Does anyone have the pontoons with the casting platforms that you can stand on? I’m thinking about upgrading to one of those, but I wanted to see what people think of them.
I don’t own one, but I had two to choose from at the lodge. Two man and Three man NFO.
Very nice. Well balanced and easy to stand, HOWEVER, I did have to warn clients if they felt they were loosing their balance to grab the back of the seat, not the bar, cause the bar folds back.
I could have 250 lb guy in the front standing and I was sitting level. Very easy to row.
I don’t have rivers around here big enough except the Green, where I would want to stand, so I am happy with my CC.
If I were to get one it would definitely be a NFO (Scadden’s Skycomish) The new bladderless pontoons and aluminum frame make it light enough I can carry it.
A pontoon boat or cataraft is my personal watercraft of choice. I fish moving water that is mixed with rapids and rock gardens and a cat is my ultimate choice of comfort/maneuverability.
I have owned several pontoon boats, including kickboat types as well as catarafts and standing platforms. I still own one Outcast pontoon boat that is the traditional style. I also own a NFO Skykomish Sunrise w/ the retractable standing deck/lean bar.
Personally, I will never buy another boat that does not have the standing option. I like it that much.
My time on the boat is usually 50/50, standing and sitting. I have stood and casted thru some minor rapids. Standing to get a clear look at the water/structure and casting is far better than from a sitting position near the water surface, not to mention just standing up to stretch your legs occasionally. On 1-man boats, I like the ability to slide the platform under the seat and out of the way if I am in a rocky, shallow area. The boat will often slide up on a rock just an inch under the water surface and I can just use my feet to shove myself loose from the rock and continue on instead of having to take an oar and use it as a push-pole to shove off the rock. I can also row up to a rock/boulder like described next to a good pool and use my feet to hold boat position while I fish that area instead of having to drop the anchor. Then when into water I want to see better, I can slide out the platform and stand up to look at the water better and cast.
If you’re in the market for a stand-up pontoon boat, I’d take a serious look at the new for 2008 Outcast Discovery 10-IR model as well as the Skykomish from Scadden. The Discovery 10-IR looks to be a quality boat thru-an-thru. I’ve come to expect nothing short of good stuff from AIRE, the parent company of Outcast. AIRE has been building some of the world’s best whitewater boats for years and their reputation is solid. And they dont make outrageous claims for their stuff either, nor haul it on a Harley! LOL…
Good luck in whatever route you go. Pontoon boats are loads of fun!
I’ve thought alot abought getting a scadden with a standing platform, but have decided that it’s not for me. I use fins when I’m fishing and am absolutely lost without them. I don’t see how I could easily and safely stand while wearing them.
Kevin
I think that this thing looks cool: http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?page=freedom-hawk-14-kayak&categoryId=52166&parentCategory=8999&cat4=8997&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&feat=8997-sub2
Rick
http://www.freedomhawkkayaks.com/Freedom_14.htm Check out the video sections.
Standing while fishing on my NFO Skykomish:
Clay, that is by far one of the coolest Kayaks! But I move with my feet and have hands free all the time.
fly-chucker, I don’t see why you can’t stand on the platform with your fins on.
A club member of mine, has a Scadden boat with the sliding deck and loves it!
He, started out, when he first got it with only oars and fins, (he’s now, mounted an electric to it, and I’m just waiting for him to install a full set of sails next!?!), and he could very easily stand up and fish, while wearing his force fins.
I’ve also traded off with him, just for giggles, (I have a Creek Company, no platform) and also stood while wearing my fins and fishing.
Your simply, more or less, “straightening your legs and standing up” so there’s no “moving your feet/fins”, as in walking with fins on, with this style of boat.
I can see, where if you think “you’re moving around, on this deck trying to move while wearing fins, you’re going to take a bath”, but that’s not the case with this style of boat.
