brownheron
corvus ossifragus
I just listed an Outcast Clearwater that's only been used once in the classifieds.
Small Personal Craft for Rivers
- Thread starter Cliff
- Start date
Cliff
Steelhead
Thomas, thank you. I'm very interested. This is exactly what I was thinking about. Does it come with any accessories, such as an anchor mount or rod holder? Pockets? Thanks.
brownheron
corvus ossifragus
Just the boat. It's only been out of the box since last Friday and I haven't had it long enough to add anything.
JayB
Steelhead
I picked up the original version of the NRS Gigbob around ~10 years ago and have been quite happy with it. Very durable, maneuverable, has shallow draft, carries gear well (I even used mine for a 5-day solo float), and compact enough when deflated to fit in the back of most hatchbacks or wagons, so you don't have to carry it on the roof.
The only real complaints I've heard about the original version is that it was heavy, but the 2.0 version is something like 20 pounds lighter so while it's not "light" the weight should be less of a problem. Also - FWIW I've only had good experiences with NRS when it comes to customer service.
www.nrs.com
The only real complaints I've heard about the original version is that it was heavy, but the 2.0 version is something like 20 pounds lighter so while it's not "light" the weight should be less of a problem. Also - FWIW I've only had good experiences with NRS when it comes to customer service.
NRS GigBob 2.0 Personal Fishing Watercraft
The frameless, ingenious Gigbob is compact, easy to store, fits in the back of the pickup or the trunk of your car and assembles in minutes giving you the freedom to stalk the far bank, anytime, anywhere.
www.nrs.com
NRS talks about standing on it:I picked up the original version of the NRS Gigbob around ~10 years ago and have been quite happy with it. Very durable, maneuverable, has shallow draft, carries gear well (I even used mine for a 5-day solo float), and compact enough when deflated to fit in the back of most hatchbacks or wagons, so you don't have to carry it on the roof.
The only real complaints I've heard about the original version is that it was heavy, but the 2.0 version is something like 20 pounds lighter so while it's not "light" the weight should be less of a problem. Also - FWIW I've only had good experiences with NRS when it comes to customer service.
NRS GigBob 2.0 Personal Fishing Watercraft
The frameless, ingenious Gigbob is compact, easy to store, fits in the back of the pickup or the trunk of your car and assembles in minutes giving you the freedom to stalk the far bank, anytime, anywhere.
- 15-square-foot deck gives you a wide, stable platform for carrying supplies and standing to cast in calm water.
JayB
Steelhead
-Do it all the time. Depends on your personal comfort level, of course, but if I'm actively fishing on a slow moving stretch of water more often than not I'll be standing up. I've also used the ability to stand up quite a bit to help navigate when I've been approaching a stretch with multiple channels, or get a better vantage point for spotting fish.
-Also just recently upgraded to the cataract KBO oars with the mini-cuttroat oars and have been extremely impressed with how well the oars/boat work in tandem.
TheFlyFishingFilmmaker
Steelhead
Watermaster Grizzlies or Kodak are another good option. Though new ones are not cheap, and they don't come up on the used market very often. I do prefer no frame boats to framed boats like a pontoon. If you are using a Subaru to haul it around, the frame ends up taking so much room. Getting something that's frameless will save you space.
Cliff
Steelhead
Thank you, TFFF. I appreciate the advice.
I have seen problems with frameless ,for one everything seems to need to be glued on ,seen the foot rest supports rip loose when rowing . No such problems with a frame , solid foot rests etc . But yes easier to transport or store , that's about it as far as I can see .
