www.iFourWinns.com

It's true... I've been eyeing up boats ever since I bought the first one.. My quest never ends and it is likely that it never will. So with fuel prices going higher and higher, I decided it's time to downsize a little and this is what I picked up.










Ok on a serious note. I really have wanted a "dinghy" ever since I brought the 248 home. I don't have a he man sized cruiser with a mega beam so for me to run out and drop say 4K on a Zodiak RIB is rather pointless as it's wider than my boat's beam which makes Daviting it nearly impossible and they are too hard to deflate and store.

What I needed was a good old blow up boat but I didn't want the typical run of the mill garbage and didn't want a 2K blow up either. And I have been searching for months for something that would strike a ballance between "cheap" and "expensive" something that was affordable but wasn't going to sink or buckle or just blow out a seam.

Then I found the Mariner by Intrex. Intrex is a fairly well known company, more well known in the blow up pool scene (I'm sure you have seen one of thier pools in someone's yard). I looked up the Mariner's specs and I was very impressed in both the design and the construction for the price. The specs are 11' LOA 4'6" Beam with an 18" tube height. It seats four persons or 770Lbs capacity and will take up to a 3.5HP Gasoline Outboard or a 35Lb Thrust Trolling Motor. The hull is three layers of 26 gauge PVC the inner layer is backed with Nylon for tear resistance. It has two seperate chambers filled via boston valves, comes complete with dual oars, rotating oar locks, a full rub rain, rope hand rail, infatable keel with keel guard and a hard floor insert. The motor mount is an optional accessory.

Retail for the hull is $400 and I picked one up off ebay for $247.00 shipped, and $39 for the motor mount. Now all I need to do is pick up a 35lb trolling motor and a small 12V battery and I now have the PERFECT Dinghy for my 248! This thing fully deflated will be stored on the Vista if it will fit in the aft locker, or it will be kept on the bow when not in use.

Check out the youtube videos of a Mariner in action!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmoVsQshG4c&feature=related (With Gas OB)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4f8Jem9VK0 (With electric trolling motor)

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Brett DiMichele

Nice!

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Insane Desire - My 2000 328 Vista...and my state of mind

Looks Pretty substantial! Let us know how the sea trial goes!

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2008 Four Winns V358 (T 6.2L Merc Bravo III's with DTS and SeaCore)
2006 Sea Ray 340DA
2006 Sea Ray 320DA
2005 Maxum 3100 SE

Ditto... on your comments. We will be needing a dinghy when we go island hopping and to be able to pick up transient moorings at marinas as we travel. The smallest Mercury RIB is under 7', but is still pretty pricey ... and a package that is easy to inflate/deflate would be nice.

Let us know how it goes ... in daily use.

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

I will let you know how it holds up. I don't plan on abusing it, so I'm sure it will last me as long as I need it to. From what I've dug up on the internet thus far, some are using this as thier primary boat. I've already found videos of a german couple who use thiers to go on island camping trips others who were in the ocean or a large lake fishing (for barracuda no less... Not sure if I want something with TEETH near my blow up boat)

dry weight is 86lbs so it's not a "lightweight" is not in the equasion, that's heavier than a lot of the "name brand" 8' blow up's.

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Brett DiMichele

Congrats! Where do you plan to store the battery and motor?

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

Walt,

The battery and motor will store in the aft locker. Looks like the boat isn't going in there no way no how But the boat comes in a
storage backpack so it can be carried on and I can toss it up on the bow. I can also blow it up and store it on the bow underway and just toss it down to the water at anchor and walk it to the back of the boat and put the motor/battery in.

I should put a 150Lb Thrust motor on it with three small batteries (needs 36V) wonder if it will plane?

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Brett DiMichele

How bout you drop a 4stroke 2.5 hp on it and not worry about the battery

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

I don't want to worry about gas... If I had a gas OB I would have to store it upright which means I would need an OB mounting plate which they do sell, but I'm not sure if the grab rail on the back of the aft seat would support 45lbs and honestly, for a 248? Electric will be fine.. A 35lb thrust trolling motor can be run all day of a small 12v motorcycle battery and will push the boat 6/7mph which is all the more I need.

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Brett DiMichele

Shweet! Reminds me... the floor separated in my zodiac last season - I have to go see if it's repairable. The dinghy is a great way to meet chicks - they all want a ride over to the bar!

If they are headed to the bar, they can walk...

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Brett DiMichele

With a 4.4 electric you're going nowhere fast, especially not with more than one passenger or choppy water. My 10' bombard dinghy doesn't weight that much. That and the way that engine bracket mounts isn't going to nearly as durable as a regular dinghy transom. Still, it certainly beats nothing. I'd be inclined to get a second battery to keep charged while the other is in use.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Walking speed (approx 7MPH) with a 35Lb electric. There are plenty of videos on you tube that show the speed with various trolling motors from 35lb up to 55lb. It really scoots with a 2.5 Horse honda outboard but I am not getting into carrying gas with me.

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Brett DiMichele

Im not sure, but 11' stored on the bow. I have an 8'1 inflatable that takes up most of the bow. I store it up there while traveling. Anything too much larger and you wont be able to see or close the walk thru. Looks good though. As far as the electic motor, not sure about the area you boat in, but here in CT everywhere we go is tidal. That means currents, and sometimes 6 knot currents. we had a smaller dink two years ago with an electric motor and had to row along with it just to move.

248,

I will be curious to see how it performs with an electric motor. I boat on rivers and inland lakes, nothing tidal. The river can be as little as .5knt current up to 6knts on a very rough day (like today) but I wouldn't be out today. Most days it's placid with very little current.

I can partially deflate it to store it on the bow if it winds up being a bit too long, or I can keep it in the carry sack till I am anchored. I will "work around" it

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Brett DiMichele