Has anyone tried this pontoon yet?

[Shakeyfly]

I just came across this on cabela's. I've been debating on a getting pontoon vs float tube for a while, and I found this. I think this is an interesting option?

What do you see as the pro's and cons of the hard plastic pontoons vs the inflatable?

Thanks!

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...box.jsp.form23

[pillcaster]

That thing looks pretty cool - I wonder if you can mount a small elec motor behind the seat?

[Shakeyfly]

I was wondering the same thing!! I couldn't find another view of it. Maybe a basket or something at least for gear, but from the description it sounds like they turned the pontoons into floating storage as well.

I was looking at this as a great option to get out on the small ponds, lakes etc out here. and possibly ( i know I'm crazy) but for getting me out onto some of the saltwater flats up here in Massachusetts.

[Uncle Jesse]

One con is it's heavy 63 lbs. and will not deflate for transportation or storage. One the up side it should be touch and easy to mount a set of wheels on to move around. It appears to be short, would not that make it trickier to row? There appears to be a nice rack behind the seat you could easily make a trolling motor mount for and have a place to put the battery.

[Mojo]

Another thing to think about is it's capacity- 350#. A deep cycle battery will go anywhere from 50 to 60#'s and a trolling motor is about 30. That's an extra 90 lbs.
Venture is designed about 50 miles north of us in Logan. They've always had decent boats.
For stillwater I wouldn't hesitate if it's what you want.

[Fly Goddess]

I agree with Mojo. I had the Venture Outdoors ECHO. It has a small metal frame with a molded plastic seat that is adjustable which was really nice. The toons are 4' by 12" diameter plastic like the Tupperware garbage cans. It has Halkey Roberts valves and is somewhat deflateable. Just can roll them up. Has a sealing powder inside so if you did get a pin hole, you just shake the pontoon and it seals the hole. The stripping aprons are the best I have encountered, in fact I have one on my NFO's...LOL
I think you could do a motor on the 6' one. I had a motor on my older Alpine and it was 6'.

[Shakeyfly]

I don't have much time out on the water with a float tube, so thank you so much for your opinions. I was really debating between a pontoon that needs to be inflated versus that one.

[Uncle Jesse]

Has a sealing powder inside so if you did get a pin hole, you just shake the pontoon and it seals the hole.

I would like some sealing powder for my inflatables, can you buy it at sporting good stores?

[Hextall]

I was looking at this as a great option to get out on the small ponds, lakes etc out here. and possibly ( i know I'm crazy) but for getting me out onto some of the saltwater flats up here in Massachusetts.

If that's not the order of priority... then I think a fishing kayak might be a better option than a pontoon. Especially on the saltwater flats such as Joppa where you'd potentially be paddling a long way.
I own both a pontoon boat (bought this year and only used once though) and a fishing kayak... the kayak will fish in any of those waters... I'd be reluctant to take the pontoon out into the saltwater. So obviously the solution is to get both (ha ha).

At 6' long and 65 lbs... I think there are better pontoon boats where you can get a longer boat for the same weight.

[Shakeyfly]

Thank you for that information. I don't do a lot of Saltwater Fishing. I've tried fishing from a kayak, and I didn't like it. Sitting with my feet out in front of me, and that low to the water, was just a disaster haha.

My primary use would be lakes and ponds around my house, with the occasional float out on the cape flats just to make sure I don't get soaked by incoming water.

I'm starting to learn more towards the inflatable pontoon as it sounds like, for the weight of the pontoon, and the length and the portability of just being able to deflate it when I want to, the inflatables are a great option. I will probably grab that cheap one on Cabelas.