Customer Reviews

Intex Excursion 5 Boat Set

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Obviously the designers did not build this for whitewater, but if it can hold up to that - for the price, it is outstanding. We had it loaded with camping gear, food, and three people for 4 days, and it didn't even loose air. It will sit three comfortably. 5 is a stretch unless you are VERY comfortable with each other. Weight is no issue. This boat was filled to the brim with water several times and still skidded through shallow water. A pit stop to let the water out and we were cruising again. At one point, the raft was lashed against a rock and turned into the shape of a taco by the raging waters. I was sure it would break, but it didn't!
pros:
*The oars come in 4 parts that snap and screw together. Assembly is easy. The oar locks work well and allow one person to use two oars.
*The seats are comfy. They inflate and latch into the raft.
*It comes with a patch kit, but I doubt you will need it.
*Three air chambers make it sturdy. We could pump it up in less than an hour.
cons:
*No quick release on the bottom air chamber.
*1/4 inch rope is a tad too thin. Buy some 3/8 inch if you want to secure it.
*Only two oars.

Note that I haven't used the boat yet in the water, we will be using it the following weekend and I will update my review in a couple of weeks after we actually use it. But I wanted to rant and rave about the boat nevertheless since it didn't have any other reviews, so I was a bit hesitant about ordering it. DON'T BE.

This boat is excellent quality, the plastic is very thick and durable looking, and it has excellent features to it. First off, the thing is HUGE. It measures 12' by 5' approximately, and it has PLENTY of room for four adults, or like us, 2 adults and 5 little ones. The weight limit is high as well, I've seen it listed at 880 pounds but it says 1000 on the box. It has easy instructions in spite of all the bells and whistles it has. I highly suggest ordering a Coleman quick-pump to pump it up, it is well worth it and I can't imagine blowing it up with the pump they provide, this thing TAKES A LOT OF AIR. Paddles are excellent quality, unlike cheaper brands that have complaints against the paddles.

Note that there is a LITTLE plastic ruler in the package somewhere that you use to put the correct amount of air in the boat. Keep an eye out for it, we lost it initially until the I discovered the toddler had found a new toy!! LOL It works perfectly, you set it on the same ruler on the boat and blow it up until the measurements match. Little features like this that make it easy for non-boaters to figure out are really what makes this boat wonderful. It has 4 areas to put your fishing pole in, paddles can be one double or you can make them into two smaller ones and have nice, long "paddles" on the end.

All in all, the boat looks wonderful and was easy to set up with the simple directions they provide. I highly recommend it at this point, but will update after we actually use it in the water. I believe this will boat will last us a LONG time in the water with proper care, and for the price of less than 150, can you really beat it? Only thing I would add to the set would be an additional paddle set, since the boat is large and it does have two oar holders, I recommend another set.

************
Update: After using this boat on the Buffalo National River, I have to say that we REALLY liked it. It would be near impossible to flip it in calm waters, there is lots of room, the oars work wonderfully and are easy, it is tough plastic and stood up to our scraping on rocks and gravel easily with no wear, etc... What more can I say? It's everything I expected it to be after receiving it, and I am very pleased!! I was VERY happy with the fact that it would be hard for it to flip in the water as well, my hubby climbed in and out of the boat and it didn't even threaten to flip. So I highly recommend it!!

I debated long and hard between getting the Excursion 5 and the Seahawk II. I wanted a boat that I could immediately take out and go rowing, but one that is durable (sometimes there are branches sticking up in the shallow river here) and comfortable. I also wanted to get a boat that I could eventually mount a motor on in the future.

After reading tons of reviews -- and going to the Intex website and other forums -- I bought the Excursion 5 because some forums said the Seahawk II doesn't have motor mount points (this is not true) and some people on here commented that the Excursion 5 is made out of the same "Super-Tough" material as the Seahawk II (this is also not true, but it's very confusing and even the Intex website doesn't make it clear. The Seahawk II is more rigid, can be inflated to higher pressure, and is more puncture-resistant because it is actually a 3-ply system including Super-Tough PVC OVER a nylon fabric layer)

As soon as the Excursion 5 arrived, I realized I had bought the wrong boat for rowing my girlfriend and I around. The boat is too wide and oars too short to really reach into the water well, and the oar locks are fixed in place -- not rotational like the Seahawk II. These two factors make the boat nearly impossible to row.

