Questions about the little boats

[Sam_IL_WI]

I'm talking about those little boats made for one or two people, usually of a plastic compound such as Polyethylene or ABS. I've seen them shaped like dinghys, twin hulled mini bass boats etc. A few questions to those of you who may own or use one of these boats on a regular basis.

1. I'm assuming their best use is on small bodies of water such as ponds, creeks & smaller rivers. Due to their short length, it seems most are under 10 feet, do they tend to become unstable or feel unstable during periods of taller waves? Any particular style that would feel more stable in say 1 to 2 foot waves?

2. I've heard stories that some of these plastic composites tend to get brittle after a few years. Has anyone experienced cracks or tears and were you able to get them repaired at a reasonable cost?

3. If you've owned one for a reasonable amount of time, would you buy another, or go to a more conventional type of boat such as a jon or utility style V hull of aluminum or fiberglass material?

Thanks for any answers and insight into these little boats.
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[Tarpon4me]

Little boats like you're refering to have one place, and that is on small bodies of water.

All boats, big or small, become unstable when the water gets rough. The best of the worst are the "bass Buggies" you can buy at like bass pro or dicks sporting goods. They are tunnel/ cat style hulls, and are the most stable.

The plastic hull boats will only get brittle and fragile if you don't take care of them. Leaving them outside in the sun and exposed to the elements is the worst thing you can do. Eventually, the boat is going to give up. But keeping it out of the elements will slow this process dramatically. \\

What type of boat really depends on what type of fishing you're doing. Each has it's place. I've had a few different ones. Right now, i've got a small aluminum john boat my son and I use in small ponds and such. I miss the stability of the old bass buggy, but it works.

There is, however, an exception to the rule. Zodiac boats is the exception to anything you think you know about small and big boats. They are rigid, incredibly strong, and can handle water that most boats only dream of. The smaller sized versions of the Zodiac frequently used on large ocean going vessels as a dingy. They are designed to handle big water and hold up to a lot of abuse. Check them out, that might be your compromise.
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[Sam_IL_WI]

Thanks for the reply and it's about what I expected to hear. For the most part most of the lakes/rivers closest to me would be served well with a little boat like those. There's a number of bigger lakes within an hour or so, that I don't think they would handle unless I stayed fairly close to shore.

As far as the stability of the boat, my concern was with it being so short. I'm picturing riding up to the crest of one wave and nose diving over the top into the trough between the waves. Then either flipping it, rolling it, or experiencing a ride similar to being on a bucking bronco.
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[Tarpon4me]

LOL, I hear ya. If you want a boat to handle rough water, the answer is a deep V. No way around it partner. It's that or a submarine. [:p]
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