Sun Dolphin Water Tender Row Boat (White, 9.4-Feet)

This little boat is cool as can be! Although it's only 9.5ft. long, it has a nice broad beam and is quite stable. I put the 3 grands in front, gma in the middle and my big butt in the back! It was quite comfortable, still had plenty of room for the cooler and basket of lunch goodies. I put a trolling motor with a deep cycling marine battery on the back transom and it cruised up and down the river all day. I also took it to the ocean (sans kids) just to see how it world act. It was actually fairly choppy, but the Sun Dolphin performed flawlessly! I wouldn't recommend a sea cruise, but to be fair, that's not what this boat is made for. Anything or place you can do or go in a kayak, you can do with this boat, with the added bonus of lots more room! I must give Amazon and their delivery service props (no pun....) They managed to not only get me the boat in perfect condition, but also early! (Prime Baby) These guys were so stoked to get it to me, they showed up at 6:15 in the AM! I had to wait a half hour for the sun to come up, LOL. I would recommend the Sun Dolphin to anyone who has a pond, likes river running, even exploring the bays and coves along the shores of the ocean. I'm finding a whole new way to go boating, without having to spend a fortune and having a ball doing it!!

The boat was shipped by ABF freight and I could not have asked for a better truck line. They called and stated that the shipment would be here a week in advance. A second call was made the day before delivery to state time of delivery and a third call was made by the driver to let me know he would arrive within an hour. The boat was in perfect condition. The boat is quite well made and with a set of dolly wheels I can load the boat onto my trailer and back off with ease and aids in getting the boat into the water. I made the dolly myself and has 2- 10 inch pneumatic wheel & tire and a third wheel with swivel caster. I have oars and a minkota electric motor which makes getting around in the water a breeze. For the money I could not have asked for more. The only thing I wish it had was a drain plug and a battery cage for the motor.

Ok so when I first ordered this boat from amazon, it was the dead of winter in very frigid north NJ. Showed up at my door within 3 weeks. I have a 36lb minn kota attached with a nice fish finder, underwater lights and gopro attached. This tender has turned into a perfect little bass boat. Easy for you to move and small enough to throw right in the back of a truck bed. Goes top speed about 8mph with a 36lb thrust trolling motor but rated for 5hp (which would give it serious speed). Tough and rugged. Great for 2 people and has serious potential for customization Re editing! June 2020. I paid $600 for this boat in 2014 and about a few months ago it was around 649. Now?! DO NOT BUY! $2300 is absolutely crazy to spend on a boat like this. These companies are taking advantage of the living situations a lot of us are going thru. Save your money and buy a decent bass boat...

I love this boat. It's actually my second one - the first one was vaporized in a fire. The boat arrived as promised but my receipt (bill of sale) did not include the Hull ID Number. At least in Arizona, the Fish and Game Department will not register a boat without the receipt including the Hull Number. I expect to resolve this with Sun Dolphin next week at which point my rating will go to 5 stars.

It's a really nice boat for what I am going to use it for, but the main draw-back is the lack of a drain plug.

Got my dinghy, bought the oars and had everything ready to go...then a torrential downpour, and the boat filled up with water. I had the boat a full week before I could even get it in the water. It's small enough for just me to go putter, and maybe invite one other person. It handles beautifully and is pretty steady in the water. While I can't see the side view when I'm rowing, it does feel like the bow is a little low, but I'm using it in a small lake, and that wouldn't be a big concern unless I was in a body of water where there were big wakes.

I've used this boat for years and finally after 15 years I wore out the bottom from dragging it over rocks and even short periods on the road (a mistake although it slides like on grease). It does not plastic weld easily for repairs and once it leaks to the inner hull this boat becomes very heavy. So I bought a new one. I know it is about time because it is after all just a plastic boat and I totally abused it for years. The new one arrived in less than a week (Super Saver) and they have cheapened it up a bit from previous years. They have eliminated the front set of oar locks and have returned to the older cheaper style oar lock sockets riveted on. Not very long lived in a salt water application. So like other reviews this boat may need some personalization. I will be adding the front oar lock sockets for better weight distribution while rowing heavy loads. Like my wife! Just kidding, I'm not married. Despite my disappointment that it has been cheapened from recent models (maybe Amazon specific) you will still not find another boat as user friendly as this little tender. They have kept the price down. With stainless bow eye, tow rings and oar locks front and rear they would need another star for me to rate this with 6 stars. I read another review about it needing more freeboard but to do that it would need longer oars which for the average person would make rowing more difficult. I use 6' oars but recommend 5.5' for the average person as the longer oars don't stow as well onboard coming to rest in the preformed cup holder. BTW I've gotten this boat planing while on the middle seat with a 3.3 Mercury and I'm a big boy at 260 lbs.

I love it!