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May 06, 2023

'World’s Most Portable Boat’ Boasts 12V Electric Motor, Fits in a Trunk

‘The barriers to becoming a boat person are gone,’ says the maker of this lily

‘The barriers to becoming a boat person are gone,’ says the maker of this lily pad-shaped, aquatic electric scooter.

I’ve gotta admit: The GoBoat sure is cute. Whether I’d call it a boat is another story.

A Tulsa, Okla., company with the same name unveiled the unlikely but ingenious inflatable watercraft on Wednesday. Objectively, it looks like good, clean fun. There's an electric trolling motor that pumps out 35 pounds of thrust to get you around the lakefront, shallows, or sticks. It deflates and packs down into its own bag — the whole rig weighs 57 pounds and fits in most car trunks.

Heck, there's even a version built for kids that's good for "playing bumper boats," according to GoBoat.

To me, it fits squarely under the category of, "Wait, why didn't I think of that?" The GoBoat boils down to a quiet trolling motor on a rig you’d use for tubing.

Granted, it's an engineered inner tube. Three separate inflation chambers "exceed most states’ safety requirements." And with proprietary construction, the company says it's "extremely stable and rigid" on the water.

A post shared by GoBoat (@thegoboat)

The round shape, GoBoat says, helps it bump its way around obstacles "with ease." However, I’m not sure I’d take it into snaggly soup with the same confidence I’d feel in a kayak. But it's not geared toward surly paddlers — it's a Sunday Funday craft aimed squarely at weekenders.

"Urban dwellers can easily navigate local waterways for pleasure or purpose, opening up new commuting options with a boat that can be stashed in your trunk," GoBoat said.

(If you commute, plan ahead and find a friend at work who’ll let you dock it in their trunk. Think about it for a second.)

Anglers take note: Along with the 55-inch kids’ and 70-inch adult models, there's a third entry tailored for you. Geared toward fishing and duck hunting, it's got storage and accessory attachment options. At a glance on the Instagram page, there's one guy with a rod holder and a tackle box under elastic tie-downs.

A post shared by GoBoat (@thegoboat)

Every variant of the GoBoat 2.0 is on sale at the company's website for the next 8 days. You’ll save over $300 on the adult versions and $205 on the kids’ rigs. GoBoat MSRP ranges from $683 to $1,175.

Rarely do I look at a piece of gear and doubt its efficacy due to its size. Never fear, once inflated, this packable SUP speaks volumes. Read more…