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The World’s Most Portable Folding
Boat
Now you can own the one boat that offers better
portability than an inflatable with none of the
disadvantages. It has a time-proven hull that matches
the performance of an aluminium boat but comes at ”less than half the weight”!
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Sets Up Fast! |
truly portable…..no inflating…..no
trailers…..no punctures….. just add
water, and go! |
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Incredibly Tough! |
miracle polypropylene…..developed by space
scientists….used to make “lifetime”
batteries, car bumpers and even bullet-proof
vests…. the more you flex the hinge, the
stronger it gets!….steel, aluminium,
neoprene, everything else eventually
fatigues and breaks |
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Time Proven! |
there are now well over 90,000 satisfied
owners world wide, many with PortaBotes
that are more than 30 years old and
still going strong |
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Internationally Tested! |
PortaBote meets all US Coast Guard
standards for level flotation and
stability. All models have been compliance
tested as well as being NMMA and European
Union approved |
The Hull Material has a 10 YEAR WARRANTY….Your Guarantee
of Satisfaction
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They’re ”backbreakingly heavy”. Similar
sized ‘lightweight’ boats can weigh well over
twice as much as a PortaBote! You will have to
”buy an expensive trailer”. They are
“loud”! (Going out in an aluminium boat can
be like “sitting in a tin can”! All
sounds are amplified 10 times or more – a great
way to get a headache, AND drive away the fish!)
And when you get home, “where do you store
it”? |
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Over 50% of the people who buy PortaBotes
world-wide are “disenchanted inflatable
owners”.
Inflatables can be “easily punctured”.
Even the more expensive brands come with patch
kits (which don’t help much when you’re in the
middle of the water!). If you’ve ever owned an
inflatable, you can probably remember pumping it
up at the water’s edge only to find it has yet
“another leak”! An inflatable also needs
a “compressor to inflate it” – unless you
want to waste an hour, or so, using a “foot
pump”. And the inflated skirt can take up as
much as “40% of usable space” – so you’ll
need a 12’(+) inflatable if you want the same
space as you’re going to get in the smallest 8’
PortaBote. A better brand inflatable of that
size is going to cost you “more than £2,500” |
[back
to FAQs]
If you’d like to see a PortaBote ‘in action’, check out
http://youtu.be/uBzPzSBCTSw
To read what others have written about PortaBotes
worldwide, go direct to the international test reviews
on
http://www.porta-bote.com/experts.html.
Matt has a PortaBote page on his website on
http://www.hechtjaeger.webspace.virginmedia.com/styled-7/portabotes.html
Tony is a very keen fly angler with a 12’ PB. His ‘demo’
report is on
http://www.completefisher.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=83005#83005
and writes about his PortaBote's maiden voyage on
http://www.completefisher.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9774
Jamie and Liz use a 10’ PB as their yacht tender – check
out
http://www.followtheboat.com/2011/01/06/portabote/
To hear me talk about PortaBotes at an Angling Show,
click on
http://youtu.be/7ZcGbPPBksQ
[back
to FAQs]
PortaBotes are supplied and distributed in the UK by
IntraMore Ltd. in Lowestoft.
Our contact details are:
IntraMore Ltd.,15
Cooke Close, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 7NW
Tel/Fax: 01502 563595
Mobile:
07990 554292
Email:
IntraMore@SpamCop.net
Website:
www.IntraMore.co.uk
See-Try-Buy
Lowestoft is on the A12 - a 2-hour drive from the M25.
If you’d like to see or try out a PortaBote, visit us
here and we’ll arrange a test demo for you on the nearby
Norfolk Broads. We can normally set this up most days –
even weekends – but make sure to give us some advance
notice.
Collection/Delivery
If you’d like to collect your boat, the boat hulls will
strap to the roof racks of most makes of car and the
seats, together with any other accessories, can be
carried inside the car. Delivery in Norfolk and Suffolk
is by our own transport and we charge a flat fee of £70
to deliver a boat and accessories in this area. Outside
the area we use a carrier so we’ll confirm the cost of
carriage to you before arranging delivery. But in
general, delivery costs are between £90 and £180
depending on your location and your requirements. We can
normally arrange delivery to you within 5 to 10 working
days, subject to stock availability, of course.
Payment Arrangements
A minimum deposit of 15% will secure your order. Most
items are usually ex-stock. We will notify you when your
order is ready and request payment of any outstanding
balance prior to delivery or collection. We accept
payment by cheque, bankers draft and we take all major
credit cards.
