Well I have finally sold my dingy and would like to buy a pontoon boat around the $300 to $400 mark. I will have to have it deliverd to a shipping company for forwarding to me here in N.Z. So my question is who should I buy from? I am considering Cabellas and Bass Pro, are they sponsors of FAOL? If not any other suggestions would be welcome.
All the best.
Mike.
Mike, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I have never even sat in one of the things. No help at all. And, no, neither of them are supporters of FAOL, but thanks for asking. I hope someone else can help you out here.
Dear Mike,
Shop long and shop hard. Unless the NZ currency is really strong I don’t think you can get a decent pontoon boat for $ 300 to $ 400 myself.
Have you ever looked at these boats? They are a lot closer to you, relatively speaking.
Best Wishes,
Tim Murphy 
I don’t think you can get a decent pontoon boat for $ 300 to $ 400 myself.
Funny, my Creek Company ODC 816 catamaran seems pretty good to me :). About $325 at Cabelas. I haven’t had a problem with the cat yet and have had it for a number of seasons now. It sits in storage partially assembled but deflated until I get ready to use it but its portable enough to put in a car trunk when fully disassembled. I did add a PVC rod holder, PVC sonar unit holster, and an anchor system (I would not use the anchor in fast moving water though) for it. I have flippers and carry them but rarely use them now on the slow waters I fish since I have the anchor. I have a little ice cooler strapped on the cargo deck also. Snap pins and the high capacity pump make set-up and take-down easy and quick (about 10 or 15 minutes for me). I have the older model that I like better since it has the padded seat rather than the new plastic one.
http://www.creekcompany.com/products/816-a-lr.jpg
http://www.creekcompany.com/products/816-d-lr.jpg
http://www.creekcompany.com/pdf/816.pdf
I see that Cabelas now has them for $349.99, still cheaper than direct from Creek Company at $399.99.
I was just in Sports Authority 2 days ago…aka Gart/Sportmart…they had a WaterSkeeter Vision originally for $400…on sale for $200…would pay a lot of postage…I know nothing of the quality or the features.
Hey guys,
Precisely the point of my post.
You can’t buy a good pontoon boat for $ 400.00. You might buy a usable one for that but it won’t be a good one, just look around.
This man is in New Zealand. If his boat from America fails then there goes his fishing season. Anybody want to stake their reputation on it?
Quit giving cheapskate back home advice to a guy who isn’t from backhome.
Best Wishes,
Avalon
Avalon,
Quit giving cheapskate back home advice to a guy who isn’t from backhome.
:shock:
:?
Al Campbell wrote a review on the Waterskeeter River Tamer Deluxe Pontoon Boat. To find it click on Features then find Reviews, in Reviews click on Product reviews then scroll down a bit till you find. Al’s review on the Waterskeeter River Tamer Deluxe Pontoon Boat :lol: :lol: I bought one because of this review, it has seen some hard use and is still in really good shape. It cost me around $650.00 CDN or so but is sure worth it.
Make sure you get a good anchor system on whichever one you get.
Dear MOturkE,
I stand by my remarks. The man lives in New Zealand, he needs a good boat.
It ain’t like he can drive a bad boat back to Bass Pro Shop or Cabela’s.
We tend to forget that stuff.
Best Wishes,
Avalon
I looked long and hard for a pontoon in the price range you mention. I have to agree with the others. If you want a good boat you may have to go up in price a bit. I ended up with a “Bucks Bags” Southfork model about 3 seasons back. $550 I have given it a lot of hard use and have had no problems.
I’ll second the bucks bags boats.
We have three of them and they get used frequently.
I really love diving into whitewater with mine.
Thank you very much for all the advice, looks like I have some thinking to do!
All the best.
Mike.
Dear MOturkE,
I stand by my remarks. The man lives in New Zealand, he needs a good boat.
It ain’t like he can drive a bad boat back to Bass Pro Shop or Cabela’s.
We tend to forget that stuff.
Best Wishes,
Avalon :D[/quote]
MOturke…Avalon’s shot would seem to be directed mostly at me and I would have to say he makes a valid point.
