I ended up with my seven year old son in our Gemini Canal Bandit. My seven year old driving and me, Dad being the ballast in the front. Our Gemini is powered by a Mercury 6hp so therefore anticipating some sedate cruising as I figured my weight would stop any speed. I was proved wrong as this little rocket took off with instantaneous acceleration.

It was fabulous fun mucking around with my children. It is a parents greatest joy to see their children lit up with glee and shouting in joy obviously as a result of our Canal Bandit. For me, a Dad, it was a wonderful bonding lesson and treasured enjoyable family time. Eventually I was booted off the Canal Bandit by my 12 year old daughter who proceeded to scoot around with her sister both unable to control their laughter.

I stood on the shore proudly watching my sons ride in the boat. Knowing that they were not only have the time of their lives but completely safe doing circuits, jumping wakes of other boats and generally cruising around. Eventually I had to call them in, but both begged for 5 minutes more. (As only kids do best) and of course I only got them in when the tank ran to empty.

Our Canal Bandit the catalyst of our family fun. What a fabulous boat, small and compact and easy to store in the garage. It’s not expensive and it wholesome family fun, with our children outside in the fresh air and sunshine. Its worth is in the hours of family fun and skills it teaches my children. Best of all it doesn’t even require a trailer and it totally portable to any location to really make a day of it. Thank you to our Canal Bandit

Check out the Inflatable Boats and how to give your family the best gift. Go to Global Force Marine. The friendly staff will give you everything you need.

One of the biggest pluses with a small boat is its ease in portability. Some are small enough to transport on top of an SUV or in the back of a pickup truck. They may even be light enough for one person to put on and off by themselves. A boat this size is also nice because you can maneuver more easily without a boat trailer. With the boat on the truck, you can drive into places you might not have been able to access otherwise.

On the water, of course, a small boat will be able to access more places as well. It may not be able to go out into the middle of a large body of water. However, it is perfect for shallow spots or places that are overgrown with plants. Often, these are exactly where the fish you are looking for pick to hide out. With this kind of maneuverability, you may find yourself with a huge catch when the bigger boats have not been able to catch a thing.

One of the main reasons many people look at small boats is the lower price over the larger type of boat. It is not just the initial cost that is higher on a larger boat, the maintenance costs will also be greater. For example, smaller boats mean smaller engines that require less gasoline. And the larger the boat, the more effort to maintain as well.

Some people are less concerned about the price than the experience itself. A small boat just feels closer to the water and to the entire pastime. But, of course, it does all come at a lower price tag.

A wide variety of small boats are available, in different materials and at different costs. The boat materials commonly used are aluminum, wood and fiberglass. Among the many styles of small boats include punts, dinghies, canoes, kayaks and flat bottoms.

In some cases, a motor will come with your boat, in others you will have to purchase one separately. Other additions can be made, depending on the size of the boat. Even the things normally found on the larger boats, such as fish finders, can be added if there is room. If your boat is large enough, fish finders can be installed, otherwise, there are units which are portable.

Take care in making your additions that you do not overload your boat. Pay special attention to what type of motor is recommended and do not go over the advised horsepower. Weight and power overloading can lead to serious boating accidents.

Spend a moment and look into fishing from small boats. You do not have to let finances keep you from enjoying one of your favorite hobbies. Fishing from your own boat and spending the day on your favorite water just may be more possible than you think.

Want to learn some fishing techniques, and how to use them fishing from small boats? Check out the Fishing From Small Boats web site.