I'm searching for any member advice regarding the possibility of flying my C206 amphibian with a collapsible boat attached. Aside from the inherent danger of it becoming dislodged and causing an inflight "issue" is it actually legal? Has anyone done this before and what are the pros and cons? I'm planning a month-long fishing trip to Tuk from southern BC next year and would really like a boat rather then the blow-up I currently use... All suggestions, pros and cons are welcome!

Porta bote?

I’ve eyed them up, pretty sure as long as it was secured to float struts well it would be fine, folks strap them on top of cars







On the boat side, I do know there were some changes made over the years, so make sure it’s a newer one

An acquaintance of mine carries this exact one on his 180 regularly, I'm not going to voice an opinion on the regulatory aspect.

I have come around that inflatables are the best option for my northern adventures with my seaplane. I have a 185 on straight floats, and have used all sorts of collapsible canoes, and inflatables. 2 brands to look at are Soar boat, and Alpaca raft. Soar boats weigh 65 pounds but can carry a moose, and could take a motor. Alpaca rafts weigh 12 pounds. They are both tough easy to paddle, and easily inflated with a lightweight electric pump or manually. Also easily field reparable, and no external load on the plane.
Alpaca raft:


Soar Boat

^ the inflatable ones are much easier on a packing front


The benefit of the portabote is with a small engine it will get up on plane with less power, it also rows and sails, of course you now have to strap basically a surfboard onto the side of your plane

First, and most important question for the OP:

Where are you located and where do you propose to fly this lash up?

If the answer is Alaska, you’re in luck, the FAA has a policy on carriage of external loads in the state of Alaska. If you need a copy, send me a PM with email and I’ll forward it.

If you’re anywhere else in the US, carriage of external loads is not approved, therefore prohibited. There was talk a number of years ago by FAA to develop a US wide policy, but never happened.

Now, there is an exception to that statement, in the case of the deHavilland Beaver, which had external loads specifically approved on its type certificate. That included kayaks, canoes and lumber, with appropriate racks. Transporting any other load in lower 48 on a Beaver may not pass the sniff test by FAA.

Now, will it fly? Yes, properly secured, it will fly just fine. I have carried several on 206, 185, Super Cub, etc. In Alaska. In general, things like this fly fine.

Attach it to the vertical struts of floats, stern forward. I use ratcheting straps, which can change the shape of these boats, which is okay, you don’t want it going aft. Secure the bitter ends of the straps so they don’t thrash around. AK policy suggests you put these on the right side of the plane. I prefer on left side that I can see them in flight. Your choice. Theory for right side is if accident you don’t want the thing to block egress. Don’t crash..no problem.

Oops, just went to the OP profile, and he’s Canadian. For Canada, you’ll have to ask a Canadian about legalities. I’m pretty sure they do allow some external loads, but not certain under what circumstances.

MTV

I fly a 12' porta boat on the side of my Maule regularly. I use ratchet straps as MTV suggested with a full wrap and tie off the ends. I don't even notice it. Any information I have been able to get is that it is perfectly legal in Canada and is a fairly regular occurrence in Northern Ontario where I live.

Roamer

Don’t forget to point the stern forward!

I carry one of these, it fits completely inside one float locker, weights about 28 lbs. and takes about 15-20 minutes to assemble.

https://pokeboat.com/product/pakboats-puffin-saranac/

I've also been toying with the idea of a small electric kicker engine, for now I just paddle it.

https://www.torqeedo.com/us/en-us/produ ... ultralight

Mapleflt wrote:I carry one of these, it fits completely inside one float locker, weights about 28 lbs. and takes about 15-20 minutes to assemble.

https://pokeboat.com/product/pakboats-puffin-saranac/

I've also been toying with the idea of a small electric kicker engine, for now I just paddle it.

https://www.torqeedo.com/us/en-us/produ ... ultralight

For years, I flew literally dozens of canoes all around the Yukon Flats for crews working projects out there. Never had a problem with them as external loads, but, largely due to black bear's proclivity to chew these hard sided canoes up when stored, we eventually phased them out and replaced them with PakBoat folding canoes. They fit in float lockers easily, are light, and a joy to paddle, frankly.

I highly recommend them if you're looking for a boat to use in fly outs.

MTV

For years, I flew literally dozens of canoes all around the Yukon Flats for crews working projects out there. Never had a problem with them as external loads, but, largely due to black bear's proclivity to chew these hard sided canoes up when stored, we eventually phased them out and replaced them with PakBoat folding canoes. They fit in float lockers easily, are light, and a joy to paddle, frankly.

I highly recommend them if you're looking for a boat to use in fly outs.