[back
to FAQs]
Read what some of our other customers have said about
their PortaBotes;
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“…opens up a new boating experience...makes inflatables
obsolete…trying is believing...”
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“…surprisingly easy to row, extremely manoeuvrable and
very stable...”
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“…all the advantages of an inflatable with none of the
disadvantages - no pumping and no punctures...”
Ø
“…matches the performance of an aluminium boat with far
less noise and half the weight...”
Ø
“…forget the hustle, just enjoy the fun...”
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“…the boat is truly a joy to fish from…accommodates fly
casting without tipping...”
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”...assembly is a doddle…rows well and goes great with
just a 2hp outboard...”
Ø
“…I wish I'd had one 12 years ago when I first started
fishing here in Scotland...”
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“…easily carried on our campervan and still takes us all
off for a picnic…”
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“…two professional inshore fishermen who came out with
me were amazed at the boat’s stability and
seaworthiness...”
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“...we were astonished at the way it handled around
force 3 waves and wind...”
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“...as soon as he'd tried his new PortaBote, he was on
the phone to me, as excited as a Lottery winner…”
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“...other anglers at the loch stare with envy as I get
my PortaBote in the water while they're still struggling
at the slipway or trying to find somewhere to park the
trailer…”
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“...reminds me of the wife - very functional and
extremely tolerant - I just couldn't bear to be without
her (!!)...”
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“...it's easy to transport, set up and launch. It goes
well with 2 adults, 2 children and just a 3.5hp
outboard...”
Ø
“…a very solid boat, a good load carrier, motors
exceptionally well, a great family boat...”
[back
to FAQs]
See how PortaBotes compare with other (similar size)
boats on the market.
Aluminium Boats
The cheapest aluminium boat of similar size to the 12’
PortaBote, is 11'6” long and has a 4'10" beam. It
retails around £2500 and weighs just over 60kgs -
comparatively light for an aluminium construction, but
this is mainly because of the very thin (1mm) single
sheet aluminium used throughout. It can be lifted on top
of a car's (extended?) roof rack, but it will probably
take two people to get it there. It will also spread
almost across the full width of most cars. For those who
don’t wish to try to ‘rooftop’ the boat, there’s an
additional cheap lightweight trailer on offer for an
extra £1000.
(Total cost £3500 - still more than the 12' and the 14’
PBs!)
GRP and Wooden Boats
Fibreglass and wooden boats of similar size and space to
the PortaBote models weigh in at over 100kgs and will
need trailers. A new 12’ long x 5’ beam GRP or wooden
boat on a trailer costs between £3000 and £5000
depending on make and quality. The trailer, and/or boat
and trailer, needs dedicated and suitable storage space
when the boat’s not being used.
Inflatables
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Most advertisements describe inflatable boats in
terms of ‘size’ and this can be misleading to
prospective buyers. Look at the sketches below; |
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A smaller 8' inflatable – normally called a
'260' because of its 2.6 metre overall length –
is not shown, but the layout is similar. Note
the limited amount of internal deck space…
(This is because most of the space in an
inflatable is taken up by the inflated flotation
skirt.)
A good quality ‘340’ inflatable costs between
£1800 - £2400 and has an internal floor space of
approximately 2.3m long x 0.8m wide. It usually
comes complete with a hand-pump, foot pump
and/or compressor, as well as a good puncture
repair kit and several patches. Owners tell us
many amusing tales when they talk about their
inflatables - punctures, leaks, getting wet,
limited capacity, etc. - so it's not surprising
this type of craft is readily available on the
second hand market!
(Try to find a second hand PortaBote!!)
At 2.8m long and 1.4m wide, the smallest
8’ PortaBote provides more internal usable
space than inflatable boats with an overall
length of up to 4.2m and costing up to £4000. |
Other ‘Portable’ Boats
There are other 'portables' and take-apart boats
available on the market. Most of them require some form
of inflation to assist and/or sustain buoyancy. The
wooden portable boats require routine and regular
maintenance, and the internal ‘depth’ in this type of
craft is approximately half of that in a PortaBote. As a
result, users invariably find themselves almost sitting
at the bottom of the boat with their ‘knees under their
chins’!! These boats are typically priced between £1500
and £4000 depending on type, size, requirement,
accessories, etc.. But no other ‘portable’ boat offers
the same amount of internal space, lightness, toughness,
durability and portability as a PortaBote for less
money.
