I have been living close to a lake for a few years. I have just recently started taking up fishing as a hobby. I am by means no pro. Fishing from the bank just wasn't offering me any excitement. Yes, maybe a bite here and there, but the water is just too shallow to get anything good. Dock fishing was ok at best. I live near a man-made lake (dam) which all start off shallow for a 15 feet. Deeper water have more of a selection of fish.
I searched online for used boats. Everything was out of my price range, or would take a lot of work to get it to be usable. Not to mention I would have to pull a boat trailer around and park it, or pay to store it. This may make sense to some, but I also live in an Apartment. I thought about a Boat Club. $299 a month for a year was steep with limited hours of operation. I don’t like reoccurring expenses. I came across the Intex Mariner 4 Inflatable Boat. It was not the cheapest inflatable, but it also wasn't the most expensive. It also featured 4 people. It would work perfect for the son, wife, and myself.
After reading the reviews I was just a little hesitant. Some said the boat leaked air, others got holes in the boat. Spending this amount of money for one time and having problems didn't sound that great. Generally the reviews were great, but the negatives always seem to stand out. What I liked about this boat was that it would fit 4 people. Also it had a floor you can place in the boat to make it more sturdy. I decided to buy it and purchased away. I also ordered a motor mount, 40lb trolling motor, and battery box. I didn’t want to spend my time rowing. I wanted to enjoy the outing.
The boat in a two days just in time for the weekend (thanks Prime)! The boat was packaged nicely. I unrolled the boat and inflated it using the hand pump. At first I thought I was going to take while, but It didn’t take more than 10 minutes to inflate. There wasn’t any leaks. I just make sure I had all the plugs screwed in snuggle with the rubber gasket properly. The floor fit perfectly in the boat. The boat looked nice. The motor mount and trolling motor looked great. I purchased a marine battery to use with the trolling motor.
The real test was going to be on the open water. I loaded everything in the car with my fishing poles. I drove 14 minutes to the lake. I unpacked everything and began inflating. It was on a gravel surface. I was nervous with it being an inflatable boat, but it didn’t hurt it. I put the floor in and installed the motor mount and motor. I put the battery in and carried to the water. Yes the boat is heavy. I think it is around 120lbs to carry. With two or three people it is easy. You might can get a folding cart to take the boat to the lake, or carry the boat, then the floor separately. I placed the boat in the water. I got in the boat and I was off. It seems to float so that is good. The paddles are good to use to get away from shallow land. Also, good for backup if the battery were to die. After 15 minutes of being on the boat I was starting to feel comfortable and not worrying if we were going to sink. After the first two hours we decided to call it a day. It was windy. We made it to land and deflated the boat. It deflated quickly and was easy to roll up and store back in the trunk for the next adventure. I was excited about it. The boat seems to be well made. It is vary durable on the bottom. Dragging across sticks and rocks (within reason) are ok. I would always carry the air pump, patches, and vinyl boat glue on the boat at all times. Better to be prepared, then not to be.
Now since the boat had a motor it is now a Motor Vehicle which it has to be registered with the state. I live in TN. I needed two things. 1. Proof of Origin and 2. Proof of Sale (Amazon). The Proof of Origin was available from the Intex website. You just enter your HULL ID number from the boat and it will generate one for you to print out. Going the DMV to get it registered was almost a hassle. Registering a new boat people seem to think that you purchased it from a boat dealer who does it automatically. No. It was purchased from Amazon. You paid taxes on it (if you have to) already. The Proof of Sale will show that. The DMV will not collect tax money in that case. Now, they have to do something special. They have to create an affidavit saying why you came in and have you sign it to register the boat. 1. The boat did not come with a motor. 2. You modified the boat with a motor. 3. The boat is now a motorized vehicle that must be register with the TWRA. They will print and you will sign. They will stamp a form saying you came here and all is well to mail to TWRA. Then after a few weeks you will get your registration.
After going out on the lake a few times I decided I needed a few things. I needed an Anchor. The boat will drift in the wind. Getting a mushroom anchor seemed to help that. You can attach it to your motor mount, or make something to attach it to. The seats the boat came with are ok, but it is helpful to be able to swivel. I was researching boat chairs and I came across a modification website just for this type of boat. You can search for Intex Mariner 4 mods and find the same site. It came me some interesting things like making a wood floor and still make It fit in the trunk, how to install chairs, lights, ect. I am going to make a wood floor, add chairs, and add lights to boat for night. Also, people have trouble with registration numbers sticking the boat. You can get a patch with the registration online you glue to the boat, or make a sign you can hang from the rope. I found plastic (Gutter Gard Cover) for less than $5 that I cut to 4 x 24 that I put my registration on. As soon as I take it out I will take pictures.
Overall for the price this boat is great. It makes it even greater that you can put it in the trunk of your car and take it anywhere.
| Size | 129"x57"x19" |
|---|---|
| Color | Gray |
| Brand | Intex |
| Material | Polyvinyl Chloride |
| Life Vest Type | Type III |
| Item Weight | 77.6 Pounds |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Product Dimensions | 129"L x 57"W |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 36 x 19.62 x 16.37 inches |
| Package Weight | 40.82 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 129 x 57 x 19 inches |
| Brand Name | Intex |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Warranty Description | 90 Day Manufacturer's Limited Warranty |
| Model Name | Mariner 4 |
| Suggested Users | Unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Intex |
| Part Number | 68376EP |
| Model Year | 2013 |
| Style | 4-person |
| Included Components | Repair Patch Kit, Aluminum Oars, High Output Air Pump, Inflatable Boat |
| Sport Type | Kayaking |
