Accessories

boat
We chose a blow up for ease of transport and storage(as opposed to a hard canoe). The first time inflating it was frustrating. The pinch valves aren't very user friendly. Perhaps I need a better tool.(it's always something). It was very difficult to get the pump attachment to stay in the valve and the pinch to stay open. The other valves were much better(boston valve maybe). It was also difficult to deflate with the pinch valves. It also wasn't all that comfortable to sit in while rowing/paddling.(that was our main goal). It is probably very good with an engine. We may get one for future outings.

It is a good boat and affordable but perhaps wasnt the best choice for what we wanted to use it for.

Single mom, 2 kids and a dog...
I've had both the 9'2" and the 12' Fish Hunter. Got the first one the year my husband passed away as a way of distracting us. It came as a package with battery, oars and electric troller.

My boys were 15 and 9, and we had a miniature shepherd and that boat took us through probably 2 dozen impromptu lake trips the first year. Packed up the boys, (light)fishing gear, a couple of backpacks and a stuff-sack of food, 'strapped' the tent onto one side and laid the sleeping bags in the bottom (on top of a good tent liner)for 'paws' protection, loaded up the dog and took off (we have even towed a smaller 2-man Sevylor hauling a cooler, camp stove, water and extra 'dry-bags' of food, but had to use the oars rather than the troller).

As far as inflating it, 15 minutes the first time, cos I was clueless! Second time, maybe 8 minutes using a rechargeable; 5 minutes with a.c. pump...so what I did a lot of times was inflate it with the electric one, tie it to the roof of my car and take the d.c. one in case of emergency...which I never had. Deflation takes a bit longer but only cos you really should "squeeze" the air out.

We were comfortable enough in that 9' boat, even with all the gear and the dog. But I was 5'2" @ 121 lbs., son #1 was 5'8" @ 181, son #2 was 4'11" @ 140 and the dog was about 60 lbs and stood 2' tall and about 2.5' nose to rump. Although you might have fit 4 adults, I think it would've been a bit cramped and a little less stable (not that you'd dump over as long as everybody stayed sat), cos let's face it, it sits on top of the water with no ballast and no keel.

It's a toughie though! Even though there were dead trees in the water of one of the lakes (learned about them the hard way!), we managed to get to "our" island and back without a hitch. I was worried there was unseen damage, but when we got home I blew it up tight and checked...nothing.

I did sustain a cat claw puncture when my dog chased a cat that was in it about to use it as a litter box, but the included kit worked fine. A friend suggested investing in a roll of boat repair tape for inflateables, that will stick even when you make the repair under water. I had occasion to use it when I purchased the 12' and the repair patch is still in place, June 2008!

Incidentally, I purchased the 9' back in 1999. I bought the 12' in 2002. My son inherited the 9'...it will soon be one of his emergency dingies on his "real" boat. The 12' is still going strong...except my younger son wants it.

So I guess I'll be gettin' another 12' for my old, OLD age!

Honestly? I'd rather have a Sevylor Fish Hunter than a standard type of a boat. I don't like storing things outside or in the shed except for mowers and garden tools (crawly critters and spiders, you know), so I dry it before I deflate it, roll it up (usually with a couple beach towels) and stick it in the back corner of my closet in a storage sack I made from an old tarp.

Super tough boat! Excellent quality.
I bought this boat so my 9 year old son and I could go fishing in various lakes. The material is very strong--no worries about it popping. It is maneuverable enough that you can take it places where people with "real" boats cannot (e.g. dense patches of partially submerged bushes/trees). It is very stable on the water. I like it because it lets us have a boat without having to worry about a trailer or an extra garage stall for storage. It fits fine in the trunk of a small car, and with an inexpensive inflator, you can be ready to go in the water in about 10 minutes. There is enough room for Grandpa, Father, and son to sit and fish comfortably. Anything more than that would be too crowded. I highly recommend this boat to anyone who wants to go on a lake but doesn't want to buy a real boat.

Worth the Money
This item is well worth the money. I purchased it for my son on Christmas. The delivery was so fast I could not believe it. I think they used superman to deliver. The boat is well constructed. I am not sure about putting (6) people in it. (3) people can fish comfortably anything more would mean sardines. Inflating the boat is easy with numbered chambers. I would certainly recomend using a 12 V inflator. It takes about 5 min to inflate with a 12 volt pump. A foot pump seems to be inadecuate for the size. It does have alot of little extras like the trolling rod holders. I did make my own motor mount which works great. I put a 30lb thrust trolling motor and it works great in the lakes. This boat can be registered and used in public waters. It is very portable can be stored in a closet. What more can you ask for under $200.

awesome
the fish hunter inflatable boat is awesome. I store it in a storage closet in my apartment. the boat doesn't take waves too well. I would suggest getting a 40 lb thrust trolling motor or stronger if you want one. the boat holds 2 guys and mb a kid max