TheFlyFishingFilmmaker
Steelhead
Pontoon boats definitely have their advantages (if they are well made) but a couple of thoughts come to mind on an advantage of a watermaster style raft vs a pontoon:
1. Faster to setup
2. Easier to store
3. rides shallower
4. enclosed bow prevents taking a rock up the middle protecting the rower
5. no bolts/cotter pins to lose
6. Pontoon boats tend to sit the person up higher, plus the rocker tends to cause a toon to spin more than a water master
7. If you are using fins you'll usually get more power in a watermaster because you sit lower towards the water
8. water master's closed bow also allows you to just stand up and fish and let the boat swing around you
9. most frameless are engineered so even if you lose one bladder the boat can still float you out, if you lose a toon, that's going to be a really tough row out
10. the oar pin design allows you to store your oars by folding them in parallel to the boat, keeping them out of your way. Lots of the oarlocks (like the outcast clearwater) I see, you end up having to have them cross across your lap to stow the oars
11. watermaster boats tend to be more balanced so it's easier to stand in the middle of it and pick up and carry it to the water.
12. frameless have less weight, so it's easier to carry than a frame
13. frameless don't rust
14. I don't like how pontoon boats tend to sit backwards due to the rocker when you load them down for multiple day trips
15. frameless seem easier to repair in the field. A patch and some glue. If you break the frame, what do you do?
Things I like about a framed toons
1. I like the rigidity of a frame when rowing
2. I like that there is less to break in oarlocks than pin style oars
3. You have more backup oar options with oarlocks (anything that fits in the oarlock vs needing a oar that has a hole for the pin
4. Some frames allow you to stand up
5. Metal frame gives you a lot more places to attach accessories
6. I would guess that toons are faster on a lake
7. rocker of the toon can help in certain white water situations helping the boat ride over the waves better
8. there tends to be a lot more cheaper toons available for those that just want something to take them out on a lake or a really lazy river
These are just my observations curious what others think.
I can only respond on some of this ,not been around the style you are referring to . Aluminum frames don't rust , we are talking about fresh water here ,floating a river I believe was the question . I have had both aluminum ,and steel framed pontoons ,and the steel is definitely heavier ,but if taken care of the rusting is not an issue , at least for me it wasn't . I have floated rivers ,nothing wild ,so all you are talking about is a mute point with me as far as rocks ,spinning etc. As far as balance or how they ride , I have adjusted the frame on the pontoons for different weights ,so been able to keep a pretty level ride . Have yet to break a frame ,but anything is possible . Patch ,and glue works the same on a framed boat , as far as leaks . But again as said never been around the type of boat you are referring to . I see mostly framed pontoons floating rivers I have been on ,Madison being one ,the Green another . I have seen the inflatable multi person rafts ,but like water master I don't recall . I just think the framed pontoon is the better craft, but really can't make a great argument because I've never owned frameless .
I don't want frameless for some of the reasons mentioned , but I will say I fish more Stillwater then rivers .
TheFlyFishingFilmmaker
Steelhead
Yeah a buddy of mine got those for his clearwater as well. Definitely seems worth it. though its to bad its an extra accessory to forget!
TheFlyFishingFilmmaker
Steelhead
It's a fine time to be a boat owner. LOTS of options out there at a variety of price points. I think there are probably more pontoons out because there are lot cheaper options. You can go to Costco and find pontoon boats. The problem I have with the cheaper ones is that they are often just cordura fabric shell, which doesn't provide much puncture resistant. Plus the zippers on those cheap ones break so easily. I was looking at my friends Colorado xt and we noticed that there was a lot of rust on the point where the frame is put together. I've had my watermaster for 20 years now, and it's still going strong. I just give it some armor all wipe down every couple of years. I do clean my boat before putting it away though.
@up2nogood What kind of pontoon boat are you rocking these days? What would you recommend to someone looking at a getting toon?
One other thing, to be aware of, the Watermaster and other PWC without a rockered - upturned bow and stern (Outcast OSG?) have more drag.
In low class "moderate" current this can be an advantage because the boat moves slower allowing me me to use fins on the move and use both hands to fish.
If fishing on the move it also allows my fly linger just a little longer after casting to suspected lies before I have to recast.
On lakes this means I don't get blown around as badly by the wind.