MTV[/quote]

Why do they do that? I have multiple boats stashed in backcountry ponds here and every rotomolded canoe has been chewed by a bear. Luckily they are all patchable, (ice & watershield is your friend) but it’s freaking annoying. The aluminum boats just get chewed by the porcupines….

Pete

Why do they do that? I have multiple boats stashed in backcountry ponds here and every rotomolded canoe has been chewed by a bear. Luckily they are all patchable, (ice & watershield is your friend) but it’s freaking annoying. The aluminum boats just get chewed by the porcupines….

Pete

Almost all Black Bear issues are associated with food. They learn that people store food in plastic containers. I think they chew up anything made of plastic looking for the food.

tcj wrote:

Why do they do that? I have multiple boats stashed in backcountry ponds here and every rotomolded canoe has been chewed by a bear. Luckily they are all patchable, (ice & watershield is your friend) but it’s freaking annoying. The aluminum boats just get chewed by the porcupines….

Pete

Almost all Black Bear issues are associated with food. They learn that people store food in plastic containers. I think they chew up anything made of plastic looking for the food.

Nah. The country I had canoes chewed up by bears there were NO plastic food containers…..not within fifty miles anyway.

My experience suggests that bears, being very food oriented, simply “test” pretty much everything they come across to see if it’s edible. I’m sure that plastic has some sort of taste, which may be pleasant, though not nutritious.

They can be pesky, whatever their motives. And trying to suspend canoes such that they can’t reach them is an exercise in futility.

MTV

We were the Porta Boat dealer for Canada years ago and sold them all over the north. In our opinion the best boat for carrying on floatplanes. We had quite a bit of prior experience with inflatables but seemed like they were always leaking and cumbersome to put in the plane. Fish hooks will put tiny pin holes in them from just touching the sides it seemed. We carried porta boats all over the North with one on each side of a 185 lots of times. You cant tell that they are on there with the exception of maybe 2 or 3 knots cruise speed. Work great on a Cub or anything for that matter Used to tie them with ropes and still do that and safety with ratchets. There was an accident with a some kind of fabric boat that the front folded back in the air on a PA12 around Thunder Bay that ended in disaster years back as I recall. We had a few white ones stolen when we left them in the bush so went to green ones and never had a problem. Always the 14 ft model. Pointed end ahead with the boat laying low on top of the float. This allows you to put a rope from the holes in the bow to the front cleat of the floats so its impossible for it to slide back. The stern ahead rule for carrying boats only applies to something larger running in the slipstream of the prop which the porta boat runs below that and is very narrow folded up. We learned that lesson on the Norseman which is an excellent boat carrying machine as the factory carriers set up the boat to be tied to the steel wing struts away from the fuselage. Super easy to load and unload and other than slowing the plane about 5 or 6 knots you couldnt tell on the rudders that there was anything on the side. I was a little leery the very first time about bow ahead but the previous owner spent years hauling them that way. They are one amazing machine for hauling boats.

I bought a 12' Porta Boat probably 15 years ago, thought I just had to have it, but I have yet to fly it anywhere. The wife mentions every once in a while I should get rid of it, but I tell her I may want to use it some day, just one more thing I keep around just in case.

peterdillon, thought you might be interested, this is a picture of a Norseman one of our flying club members used to have.

To bad your your not using that boat as they are a great machine for hunting, fishing or exploring new lakes. Sometimes we have set them up 3 or 4 times a day when we are out running around. Only takes a few minutes to set up after you have done it a few times. Very stable as kind of a tri hull configuration when folded out. You can stand up in them like a normal boat. Thats a great Noresman picture. Never really saw one on skis in real life. Landing speeds are pretty high so a person would have to be careful where they landed with skis on.

Hans really struggled to get this Norseman off the sticky snow. Roll the ski like a float

BRD wrote:Hans really struggled to get this Norseman off the sticky snow. Roll the ski like a float

Those are some serious fat powder skis!

peterdillon wrote:Pointed end ahead with the boat laying low on top of the float. This allows you to put a rope from the holes in the bow to the front cleat of the floats so its impossible for it to slide back. The stern ahead rule for carrying boats only applies to something larger running in the slipstream of the prop which the porta boat runs below that and is very narrow folded up.

Well that’s what this site does so well, teaches me something from people that are far smarter than me or just plain old have a ton of experience. I have the 13 foot porta boat and have flown it backwards all the way to north of Faro Yukon, that’s 2000 miles one way. Great little boat, the look on your hunting buddies face when you pull up to his moose kill 4 miles from camp with a boat is absolutely priceless.

Bkn

What ever happened to the Norseman that Jeff at Park Rapids Aviation bought?