05-18-2006, 12:57 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I got a bit more carried away in my response to this question on the Utah board, and thought some of the info may be of use to tubers who do not check in on the Utah forum. So...cut and paste.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[size 1][#0000ff]I have tried just about every new tube design that has come out over the past 30 years. Before that, it was strictly donuts. Today we have a whole buncha tubes, toons and hybrids. It is more difficult to make a decision, especially if you are a first timer.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Unless you have fished from both a tube and toon, you cannot understand and appreciate the differences. As CP and I have both found out, both tubes and toons have their places. It is not a matter of one against the other. If you have the budget and the space to keep them, you can have both and use both.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you have budget or space limitations, then you have to look closely at your own personal fishing situations and ask yourself two questions: "What do I WANT?" and "What do I NOT WANT?" Simple. Just like life in general.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The first choice should be budgetary. How much can you squeeze out of the family finances without taking on the added expense of a divorce? The good news is that there are some very good beginners tubes for well under $100. Better tubes, like the Fish Cat 4 and the ODC 420 run about $150. The "Beemers" of tubeology are the Fat Cats ($279) and Super Fat Cats ($369). [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Your personal size and physical condition are next. If you are "substantial" in size, get the biggest rated weightload you can afford. If you are under 200 pounds, don't sweat the size rating. Virtually all tubes will easily float over 250#. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you plan to get a craft that will allow you to walk back in a ways from the end of the road, you need a light weight tube. Toons are designed for being able to drive right up to the water, or a launch ramp. You can add a wheel for longer transport, but basically they are too heavy for long distance trudging.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you are only going to fish small ponds and lakes...or just limited areas on bigger lakes...a tube will work fine. On the other hand, if your honey hole is quite a ways from your launch spot, you will appreciate having the oars or an electric motor on a pontoon. Ditto if you want to troll a bit. Try to troll from a fin-powered float tube and you get a hernia. Forget towing a water skier.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]On the other hand, if your style is quiet hands-free fishing, then tubes are best. You can use fins with a pontoon, once your oars or electric have gotten you to your fishing spot, but compared to tubes pontoons are heavier and require a lot more kicking to maintain position. And, if even a light breeze comes up, you can beat yourself to death trying to maneuver a pontoon without oars. But, having to keep grabbing the oars to control the pontoon drastically cuts into your fishing time.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are lots of plusses and minuses for both tubes and toons. It always comes down to personal preference and what are we willing to give up for what we expect in return.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are quite a few small and less expensive pontoons in today's market. Creek Company and Water Skeeter both make some budget models just over $200 that are great learners. Most who buy them immediately start lusting after bigger and better made toons. There are a lot of differences in frame design, materials, seating, pockets, motor mounts and other features. But, until you have a chance to try them, and figure out what is important to you, it is hard to decide.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]My personal recommendation for anyone who can afford it is to not spend less than $300 for a pontoon, and a couple hundred more will buy a lot more quality and solid features. Having the hard seats (preferably swivel) and a good motor mount and cargo platform are quality extras not always found on the cheaper models, but well worth the extra. Also, having a lot of abrasion resistant PVC on the bottom and exterior will add years of wear, as will having good urethane bladders rather than vinyl.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Hey, CP, about that baby blue color on the ODC. Nobody is gonna suspect you of being "Brokeback" if you go that route. And, since the cover is chemically resistant nylon, there is no reason why you can't paint it any color you want. A lot of guys repaint their covers in their choice of colors. I have seen custom camo jobs and even saw a pic of one painted black with some wicked flames on it. Heck, no reason you can't do something with that new avatar of yours too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you find a craft that has all of the features you want, at a price you can live with, go ahead and buy it. Too bad some manufacturers don't offer more custom options but they gotta be budget minded too. The good news is that there is almost no alteration or tweak that is not possible with a bit of creativity and PVC. We gotta live with that until manufacturers listen to the masses and come out with models that are already perfect in design and tricked out the way we want 'em.