Inflatable Boat

Inflatable boats come in many shapes, sizes, and price ranges. They can be purchased from under 30 dollars to well up in the thousands for a quality inflatable watercraft. These various inflatables can be manufactured from inexpensive vinyls to highly specific and costly materials.
The more expensive inflatables have rigid hulls, and no, the Zodiac is not some particular inflatable boat, just a very well known brand name manufacturer of these unique boats.

One of the first questions that arises in any inflatable boat discussion, is whether the very inexpensive vinyl inflatables are really any good or not. Do they puncture easily, can they be rowed, are they too heavy to carry around? To answer these basic concerns, I'll relate my personal experience with a little SeaHawk I tried out.

These little vinyl boats are quite light to carry, and taking one along for a camping or fishing trip in the wilderness is quite feasible actually.
Getting in them takes a bit of getting used to. The little boat rows surprisingly well with the plastic oars that come with it, it will turn on a dime, and you can maintain a straight course fairly well.
There is a tremendous amount of air in one of these little boats, but you are Actually sitting slightly below the waterline, as the bottom of the boat is not rigid, making your center of gravity extremely low for rowing, but you do quickly adjust to this.
There are at least 3 separate compartments that hold the air in these little inflatable boats, which makes them a very safe little boat, in that even in the worse case scenario of a fatal puncture far from sure, you will at Least have a more than adequate area Left filled with air to support you to safety.

I was able to manage a 7 1/2 foot fly-rod quite well from the little plastic boat, although I will suggest you reel in any catch over 9 inches in length quickly, as if you allow the fish to do so, he will Drag you and the boat a surprizing distance from where you were when you hooked the little guy.
This brings up another problem with the more inexpensive models, which is that the wind will blow them all over the lake, it's quite bad actually, so keep that in mind.

All in all, considering the low price, ease of transport to the most inaccessible of areas, all-in-one small boat solution that they are, I'd say they are worth your consideration.

If I had to give my best 'tip' on these little watercraft, I think it would be to at least Partially inflate it at home, blowing even the smallest ones up shoreside is a fair bit of work. At Minimum, consider an electric pump for the car or truck to complement these little water fairing gems.

The Inflatable Boat: