I use for Fishing outside the SF Golden Gate Bridge and Monterey local dive sites.

Still in good shape after all these years, got it in 1988.  Runs with a 25HP Yamaha. Still have the original wood floor.

Wow! A air pump that shuts off when it reaches 3.6PSI!

Pricey $128USA SEAMAX GP-80D Speedy Air Pump for the deluxe digital model, the standard model is cheaper.

How the pump works:

When the pump starts it will be on a HIGH VOLUME (Turbine) pump until the pressure reaches 2 PSI. Then the pump will automatically switch over to the HIGH PRESSURE (Piston) pump and inflate the boat to its set pressure . Once reaching the set pressure the pump will automatically turn itself off.
Island Inflator pumps come in 2 different models: Standard and Deluxe


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Standard Model Features include:
High Speed, High-Pressure pump.
Automatic Stop when chosen pressure is reached
Reliable combination of Turbine & Piston to reduce wear
12 Volt lead with alligator clips
All necessary valve adaptors included
Carry Bag with storage compartments

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Deluxe Model Features include:
Includes all the same features as the Standard model including extras like:
Internal Battery, allowing to take this pump anywhere
Digital Pressure setting screen
Digital screen also shows how much air pressure is in the tubes
Smaller pressure setting increments
240V Internal battery charger

Takacat Explorer Open model looks like a great dive or fishing platform, it has lots of room!

But it's home company is based in New Zealand with a USA contact.  Shipping from New Zealand to the USA will most likely be an expense you will have to really think about.  They mention that their boats are manufactured in China and they use the thicker PVC and give you choice of Hypalon.

Go here and take a peek:
http://www.takacat.com/21.html

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:

Galvanized Bunk trailer for a 14ft boat

Shipping Alternative?

If you can't beat them, then try this!

Buy your boat/motor/trailer that has shipping (hopefully free) within the 48 contigous states and have it shipped to a freight forwarder.  I found one in Los Angeles.  They offer a LCL service, Less than Container Load.  

Why can't I ship anything I buy in China direct to Hawaii?

Due to the Jones Act of 1920, this prohibits it.  All goods must hit the mainland first then reship back to Hawaii.

So we're 2nd class citizens?  What an outdated maritime law!!!!

Even Walmart's China shipments have to come to the US mainland then turn around again to ship to Hawaii.
Dumb law, huh?

Well, a few of the politicians may be starting to get interested in repealing certain parts of the Jones Act to get the shipping changed.  It only makes sense to ship direct from China to Hawaii!

Outboards made in China

Things change as time goes on!

3 years ago I would not have entertained the idea of buying a Parsun or Sail outboard marine motor. But now I would.

Parsun is using the expired copyright to the Yamaha 2 stroke series and the internet discussions are talking about a 1/3 less in price (real?).

The Parsun's replacement parts have been commented on by repair places that says they seem to be better made and are interchangeable with the real Yammies.

By now the prices have kinda caught up as the dealerships are beginning to show up on US soil. The first ones I saw were in Canada.

And now guess what?

I see the china made 2 strokes are running cleaner, 4strokes are starting to show up on the list of choices. Still at $500 less that the competitors.

I've been told that Mercury is now made in China along with Tohatsu and Nissan. Suszuki's are still made in Japan I think.

How much engine power do I need?

With my old Yukon Alaska Sport boat at 13ft-9inches and weighs 230lbs with floor, Yammie 25hp 2stroke weighs 105lbs, 6 gals of gas, 3 divers, 3 tanks, 3 weightbelts I have never opened the throttle more than half way on the Yammie 25hp 2 stroke.

Boat dealers are telling me that a 4stroke 15-20hp should work out fine for a 13-14ft inflatable.

What do you think?

What type of trailer should I buy?

The quote from the local boat place on Oahu was around $1000-1100 for a galvanized 12inch tires bunk style trailer. It's a regular boat trailer with a payload of 1200-2000lbs. I really need only a 600-900lb payload type trailler.

Being garage space limited the foldable trailers seems like a good choice but none of them are galvanized.

Since they are sold as trailer kits that require you to bolt it all together, the shipping in multiple boxes is a plus rather than a totally assembled one that you would have to find a freight carrier to deal with. Your needs may be the opposite.

The Price is the issue here:

These trailer kits costs $375USD - $1400USD. The ones I'm closely looking at are in the $400-600 USD cost range.

There are powder painted steel, galvanized, and aluminum choices on the finish.

I thought I had to purchase a galvanized trailer kit, but some of the makers offer that option for an extra charge of $112 which sounds like it's worth it to add to your options.

I didn't see any aluminum trailers for less than $1100-1500USD; some payloads were less than 500lbs.

