Homemade portable folding boat?!

Posted by: jwild

Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/07/11 10:04 PM

ohhh yes we did..






these made for some great trips
Posted by: wwells

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/09/11 07:28 PM

Looks interesting. Any other info available?
Posted by: billstephenson

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/10/11 10:53 AM

Definitely Cool!

Tell us a bit more....
Posted by: jwild

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/11/11 05:42 PM

well there are probably 30+ different designs, the ones pictured above are the most heavy duty models with the internal aluminum frame. There is a pop up model that is really light... and another fold up model that is light as well (never really weighed one but its made of corrugated plastic.) hers a video you can see the folding one at the end...


Me and my friend would use these for "backwater" fishing to hit areas that most people couldn't. My friends dad has patented all of the designs, been doing it for 10+ years, many people have started to make their own too
Posted by: BZH

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/11/11 06:23 PM

any plans to commercialize these?
Posted by: ndnvet0331

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/14/11 09:14 AM

i so must know where to find this item ..i flyfish...an travel alot ...in a small car ..any info ...please ..please send it to me ...either here or face book ..or yahoo ....(facebook----echo fourhotel),,,,blacktaildeer76@yahoo.com....just any thing ....thank you sooo much
Posted by: billstephenson

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/14/11 09:33 PM

Yeah, that's a pretty cool boat. I'd like to have one on my houseboat to putt around in. I have a Coleman inflatable raft, but it's a pain to blow up and deflate. That folding boat would be a great replacement and I'd use it a lot more since it'd be so fast and easy to launch and store.

Posted by: jwild

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 05/15/11 04:33 AM

Hey I want to acknowledge that I have seen your replies as I continue to post on this forum (seems to be a real good community compared to many others) and let you know I will get back to you in a few days regarding these boats, as I am currently really busy. cheers-

Posted by: jwild

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 06/01/11 01:17 PM

sorry guys commercialization right now is not looking good. The initial investor/manufacturer had some shady wording in the contract, trying to screw over the little man, and the lawyer advised to not sign it.
On anther note, getting anything like this approved as a watercraft is really tough with all safety issues being taken into consideration. Lots of tape to cut through. I am sure some genius would put one of these in Lake Michigan during 5 foot swells and go under. frown


Posted by: BZH

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 06/01/11 01:30 PM

it sounds like you need to make an appearance on the Shark Tank!
Posted by: billstephenson

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 06/01/11 06:07 PM

Bummer!

Have they thought about copyrighting the plans and selling the instructions?

Homemade boats are like homemade cars or airplanes. If you make it, you can use it in most cases. Here in Missouri, I can take about anything I want and call it a boat and float (or sink) in it. We have a "Cardboard Boat Race" here every year. As long as you don't put a motor on it, you don't even have to register it.

I think they can make a DVD with the material list, patterns, and a video showing how to make the parts and assemble it, put a big long drawn out and boring disclaimer on it covering all known and unknown stupid stuff that people have done, or will ever do, and sell it for $25 on a website.

I'd buy it!

I really would. I like that little boat. It's perfect for what I'd want to use it for, which is a little dinghy to paddle around the coves in the lake on a calm day.

But you're right. If it was sold at Wal-Mart, someone would take it out in Lake Michigan during 5 foot swells frown
Posted by: jwild

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 06/02/11 03:49 AM

hey great idea about the instructions....my friend said we could sell them as folding storage boxes grin ill keep you posted
Posted by: Steadman

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 06/02/11 10:39 PM

Seriously neat little boat. Couple questions:

1) How well does it float when capsized/swamped?

2) How much freeboard do you have with 1 person in it?

3) What is your tested max safe load?

My Dad would use that off his RV in the Gulf of Mexico if it could handle the waves (depends on freeboard/bouyancy - and if you build for yourself, you can make higher freeboard).

Steadman
Posted by: jwild

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 01/26/12 08:53 AM

we were waiting for someone to snatch up the idea! lol my friend says if it helps anyone in a flooding situation he does not really care, and having recently visited Thailand, I hope they get those boats out there soon! This design is different by quite a bit but his patent covers alot, hes checking with authorities about international patent conflicts now I believe. Really cool video thought! check it out..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h2pIc6ZOOc
Posted by: billstephenson

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 01/26/12 11:27 AM

That's an awesome ad J! Thanks for posting.

I really do want one of those boats too! Keep us up to snuff on what's happening with it...
Posted by: CamperMom

Re: Homemade portable folding boat?! - 01/27/12 10:38 AM

The music is awful, but the clip is a riot. They need to figure out some sort of a keel/tracking system. It is sad to see how hard the user has to work to get any forward motion, rather than a mere wiggle.

I wish we could see a price, weight, and if it is waterproof.

CM