PortaBotes
A PortaBote has all of its internal space available to
the user except for the space taken by the seats/thwarts
that are in place to spread the hull. However, as the
seats are supported at the sides and the middle by
single solid wires, most of the space under the seats is
also available to the user.
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Here are the four different
models of puncture proof
PortaBote; |
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Summary
If you’re seeking a good quality all-round portable
boat, the PortaBote offers you the best value for money
when comparing internal dimensions and available
space, portability, lightness,
flexibility, versatility, toughness,
maintenance, durability, warranty,
etc.. There’s no other boat that comes with a 10-year
hull warranty - not even the multi-million pound luxury
yachts and cruisers!.…”
[back
to FAQs]
All new boats placed on the market or put into service
in the European Economic Area (EAA) MUST comply with the
Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) 95/24/EC.
The 14’, 12’ and 10’ PortaBotes are CE-marked as
category “C” and the 8’ PortaBote is category “D”. For
more about the RCD and its design categories, go to
http://www.ceproof.com/index.php?id=112
[back to FAQs]
Check out the table below
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8'PB |
10'PB |
12'PB |
14'PB |
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Length Overall (folded) |
9'4" |
10'9" |
12'8" |
14'0" |
|
2.85 m |
3.27 m |
3.85 m |
4.28 m |
|
Folded Thickness |
4" |
|
11.4 cm |
|
Folded Width |
24" |
|
0.61 m |
|
Beam (width when open) |
56" |
60" |
|
1.42 m |
1.52 m |
|
Draft on Water |
4" |
|
11.4 cm |
|
Internal Depth (midships) |
22" |
24" |
|
0.56 m |
0.61 m |
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Hull Weight (less seats/transom) |
54 lbs |
67 lbs |
77 lbs |
97 lbs |
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24.5 kgs |
30.5 kgs |
35 kgs |
44 kgs |
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Capacity (persons, motor and gear weight) |
445 lbs |
585 lbs |
670 lbs |
807 lbs |
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202 kgs |
265 kgs |
304 kgs |
366 kgs |
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No of Seats/Thwarts |
2 seats |
3 seats |
3 seats |
4 seats |
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Maximum Outboard Engine Weight |
56 lbs |
83 lbs |
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25.5 kgs |
37.6 kgs |
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Shaft Length (short shaft) |
15" |
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0.38 m |
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Electric Outboard Maximum Size |
Any Size |
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Electric Outboard Shaft Length |
30" - 36" |
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0.76 m - 0.91 m |
[back
to FAQs]
These unique “World Quality Boats” are very
competitively priced. Compare them against any other
boat of similar size and space that will give you the
same portability, reliability, durability and lightness….and
remember, you won’t have to buy, and store, an expensive
trailer.
Our current price list is shown below;
[back
to FAQs]
Please accept my personal invitation to join the
thousands of satisfied PortaBote customers world wide
who are enjoying the instant fun and relaxation only
PortaBote provides. We are ready to talk to you. We can
tell you about availability and delivery times. If you’d
like to try a PortaBote on water, we can arrange it here in
Lowestoft. Or if you’d like to speak to another PortaBote owner, we’ll probably know someone who lives
in your region.
If the South Coast is a better venue for you, contact
Ian Thompson in Christchurch on 01202 423094 or 07768
600595. Ian can arrange a demo for you and keeps
PortaBotes in stock.
We have also planned to display PortaBotes at
the following UK venues.
If you can make it to any of these
shows, or you would like to visit us here in Lowestoft,
we’ll be only too pleased to meet you. We look forward
to meeting you in the very near future.
Roger Jackson
Roger Jackson
(for IntraMore Ltd)
IntraMore Ltd.
15 Cooke Close, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 7NW
Tel:
01502 563595
Mobile: 07990 554292
Email:
IntraMore@SpamCop.net
Website:
www.IntraMore.co.uk
[back
to FAQs]
We supply a wide range of outboard engines suitable for
PortaBotes – including Parsun (http://www.parsunoutboard.co.uk)
We also supply several other accessories suitable for
Porta-Boting. These include;
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Superior technology and revolutionary benefit
You can improve your PortaBote's ecological
footprint without losing performance and with
greater comfort. In the longer term, it’s
likely to be even cheaper than running a
gasoline outboard. Too good to be true?