I have now owned two pontoon boats…one a promotional model…heckofa buy… I did not have trouble with it but also it did not have hard usage.
I would be interested in finding out if folks have actually had trouble with their pontoons …trouble that they would attribute to the quality???
It’s easy to assume low price equals bad …I wonder…I also know that some of the pricing depends on the features that are included.
Make sure you consider the total cost of boat and accessories as you compare prices. Some boats come with an anchor system, repair kit, spare parts and fins, duffel bag for storage, air pump, rod holder, storage bags or compartments, stripping apron, personal floation device (PFD)etc. I all addds up! There is some truth to the saying ‘a boat is a hole in the water into which you throw money’ I was unaware of the extra costs involved in owning a watercraft.
I first purchased an inexpensive chinese import boat in the $300 range. As soon as I assembled it I knew I made a mistake. Some of the welds looked incomplete and suspect, the frame was a little crooked and difficult to assemble, there were sharp areas on the frame that could cut a bladder or flyline. The pontoons looked wrinkled when inflated like the bladder was the wrong size.
I returned that boat (spent about $50 on return shipping!) and ordered a Water Skeeter River Tamer II for almost twice the cost. It was the right decision. I love my boat and have the confidance that I can run class II and III white water rivers without fear of equiptment failure. Hate to have my tombstone read ‘He save a few hundred bucks…’
Among my fishing buddies I have had the opportunity to test drive several boats. I am pleased with my Water Skeeter, The Creek Company ODC boats look good, esp. for my friend who is a little on the heavy side. The Dave Scaddon boats are especially nice, very well designed with many features, but they also have a steep price tag.
I would be careful when looking at the cheap imports. Get something with a standard oarlock design, so replacement parts can be purchased locally. An aluminum frame is a must if you are near salt water or plan to carry the boat to water without a boat ramp. Pontoon designs with multiple floation chambers are required on some rivers in the USA. A standard valve design such as Leefield or Aire will mean replacement parts are avialabe at any white water rafting supply house.
The creek company boats are one of the brands I have been looking at so it is good to hear they are good boats.
Thanks.
All the best.
Mike.
??? Why does not the name ‘Outcast’ come up? Problems? They are about the most expensive. No one here has one?
Actually, JC, I was gonna chime in about Outcast and ODC, but the cheapskate shot sort of put me off.
My Army fishing buddy and I both have Outcats 9 footers (both from Cabela’s) that we use on a regular basis on rivers like the Nisqually and Cowlitz, plus I use mine on lakes a bit.
It handles well on both rivers and lakes. It has seen some hard use on some pretty skinny water and shows very little signs of wear. The seat is comfortable and the adjustments suit me well. If I had my choices though, I’d get oars about a foot longer.
My wife has an ODC 915 that she loves. She uses it on lakes only. She has a tendency to row in circles (right arm is much stronger than the left) and on most of our rivers, if she would happen to miss a take out it would be a long drive to retrieve her. The oarlocks have multiple positions, unlike the Outcast, and the footrests seem to be more adjustable on the ODC. We got VEE that boat because it fit her better that the Outcast.
A couple of points about the two boats. I don’t like the valve system on the ODC. VEE thought she had punctured a bladder on her boat, so I took the pontoon apart, squirted the bladder with soapy water and couldn’t find a leak. Put it all back together and it wouldn’t hold air. Took it apart again, same story. After pumping it up again, I got smart and squirted some soapy water on the valve. Lots of bubbles. One of the leashes for the valve cover was trapped under the seal. Pushed it back in place and problem solved. Also, on her boat, the valves are located under the side pockets. A real pain to get to.
The valves on the Outcast are quick and easy to use and readily accessable. That is, unless your on the water, as they are located on the points of the pontoons.
The aluminum frame (powder coated) on the ODC maker the boat considerable lighter than my steel framed (powder coated) Outcast.
All in all we like both boats for different reasons.
REE
Thanks REE, just found it odd no word of the ‘Outcast’ had come up.
Nobody has mentioned “Outcast”. I have floated all over Montana & Idaho in mine and love it. ($299.00) through Sportsmens Warehouse.
My 2c worth.
Mike
You mean other than REE above?