Need advice on inflatable boat

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
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I am currently looking at this type of inflatable:

[url=http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11715&cp=712859.2157982:df738]http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11715&cp=712859.2157982[/url:df738]

I fish mainly small still waters and I need something very portable. My storage space is very limited. No room to store a canoe and I don’t like float tubes. I am also on a limited budget right now. Any thoughts or advice would be welcomed. I have never fished from an inflatable but I do have white water experience.

Eric “nighthawk”

American veteran and proud of it!

[This message has been edited by nighthawk (edited 04 April 2006).]

[This message has been edited by nighthawk (edited 05 April 2006).]

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I used to fish from an inflatable raft. In fact, I just got rid of the very one you are looking at…the Seyvlor Fish Hunter II, with the outter hull cover. I also tried a Sevylor inflatable kayak (K-2). Both were a royal pain. They handle awful, the wind blows them everywhere, they are pitifully slow, you always have to worry about punctures, they are difficult to get in and out of, you can’t stand up in them, etc…

If you are dead set on an inflatable, then check out the various models of pedal pontoon boats. I belive that would be your best bet. Or, make sure you get one with a solid floor board, but it will cost you. If I absolutely had to have another inflatable, I wouldn’t have anything less than a Sea Eagle 6 or higher. They are Zodiac type inflatables with floors, motor mounts (for a real motor), or they can be set up for sail power (real neat!!!).

Good Luck

Semper Fi!

[This message has been edited by Gigmaster (edited 04 April 2006).]

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Totally agree with Gigmaster, I too had one and you are so busy trying to row, that you can’t fish. Plus any tube, pontoon, raft, whatever, you put a motor on it, you have to license it, at least here in the west. That is why I prefer float tubes and pontoons, you can steer with your feet and fish.

she who dies with the most toy’s wins.

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Gigmaster, Fly Goddess
Thanks for the advice. I think I’ll wait until my situation allows me to get a canoe or Jon Boat. It’s not real expensive to register a motor boat here in Pennsylvania and I have seen used rigs at local dealers for under a thousand dollars. I will check out the rigs you advised me to look at as well. Hey, you all just gave me an excuse for another trip to Cabela’s store in Hamburg. Cool! Thank you both for the advice.

Eric “nighthawk”

American veteran and proud of it!

5

I would like to get something that I can eventually put a small electric trolling motor on. I just don’t care for any of the tubes that I have seen but I do like some of the inflatable potoon boats. I think I will stay away from the rafts. Too many negative comments on them. I also have to take into consideration my knee. It took a turn for the worse today. A raft would be too hard on the knee as would a tube. Need something I can row or put a motor on.

Eric “nighthawk”

American veteran and proud of it!

6

Eric,

Your even closer to Blue Mtn. Outfitters than I am…Which is good!

If you go to their web site and scroll down to the Bargain section…You can then select either Canoes or Kayaks..whichever suits you…and they have Blem,Demo, Used Rented,Used…You get the idea…They are located in Marysville on US 11&15 just north of Harrisburg…
They have boats as little as 200.00…Yaks that is…canoes I believe run a bit more…
Depends on your personal needs…Not having met you…I have no clue what size/type a boat you might be needing..But They are a full service Paddling shop..and close to home!!!

Hope this helps…

Here’s the link:
[url=http://www.bluemountainoutfitters.net/:bc222]http://www.bluemountainoutfitters.net/[/url:bc222]

4th one down on the list is a Mad River Adventure 14’fter wt. Listed at 75lbs Beam at 38in. which is quite a wide stable width for a canoe! Max. Cap. listed 875 Lbs Comments are: Blem,New for 2006.. at $450.00 Cheapest I seen on the list of 43 Canoes…Was not listed a few weeks ago…LOL..or I may have just taken along home with me…

Also…In the Kayak bargain listings…There are 3…Hobie Float Cat’s…1 is a 60..These are their smallest and lightest Pontoon water craft…These are NOT inflatable’s!!!..(Catameran style Pontoon boat’s).They have hull’s made of the same materials as many new Canoes and Kayaks…and breakdown small enough to fit in a closet.
Without tools..in literally a couple min. you can be either on the water..or off the water and on your way home…2 of these are the Expedition 75’s…these come complete with rowing systems..and only 33 Lbs. Total weight.