Thanks…right now I’m leaning towards the outcast 10IR…I like the platform that can slide back. I’ve taken my 9’ fishcat down the Madison, Bighole, Beaverhead, and the Truckee and I want the platform to the lakes around here. I love my toon and its stability, but since my lack of grace sometimes causes me a dip once in a while, I really need to research to lower my unwanted river swimming lessons. Do you know if there is a weight limit to the platforms? and when the bar is stowed, does it interfere with storage? Sorry, I apologize for all the questions, but I have been spoiled by you people here…you know everything, and have been my go resource for the stuff I need to know…so thanks!!!
The one man, Scadden I spoke of above, is owned by a man that weighs about 260 and he’s 6’5". The bar, when not in use, on his boat swings overhead and stows behind him, out of the way, at about a 30 degree angle, above the rear storage area.
Some pros and cons of the Outcast 10IR and the Sky Sunrise for you to think about.
Both are $999.99 in Cabela’s catalog so the price is not an issue.
First off, the Sky is going to be Urethane or Bladderless, either being the best choice in that they are not effected by Altitude or temp change as much as PVC/vinyl Bladders.
The Outcast are indeed vinyl. Both have very strong PVC outer cover.
The Sky has 16" diameter toons Outcast are 17". The wider the toons the more wind resistance.
The Sky is 5’ wide Outcast is 4 2/3’ wide. Wider means more side to side stability.
The Sky is 10 1/2’ long the Outcast 10’.
Standing Platform: Sky, 28" X 15" the Outcast, 20 1/2" x 11 1/2"
Warranty, Sky: Lifetime Outcast: 5 years
There is probably more, but there you have it. Also Dave was the main designer for Outcast before he went on his own.
I think Outcast has gotten cheap in the materials, while keeping up the price.
I have a buddy that tips at 300 lbs. He’s also 6’5". What you call a ‘big’ boy. He has the Skykomish also and loves it. Takes it down the Green, Henrys Fork and other places. And uses the standing platform.
I just can’t see spending a grand for vinyl bladders that Outcast has. Aire makes their money off of the big stuff. Check out NRS. Big $$$$$$$ there.
As for one comment on Scadden and the Harley, maybe it is just to show off. Maybe it’s to show you, you don’t need a pickup to take a kickboat to where you want to fish. And I think the scoot get’s a little bit better gas mileage than a truck too. For a small company, NFO sure scares the bejesus out of the others. At least they’re coming up with something new every year.
God bless the Navigator II.
The platform on the one man toons is a nice feature, but getting up out of that low seat onto the platform over and over through-out the day is a killer for some of us that are no longer under 60, or 50, or 40 or 30.
Very true Max, and the bar, unless you get the lock, is no help getting up.
The Outcast Discovery 10 IR has 14 mil. Urethane bladders, at least the specs on their site say it does.
According to Cabelas specs and this site which is OUTCAST it states Vinyl Air Cell, not urethane:
http://www.outcastboats.com/outcastboats/discovery.shtml
The only ones I see with 14 mil. Urethane are their two man PAC models and they have a full frame.
They must have made an error, and fixed it. I swear, last week, when I was on their site, it said urethane bladders. Of course, I may have made an error and read the next line down, which is a urethane bladder. DUH! LOL
The PAC models have the urethane bladders. The PAC series are the finest boats (overall quality) that I’ve ever sat upon!
About bladder material…is urethane ~that~ big of a deal over vinyl? Personally, I dont think so. I think the thread count (denier number) and thickness of the PVC coating on the covers of the tubes and welding/stitching are MUCH more important than the bladder material. I know guys who have floated the same boat for several years running with vinyl bladders in rivers with current / rapids and have never had an issue with them, me included. Shallow rivers and/or with lots of rocks, you need quality covers (abrasion resistance). I would like my Skykomish boat just as well if it had vinyl bladders instead of the urethane.
