Better than an inflatable? Duncan Kent took the Porta-Bote folding boat to the beach to test it as yacht tender
The Porta-Bote is better as a general-purpose dinghy/fun-boat than as a tender. Its bulletproof construction would be great for dragging over rough shingly beaches, but it’s pretty heavy, so awkward to haul on board and requires a fair bit of space – and strength – to assemble or pack up and stow.
PROS
- Very durable
- Spacious and a good load/crew carrier
- Stable at rest and under way
CONS
- Very heavy
- Poor rowlocks
- Awkward to deploy
OUR VERDICT: 6/10