how should I keep my boat overnight?

[coyotezh]

Hi, Everyone..

I have a inflatable boat (the one with aluminum floor). I am thinking camping out at Cross lake for couple of days. But I really don't want to deflate the boat and then re-inflate it again every day while staying. it costs me lots of energy lol. I went to cross lake once recently. I found most people leave their boats on the lake, but those boats are all not inflatable... Inflatable boat has it's own risk.. such as some kids may punch a hole on the boat while playing or ............you never know..

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot!

[chriscosta]

id put it in the truck and take it back to camp youd be really ****ed to wake up nice n early to catch some fish and come to find it popped

[bwackwabbit]

Upside down in the back of the truck. Keep a uv resistant tarp over it (to prolong its life) and to keep prying eyes at bay.

[coyotezh]

Upside down in the back of the truck. Keep a uv resistant tarp over it (to prolong its life) and to keep prying eyes at bay.

if this way, i still need to drag the boat all the way to the parking lot, don't I? how to avoid anyone to damage my boat, especially kids? If no one would damage it, I rather leave it on the water.... should I?

[bwackwabbit]

You could always anchor it off shore and swim in, would be a deterrent at least and only a minor inconvenience for you???

[fedfred]

You want to keep it out of reach from predators. If there area bears in the are and they smell fish, they may bite/claw the boat and then it's toast. I put my boat on the roof of an suv. You can also attach wheels to the boat and roll it in and out, they are available in many shops.

I would never leave an inflatable boat at the shore, kids and animals can wreck it.

[dopemop]

Buy or Build a wagon of some type and take it back to the Truck. Luckily/Unluckily my inflatable boat can be portaged back to camp kinda easily and I just keep it in the shade and cover it with a tarp to keep those sketchy eyes away.

[Kokanee9]

If left pulled up with most of the boat on shore and also tied to a tree, you risk damage from the waves rubbing the boat against sand or any rocks. I had mine totaly out of the water and a storm came up during the night. I caught it just in time to prevent major damage. The back had been rubbing on some small rocks with every wave that came in.

[waterninja]

seems to me that simplest thing to do would be pull it on shore, turn it over and tarp it. (off to side of heavy traffic).
i never thought about the smell of fish and bait atracting bears and other scavengers which might damage your inflateable.

[CantThinkOfAName]

if this way, i still need to drag the boat all the way to the parking lot, don't I? how to avoid anyone to damage my boat, especially kids? If no one would damage it, I rather leave it on the water.... should I?

You could always buy or make legs with wheels to move the boat around. I launched like that for years.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=inflatable+boat+wheels&client=firefox-a&hs=sLh&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=6H7tUZ2aB4WFyQGD9oCoDA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=977

[coyotezh]

I do have wheels, but drag the boat around may take bit of energy especially when you drag it into the camping ground. Sometimes, you cannot get a camping spot close to the lake. and Cross lake will be always very busy..lol.. maybe the best way is still to deflate it and push it into my veichle.

Thank you everyone for the input.

[cube]

You could try an anchor buddy should keep it far enough from shore that no one should bother it. (you could also use two of them )

http://www.tuggyproducts.com/anchorbuddy.html

http://www.danbullard.com/dan/anchor_buddy.html

Good luck to you

[Rabdo]

i'd do what bwackwabbit said. except i don't put my boat in upside down haha

i don't understand why you gotta drag your boat to the parking lot. can't you drive your truck right to the boat launch and put it in the box there

[coyotezh]

i'd do what bwackwabbit said. except i don't put my boat in upside down haha

i don't understand why you gotta drag your boat to the parking lot. can't you drive your truck right to the boat launch and put it in the box there

because I don't want to deflate it... that's the point we are talking about.

[coyotezh]

You could try an anchor buddy should keep it far enough from shore that no one should bother it. (you could also use two of them )

http://www.tuggyproducts.com/anchorbuddy.html

http://www.danbullard.com/dan/anchor_buddy.html

Good luck to you

Thanks. This is a very good idea and I am going to try it out next time on the lake..