INTEX Excursion Inflatable Boat Series: Includes Deluxe 54in Boat Oars and High-Output Pump – SuperTough PVC – Adjustable Seats with Backrest – Fishing Rod Holders – Welded Oar Locks

Well if you are reading this you are probably considering buying this boat. Great choice but before you purchase understand this is more than a $150 boat and it has some limitations.First and foremost it does not seat 5 people. It is more of a 2 to maybe 3 adults. 2 adults and a couple of kids would work pretty well.Second, trying to row this big boat is tough. You will want a trolling motor for this boat.Third, at least in North Dakota, if you put a trolling motor on any boat, including inflatables, it needs to be registered with game and fish and you have to follow boating laws. (If you dont put a motor on it you shouldnt have to register it)Fourth, this is an air boat, it works extremely well on little to no current. I havent tried it in a river with a current yet but i dont think i want to.Overall im very pleased with this boat. It seems to be tough as the vinyl is thicker than an air mattress. The fishing pole holders seem cheap and in dont think id trust my poles using them. The boat is very portable but is pretty heavy. Much easier to load and unload with 2 people. Also this boat is rated for 1300 pounds people and equipment weight. I have at least 800 pounds in my boat at all times and it floats great and moves pretty good (5 mphish) with the trolling motor.Alright, if you are still reading here are my suggestions of what you should buy with the purchase of this boat.1. Trolling motor mounting kit2. Trolling motor (i used a minn kota endura max 40 thrust). The boat is only rated to 30 thrust or 1.5 hp (33lbs max motor weight according to the box) but im pretty confident you could fit a bigger motor on this if you wanted to.3. Minn kota power center battery box. This box is great, it shows you battery life remaining and has spots for dc power so you can charge your phone and whatnot.4. A 29 series deep cycle battery. I used an everstart maxx 29 from walmart5. Minn kota portable battery charger. I like this charger because it has overcharge protection and is very lightweight and easy to use.6. A 4 pack of life vests. I bought the orange cheapos but they work fine just to be legal7. An air horn8. An anchor. I think mine is 3 or 5 lbs. Trust me you want an anchor as the boat floats away easily when you are trying to stay still.9. I bought a fire extinguisher. Not required by law but it makes me feel safer10. Bow and stearn light (green/red for bow and white for back). I found a set for inflatables on amazon and they are AA battery powered.11. An electric air pump. I bought a dc powered one so i can use the truck at the lake to power the pump and inflate the boat.12. Industrial strength outdoor velcro. Stuff kind of flops around in the boat. Velcro keeps stuff organized13. I would consider buying a couple large plastic bins to carry and store the boat14. Loctite! The bolts holding the motor mount seem to loosen on their own. Using some loctite should help that15. I am buying led light strips for my boat for better lighting at night16. Buy dock bumpers if you plan on landing this at a dock. You dont want sharp metal or wood puncturing it

As a complete newbie to boating, this is really an awesome boat/raft. I had a lot of doubts as the inflatable kayaks I’ve been on before have been really prone to currents and wind, but this boat is a behemoth. It’s simultaneously huge and spacious (took 2 friends, about 600 pounds total with 3 people total), extremely buoyant, easy to inflate and use, and not prone to winds or currents like other inflatables, really stable.I had hooked up a 55lbs thrust trolling motor and battery first time with no problems in about 10 minutes. For the price as well, $140 for a huge raft with really easy setup and deflation is exceptional. I would recommend the motor as the oars alone that come with it aren’t ideal for multiple people or against strong winds/currents. Overall I would highly highly recommend. This is probably the closest you can get to actual boating without breaking the bank or needing a truck for towing/parking space for the boat.

If you want to register your boat and add a trolling motor, follow these instructions:This boat is quite big, and to fully enjoy it, adding a trolling motor is recommended. Paddling a boat of this size is not as easy as paddling a kayak.You don't need to register the boat initially, but if you plan to add a trolling motor, most states will require registration. Some people have complained about the difficulty of registering this boat, but others have succeeded. I took the risk and bought it, and fortunately, I was able to register it without much trouble.Here are some key points to know: You don't need to register the trolling motor, especially if it's electric but you have to register the boat if a trolling motor will be attached to it. These steps generally apply to most states, not just Texas.To save you time, I'll skip sharing my story and provide you with the steps for successful registration:First, you'll need a Bill of Sale for your purchase. Contact Amazon Customer Service and request a Bill of Sale that includes the Hull ID of your boat. Although online stores like Amazon may not provide this document, any written conversation with them can suffice for most registration offices. If you can demonstrate your efforts to obtain the Bill of Sale, such as an email response from Amazon, even if they deny your request, or a chat log (as I did), make sure to print or save it and take it with you to the registration office. In my case, I didn't bring any physical documents, but I explained the steps I took to obtain the Bill of Sale verbally, and they accepted my explanation.Next, you'll need the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin for the boat. Visit the Intex website (intexcorp dot com) and click on the "Boat Certificate of Origin" link at the bottom of the page. On the subsequent screen, select the boat model you purchased (e.g., Intex Excursion 5). Enter the hull identification number, which can be found on the box or your boat (usually starting with the letter XEE). Once you provide the number, you'll receive your Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin. Print it out and remember to take it to the registration office.Take a photo of your boat where the Hull ID is clearly visible. It's not necessary to inflate the boat for the picture (in my case, the boat was not inflated). Make sure to bring the photo with you.Print the order details of your boat purchase, specifically the page that includes the amount paid, your full name, and address. You can do this on the Amazon website or mobile app.Bring all the necessary documents mentioned above to the registration office in person. Remember that most offices only accept cash or check, not credit or debit cards.Fill out the required form, usually available at the front of the office. In Texas, the form is called PWD-143. After about 10 minutes, your registration should be completed. They will provide you with a registration number, which you must print on your boat, as well as a registration sticker. They will also inform you that your title will be mailed to you. With that, you are ready to go and enjoy your boat!I hope these instructions help others since I couldn't find a YouTube video explaining these steps. The most challenging part is obtaining the Bill of Sale and the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin. While the online version of the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin may have a signature, if it's not accepted, you can chat or call Intex, and they will send it to you by mail. In my case, I used the downloaded version from their website and it sufficed for the registration office.