How big is too big,

[DLT]

Scott, the troll

[Scott]

DLT, sorry, but you're nuts.

BLT, the "Nuts"

[ssichler]

I have a 45# thrust trolling motor. 5 years now and nary a word from the border patrol.

Border patrol in Missouri? These guys must be very geographically confused. No wonder we can't secure our borders.

[Scott]

Border patrol in Missouri?

Good one sschis.

Thats what my wife calls the water patrol.

[Night Sailor]

Sell 40 hp motor. Use money to get the inflatable that easily fits below when not needed and can easily be inflated on board. Buy and attach the size motor that it is rated for, then make two or three trips if necessary for guests or crew.

[ernie]

Scott: Is Smithville patroled by the county or the state? Could make a difference. The reason I'm asking is because I can't figure out how to paste the numbers on my new rubber ducky. If I don't have to I don't want to.

[Mark Karagianis]

You misspelled white

Oh I get it, that's right, blue inflatables are faster.

[Scott]

State not county. They look just like Hwy patrol except in boats and not as tough.

Are you up at Smithville?? Whats your boat name?? Do I already know you? (Small sailing community) BTW if you are we have awesome yacht club socials and Good racing community, term racing used loosely. (I dont think anyone is too fiercly competetive)

The number for camp branch Marina is 816-407-3420 (main contact point at the lake.)

On edit: yeah bummer, blue inflatables do sink faster.

[DLT]

Scott,

I thought this was your dingy!

[Catigale]

Ernie - West marine has an inflatable number kit that lets you put your numbers into a pocket that fits onto an inflatable.

You can also Sharpie them on too!!

[ernie]

Scott: No, but I'm familiar with the KC area. She will be Proteus if I ever get the name put on her. No, we've never met. I've never owned a dinghy and I was just picking your brain. I'm not really a sailor. I've owned a few sailboats and I love sailing but I don't have the experience and knowledge that I'm finding here on the forum. My other boats stayed at a slip but the Mac is staying on the trailer. I have a little free time now and most of the places I want to sail are pretty far away. I'll still hit Truman and Stockton every time I get a chance. I am a little uncomfortable around yacht clubs. I'm always afraid someone will find out how luberly I really am.

[ernie]

DLT: Thanks for the ride last spring. I bought the Mac from Bill @ boats4sail. Easy to do business with and the fairest businessman I have ever met. A little strange though. Kinda like me.

[ernie]

Catigale: My order goes in tomorrow. Thanks

[Scott]

I am a little uncomfortable around yacht clubs

Ernie, we are a yacht club in name only. We are really a bunch of blue collar types looking for a good excuse to get together.

We also have many newbies. We have a learn to sail program and most that go thru it wind up getting sucked into the fraternal order of drunks, I mean yacht club (just kidding, our group is very sedate). I would say a quarter of our membership doesnt own a boat.

[aya16]

Now I get to put in my two cents... 14 foot inflatable, why not? it would
double as a fishing boat/ runabout. And if you were from calif I would think you were bringing in people from across the boarder.

I think the 14 would slow you down to much to tow, sailing for sure, unless you have a 90hp for the mac. I bought one of those 9.5 from ebay
and a 7.5 for a friend. I like the boats very much and you cant gripe about the price, about half as westmarine for a lesser boat. The 9.5 has me recovering from back pains all week end from lifting it out of the dock box.
never ever get a wood floor, mine came with one and wow what a pain to deal with. I got lucky and one of those dealers on ebay had an air floor
up for bid for my size boat and I nabed it fo a hundred bucks. What a diff.
but I cant see why if you were going to trailer the thing anyway it would be fine except like I said when you sail towing it. But at 14 feet any one of your crew that didnt want to wait for a slow sail to where ever your going can pile in the raft and beat you there by a couple hours. If I was going to get a raft that big I would get a 8.5 also because your crew will be to drunk to come get you when you get there.

as far as putting on and taking off a 40hp motor all the time along with a battery it would be to much for me. you would have to trailer it that would require another tow veh.
what about two 8.5's, that would give you 17 feet of raft you can stack them when you tow them and it wouldnt slow the boat that much.

or four 6.5's man that would give you what 26 feet of raft
then what ever you dont use you can rent out from your mooring.

or you can get one of those 50 foot inflatables and use the mac for a dinghy.