Some of these trailer kits are not really designed for boats but more so for a 4ft X 8ft flat bed. With these types you may need to add the winch post, winch, bunks or bunk cloth material so your boat can slide onto the flat bed. I would not use this type of trailer without putting the plywood down on the flat bed, or I'd install two 5ft bunks at the back half of the trailer if you don't like the flat bed option.

For the amount of freeway driving the trailer needs to do, I'm opting for the 5.80 X 12inch tires.

My motor weight of 105lbs, + boat 200-250lbs and maybe 200lbs of dive gear is under my requirement for the payload restriction of 600lbs.

So my choice would be to get a Red Trailer or Amorex foldable flatbed trailer that I could galvanize the steel parts and put together as a kit for under the $800USD price tag.  The CE Smith trailer kits area just under $800 USD too but they are not foldable or break down easy to store away.

Who makes inflatable boats?

Google "inflatable boat" and you'll see lots of links/websites that want your business. At this time of looking, I didn't see too many sites that could handle selling you a boat in a single quantity without asking. Their method of payment may be a bit tedious also as they tend to deal in bulk purchases.

On their payment page, you may NOT see Paypal or Credit Card choices.  Instead you may be dealing with their preferred bank or your bank.

It's interesting to see who is really making these inflatable boats and the brands that they have made them for. In China, they just make the boats on a large manuafacturing scale. Selling quantity of one boat may not be of interest to them so don't be snubbed if you don't get responses from attempts to contact them.

Be aware of the region/location of the manufacturing site, sometimes shipping may become a challenge to get your boat to your country. On average (ballpark) I see $600 USD costs to get your boat with wood floor shipped from them to you (of course it's ocean freight)! Ribs will cost you more but I haven't gotten there yet.

Not all Inflatable boat manufacturers are getting their boats made in China; you might be surprised on who has.

Here's my list of who I have found that have websites for you to browse thru just click on the link to see what they have:

Qingdao Lian Ya Boat Co.,Ltd.

 Qingdao Shinkwang Boat Co., Ltd.  (As of 2008, maker for Zodiac)

Qingdao Yandao Boat Manufacturing

Aoqiinflatables
China-inflatable
Sunriseboats

HaoHaiBoat

Look at the comments for more reported manufacturers websites.  As I find out more I'll come back and update this page.






.

Things to do to your inflatable boat after you buy it

Protoect your pvc or hypalon inflatable boat material with this spray protection:

Formulated with space age surfactants and degreasers, Amazon's Clear Inflatable Boat Cleaner will easily remove most stains, streaks and grease. Used by manufacturers, boatyards and boat owners because of its easy application... simply spray on and rinse off with fresh or salt water. Biodegradable.

AMAZON'S Inflatable Boat Cleaner

INF-850

Inflatable Boat Cleaner

32fl.oz.

$11.99

eBAy as a source for inflatable boats

WARNING: These links constantly CHANGE!
If you search here, you find:

- Semor Inflatables by Powerkingshop - Nanaimo, BC, Canada
- Baltik Inflatables by Affordable Inflatables - Orange County, CA, USA
-Aquamarine Boat - Vancouver or Richmond, Canada
-http://www.Inflatablestogo.com
-http://www.Sunsetinflatables.com

From what I see offered are the same ones I am beginning to see on the China websites. The price you get quoted from the manufacturer or seller in China may not include the shipping of your boat to your final delivery destination. The FOB charge they usually quote will usually get your boat to a freight dock or shipper. The shipping of one purchased inflatable boat is a challenge in itself since none of the people I talked to in China will go to any great lengths to help you get the best deal on shipping your boat to you or they don't seem to bother at all. Hopefully this will change as they realize the internet commerce is a fine way to do business with.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:

Galvanized Bunk trailer for a 14ft boat

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Lift handles mounted on the transom outside on each side of the engine, you can use it for lifting the boat to adjust/positiioning on the trailer or use it to clip things onto the boat with.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Motor mount plates on both sides of transom

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Life lines all around the boat, especially at the bow

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Soft or hard Keel

Soft - less damage when you run over things in the ocean but there's tendencies of slight sliding when running forward. Even though called soft keel, when pumped up to 5lbs of pressure it'll get the job done.