I own one of these and Love the things for the small lakes and ponds I encounter here…the 60 is listed at $295.00 and the 75’s at $749.00 they list for 800 normally..and I seen all of these the other week when I picked up my Hobie Kayak…and they are in new condition…They are indestructible!!!..had mine for around 7 yrs..and I have NO complaint’s!!! ?? Can you tell I like these!!!..??..LOL..75’s also have a max. Cap. of 350 Lbs. !! I’m a big guy…and the wife’s cooking is not any help… Oh yes…and they sell a Motor mount for the 75’s as well..I think it is..lemme look at the list I got from Hobie a few weeks before I got my Yak..$25.00 bucks…but you could make one just as easy..They attach to the cargo rack…which is also included with the Floatcat 75’s…Really…There is nothing I have found that I do not like about my Floatcat…You can also add a striping apron to it..which attaches to the ridged seat back..and flips back over your head and out of the way, When not needed..or for easy in/out…sits you well out of the water as well..( Your Knees won’t even get wet!!).is there anything I’ve left out of this BOOK..???..ok…I’ll leave you to your search..!

“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best

Everyone wants to excel in this sport but at the same time we let traditionalists place restrictions on our tactics, methods, and ideas. I always assumed that fly fishing was a sport that allowed imagination, creation, adaptation, investigation, dedication, education, revelation? : Fox Statler, On Spinners (Not the dainty Dry Fly kind) “Spinner’d Minner Fly”

“Wish ya great fishing”

Bill

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 05 April 2006).]

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If you are interested in trying one out…and I’ll warn you now…all who have tried mine…have bought one… Let me know…and we’ll see about meeting up at a great Lake I fish frequently…Bet you have too…!

Heres the float cat Link:
[url=http://www.hobiecat.com/fishing/models_floatcat75.html:ea716]http://www.hobiecat.com/fishing/models_floatcat75.html[/url:ea716]

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 05 April 2006).]

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Thank you, Bill. You know, I drive past Blue Mountain twice daily and never thought to stop in. Same with Big Bee boats. Somtimes I wonder where my head is at. No matter what I decide you and I must get together and do some fishing!

Well, this has resulted in a fight between me and the better half. She can’t seem to understand that I am shopping and not buying right now. I will not buy a big ticket item until I have the funds to do so but if she tries to force me to choose between her and my outdoor life she may well regret it. Sorry about the rant. I shouldn’t type while I am ticked off.

Eric “nighthawk”

American veteran and proud of it!

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Put the women in her place, nighthawk. I wanted a belly boat i bought it.

No offence to all the women on the form that understand the outdoors lifestyle.

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Well Eric,

I hope you do stop in and take a look at the Hobie Cat’s…I really am fond of mine…I did not ask…But just maybe they have some sort of payment setup…Never hurts to ask…see no reason they would not want to work with you…as I did see a good many boats with SOLD sign’s on them…I went there with 1 express purpose…but did look around a bit…VERY WELL STOCKED SHOP!!! I will be back there…Prolly for a roof rack when I can afford it…

Tuber had asked if I were going to sell it when I posted that I had gotten the yak…But with all the accessories I’ve added to my 75 It would prolly be cheaper for him to check his local shops…These things retain their value quite well…as even with VERY hard use…there is very little sign of use at all…

Just can not see any reason’s for selling when I have 2 boys coming along…

The wife and I did a bit of a compromise…I got the Yak…She got the Mini Van she’s wanted for a while now…I would trade her my car in a second…That cargo rack sure was handy for getting the yak home!!!..

You live very handy to one of my very favorite river access’s there in Liverpool 75’s are also suited to moving waters as well!!!

Oh Yeah…and My wife’s favorite singer…(She’d leave me in a heartbeat for HIM )… Brad Paisley has a song that I remind her about every so often…She THINKS…I am joking…Hope we need never find out!!!

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 06 April 2006).]

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Things were better when I came home today. Not so long ago I plunked down a decent sum of money to buy her a new computer. When she asked if I was certain that I wanted to do this I told her yes. I told her this was my boat money and when the time comes to buy the boat I don’t want to be given a hard time over it. Perhaps I need to find a way to politely remind her of this.

Eric “nighthawk”

American veteran and proud of it!