I immediately ordered the Seahawk II and have taken it out and it is great to row around in (comfy for 2 people, I don't see how you could fit 3.) I thought about what to do with the Excursion 5, and I've decided to keep it because it is a bigger boat and seems like it could be fun to take a larger group (up to 4) people out on it, once I get a motor and mount.

So I want to set the record straight if you are debating between these boats like I was:
1) The Seahawk II is more rigid and durable than any other Intex boats except the Mariner. The Excursion 5 vinyl is nice and thick, but it's still soft and I am still concerned it could rupture if I hit a branch or rock the wrong way.
2) Many of the Intex boats have motor mount setup, including the Seahawk II -- the Excursion 5 can only support up to 1.5 hp because it is not as rigid (the Seahawk II is rated up to 2 hp and Mariner up to 3 hp)
3) The Excursion 5 is a bit bigger, so if you need to fit 3 or more people, it might be the boat for you.
4) Don't expect to go rowing in the Excursion 5. Get a narrower boat, preferably with rotational/swivel oar locks. Maybe if you had 4 people paddling (with an extra set of oars) the Excursion might work okay.

My wife and I purchased this after a lot of research and we have had no regrets. It is quite spacious (we loaded it with 3 adults and gear) and extremely durable, with no experiences of air loss despite hours on the water. We also purchased the motor mount and a Minnkota motor along with a deep cycle battery for leisurely stretches (do NOT get the battery that you can purchase in combo with this - you'll need at least a 75 amp hour rechargeable battery). We have had ours on lakes, rivers as well as to the beach. So convenient and rugged. Its great to purchase something and be so pleased with the results on all points. (Note!!! - if you take this out with a motor you WILL need to register it and display the registration on the side of the boat!!!)

Intex Excursion 5 Boat Set

Most rafts will not fit the load of people they are rated for on the box. I looked for days for an inexpensive, but well-made raft that would actually fit the amount of people rated for the boat. This is it! There were 5 of us in the boat, myself and my 4 teenagers and we had room for all our gear, with room to spare. It's easy and quick to inflate and the oars go together well and it has large, blow-up seats. It comes with a huge duffle bag that everything included with the raft fits inside; oars, pump, raft, seats, ropes.

Well after many hours of scouring the www I figured for the price that this would be a good bet for an around the lake boat. Unlike other reviewers I did not purchase the the motor setup because I wanted to know how the boat did on the water first. I don't know whether this is relevant or not but I am 6 foot 5 and about 270, so for people smaller in stature this may not apply. The included pump works just fine, yes it does take about 15 minutes or so but its not that bad, getting the air out is the problem so will need to get a rechargable pump. Even at my size there is plenty of room, but could only fit two more adults at best. Someone mentioned that the oars are too short, no they are not, they work pretty well. TWC said 5-10mph winds but when i got there it was doin 15-20mph and rowing was not problem at all, would have been easier but my boat has the same mis-welded front that is a little crooked. Very comfortable to fish from, the seats are pretty comfy, and even with the wind a 25lb anchor kept me in the same spot. The carry bag is a joke, only good for holding the extra gear. The rod holders are a little shallow but they work well.

Now for the part I would rather not admit too. Apparently we were do for 40+mph wind gusts, and i had no idea(tks for nothing TWC). Getting the boat out was one hell of an adventure, but on the good side even tho it was wind blown thru gravel and shallow rocks, it didn't do any damage at all. It took one hell of a beating and is no worse for the wear.

Have had it inflated for an hour just to check for some pin holes and its holding all its air.

UPDATE:

Well I finally got the wife and kid out on the boat, and it is still an amazing rubber boat. My wife actually took a nap, she said it was too comfortable not to. My daughter was able to climb all over the place and didnt even cause the boat too waver in the least, she could actually stand up in it. On the plus side we caught walleye, bass, crappie and it was a breeze to fish out of.