Hard Keel - does a better job of biting into the ocean water when driving forward.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Keel protection

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Paddle storage on lower sides of tubes on the inside of boat

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
25-40HP capability - ideal outboard 25HP due to light weight (2 stroke under 105lbs 4 stroke 125lbs). Choices priority: Mercury, Yamaha, Evinrude, Nissan, Tohatsu. Watch out Suizuki is too heavy! 4 strokers will use 50-60% less gas then the 2 strokes. Which one would you buy?
$500-$800 more for a 4 stroker. For Lake use - check! 2 strokes may be banned.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Aluminum (1st choice) or wood floor with aluminum framing and stringers

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Payload of 1800-2200 lbs - the more weight the boat can handle the better it will handle in the ocean. My allowance per person is 150-200lbs + 100lbs of dive gear.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Min. of 4 grab handles on sides of tubes - more handles means more people helping you lift your boat to the water. Great to use for clip lines to hold your gear while beginning or returning from a dive. Also great for attaching your equipment leashes to keep it in your boat if a big wave washes over or if your boat ever gets flipped (hope this never happens to you).

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Go to have:
Pressure relief valves - you need this if you boat will be in the hot sun a lot. Worth adding to your boat if you don't have it yet.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Go to have:
Overall length of (12feet 6inches or 13feet 6inches or 14feet) is a good size for a non-RIB! Size matters!

Considerations:

How big is your garage/storage area
Bigger boat may mean bigger trailer
No trailer means you need to pump up or break down the boat each time you use it
3 divers in a 13 or 14footer is comfortable, 4th diver needs organizing but balances the boat load out

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Extra layer of material on the bottom of the tubes - some dealers call this Grizzly Claw protection. Note that the center keel is also covered with the extra material.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Hypalon or PVC material? Well, some of the higher end inflatables offer a hybird of both. PVC is the new material of late. 2 years ago, I found boats with 1000 denier pvc. Today most of them are 1100 denier sandwiched with other materials to make up something they call Decitex/Dtex. If you look hard, you'll even find newer materials that are 1300 denier with another new weird name. I think the PVC boats are fine, as the manufacturers have all switched to this material now. It'll be hard but not impossible to find a hypalon made boat these days. More info in another post.

My Inflatable Boat Requirements (Dream on?)

Got to have:
Wide beam of 6ft. 7inches! That means try to get a boat with 36-40 inches as a minimum for the inside width!

A lot of boats have only 30-34inches of inside width and that's very cramped! But if it's the boat you think you like, try sitting in the back of the boat where you would steer the outboard and place the items you would have during your dive outing to see how much room it takes:

6 gallon gas tank, 3 scuba tanks with BC's , weightbelts, anchor and rope, anything else you normally would bring!

Craigslist Ad for 25HP Mercury 4 Stroke New $2700

Wow!

2007 25 hp Mercury outboard 4-stroke,still in box - $2700 (honolulu)

---

Reply to: see below
Date: 2008-04-13, 8:00AM HST


25hp mercury 4-stroke,manual,starting,tiller & trim

---

A good deal! But on the wrong island for me.

*******Ad will be over with by the time you read this so it's just for example of what you can find here in these islands as far as used inflatables. This looks to be fine. You would just need to check the bottom of the tubes and see if they are still glued well to the fiberglass hull.

2006 nice 13'2 Mercury Marine inflatable w/30hp evinrude - $4000 (HAIKU MAUI)

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Reply to: sale-607346685@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-03-15, 10:20AM HST

2006 nice 13'2 Mercury Marine inflatable w/30hp Evinrude. Fiberglass bottom, trailer, and all the stuff you need to have fun with this boat. Motor like new.

OK I give up, time to get the inflatable locally?

Searching thru Craigslist for Honolulu did find me some used inflatables to think about. But in general if the seller is not leaving the island (no pressure to sell) then the sell price is very high.

For those used inflatables ads I did look at that had pics to show the condition of their boat and trailer:

Very Bad shape! The sun UV rays damage is relentless out here in Hawaii. Anything with color just fades! The red or blue or black colors make the inflatable look like crap after a couple years. Gray or White or Biege colors don't show the Sun wear as much.

And the amount of rust on anything metal or the trailer was another issue. If it's not galvanized, then forget it! The inside of the hollow core of the trailer frame may have rusted out and you may not notice until the trailer breaks or starts to bend under stress load. Hopefully the galvanizing got on the inside of the hollow channel too when the trailer was dipped.

Since I'm living here permanently, my considerations should be for longevity of the trailer, inflatable, and the outboard.

Sometimes there IS a real good DEAL to be had! (in the next message) Too bad it's on the wrong island for me.

Rant and Raves about my old Yukon Inflatable

Did you catch that my inside width at the transom was 40inches! That a lot considering that most other inflatables have only 30-36 inches. Don't understand why none of the inflatable designers didn't pick up on incorporating this nice feature of extra space in the back of the boat?

It's made of Hypalon! Had only a 5 year guarantee, but Hypalon is known to last up to 30 years.
The PVC Decitex stuff doesn't hold up that long, maybe 10 years if you are careful.

