Hey fellow anglers I was wondering if any of you have a pontoon/kickboat that has the rigid pontoons that you don’t have to air up each trip.
I have a truck so I’m not worried about trying to take it apart to put it in the trunk or suv. I have only found one of these so far and I have seen other on the water but don’t know what kind/brand of boats these were. I want one to get on the water quick and that I don’t have to mess with adding air or letting air out on hot days I just want to fish.
If you have one or any websites that I can’t check out please let me know. If you can give me any pro’s or con’s on rigid versus inflatable I would be really interested to hear them.
thanks you and tight lines
If you have a truck or utility trailer, there is no need to have an inflatable. The only advantage of the inflatable is being able to break it down for transport or storage.
Rigid pontoons might weigh a bit more, but you also don’t have to mess with pumps…or patches.
For me it is matter of storage. I dont have a big enough garage to store a rigid one year round. My inflatable’s frame hangs up on some hooks against the ceiling all winter and the pontoons deflated in a box. I guess if storage isnt an issue, then it would be nice not to have to mess with air pressure and assembly!! Plus not having to worry about poping a hole in the pontoon with a big hook or sharp rock would be nice too. Let us know what you find. weight capacity and overall weight etc…(You have me intrigued now)
[:)]thank guys for the info. The pontoon boat that I’m thinking of buying is from Venture outdoors that are made in Brigham City Utah. It’s a rigid hard pontoon boat that is called the Tahoe Fisher and has 6’ pontoons. It comes with a motor and battery mount or extension rack, oars, adjustable foot rests, seat with back rest and I think it had a stripping apron to. It is rated for 350 pounds which would float my big ass with my gear great and I would’nt have to mess with any air compressors. I will be reasearching it some more before i buy one and I also emailed them with a few questions. Also it said prices for 2007 on the rigid 6’ tahoe fisher was $399.00 and they also have a rigid 4’ model pontoon boat for I think it said $175.00. if you are interested in checking them out they are on the web at ventureoutdoors.net or.com if you can’t find it and I will let you know what the website is. thanks again
venture outdoors has several different models including the echo and durapro.. these craft have pontoons that..according to the maker will not deflate.. apparently from what I have read they have a leak sealing powder in them that will block up a leak.. the model you are looking at is the hard plastic model…
..another toon you may want to look at is the hobie floatcat 60 or 75.. I know of one person on this board that has one and loves it.. he is all over the lake with it..
another pontoon that I have seen in action and is listed as “unsinkable” is the cimmarron pontoon .. it is an inflateable and not rigid.. I have also seen this one in action and am looking at it as well as a serious consideration for a second craft to do some fishing from..
MacFly
thanks macfly55 for the info. The one I’m looking at is a hard pontoon so I don’t have to mess with air compressors and leaking air bladders. I also looked at the hobie cat but the last time I checked they were a lot more expensive than the venture outdoors brand. thanks
Carol Olsen is awesome and she is the designer of the boat you are refering to.
I personally would take hers over a Hobie, due to the fact of supply and demand. She is right there.
I have the Echo but mine will deflate some what. The frames are great with everything where it needs to be.
I don’t think you could go wrong with Venture Outdoors. Surprisingly enough, they have been around for a very long time.
We are considering buying the Tahoe Fisher rigid kickboat. We have a Hobie Float Cat 60 and we like it very much. Did you buy the Tahoe Fisher and do you like it? Any comments would be helpful. Price and features look great , but the weight is twice the weight of the Hobie. The price however is half of the Hobie with rowing system and stripping skirt. Thanks! Brian
no briandriscoll I did’nt purchase one I have had to many other things come up that needed purchased before I could get one. I still might get one but not for sure as my son is getting big enough that hes ready to go fishin all the time and the aluminum boat will be easier to take him fishing.
Hi. I have 2 rigid homemade and have also rented out the smaller Hobie. Also have a number of inflatables of my own design and that are adaptations and have rented other brands as well.
Your best choice for a single boat depends how you prioritize various aspects and your fishing style. I could tell you what I like and dislike about rigids vs. inflatables, but they may not be important factors for anyone else at all.
