Baltik 9.5 Inflatable

Review of Baltik 9.5 Inflatable Boat with Air Floor

Summary
The Baltik 9.5 is a great boat, dinghy and yacht tender. The inflatable floor with inflatable tube beneath it create a rigid bottom and a v-entry in the bow that flows into the keel. A 3.5 hp outboard moves the boat with 2 adults and 2 kids at 10 mph. The Baltik 9.5 cuts through chop and small wakes nicely. This boat can even be rowed against a stiff 15 mph breeze! The oars are perfectly sized and well-positioned relative to the middle seat; they are semi-permanently attached and fold down to store neatly on the side chambers. The boat sets up quickly. It took me 30 minutes the first time… and that was on the deck of an O’Day 25 sailboat. The air pump that comes with the boat is ugly but works well. Putting the boat back in the bag was easy too (also performed on deck). The only negative I’ve found is that the grey color is light and gets dirty easily. I highly recommend the Baltik 9.5.

Full Review
During a trip to California’s San Miguel Island fifteen years ago I developed a strong antipathy to inflatables. We had chartered a sailboat that included an inflatable as a shore boat. Since there was no outboard the dinghy needed to be rowed. This was a problem because 1) the bottom of the dinghy was not rigid and held onto the water like a suction cup, 2) the oars were too short and 3) the winds were gusting offshore at 30 mph. Using the dinghy in those conditions was both exhausting and terrifying. Never again, I swore.

More recently I was planning a 6-day sailing trip to Martha’s Vineyard with my wife and two young kids (ages 4 and 10) on our O’Day 25, the Flying Fish (Here's the full story of the Marks family sailing trip to Menemsha). We own a WaterTender 9.4’ cathedral hull plastic boat. It’s rated to 480 lbs capacity and can carry all four of us. However, relative to an inflatable, it’s much more tender. I didn’t want to risk capsizing. Towing the WaterTender in a 3’ chop was also unappealing. Similarly sized inflatables are rated to 900+ lbs. and can be stowed in a bag on deck. I’d tried a cheap Sevylor Caravelle, a glorified pool toy, and found it acceptable for moving 100’ or less from a mooring to shore. I wanted something appropriate for exploring bays and inlets, something that could be motored a few miles at reasonable speeds. This meant a “real” inflatable. The brand names cost between $1200 and $2000. Too much, I thought. On the Internet I discovered Baltik Boats. I read two decent reviews, read and re-read Baltik’s guarantee, held my breath and bought the Baltik 9.5 with inflatable floor for approx $800 on Ebay from Affordable Inflatables (including shipping). The boat arrived within a week in a corrugated box. There was no damage from shipping. I wanted to test setting up and storing the inflatable before we departed but, as is typical, ran out of time. I hoped everything would work out well when the time came.

With no prior experience I set up the Baltik 9.5 on the small deck of our 25’ sailboat in approximately 30 minutes. As the Baltik inflated it extended beyond the rails of the bow. I had to be careful to avoid falling overboard when I moved from inflating one chamber to the next The one way valves worked beautifully. The hand pump, a horrid looking orange and green thing also worked well. The next step was to motor from Oak Bluffs Marina to Vineyard Haven, a distance of three miles. My wife and kids were waiting for me at the Vineyard Harbor Motel, located on the waterfront with its own beach. This meant going into Nantucket Sound, moving against a 15 knot headwind, 2 knot current and 2 foot chop. It also meant navigating amongst numerous ferries and pleasure craft. I should add at this point that the used outboard motor, a 3.5 hp 2-stroke Tohatsu, was also an untested purchase. I had a hand held VHF radio with me to call for help if necessary.

The 3.5hp Tohatsu moved the Baltik along nicely into Nantucket Sound. While it didn’t get up to plane (a 5hp motor might have managed that) the boat cut through the chop and wakes very well at a speed of 10+ mph. Just after rounding the point and entering Vineyard Haven harbor the motor cut out. This gave me a chance to test the Baltik’s rowing capability. The wind was blowing directly out of the harbor against me at a steady 15 mph with gusts of 20. As mentioned before, there are many large ferries in the area. This was not a good time for equipment failure. The good news is that the Baltik rowed very well. It tracked and glided forward between strokes; it was easy to maintain a straight line. If necessary I could have rowed the remaining mile to my destination without suffering from either exhaustion or nervous breakdown. In the event, the Tohatsu started up again and I motored the rest of the way.