My Tubes are FAT! 22 inches and great to sit on, but it's harder/higher to get back into the boat with.

My payload is 2250 lbs! I've had 4 divers with full gear in this boat and it was more than fine.

Should have gotten electric start for my 25HP Yamaha 2 stroke outboard, but starts on the first pull every time if you have gas in the fuel bowl of the carburetor.

Sectional Floor is in a total of 4 pieces, the last part being the largest piece so the boat has less flex and klacking sounds when the boat is in motion.

Oars/Paddles are strapped to the inside lower part of the tubes, out of the way and easy to get to. Don't expect to row the oars/paddles; there are no pivoting hardware to mount the paddles on so don't run out of fuel!

Transom has a cut out section or dropped down U section to allow me to use a short shaft outboard, keeping the weight down. I used stainless steel bolts to keep the outboard from ever falling off during operation; easy to take on and off - just use a air powered wrench!

Remember this boat was made in 1990 in Hungary from an Italian design. Yukon is no longer in business, the guy who was President of Yukon Inflatable boats is now working for Zodiac.

+++++++++++But this boat will have to stay in California now sooooooooooo I need another boat for Hawaii use!

My Old Inflatable Specs & Cost

I have the Yukon Alaskan Sportboat 14:
13ft. 6in Overall Length
6ft. 9in. Overall Width
9ft. 7in. Inside Length
40in. Inside Width
22in. Tube Diameter
202 lbs total weight - boat 132lbs Wood Floor 70 lbs.
Payload 2250 lbs.
Hypalon material
3 main tubes + inflatable Kneel
25HP 2 Stroke Yamaha
18ft EZloader wide bunk trailer

the boat itself cost me $2359 in 1990 and still commands a used price of $1500
Total everything price was $6000 out the door of the store.

FedEx SF, CA to Honolulu, Hawaii $1220

FedEx website estimator results:

package1 (boat) 145lbs insured for $1600
package2 (Floorboards) 90lbs insured for $400
package3 (outboard motor) 120lbs insured for $1400

Total cost to ship: $1220.00 USD Total weight: 335lbs.

All packages are boxed securely to help protect the boat from rough handling during shipment.

**Note: It's worth re-checking again at some future date to see if it's cheaper.

UPS SF, CA to Honolulu, Hawaii $992.55

UPS website estimator results:

package1 (boat) 145lbs insured for $1600 $330.85
package2 (Floorboards) 90lbs insured for $400 $330.85
package3 (outboard motor) 120lbs insured for $1400 $330.85

Total cost to ship: $992.55 USD Total weight: 335lbs.

All packages are boxed securely to help protect the boat from rough handling during shipment.

**Note: It's worth re-checking again at some future date to see if it's cheaper.

Other ways to get my inflatable to Hawaii?

Now that option of using Matson Lines for shipping my trailered inflatable boat with outboard wasn't a good choice cost-wise, I moved on to investigating the option of using a freight forwarder or FedEx or United Parcel Service.

I made the decision not to ship the trailer and would rebuy one on Ohau after I get the boat/motor to Oahu.

Here's what I found on shipping just the boat, floors, oars, gas tank, fuel hose, and outboard motor:

Don't worry this is about how to choose an inflatable boat

This blog begins with how I got to the point of getting a new inflatable boat, outboard, and trailer.

Why I didn't ship my inflatable to Hawaii?

I shipped our SUV in March 2006 using Matson Lines for $950 USD. Dropped it off in Oakland, CA and it arrived in Honolulu at the end of 4 days! Amazing! Other people have warned it'll take 2-4 weeks to get my car back, but I didn't get that experience.

Aha! Quick quote shipping for a large bulky boat on a trailer with my 25HP outboard attached to the transom all under 800 lbs - I thought good idea?

Nope! Never did go thru the actual shipping but my attempt at getting a quotes gave me a cost of $4000. There was even a auto-surcharge of $950, which was for using their auto to pull my trailer and boat onto the ship and off. Might as well added a car or truck to be shipped too huh?

Quote:

Why I created this blog?

Yes, this is NOT my boat. I'll repost the real picture later. It's just my dream boat.

I've been researching a replacement for my Yukon Sportboat 14 inflatable for my fishing and scuba diving use. Since 2-3 years ago the inflatable market has changed quite a bit. The China manufacturing influence now comes into play. The materials the inflatable boat is made of now has changed to a type of PVC as opposed to Hypalon. The RIB with fiberglass or aluminum bottoms are getting cheaper to make but still expensive to ship.

All of my experiences and notes on what I found will be logged into this blog. It's not my intention to ask anyone for help, but if you want to comment on anything I put here, please do.