Some questions to consider: Will you be going to the same place every time and how congested and far away is the launch area when you go? ( I like my boats as lightweight as possible and with ability to launch even where other can’t, so I don’t have to wait on lines of large motorboat launches at dusk) What impediments while on the water- weeds, rapids, shallow rocks, waves, wind, large motorboat traffic? (I generally dislike short, blunt, heavy hulls requiring lots of energy where you ride too low and get wet, or too high and catch wind or capsize.) Will you need a lock while the boat is unattended in your vehicle, and how will you secure accessories like rods, motor, tacklebox, depthfinders, etc.(I like a unit that stores completely set up under a locking, solid camper lid so everything is invisible and yet easily slides in and out ready to go.) Will there be others with you to help carry and load and how many trips will it take and how far? (I like one of the solid units that has built in wheels at the end of each pontoon - should help on smooth terrain at least). Fighting a fish may require both hands so it is nice to have some hands free way to manuver under those situations. Backup fins may be helpful for this. Inflatable pontoons and rafts are the only ones that are rated for the upper class rapids, AFAIK. You would have to switch to single hull solids like kayaks if you will be doing rapids.
Hey fellow anglers I was wondering if any of you have a pontoon/kickboat that has the rigid pontoons that you don’t have to air up each trip.
I have a truck so I’m not worried about trying to take it apart to put it in the trunk or suv. **No need to take apart, mount assembled unit on roof of vehicle with ratchet straps- clean inflatable pontoons don’t scratch. ** I have only found one of these so far and I have seen other on the water but don’t know what kind/brand of boats these were. I want one to get on the water quick and that I don’t have to mess with adding air or letting air out on hot days I just want to fish. Some of the cheaper plastic coated foam core units will crack with impact or age in sunlight and cannot be repaired- look for high quality high density polyethylene of the type used in kayaks.
If you have one or any websites that I can’t check out please let me know. If you can give me any pro’s or con’s on rigid versus inflatable I would be really interested to hear them.
thanks you and tight lines
**Hope this helps.
Pon
**
Hey Macfly, where did you hear that the cimmarron is listed as unsinkable? Just curious, i got a buddy on a budget that would like to get a pontoon and i recommended this one knowing that Classic accessories is a good company. Seems like a really nice basic boat.
Sorry for budding in, but I think it is because of the dual bladders. In theory if one is punctured, you have a backup. Reviews of the Cimmaron are available and the quality is generally very low with frame collapses at the weld and very thin structural tubing being the problem. If price is too good to be true, it isn’t true.
Pon
its on their website.. and if I remember right they use to have a video of one of their craft on the water and then punching holes in the toon.. above and at the water line…
MacFly
on the bladders.. now that you say that that is what I remember from their video and website description.. as for frame failuer.. I cant verify that one way or the other.. but I do know that one of our members (tn2) has one I have not heard him make any negative comments on the frame.. maybe he will pipe up on this one.. 
MacFly
But if you remember Mac, TN2 did make mention of a special experimental frame. At the time he posted that, I wondered why a special frame…well, it makes sense now. If he is going to rep or promote, I think they would kick it up a notch for a favorable review.
I just recently bought a tahoe fisher six foot pontoon boat from Cabela’s. I like it, you can put it in a short bed pickup truck, however you have to turn it on its side to slide it into the bed. Then it will sit flat. I’ve only tried it out once and I like it a lot. It is lightweight and easy to handle.
It is really comfortable, and I am 6’1" and 245. It is easy to row and quick to turn. As I said, I’ve only used it once and the only weak points I can see are the nylon straps that hold the frame to the pontoons will wear thru pretty quickly I imagine and if you want to attach a troling motor, you must buy the battery box and mount seperately. Also, It is extremely awkward to turn in the seat to control the motor for any length of time. (Especially if you are over 40). I do see it as a great way to get on the water and fish without having to ask for Federal Bail Out money to support your habit !!!
I have a Classic Accessories Rouge and I like it alot. Im 6’1" 225lbs and the fame is holding up really well. I use it a ton and its been a really good boat for me. At the time i bought it i could not afford the $2,000 X5 that i wanted but i am saving up. I have no doubt that the Rouge will hold up till i can afford to get an X5.
To make a long story short pontoonman, Classic accessories may not be the company you think they are. There customer service is top notch and their product aint to bad at all.
Thanks for remembering me here. lol My Cimmaron was shipped to me with the Titanium alloy frame. The intent was to have one slightly lighter than the standard frame, stronger than the normal frame and also be saltwater worthy.
The dual bladder is an added safety feature and helps in the case of a single light puncture of the main outside bladder.
Essentially, both outside bladders can be punctured and the craft will still remain afloat. It is harder then hell to row but for the sake of safety, it will not sink in that condition.
do you know if that titanium alloy frame is the norm now.. or an option at least.. now when you say hard to row.. ??? I thought you liked it or did I miss something again… lol
MacFly
They are going to offer the Titanium Alloy as an option later on. As far as rowing goes, pontoons are easy while they are aired up. Once the air is removed from the outer chambers, there is too much resistance in the water for effective rowing.
Try driving your truck with 4 flat tires. It does slow you down a bit. It is almost like float tubing without fins. It can be done but not as effective.