There’s really no need to belabor the obvious advantages of going with an inflatable boat. These boats are obviously more affordable, and they’re also easier to bring along on trips. Storage isn’t really a problem, either. But the question now is, should you go with the Newport Baja inflatable dinghy that measures 11 feet and 9 inches?
The Newport brand at least comes with a good reputation. They’ve been around since 2008, and generally try to be better each year with their designs and quality control. More than a decade later, they’re very good indeed.
Carrying Bag and Included Products
So, what are you actually getting? You have a bag that measures 4 feet long and 3 feet wide, with a height of 2 feet. That makes portability a non-issue. You can fit this either in the trunk of your SUV or the back seat of your car.
The bag also includes 2 aluminum seats, 2 aluminum oars, the 5-piece wood floor, and the foot pump. The aluminum-framed marine wood flooring means that this uses marine plywood, with aluminum around the border to make it east for you to connect the flooring pieces together. The flooring pieces are 24mm thick, so they’re very reliable.
The foot pump works marvelously, as it automatically won’t over inflate the boat. When you notice that the foot pump isn’t pushing air in anymore, then there aren’t any wrinkles on the boat. Everything’s smooth, and you can stop the pumping.
Other accessories included are the oar locks and the oar holders, the drain plug, the towing D-rings and topside D-rings. There are D-rings for Bimini attachments as well. Just keep in mind that the D-ring on the middle bow is not for towing. That’s meant for mooring or for the anchor, though it also works as a grab handle.
Thankfully, you also get all the necessary documentation is registration isn’t as frustrating. You can do the registration online via the Newport Vessels website. You need to register the boat if you’re putting a motor in, though it’s not really necessary if you’ll just be rowing the boat.
Setup
This is actually very easy to set up. The whole bag weighs 160 pounds, so you do need 2 people to carry the boat. But the printed instruction manual works nicely (though we made sure by also downloading the online instructions).
Even the foot pump works well enough. It fills up the chambers relatively quickly, so buying an electric pump isn’t all that necessary.
Once you’ve inflated it, you can install the flooring, electric motor, battery, and the fishing gear. It only took us about half an hour or so to get things done.
Size and Dimensions
Well, if you’re going with the Baja, this is perhaps the best size, since it’s the biggest option. The other ones are generally too small. But this one large enough to fit in up to 6 people (in theory). Actually, it’s able to accommodate a total weight of up to 1519 pounds. If the average weight of the people on board is around 200 pounds, then having 6 people aboard is okay.
But that’s just about the weight. With the space available, you’re better off limiting the people to just 4, or else it may get a bit too cramped for comfort. The length on the inside is 106 inches (that’s 8 feet and 10 inches) with a width of 30 inches.
For optimum comfort or for fishing, you may want to stick to 2 folks. You need the space for your fishing gear. But for travel and for recreational sightseeing, then having 4 people on board isn’t a problem.
You do get a wide foot print, which is terrific for stability. You also have an inflatable keel for greater stability and control. On the water with a dinghy, that’s absolutely crucial. The center of gravity is low enough that you don’t really have to worry all that much about going topsy turvy. It’s easy to board and load.
Tough PVC
This isn’t as flimsy as other inflatable products you may have used before, because the materials are topnotch. The PVC from Korea used here is much better than its Chinese counterparts.
This triple-layer PVC is 0.9mm thick, and it’s very tough with its 1,100denier construct. The seams are hot-air-welded. It’s reinforced with an antic-corrosion coating as well. It’s also resistant to UV rays, and the saltwater.
Basically, this boat is indestructible as long as you keep it reasonable. Drag it up the shore and run it into docks, and you’re fine.
Motor Options
This can handle 2- and 4-stroke motors, with up to 20 HP. This also works with the 20-inch long shaft, though you may get better performance with the 15-inch short shaft instead.
With this boat, you can go up to 15 to 20 mph, when you have the 15-inch short shaft 20HP motor. But we do recommend that you keep it to maybe 10 to 15 mph, just to be on the safe side.
Conclusion
This is one fantastic boat. The stability is awesome, as we found out when we tried it with just 2 people on board while there was no motor. We used the included paddles, and it’s so steady and stable. It won’t make you worry.
It’s basically a proper boat, even though you may think that inflatables aren’t all that “proper”. This one truly is. It won’t be surprising if you start thinking about putting in stuff like a fish finder and a rod holder for the boat.
This is great for trolling, with a companion to pass the time with while you wait for the fish to bite. It’s best for calm lakes. Bring along for your next vacation to the lake, and it’ll be a lot of fun indeed. Newport Vessels has a winner with the Baja.