I seriously dont mean to turn this into a NFO versus Outcast thread, but both companies have their own strong points. Both make quality boats, as well as Creek Company’s top offerings (notice ~top offerings~). The X7 frame from Scadden is top`o the line in my opinion. Best 1-man frame I’ve sat upon. Tough as nails, light weight and loaded with features. Last year I was mid-chute in a darn swift rapid and the rear of my right tube smacked a boulder, spinning my boat to the left and mytubes in front straddled a big boulder sticking up out of the rapid. My X7 frame made straight, direct contact with the rock. It hit so hard that I just knew I had busted the frame. It jarred my teeth and I thought I had lost a filling or two, LOL. As soon as I got to the pool below the rapid, I beached my boat surely expecting to find a cracked frame. To my surprise, all I found was a small section of the power coating chipped off and a scratch. I have little doubt that any other frame would have buckled or cracked from such an impact.
Tubes, Outcast, hands down. The PAC series of tubes are, IMO, world class. I’ve rowed some Maxxon, NFO, Creek Co., Star, Whitewater Fab (now defunct), NRS and I would take a PAC / AIRE tube any day. Not the lightest in weight but heavy material, excellent welding/stitching. Quality shines in them.
If my NFO tubes ever wear out, I will replace them with a set of PAC 1100 tubes under the X7 frame. That will be the “ultimate” ride!
As for my comment above about Scadden on his Harley and hippie-helmet…it was meant with sarcasm. However it does leave me wondering, why the chest-thumping? Make a video showing a float tube being hauled around on a motorcycle, complete wearing a skull/crossbones bandana, or spinning out on a ATV with it strapped to the back, or hauling a Skykomish around on the top of a Mercedes? Why not just tell the facts and let the product speak for itself? North Fork Outdoors makes a GREAT pontoon boat… I own one and ~really~ like it. The extravagant junk shown in the video’s to say “Look at me!, Look at ME!” does nothing but show an ego. NFO builds a great boat. Stick to the game plan and let the products do the talking!
DarrinG, My intention is not to pit NFO vs Outcast either. I was posting the pros and cons of two equally priced pontoons.
As far as Scaddens add, I see it more as Dave saying you can haul his boat on a motorcycle or an ATV not to mention a regular four door car. It wouldn’t have made the same impact on me is he had used a MOPED, or a Yugo.
As far as Vinyl vs Urethane, there is a BIG difference. Urethane is much easier to repair if needed. I am no scientist so I have no actual proof, I am going off what I read, but vinyl will break down over time where urethane will not (the Bucks bag site), plus urethane is a stronger material not to mention lighter. It is proven that Vinyl is more effected by temp change as well as altitude.
There was talk that AIRE was being produced Overseas, so Dave went to the new Bladderless. I don’t work for NFO, I just did research before purchasing my rides.
I agree that the outer cover is very important, but there again, on the Discovery 10-R the bottom is 900 denier top and 1200 denier bottom , Scaddens is 1500 denier top and bottom.
As far as your PAC toons as you said they are Urethane also.
For someone that didn’t want to bash either, that last paragraph was a little out there in my opinion.
I am only giving some facts on both.
To my knowledge, the PAC series and all AIRE series of boats are made in the USA. The Fish Cats (which are still excellent rides) are made in Asia. I ‘think’ that is correct.
The urethane bladders must definately more expensive to produce in relation to the higher prices on those boats. Urethane has excellent properties for bladders like many of the reasons you stated. Vinyl, on the other hand, for the average fisherman, will, IMO, be just as good of a product. Not many fishermen put their rigs thru the tortures that whitewater guru’s do, day in and out.
I have compared my NFO Sunrise tubes side by side to some Outcast tubes. This is merely opinion as I have not contacted either company personally to get facts. The denier count of the NFO tubes may be higher but I can say, from my experience, the ounces of PVC coating on the tubes, the Outcast ones were definately “beefier”, and especially when you step up to the PAC tubes, which are 1670 denier 37-ounce PVC coated material on top and a 43-ounce PVC coated fabric on the bottom. Top `o the line, IMO. However I have had zero problems with my NFO tubes thus far and I’m not easy on them either.
I apologize if my last paragraph offended but someone above made mention to it and I felt I should reply with a better answer. Like I said, no ego’s needed…just let the products do the talking!
Anyone in the market can’t go wrong with either boat IMO.