Looking For A New Personal Boat

the bakraft is very small and not very good for overnight trips, Aire is coming out with an expedition sized bakraft for this very reason in the spring 2017. It isn't really a good fishing platform. I actually am in line to get 2 of the new expedition sized aire bakrafts this winter, but not for fishing, but for hiking into multiday whitewater kayaking trips.

Maybe a trailer is what you want so you can keep your boat rigged.

Or maybe a raft instead of a pontoon, rafts with a simple rowing frame rig faster than a pontoon boat. Usually 4 straps, (1 on each corner) and you are off and running.

maybe something along the lines of a hyside mini-max, aire trib-9.5 or the maxxon xsb-320 for a small raft, with a minimal frame that only requires 4 straps would work better and be faster to rig without using a trailer. You could certainly put enough gear in any of these small rafts for multiday trips packing light and handle rough water.

Or you might want a different transport rig, I can put my Aire puma raft in the back of my pickup fully rigged and drive 70mph down the road no problem.


Fishing can be done out of an inflatable kayak, but not really for standing up. I do however quite well sitting down fly casting and chucking hardware for salmon. If you think a kayak may be your new method, then several boats could be recommended. I personally use older model aire lynx I and aire lynx II rigs.

I like the looks of this one, designed to fit in a full sized pick up bed.

The OP of the thread listed several requirements that their new boat must meet. They said it must:

-Be Frameless (sick of setting up a framed boat) - this is a convenience thing
-Has enough capacity to do overnight trips (MOST fishing oriented inflatable boats can accomodate an overnights trip worth of gear as long as you don't intend to live like a king)
-good fishing platform (convenience factor)
- can handle rough water (performance/safety requirement)

Of the 4 requirements listed above, the "can handle rough water" is the one requirement your boat MUST meet over the other three IMHO; of the 4, this one is a no compromise, the other three can be compromised on to find whatever blend you need assuming you can not find a boat that meets all 4.
It must be pointed out that the "can handle rough water" is partially dependant on your skill, ability, training, preparation, and level of safety equipment (along with that of persons you float with), but having a boat built to take the stresses of, and that can perform in rough water requires certain attributes that you may not find in a frameless craft unfortunately. But you must define what rough water is. Is it class 3? Class 4? Give some examples of sections you intend to drift?