Intex Challenger Inflatable Boat Set with Oars + Inflator

I bought this for the kids to play aroun it while on holiday. It handled both sea, harbour and river easily. It is a sturdy boat for the price. It flexes over the waves and doesn't remain rigid, but you wouldn't expect it to. It handled 4 young teenagers and their exuberance with ease. The base inside the boat is more substantial than I have seen before and it has proved to be bombproof in spite of the youthful zeal of my children and their friends.The oars are a different matter, dont get me wrong, they are solid enough. This boat is about 9 foot long, the oars scarcely meet the water and are a good 3 foot too short. They are fine as paddles, but next to useless as oars. In spite of the boat having 2 sets of rowlocks, there is only 1 set of "oars" which is insufficient to move the boat against the current in a river. It really needs 7 foot or 2m oars.

Was looking at this for a while so when it came down in price a bit, I decided to take the plunge (metaphorically speaking).Off I went with my son like proper townies down to a nearby reservoir and set sail. We were still afloat after the first minute which I vocally considered a success.There is a technique to rowing which, after an hour on the water, I had yet to master. I spent more time going round in circles while trying to convince my son that's what's supposed to happen.Pleased with the sturdiness and robustness of it and impressed with what you get for your money. Nice little touches mean the oars won't drift away if you let go and they also clip on to the side of the boat. Doesn't take long to pump up using the supplied pump (5mins after the first practice).Good size for myself and my son (10 Yr) . You could fit 2 adults but would be a squeeze.Alternatives look a bit flimsy and are more for swimming pools but this is good for reservoirs, lochs, lakes and canals. Probably OK in the sea if sticking near the shoreline on a calm day but I reckon you need a certain level of ability to do that which I don't have.We'll worth it even if you were to only use it occasionally.

We bought this dinghy for our son, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren (aged 6&4) who regularly take camping holidays in Europe just as we did when our sons were young and when we enjoyed a similar sized dinghy for many years. The boat was used for the first time on their recent trip to France and drew admiring looks and comments from fellow campers, notably "now that's what I call a dinghy". Most people had opted for tiny inflatables big enough for one child and useful for little more than messing about in the shallows but we chose this one for the long term. The boat took the 2 adults and 2 kids comfortably and was perfectly stable for exploring the whole inland lake. As the children grow, it will still take one adult in addition to them but at this stage, dad seemed to get the most fun from it, re-living memories!!We felt that the 3 piece kit was great value - the oars were perfectly good enough at this stage (they can always upgrade later if they want) and the foot pump was quick to use. Other potential buyers should beware of the Amazon footnotes that "people who bought this item also bought an electric pump" as the instructions warn against using them, so save your money to put towards life jackets instead!!! It would be a large and heavy item to take on holiday other than self-drive trips and it's heavy for younger kids to carry but that's the downside to a boat for the whole family or for older kids and to get this level of stability. Provided the boat proves to be as durable as it appears, it should last many years and at this stage we are delighted with it and would thoroughly recommend.

Great item

I purchased Intex Callenger boat two years ago therefore I can give an honest and valuable review. It is BRILLIANT! This is a very durable, spacious boat. It fits in a large IKEA bag and it has several separate air compartments what makes it a very safe boat - if one happens to deflate you still will be able to safely reach the shore. This boat is perfect for two adults and a big picnic bag, I think it should be able to accomodate three, but it would be quite snug. There are two removable seats that are also fun to hold on while swimming and two oars. This boat is very easy to inflate (pump was included) and to carry once inflates as it has a durable rope around it. We had many wonderful summer days sunbathing on the lake in this boat. It is one of the best purchases on Amazon.