INTEX Excursion Inflatable Boat Series: Includes Deluxe 54in Boat Oars and High-Output Pump – SuperTough PVC – Adjustable Seats with Backrest – Fishing Rod Holders – Welded Oar Locks

As a complete newbie to boating, this is really an awesome boat/raft. I had a lot of doubts as the inflatable kayaks I’ve been on before have been really prone to currents and wind, but this boat is a behemoth. It’s simultaneously huge and spacious (took 2 friends, about 600 pounds total with 3 people total), extremely buoyant, easy to inflate and use, and not prone to winds or currents like other inflatables, really stable.I had hooked up a 55lbs thrust trolling motor and battery first time with no problems in about 10 minutes. For the price as well, $140 for a huge raft with really easy setup and deflation is exceptional. I would recommend the motor as the oars alone that come with it aren’t ideal for multiple people or against strong winds/currents. Overall I would highly highly recommend. This is probably the closest you can get to actual boating without breaking the bank or needing a truck for towing/parking space for the boat.

Great boat! Built well. Super price.

While planning a camping trip to a 2,000 acre Massachusetts state park in our motorhome to have recreation time with daughter and grandchildren, we checked on renting a boat for the weekend, so we could explore the lakes in that park. Then we discovered that we could buy this boat from Amazon for less than the weekend boat rental fee. Unlike rigid boats, when deflated this boat stores in its included carrying bag with carry handles that will then fit in a storage compartment underneath our motorhome. This deflated bagged boat and its accessories also easily fits in the trunk of even a small car or on the backseat. Having the boat travel with us in our RV means that we'll have no more inconvenient trips to boat rental facilities and their rental fees.From the shipping box, this boat unfolded, assembled and inflated easily by using the included manual pump. Separate inflatable compartments surrounding the boat plus the inflatable bottom and inflatable seats suggests that a single puncture would not sink this boat. A small vinyl accessory bag keeps smaller parts safe. We found this boat easy to launch and retrieve. Leaving one end of this boat on a grassy shore during launch enables us to board without getting our feet wet. The smooth bottom makes it easy for us to shove off from shore. Three adults and two children were safely accommodated. Four wore life jackets purchased separately to comply with state law. The seats are low for stability and comfortable. The included oars were easy to assemble for use and to disassemble for storage. Carrying handles on each end of this boat make it easy for two people to transport it over land.Rowing this boat with the included oars mounted on the boat's oar locks was easy enough for our petite six-year-old granddaughter to master. Plastic grommets prevent the oars from accidentally slipping into the water. In summary, this is a well thought-out inflatable boat design made from obviously tough vinyl material has given us easy use, good value and paid for itself the first time we used it with saved rental fees. We're looking forward to enjoying this boat many times during this summer's camping season.

Purchased this inflatable "float boat" for fishing trips with my 3 young kids. First and foremost, adding a plywood floor makes life much easier on this raft. I recommend a standard 4x8 ft plywood sheet, at least 1/4" or thicker. Thinner plywood won't be as firm, but it has the advantage of being lighter weight and easier to store/load onto the raft.The bottom of the raft can be used to trace the pattern onto the board, then I recommend cutting into 3 sections to make storage of the floor much easier, and the floor will be more portable. I carpeted mine and added pipe insulation zip-tied around the edges. This prevents any splinters or edges of the plywood from damaging the PVC on the raft. That last thing you want is a puncture when you're out in the water about to get your line wet.I used all of the standard, included hardware to mount the motor mount to the raft. The mount is sold separately, but it's well worth purchasing the mount and a decent 40-60 lb thrust trolling motor if you intend on using this setup for fishing. I found the motor mount to be sufficient as-is, though I've read with the Excursion 5 there is quite a bit of dip and there are easy modifications to correct this if you search online. The Excursion 4 does not seem to have as much dip to it with a trolling motor installed. There are lots of resources and info online for modifying these Intex rafts. My particular trolling motor is a Newport Vessels 55 lb trust, runs on 12V deep cycle marine battery. I went with a size 29 105Ah battery which is heavy (about 50-60 lbs), but it has enough power/capacity to run the trolling motor for a full day on the water.Is an Intex Excursion seaworthy? Definitely not. I would not recommend this setup for cruising over choppy sea water or rivers with moderate to strong current. However, for calmer waters...lakes, streams, ponds, it's absolutely perfect. Great as a 1 or 2 adult bass fishing rig, and easily supports 2-3 younger kids along with an adult. 4 adults would not fit comfortably on this raft, even though it has an overall weight rating of 1100 lbs.Overall, a great product from Intex. The raft seems very rigid and should hold up well to minor abuse and wear & tear, time will truly tell. Plan on spending a few hundred $$ on upgrades to turn this raft into a viable bass fishing rig, but even after spending on upgrades, it's much more reasonably priced than other options. Great entry-level setup for those who don't mind spending a couple of hours on some DIY upgrades and modifications.