5.0 out of 5 stars Great Boat

Z. · April 7, 2017

Spent a lot time considering something to fish out of. Looked at a lot kayaks but don't have the room to store it and didn't really want to haul it on the roof. Started looking at inflatable kayaks, but in all of the planning of what I wanted out of the kayak (including modifications for a trolling motor) I realized that might not fit the bill, particularly if I wanted to bring someone with me. I started looking at inflatables and for the price this one hit all the right buttons.I bought this boat last December and have been waiting to use it. Finally got it out last weekend. It's a great boat. Really nice looking and it seems well made. The material seems quite sturdy and well assembled, time will tell if the materials hold up. I once had a Sea Eagle SE9 and there is no comparison between the two. The Sea Eagle took forever to inflate even with an electric pump. It didn't hold up very well either developing slows throughout the hull. Compare prices, there's no comparison.I bought an electric pump for this boat but was really surprised how quickly it inflated, even with the foot pump. It literally took 90 seconds per bladder to inflate to about 75%. Put in the floorboards, a little tricky but watch some videos on Youtube and they will go together pretty quickly. It took an additional 60 seconds per bladder to fully inflate the boat. The keel inflates in about 30 seconds. Total time from the trunk to the water was about 20 minutes, but that includes mounting the motor, wheeling it to the water with my homemade dolly, and putting all our tackle in the boat. I expect to get faster with use. I have a small hatchback and I put the boat, motor, battery and all tackle and equipment in the back of the hatchback. It's pretty cool to be able to take so much in a small space.We have a 30 lbs trolling motor but I will be buying an outboard later this year. The trolling motor pushed it along with no problem. It was a little tight with two of us in it but I plan on not bringing the large cooler the next time and expect to have plenty of room for two to fish out of it. I'm a big boy at 6'2" and 275 lbs. Really looking forward to taking it out by myself, There will be plenty of room for me and any fishing tackle imaginable. Downside - it blows around a bit in the wind. This is common for most inflatables so it's not really an issue of this boat specifically. Bring an anchor.One of the things I hated about the Sea Eagle was the pain in the back I got from sitting on the low seats in the boat. This boat has larger tubes and this raises the seating position to nearly a normal height. This might seem like a small issue but spend 4 or 5 hours in the boat fishing and this will be an advantage over other boats. In studying this I don't know of any other manufacturer which has tubes this large. I expect the larger tubes will also be helpful once at speed on plane. Standing in the boat wasn't even an issue, another reason to forgo the kayak.This is a real boat with all the advantages you'd have from any boat with the exception of needing to inflate it before use. A downside to an inflatable is what you gain in portability and space you lose in convenience. For me it was the right compromise.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great dinghy for southeast Ak

S. · June 16, 2025

We’ve owned for about a year now and works great getting our family of five from anchor to the shore. Most of our shorelines are very rocky and this thing has held up without tearing and has held up to the weather here in southeast Ak. I do suggest getting the aluminum floor for weight savings if you’re going to be lifting by yourself. The wood floor is very solid but very heavy trying to lift up onto our boat by hand. The cons for us is obviously heavy and the pump that came with it to inflate the dinghy had a tear but used a piece of duct tape and it still inflates the dinghy. Assembly leaves some room for improvement as trying to get the floor together was a bit cumbersome but makes it very solid.

5.0 out of 5 stars Go Fishing!!

S. · May 5, 2022

I read through these reviews for about two weeks over and over and contemplated purchasing the 12.5 Catalina, and I am SO glad I did. I have been looking for a high-capacity (1600 lbs) fishing boat alternative that is easy to get in and out of the water. I have a 55 lbs trolling motor on it right now and I have been fishing in it every weekend when the weather is good. I upgraded from an Excursion 5, because I kept putting small holes in it. This Newport Catalina is a freaking tank! I am not worried it at all! It is so sturdy, so comfortable, and perfect for fishing. Yes, the floorboards are harder to put in the first time, but once you get the hang of it then it's pretty simple. I do not do it the same way as the videos show, I lift the 3rd and 4th (Catalina has 5 boards) until they are together like a tent and then push them down at the same time. Not a problem. Because pumping it up at the water and deflating it will cut into your time to fish, I recommend grabbing a trailer for this and leaving it inflated all season. I plan to grab at least a 10 HP motor for this puppy next season and will add to my review when I have it. Don't hesitate, this is NOT a piece of crap. Another thing I didn't find much about when I was reading the reviews was how shallow I could get with the boat since I sometimes find myself in smaller streams. With about 700 lbs in the Catalina I am able to crews safely in 6 inches of water. I have to lift the trolling motor and use the paddles in these cases, but I am not worried at all. I can't wait to get a Bimini top and take the wife and kids out! (They don't fish lol)Update: After having this boat for a couple of years I decided to purchase the max HP available for it. This sucker is 100x more fun now. I can easily reach 20 mph (26 alone). I've caught a lot of fish on this boat and I'll say that I have put this boat through a lot. Don't be worried because it's an inflatable. I have been in some crazy places and (carefully) dragged this boat through some crazy rocky spots and I've put it everywhere I put my bass boat and more.

1.0 out of 5 stars DON'T BUY NEWPORT INFLATABLE

j. · March 22, 2025

After using boat only five times the third chamber would lose all air over a two day period. I reported this to company and made a warranty claim since it was within the two year warranty period. The company requested photos to determine what might be the cause of air leak. I sent 3 photos and they said it was a leak from valve which was incorrect since I did a leak check on valve and it showed no leak.. I received a new valve from them which I knew would not solve the problem, however, I did replace valve to no avail. I reported to company that problem was not resolved.Three weeks later I received an email form them saying the problem was normal wear and tear not a warranty claim and I should repair the hole. This surprised me since there was no hole. I had offered to take boat to a repair facility but they didn't respond. DON'T BUY