S4 Portable Boat vs Amphibious Boat

Why compare a portable boat with amphibious boats?

The title “S4 Portable Boat vs Amphibious Boat” may be confusing to some readers, since Portable Boats and Amphibious Boats are two very different categories in the market for fishing boats, and it wouldn’t have occurred to us to write an article comparing them if not for a review that an S4 Microskiff angler from Cape Cod had contributed to our website, in which he rightfully compared the two, based on his own experience and the experience of his neighbors who own amphibious boats.

Definitions

Portable Boat –

Portable boats are inexpensive, small-size, open cockpit, lightweight craft that require using neither a trailer nor a dock for carrying, launching and beaching. A true portable boat can be car-topped and carried to the beach and from it by one person.

Amphibious Boat –

Amphibious boats are expensive, full-size motorboats equipped with built-in wheels that can be driven down a beach into the water, and up the beach to dry land. Some amphibious boats can be driven on roads like normal vehicles. Many amphibious boat models are Rigid-Inflatable Boats (RIB).

Advantages and disadvantages

1. Carrying Capacity: The smaller size of portable boats considerably limits the number of passengers that they can carry to typically to 1-2 users. Being bigger, amphibious boats can carry more passengers and gear onboard.

2. Speed: Typically, true portable boats are powered by a single, small portable gas outboard motor, or an electric motor, which limits their speed. Amphibious boats can go much faster.

3. Seaworthiness: A portable boat’s small size and open cockpit limits its seaworthiness, while RIB amphibious boats typically perform very well in rough seas. This said, thanks to its extreme stability for its size and the most effective balancing capabilities it offers to its passengers, the S4 Microskiff’s seaworthiness is comparable to the seaworthiness offered by amphibious boats that are not top-of-the line, namely smaller and non-RIB models.

4. Launching and Beaching: An extremely portable boat such as the S4 Microskiff is not limited to sandy or gently sloping beaches for launching and beaching. It can be launched and beached in extremely difficult spots, including rocky beaches and beaches that slope abruptly into the water. See “Launch Anywhere” video below. This is not the case with the bigger and heavier amphibious boats, since the size of their wheels (diameter and width) as well as the type of drive system they use (2 WD, 4WD, AWD) puts a significant limit on the type of beaches where they can be effectively launched and beached.

5. Transportation: A true portable boat such as the S4 Microskiff presents no limitation on its transportation, since one person can car-top it over any type of vehicle ranging from compact cars to large-size SUVs and vans. Similarly, any pickup truck can carry the S4 in its truck bed, providing it is outfitted with a T-extension. Practically, this means that that there is no limit on the distance that an S4 user can travel before or after using it. In comparison, most amphibious boats can be driven up and down a beach, but few offer the full ability to be driven on roads like regular vehicles, which means that users of amphibious boats are typically limited as far as the distance that they can travel on land, unless they tow their boat on a trailer.

6. Beachfront Property Boat: Portable boats take little storage space on one’s property, while amphibious boats ave a much bigger footprint on the property. Additionally, portable boats can be dragged through narrow paths and passageways leading to the beach, while amphibious boats require better access.

7. Shallow Water Fishing: Both portable and small amphibious boats perform well in shallow water, but the S4 Microskiff performs better that all other boats since it can be human powered fully and easily, namely paddled with kayak and canoe paddles. Even in absence of water, such as at low tide, an S4 never gets stranded since its user can get out of its cockpit and walk while using a rope to pull the S4 behind.

8. Boat Tender: Small dinghies, especially inflatable dinghies, are popular boat tenders. They can be conveniently hauled on board the mother ship or towed behind it, and they can be beached, if needed. These small craft can be propelled by either a small outboard or with oars, and typically they don’t have to cost much. In contrast, due to their size and cost, amphibious boats serve as boat tenders only for big and expensive yachts.

9. Versatility: The main advantage that portable boats have in terms of versatility is their small size, which offers manual propulsion to some extent, typically ranging from rowing clumsily to easy and effective kayaking and canoeing, both solo and in tandem, as is the case with the S4 Microskiff. Amphibious boats may very well be viewed as the versatile watercraft par excellence, since they can be driven both on water and over land.

10. Maintenance: Typically, portable boats require little to no maintenance, while amphibious boats are difficult and costly to maintain due to the complexity and cost of their drive systems and the fact that few mechanics specialize in them.

11. Cost: Most portable boats cost less than $10,000, while even an entry-level amphibious boat costs many times more.

Videos

1. Launch and Beach Anywhere

2. Easy car top –

PHOTOS

Carrying an S4 Microskiff Up The Beach –

Back from an offshore fishing trip, carrying theS4 motorized kayak up the beach — As simple as this – Carrying the S4 up the beach (Massachusetts)

The S4 powered by a surface drive (mud motor) –