The Torqeedo motor offers cutting edge
technology that combines performance,
responsibility, comfort and economic advantage.
Smarter, Stronger, Tougher!
The perfect outboard for tenders, dinghies and
daysailers has become even better. If you're
looking for a high-end electric outboard that
could work out cheaper than a regular gasoline
outboard in the long run (taking into account
service and winterisation cost), this could be
the ideal solution |
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Travel 503 and 1003 models with a PortaBote:
1.
Integrated GPS and information system
that provides precise real-time information on
battery charge status, remaining range at
current speed, speed over ground and power
consumption.
2.
Improved mechanical stability, ruggedness
and suitability for salt water use.
3.
20% higher power and approximately 10%
higher efficiency, noiseless design.
4.
Corrosion-free design, does not require a
sacrificial anode
5.
Auto-kickup feature in case of grounding
6.
30% higher battery capacity (Travel 1003
model)
7.
All models can be solar-charged during
operation
8.
Audible alarm warns when battery charge
status reaches 30%
9.
Fully waterproof design, IP67, where all
components can be submersed for 1 hour at 1m
below the surface without harm. |
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[back
to FAQs]
If you’re going to be fishing for a few hours in your
PortaBote, these seats attach to the thwarts for a bit
more back support and comfort
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Old Town Boat Seat |
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Deluxe Boat Seat |
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Lightweight, fixed position |
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360o Rotation |
[back to FAQs]
Portability is the name of the game, and if you need an
outboard trolley to get your engine to the water – or
for storage, or for holding the engine upright while
doing simple maintenance tasks,
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Lightweight Trolley |
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Mediumweight Trolley |
|
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Both trollies fold down flat for ease of
carriage |
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Outboards up to 40kgs |
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Outboards up to 60kgs |
[back
to FAQs]
Fishin Buddy Fishfinders provide the ultimate in
portability, with an ergonomic multi directional clamp
mount design that can be used almost anywhere, with
absolutely no rigging or wiring, or even a transducer to
mount.
[back
to FAQs]
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In 2001, a team from the RAF set out to climb
Mount Everest. The intention of the expedition
was to climb Everest via the North Ridge in
Tibet - the route followed by Mallory and
Irvine. Before the expedition started,
IntraMore Ltd received a letter from the
team leader, Flt Lt Ted Atkins of the RAF
Leuchars Mountain Rescue Team. |
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Here’s an extract from Ted’s letter;
"......it was good to speak to you at the
Scottish Game Fair and I was glad for the
opportunity to look over your remarkable boats.
As I said at the time, I am the leader of the
RAF expedition to climb Mount Everest in 2001.
One of the problems that I'm warned to encounter
during our time on Everest is crossing a glacial
melt lake late in the season between Base Camp
and Advance Base Camp. The lake is very high -
approximately 20,000 feet, so taking a
lightweight craft would be highly
desirable......."
The expedition team used an 8’ PortaBote on the
mountain
to cross the melted glacier. This is a World
record and it was achieved in a PortaBote!!.
(Check out the press release on
www.porta-bote.com/history.html) |
[back
to FAQs]
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Leeds - UK
- British Waterways Technical Services took
delivery of a new hydrographic survey boat
specially designed for use in very shallow water
and in areas where access is difficult. |
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The 10’ (3.27-metre) craft is a folding boat
manufactured by PortaBote International of
Mountain View, California, and supplied in the
UK by IntraMore Ltd of Lowestoft,
Suffolk.
One of the Hydrographic Surveyors from British
Waterways Technical Services said, "For many
years we have prided ourselves on being able to
survey nearly anywhere on the canal system, but
recently requests have come from clients asking
for surveys in remote reservoirs and on canals
where access is unavailable from the towpath. We
needed a rugged boat that could be carried to
remote sites or lowered down banks but at the
same time was easily transportable. The
PortaBote can be carried on a roof rack and can
be assembled and ready to go on the water within
10 minutes.” |
[back
to FAQs]
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The GB Canoeing Team needed an additional
coaching/rescue boat to support their team
training activities in advance of the London 2012
Olympic Games. They decided on a 14’ PortaBote which
they used with an 8hp outboard engine during
the pre-Olympics training.
The Team’s National Performance Coach told us,
“…here’s a picture of the boat in action in
Seville. The PortaBote has worked out really well
and is perfect for what we need…..” |
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[back
to FAQs]
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