Portable Boats Sailing Into U.S. Market

Believe it or not, there’s a new wide-bodied, portable boat that folds to 4 inches flat so you can store it easily, never needs paint and can serve as a rowboat, powerboat or sailboat.

Porta-Bote, marketed for 15 years in Japan, Europe and Australia, was introduced this year to American boating enthusiasts and hunters by a Mountain View, Calif., company. It comes in three sizes and two colors, white and duck-hunter green. Made of the resin polypropylene, the Porta-Bote can be cleaned with soap and water and is almost indestructible, according to Sandy Kaye, president of Porta-Bote International.

The boat folds up into itself, like an envelope, after you take out the seats and push down on the sides. In the bottom, it has what Kaye calls three “living hinges” that are also made from polypropylene. Folded, it looks like a surfboard and can be carried by one or two people. The firm also offers a Roll-a-Bote accessory for $39 that attaches to the folded boat so you can roll it to the water from longer distances.

A special feature is the boat’s rear foldaway stabilizing fins that give it more hydrodynamic lift, enabling it to plane. Porta-Botes are light, weighing in at “half as much as a similar-sized aluminum boat,” Kaye said. “A 12-foot aluminum boat weighs about 150 to 200 pounds,” he added. “Our 12-footer weighs 69 pounds.”

Porta-Bote’s 10-foot and 12-foot models are both 5 feet wide; the 8-foot version is 4 feet, 7 inches wide. The 8-foot and 10-foot sizes weigh 49 and 59 pounds respectively. You can use any outboard motor up to 24 pounds on the 8-foot boat; up to a 40-pound motor on the 10-foot; 50 pounds on the 12-foot boat. They cost $879 for the smallest model, $889 and $899 for the other two. The company also sells a $390 Sailkit for all three models.

Porta-Botes are available at Camping World stores or may be ordered from Porta-Bote International, 1074 Independence Ave., Mountain View, Calif. 94043. To order or find a store in your area that carries the new boat call (800) 624-8428.

Miniature TV/VCR

Speaking of portable: The world’s smallest portable television/VCR--it’s about the size of a paperback book--was introduced last month for those who want to take TV and video with them wherever they go, even on an airplane.

Powered by a rechargeable battery, Sony’s new Video Walkman weighs just 2 1/2 pounds and can record and play up to four hours. It also can be plugged into a wall socket, or when used with an adapter, will run off 6 AA batteries.

Video Walkman can record a program for later viewing or play a tape. Its sleep timer allows you to program the unit to turn off after playing for an hour. Suggested retail price is $1,300. In Los Angeles the portable TV/VCR is available at Wilshire TV in Los Angeles; CBS Adrays in Orange and Laox Video and Sound in Gardena.

A Warm Gift

Gearing up for ski season? You might want to consider a new ear and eye protector called SnoEars that keeps your ears warm and helps protect the eyes from side glare and tearing due to wind.

Introduced eight months ago, SnoEars are lightweight, waterproof and washable and do not impair hearing, according to the manufacturer, Advanced Technology Systems in Manhattan Beach. And in case you want to use them while windsurfing or boating, SnoEars will float.

The Neoprene, nylon and Lycra ear pieces fit securely over the stems of your dark glasses, covering the ear and hugging the frame of the glasses to help keep the wind from blowing in the sides of your eyes. SnoEars come in black, white and eight colors and retail for about $14.95.

For more information or to order, call Advanced Technology Systems at (213) 545-5732 or write P.O. Box 3546, Manhattan Beach 90266. SnoEars also are available at Ski and Sport West in Granada Hills.

Less Oil Mess

If you’re into car maintenance, here’s a new product that can turn one of the dirtiest jobs--changing your engine oil--into a cleaner one. The Engine Oil Drain Valve, distributed by Fumoto Engineering of America in Torrance, is a steel-and-brass ball valve that you install in place of the engine’s oil drain plug. Then, when you want to drain the oil, instead of pulling the drain plug and getting oil all over, you merely lift a lever on the valve and do it with less mess.

After you’ve changed the oil, return the valve’s spring-loaded lever to the closed position and it locks to prevent leakage. It is easy to install and fits almost any car engine, according to Norio Mitsuoka, general manager of the Torrance company. “It comes in different sizes for virtually 99% of the engines in American, Japanese and European automobiles,” said Mitsuoka, who added that the valve “has been tested and approved by many Japanese motor vehicle manufacturers and General Motors.”

The Engine Oil Drain Valve does not fit Rolls-Royces or Triumphs, some Mercedes and some BMW models, Mitsuoka noted. “It fits the older Mercedes and some older BMWs but not the new ones.” There also are sizes for light trucks and heavy trailer trucks. The Fumoto valve retails for about $12 to $14, and is available at Pep Boys, Trak Auto, Kragen, Checker and other auto supply stores in the Los Angeles area, and from various mail-order catalogues.

For more information, or to order directly from the company, write to Fumoto Engineering of America, 21081 S. Western Ave., Suite 120, Torrance 90501. Include the make, year model and engine size of your car.