Alpha Series continued.....

Well, it's been 5 days since my last post regarding the 10' 2004 Gen IV picture.
Out of that post came some good results.

1. Some good discussion in the Porta Bote forum as a result of my blog. 
2. Sandy confirmed that there will be more "improvements" to the new Alpha series over the coming months.
3. People buying the new Alpha Series Bote today are aware that they will not be buying the best that will be available.
4. Sandy assured present buyers that the new improvements can be retrofitted to existing Alpha Series Porta-Botes - I am hoping that the new upgrade will be a new improved transom, which has been an issue for me from the beginning. This "upgrade" will be available in 3 to 4 months.(Sandy says it is held on by 8 bolts. He also says that many of upgrades are not that obvious so I don't no how these can be retrofitted.)
5. One lucky prospective customer was told by Sandy that he will receive the new upgrade free of charge should he choose to buy the new Alpha Series on Friday. There was no talk in regards to the 1800+ people that Sandy says have bought the new Alpha Series receiving the same offer.
6. Sandy has offered to produce a "Real" picture of the Alpha Series Bote. (Not really a big deal but man that 10' bote could move!). 
7. Along with the improvements to the Alpha Series Botes will come a 5% increase in cost.(This is not so good either, but at least we know about it in advance.)
8. Positive feedback from the Porta Bote forum on my blog. There was one negative comment, but you get that.
9. A really good response from one Ozzie that opted to buy a second hand Porta Bote over either the new Alpha series or the Quickboat. His story and the reasons for his choice make excellent reading. Very practical. (I am hoping that he will paste a copy of that story in the comments section of this post). 

If you have chosen a Porta Bote or a Quickboat, feel free to leave comments as to the thinking behind your decision.  Click on the comment button below

Parsun on my Gen IV.

Last weekend I went out again for a run with the 10' Gen IV Porta-Bote and the Parsun 5.8hp 2 stroke.

Again I was impressed with the difference the 5.8 hp made over the 4 hp mariner.
However I am beginning to see a new issue.
I believe it is to do with cavitation and next weekend I hope to do some more tests to see if I can overcome the problem.

The best performance I was able to obtain was by having the outboard set in the 4th hole on the motor.
When I tried it in the third hole, my bote didn't seem to go as well.
I still think it's an issue with the flexing transom on my Porta Bote.

What is happening is every now and then, the motor would rev high and the bote would slow down.
I believe that this is due to the propeller hitting an air pocket cause by cavitation when travelling against  a strong current..
Once the bote slowed, it would grab water and push me forward again.
Next weekend, I want to try different settings to see if I can overcome the problem.
I'll keep you posted.

Has anyone else experience this phenomenon with their boat?

I'd like to add that the issues I am facing is not the fault of the Parsun outboard but rather the flexibility of the Portabote.

I am very impressed with my Parsun Outboard.

I'd love to hear of your experiences

Parsun 5.8hp Outboard

Last week I bought a Parsun 5.8hp 2 stroke outboard for my 10' Porta Bote and I was pleased with its performance.

Kindly provided by Island Inflatables 

Previously I was using a 4hp 2 stroke Mariner and if I sat on the middle seat, I was able to get up on the plane and do 20kph (12.4 mph, 10.8 knots) according to my GPS when alone in the bote.
I wasn't able to get out onto the water until Sunday to try out my new motor.
With the Parsun 5.8hp, 2 stroke, I was able to get up on the plane without sitting on the middle seat and I was able to travel at 22 kph (13.7 mph, 11.9 knots).
The 5.8hp outboard has an integral ( 2.7 Litre) tank plus connections for an external tank.
I noticed a fairly big improvement between the 4hp and the 5.8

Also provided by Island Inflatables

Apparently, the Parsun is 95% compatible with Mercury/Tohatsu according to the dealer.
Parsun Outboards are distributed and sold by Island Inflatables in NSW and sold in Queensland by TMC Outboards
They are now sold through BCF stores Australia wide as well.

I am very impressed with my Parsun Outboard.

I believe that any issues I have experienced have been due to the flexibility of the Portabote.

Has anyone else tried these Parsun Outboards?

I'd like some feed back if you have so please feel free to post a comment.

Porta Bote and Quickboat-Warranty

Warranty

Below is the information I was able to obtain on warranty for both the Porta Bote and the Quickboat.

Warranty is something else that should be considered when making any purchase.

Porta Bote

When purchasing a Porta Bote you will be given a warranty card (At least I was).

This card states that there is a 10 Year limited warranty on the hull of the Porta Bote, which is prorated.

This is what Sandy Kaye, CEO of Porta Bote had to say on the Porta Bote forum:

"As you may know, most boat manufacturers have a *prorata* limited warranty for 2 or 3 years at the most.

One or two high priced boats carry a 5 year limited  prorata warranty. After that, it's the owner's problem.

We have a 10 year limited warranty. It is also a *prorata* warranty.

It's stated on the warranty that each owner receives.

If something happens that is covered under warranty during the first year, then we pay 90%.

During the second year, we pay 80% etc.

As you are probably aware, most Porta-Botes go on and on.

Our dealer gave Pete a new boat based on the terms of the warranty time used. He was fairly charged according to the terms of the warranty"

It is also pertinent to note that it is the owner's responsibility to pay freight to and from Porta-Bote or their representative, depending on where you live.

Quickboats

Quickboats have a 3 year warranty on their boat.
It is not prorated. That is it is a 100% replacement or repair for parts and labour for the 3 year period.
There is an option of purchasing a 2 year warranty extension for $200.00 which will take the warranty period up to 5 years.
This warranty is available for normal, private use only.
It is mandatory that, should you need to make a claim, a photo be sent to Quickboats so that they can determine the best way to approach the problem. Whether that be to ship the boat back to Quickboats or elsewhere for the repair, depending on the problem.

Quickboats expect that they will cover the cost of freight both ways should a genuine claim be made.