Let me start off by saying I am VERY particular about the things I buy.
We bot this raft for family enjoyment. We have a family of 5 [children are 5(twins), and 8] and a dog. We had PLENTY of room for all of us. The kids loved jumping out of the raft and into the lake!
For starters this seems to be solid construction - no noticeable leaks...yet. I would recommend an electric pump of some sort; that's what I used.
I also got everything to fit into the original bag, BUT my electric pump also SUCKS OUT the air! Very convenient and highly recommended.
Getting used to rowing was a challenge, but by the end of the day I was rowing pretty effortlessly...with the oars provided.
We are taking it down a river this weekend...a two and a half hour trek, so I will see how it handles. As for lake use, it was great! I had MULTIPLE people comment on how large and nice it seemed.
I would definitely recommend this unit for the price of under a $150.00! To me this is a great value!
Hope this helps!

Raft is very large and holds its weight very well. Never had any problems with it losing air after hours fishing on a pond. Use the gauge provided to fill it properly!

We were looking for an inexpensive inflatable boat and after searching for a few days we settled on the Intex Excursion 5. We found that Amazon had the best price. My wife and I took this boat to the lake the moment it arrived from FedEx. Set up was very easy, taking us around 40 minutes. There are 3 main air chambers numbered 1,2,3 and it is recommended that you fill them with air in that order. I was using the included air pump so it took me about 15-20 minutes to get the boat fully inflated. The pump worked fine, but on more than one occasion I became too vigorous and pulled too hard on the pump, which caused the pump to separate into two pieces... It wasn't much of a problem putting the parts together again. Just take it slow when using the included free pump. It works, but it's not made for someone who is overly eager to hit the water. The included inflatable seats were easy to install, but a heads up removing them after you're finished for the day; deflate them a bit while they are still attached inside the boat as this makes them much easier to remove from the clamps holding them in place. The included oars are not the best quality but they will do in a pinch. Also, the rings that hold the oars on the outside of the boat are not the best. A good bump on the oar and into the water it will fall. My wife and I were easily able to carry the boat into the lake after it was fully inflated.

We also purchased the Intex motor mount and the MinnKota Endura 30 (electric trolling motor, note that if you decided to put a motor of any kind on this boat, you will need to have it registered). The mount is very easy to assemble and the trolling motor is very light and easy to attach. We also purchased a 125 amp hour deep cycle battery for this boat and were a bit worried about the weight of the battery for an inflatable boat. We were soon to learn there was no reason to worry. The boat held the weight of the extremely heavy battery just fine. My wife and I were on the lake for almost 2 hours. It's not a speed boat, but it will get you where you want to go. This boat would be perfect for people wanting to fish or swim, or someone who is interested in a very leisurely cruise on the open water. My wife and I highly recommend this inflatable boat. For the price, durability, ease of setup and storage it's hard to go wrong. A+++

* Just remembered... No tools were required in the assembly of the boat, attaching the motor mount or the trolling motor ;-)
* Everything fits back into the included duffel bag, just be careful with the bag as it can tear easily.

Below is my review in 3 parts: i) a quick review on the boat; (ii) list of 11 recommended mods and accessories; and (iii) minor issues for which I invite comments.

================

Part I: Quick Review

Generally, the other reviews here say it all. This is a great general utility boat.

1. It is easy to transport. With all my accessories and fishing gear, it fits into the back of my minivan with ease (last seat row collapsed).
2. It is roomy enough for my needs. Accommodates two adults with two kids (under 10) easily with battery and fishing gear and trolling motor. My estimate, about 500lbs. I think three adults is comfortable, but four is pushing it.
3. Easy to assemble/disassemble but still time consuming (and tiring on hot days)
4. Seems durable enough. I have run into submerged trees, low water points, scraped trolling motor, etc. but have had no punctures.

So why four stars? I still get envious of solid boats or zodiacs outfitted with big engines.

==========

Part II: Recommended accessories and mods (or "Why your low cost raft will cost you another $500")

There a few items that will make your boating experience go from good to great and I recommend them all.

1. Get a trolling motor. The paddles are essential for tight maneuvers but the paddles are not really a propulsion system to be used for a long time. I got the "Minn Kota Endura C2 40" (available on Amazon), which is 10 lbs of thrust more than the smallest trolling motor with 30 lbs thrust. I think the 30 suits the boat a little better and you can get by with the 30 just fine unless you plan to use it in a river. Outside of river currents, I don't go past 30lbs thrust but I'm glad to know it's available if needed
a. Traveling upstream in a moderate river current, the 40 lbs thrust was slow but manageable.
b. At a choke point in the river where the current sped up considerable, the max was required (40lbs thrust), the 30lbs thrust setting could barely keep us in place.
c. The 40 motor is heavier. The weight and the full 40lbs thrust bends the support moldings to which the engine is mounted. It does not seem to do damage, but it looks bad as the motor tucks under the boat.
d. You have to draw the motor up high. Keeping the motor low compounds the push and tuck under the raft, especially at the higher setting.
e. Motored boats need to be registered in most states.