That afternoon I loaded up my wife Ginger, 4 year old Abby and 10 year old Jane and took the Baltik on a harbor tour. Once again the motor proved a little troublesome but after a few restarts it got us to where we were going. Loaded with 2 adults and two kids (approx 450 lbs with motor) the Baltik continued to cut through wakes and small chop nicely while maintaining a speed of approx 10 mph.

The following day we towed the Baltik from Oak Bluffs to Menemsha Pond. The Baltik tracked well under tow, following the Flying Fish with minimal tugging and swinging. There was a head wind with seas of 1-2‘. The dinghy was secured at the D-ring in the bow. Though unnecessary it might have towed even better if I’d set up a bridle (two stainless steel towing rings on either side of the bow are provided).

We motored the Flying Fish into Menemsha Pond and anchored. Then all four of us got into the Baltik and motored 1.5 miles back to Menemsha Harbor so Ginger could take a shower. Going with the stiff breeze, we surfed downwind on 1’ chop aided by a 3 mph current. Ginger sat on the bow and everyone was comfortable. On the way back, against wind and current, Ginger started out on the bow and quickly got soaked. She moved onto the floor, the bow rose and there was much less spray - the return ride went better after that - but Ginger wanted another shower (she would have to wait a day). Even in those conditions the Baltik made decent headway, guesstimate of 5 mph over ground.

In Menemsha Pond I had a chance to test the Baltik as a rescue vessel. Returning to the Flying Fish from a solo morning run to Menemsha Harbor I noticed two full grown men and a large dog sailing in an open 12’ boat. The wind was blowing a steady 20 mph with gusts of 25. Looking at the overloaded small sailboat I thought, “not a good idea.” As soon as I’d tied up to the Flying Fish I looked over at the small sailboat and saw that it had capsized. The problem with open sailboats is that once they capsize they fill up like bath tubs and there’s really no way to get them sailing again until you reach a dock or a shore. The men were waving for help and there was no one else in the area. They were a good ½ mile from shore. We motored the Flying Fish to them and tried towing their capsized boat to a fishing platform. The wind and outgoing current were too much and we risked running aground. I threw out an anchor and continued the rescue effort with the Baltik.

The Baltik performed beautifully as a rescue vessel. I pulled up alongside the capsized boat and with minor counterbalancing pulled both men, their dog and the boat’s mast and sail aboard. It was clear that the dog was exhausted. Only the Baltik’s low rails made it possible to get the dog aboard. The Baltik handled the load beautifully (approximately 700+ lbs). We tried towing the swamped boat but the full load combined with the wind and current were too much for the 3.5 Tohatsu (which thankfully didn’t choose that moment to die). We waved down another boat that had appeared in the area and they took over the towing/salvage operation.

As a final trick we pulled the Baltik onboard, deflated it (valves again worked perfectly) disassembled it and rebagged it while under way sailing from Falmouth to Harwich Port on a beam reach with 8 knots of wind and calm seas.

What a purchase!

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written by No Way Jose , May 29, 2008

The Baltik performed beautifully as a rescue vessel. I pulled up alongside the capsized boat and with minor counterbalancing pulled both men, their dog and the boat?s mast and sail aboard. It was clear that the dog was exhausted. Only the Baltik?s low rails made it possible to get the dog aboard. The Baltik handled the load beautifully (approximately 700 lbs). We tried towing the swamped boat but the full load combined with the wind and current were too much for the 3.5 Tohatsu (which thankfully didn?t choose that moment to die). We waved down another boat that had appeared in the area and they took over the towing/salvage operation.

OH PLEASE...I'll let the Coast Guard know so they can thank you!! You are certainly Johnnny (or should I say Mike) on-the-spot.

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written by mike , May 27, 2008

I wrote this review because I'm a happy customer. I don't sell Baltik boats and have never been contacted by either Affordable Inflatables or Baltik... not even a thank-you note!

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written by I Betcha , May 27, 2008

How long have you been selling Baltik boats? smilies/angry.gif