02-16-2010, 02:19 PM
Hi Folks
I got rid of my float tube a few months back and since October I have been fishing from an 8 foot Spring Creek Hopper II pram. Once that pram is on the water, it is really great to fish from.
Problem is, I am 60 and live up one flight of stairs in San Francisco. Every time I go fishing with the pram I have to get that 100lb beast and all the associated stuff up and down those stairs. I have rigged up a block & tackle setup with a roll of carpet remnant to slide it on, but it's still a major production.
I have been looking at the North Fork Outdoors / Dave Scadden frameless boats, specifically the Outlaw Renegade. It's kind of a cross between a float tube and a pontoon boat. What appeals to me about it is:
1) rowable (although the supplied oars look pretty short)
2) light weight (28lbs)
3) huge flotation capacity (800 lbs)
4) what should be very fast setup with no frame to build
5) bladderless construction and lots of air chambers for safety
6) comfy looking seat with adequate room behind it for wet storage (and I do have waterproof bags that would go there nicely.
7) they recommend using the Scotty strap-around anchor davit on the rear, but there's no provision for anchoring from the front.
Scadden claims it is super maneuverable and easy to row (but he's a salesman).
My concerns about the boat are:
1) do you sit as low as a float tube, ie: butt in the water? I don't think so but it's hard to tell from the pictures
2) fly line handling. One of the most frustrating things about my FatCat float tube was line handling. The stripping apron was pretty much non-functional and fly line was hanging up on all the protrusions that are out there in front of you when you are seated in it. The Scadden boat looks to be more snag-free, but I don't see any good place to anchor a stripping apron. Scadden says their rectangular one will work sitting in my lap, but my lap is already pretty well occupied by my gut. This issue is a big one for me.
3) lack of front anchor provision, but I'm sure I could work something out.
4) with the difficulty of using an electric trolling motor like I do on the pram, I wonder how easy it is to row the thing moderate distances. Perhaps stepping up to the next bigger model (Outlaw Rampage) with longer oars would make rowing distances easier?
5) can't stand up to pee, so would have to go ashore for that. You may laugh, but if you are an older guy with T2 diabetes, you generally need to pee fairly frequently. I think going ashore for this will be less of a production than with the float tube though since you don't *have* to wear flippers in this boat (although you can) and since I now have zip-front waders.
I feel like staying away from the framed boats is a winner for me. The more I think about all that additional setup and teardown time, and the rather flaky standing platform and support idea (if you pull back on the support it just folds back, I'd probably fall down).
What do y'all think about these frameless 'toons?
[signature]
I got rid of my float tube a few months back and since October I have been fishing from an 8 foot Spring Creek Hopper II pram. Once that pram is on the water, it is really great to fish from.
Problem is, I am 60 and live up one flight of stairs in San Francisco. Every time I go fishing with the pram I have to get that 100lb beast and all the associated stuff up and down those stairs. I have rigged up a block & tackle setup with a roll of carpet remnant to slide it on, but it's still a major production.
I have been looking at the North Fork Outdoors / Dave Scadden frameless boats, specifically the Outlaw Renegade. It's kind of a cross between a float tube and a pontoon boat. What appeals to me about it is:
1) rowable (although the supplied oars look pretty short)
2) light weight (28lbs)
3) huge flotation capacity (800 lbs)
4) what should be very fast setup with no frame to build
5) bladderless construction and lots of air chambers for safety
6) comfy looking seat with adequate room behind it for wet storage (and I do have waterproof bags that would go there nicely.
7) they recommend using the Scotty strap-around anchor davit on the rear, but there's no provision for anchoring from the front.
Scadden claims it is super maneuverable and easy to row (but he's a salesman).
My concerns about the boat are:
1) do you sit as low as a float tube, ie: butt in the water? I don't think so but it's hard to tell from the pictures
2) fly line handling. One of the most frustrating things about my FatCat float tube was line handling. The stripping apron was pretty much non-functional and fly line was hanging up on all the protrusions that are out there in front of you when you are seated in it. The Scadden boat looks to be more snag-free, but I don't see any good place to anchor a stripping apron. Scadden says their rectangular one will work sitting in my lap, but my lap is already pretty well occupied by my gut. This issue is a big one for me.
3) lack of front anchor provision, but I'm sure I could work something out.
4) with the difficulty of using an electric trolling motor like I do on the pram, I wonder how easy it is to row the thing moderate distances. Perhaps stepping up to the next bigger model (Outlaw Rampage) with longer oars would make rowing distances easier?
5) can't stand up to pee, so would have to go ashore for that. You may laugh, but if you are an older guy with T2 diabetes, you generally need to pee fairly frequently. I think going ashore for this will be less of a production than with the float tube though since you don't *have* to wear flippers in this boat (although you can) and since I now have zip-front waders.
I feel like staying away from the framed boats is a winner for me. The more I think about all that additional setup and teardown time, and the rather flaky standing platform and support idea (if you pull back on the support it just folds back, I'd probably fall down).
What do y'all think about these frameless 'toons?
[signature]