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Have I used up my bandwidth allocation on this post?[/#0000ff] [/size]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[size 1][#0000ff]I have tried just about every new tube design that has come out over the past 30 years. Before that, it was strictly donuts. Today we have a whole buncha tubes, toons and hybrids. It is more difficult to make a decision, especially if you are a first timer.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Unless you have fished from both a tube and toon, you cannot understand and appreciate the differences. As CP and I have both found out, both tubes and toons have their places. It is not a matter of one against the other. If you have the budget and the space to keep them, you can have both and use both.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you have budget or space limitations, then you have to look closely at your own personal fishing situations and ask yourself two questions: "What do I WANT?" and "What do I NOT WANT?" Simple. Just like life in general.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The first choice should be budgetary. How much can you squeeze out of the family finances without taking on the added expense of a divorce? The good news is that there are some very good beginners tubes for well under $100. Better tubes, like the Fish Cat 4 and the ODC 420 run about $150. The "Beemers" of tubeology are the Fat Cats ($279) and Super Fat Cats ($369). [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Your personal size and physical condition are next. If you are "substantial" in size, get the biggest rated weightload you can afford. If you are under 200 pounds, don't sweat the size rating. Virtually all tubes will easily float over 250#. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you plan to get a craft that will allow you to walk back in a ways from the end of the road, you need a light weight tube. Toons are designed for being able to drive right up to the water, or a launch ramp. You can add a wheel for longer transport, but basically they are too heavy for long distance trudging.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you are only going to fish small ponds and lakes...or just limited areas on bigger lakes...a tube will work fine. On the other hand, if your honey hole is quite a ways from your launch spot, you will appreciate having the oars or an electric motor on a pontoon. Ditto if you want to troll a bit. Try to troll from a fin-powered float tube and you get a hernia. Forget towing a water skier.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]On the other hand, if your style is quiet hands-free fishing, then tubes are best. You can use fins with a pontoon, once your oars or electric have gotten you to your fishing spot, but compared to tubes pontoons are heavier and require a lot more kicking to maintain position. And, if even a light breeze comes up, you can beat yourself to death trying to maneuver a pontoon without oars. But, having to keep grabbing the oars to control the pontoon drastically cuts into your fishing time.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are lots of plusses and minuses for both tubes and toons. It always comes down to personal preference and what are we willing to give up for what we expect in return.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are quite a few small and less expensive pontoons in today's market. Creek Company and Water Skeeter both make some budget models just over $200 that are great learners. Most who buy them immediately start lusting after bigger and better made toons. There are a lot of differences in frame design, materials, seating, pockets, motor mounts and other features. But, until you have a chance to try them, and figure out what is important to you, it is hard to decide.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]My personal recommendation for anyone who can afford it is to not spend less than $300 for a pontoon, and a couple hundred more will buy a lot more quality and solid features. Having the hard seats (preferably swivel) and a good motor mount and cargo platform are quality extras not always found on the cheaper models, but well worth the extra. Also, having a lot of abrasion resistant PVC on the bottom and exterior will add years of wear, as will having good urethane bladders rather than vinyl.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Hey, CP, about that baby blue color on the ODC. Nobody is gonna suspect you of being "Brokeback" if you go that route. And, since the cover is chemically resistant nylon, there is no reason why you can't paint it any color you want. A lot of guys repaint their covers in their choice of colors. I have seen custom camo jobs and even saw a pic of one painted black with some wicked flames on it. Heck, no reason you can't do something with that new avatar of yours too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you find a craft that has all of the features you want, at a price you can live with, go ahead and buy it. Too bad some manufacturers don't offer more custom options but they gotta be budget minded too. The good news is that there is almost no alteration or tweak that is not possible with a bit of creativity and PVC. We gotta live with that until manufacturers listen to the masses and come out with models that are already perfect in design and tricked out the way we want 'em.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Have I used up my bandwidth allocation on this post?[/#0000ff] [/size]
[signature]