2. To support the trolling motor, you need the Intex Motor Mount Kit, available on Amazon. It's cheesy but you can't do without it. It's light and easy to assemble.

3. To better manage your battery, get a battery holder like the Minnkota Trolling Motor Power Center, available on Amazon. It also has car-lighter jacks that you can use to power other accessories like fish finders or music players. It also has a handy charge indicator (that is hard to read in sunlight).
a. I also recommend getting a plug adapter that turns the car-lighter jack into a standard wall outlet jack. That way you can use anything you want with the battery.

4. Get the marine largest battery you can find from wal mart. I have to say that the battery I have is a 130 amp hour and one charge covers multiple trips.

5. Get a good charger like the Schumacher SSC-1500A, available on Amazon. It works on any battery and salvaged my rider mower battery from extinction.
a. Starting from 90% charge, it still took overnight to charge the marine battery.

6. Get an anchor like the Kwik Tek A-2, available on Amazon. You will get far more use out of it than you think, especially when tethering to shore.

7. Overton's Adult Boating Vest Four Pack, available on Amazon, is the lowest cost lifejacket route. For smaller kids, I just leave one buckle unbuckled for comfort.

8. Get at least one stadium seat for the pilot. I got mine from wal mart for $18. The position of the motor makes piloting awkward from the inflatable position. The stadium seat can be positioned sideways.

9. Fabricate a solid floor. Go to home depot and buy one or two pieces of plywood ($10 each). Measure the length of your stowage area that you will use to transport the floor. Ideally, you want to transport the wood flat on your floor so cut to dimension that fit you van or flatbed.
a. The boat's interior bottom is ~99" long and ~32" in width works well.
b. I have two pieces of wood that overlap about two inches.
c. It tapers at both ends. At first I had taken elaborate measurements but in the end I cut the tapered parts incrementally by eye. It worked out okay.
d. I painted them with varnish, a couple of coats worked out well
e. I wrapped the boards with 2 mil plastic as well and stapled them.

10. Get two tarps. I inflate the boat on land so I lay tarps beneath the boat to ensure there I don't puncture it when inflating. Then I put the boat in water and lay the tarps down on the boat bottom so I can lay the boards down. That's overkill for the boards, but it keeps the boards dry and then I can use the tarps again when I stop somewhere else and pull the raft out of the water.

11. edit) I said ten but I forgot the eleventh. Get a good portable inflator/deflator power pump. I got a rechargeable one from target (also available on Amazon). It allows me to use it anywhere. The pump is good for two outings on one charge.

Part III: Minor Issues

Still open issues for me (feel free to comment):

1. A great idea that I have not yet employed is to buy a second smaller kid's raft (the excursion 100/200) and tie it to the boat. Then you can place supplies there or even the battery and then just tow it along. It's like having a tow-along trunk space. It may be overkill but it's nice to have a boat clear of clutter.

2. The motor is heavy and at full throttle the boat buckles a little and tucks under the boat. I have not figured out a way to reinforce the engine mount to better stabilize the motor when it is used at higher settings. This is really the biggest issue I have. NOTE: UNDER COMMENTS THERE IS A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION TO ADDRESS THIS.

3. Take note of the ambient temperature and time of day and keep to the ruler that you use to check the inflation. On hot days the air will expand some more past the original measurement. If you inflate in the morning, it will inflate and get hard as the day warms. And, of course, if you inflate at high noon it will deflate and soften as the day cools it will get softer. Neither has been a problem so far. I've never had to make adjustments once inflated but if I get that tag-along raft, then I would carry along the manual pump.

4. On hot days it would be nice to have shade. I keep thinking of setting up some sort of shading system but haven't come up with anything yet.

5. The built-in fishing rod holders and the accessory bag that comes with the raft aren't that great.

6. The carrying case for the raft is fantastic but seems flimsy. Be careful not to rip it. I wonder if anyone has found a decent replacement carrier.