However if fishing slow water; i.e. the last two miles of a 6 mile float I did on the Williamson years ago or stillwater, it can be painfully slow and a lot of work to make it to the take out before dark because I was stopping to fish in too many good looking spots and didn't manage my time more closely.
TheFlyFishingFilmmaker
Steelhead
Nothing worse than those long slogs back in the dark. I had one trip where it wasn't a slog, but it was a good 1.5 hours in the dark floating down he upper yak by moonlight. We totally blew our time and had to row out in the dark. Any head wind on a long slog just makes me cry.
I have a couple Scaddens now , the 9' Madison River ,and the 10' Outlaw X5 . IMO both good boats . Both have aluminum frames , and are Bladderless , which I much prefer over the bladders ,mainly if needing to be patched . I fish mostly now with the X5 , it's longer ,and wider framed . The big thing is the standing platform for me . I have had an Outcast , and a Bucks pontoon boat. They both were good boats ,but I still prefer Scadden . The only drawback to the X5 for a better terminology , it's half the shape of a Watermaster , so when using my motor , I can't tilt it up, I have to raise it straight up to get it out of the water . I could turn the frame around ,and run it kodiak style ,but I don't like the way everything fits . I prefer the regular pontoons like the Madison river I have . I bought this X5 used ,it was like new , and at half the price of a new one . What I may do is put my pontoons off of the Madison River on the X5 frame , its the standing platform I like . The ideal framed pontoon boat I would recommend is the the Scadden Skykomish Sunrise , its the same frame ,and platform as the X5 ,but with regular pontoons .
I know a lot of guys want the ease of transporting ,and handling of a personal watercraft , but for me that's never been an issue . I have always just transported my boats in the back of my truck, and the fishing I do I don't need to drag it anywhere or have a wheel on it to do so , I back up to the water in the places I fish . Plus the Scaddens with aluminum frames are not extremely heavy , I find them easy to handle . If its a frameless you like I have friends that have the frameless Scaddens ,not a fan of them, being frameless but they are light . As you can see I am a Scadden fan , and IMO they are as good a boat as any for the price . Personally I have never had an issue with any pontoon boat I have had . I like the Outcast ,but they have gotten outrageous in price . Their aluminum framed boats I believe start at about $1700 ,and their 10 footer is nearly $2300 . The Scadden X5 is $1300 ,and the Skykomish is $1100 .
I've had a Buck's Bags South Fork pontoon for over 20 years now. I liked it a lot better when I was young and didn't mind assembling and inflating it every time I used it, but it really has been a great boat for me. I've done everything from lakes to rivers (to Class III, but mostly II or less) to Hood Canal (not sure I'd use it on the main Sound, but...). Super nimble on rivers. It's easily light enough for one person to carry, and if you need to, you can drag it through the woods. I love having both kick fins and oars. A trolling motor can be added, but it puts most people right at or over the recommended weight capacity, so I don't bother with it.
I see they cost about twice what they did when I got mine, but hey, what doesn't?
If you go inflatable, a good electric pump is a huge advantage....
I see they cost about twice what they did when I got mine, but hey, what doesn't?
If you go inflatable, a good electric pump is a huge advantage....
The one Bucks I had was a great boat ,stainless steel frame , and solid . I never take my boats apart anymore ,one hangs in the garage the other on my small trailer in the garage . I went to a 10' trailer a few years ago , because of that reason taking it apart when traveling with our fifth wheel , now I tow it behind the fifth wheel . When I get to where we are going the trailer is much nicer going back ,and forth to the lakes , and rivers , I don't have to load in the pickup . Yes an electric pump is nice , I haul a compressor with me in the fifth wheel, and that did come in handy when I used to take them apart . Now just a hand pump to top them off .
I have an old Buck's that I've fished for about 10 years. I keep the 'toons deflated. It's not that difficult or time-consuming to inflate each time. I put some pipe insulation on the bottom frame members to protect my car roof. I was able to plop it on my rooftop and cinch it to the roof racks with 12" Thule straps in about 120 seconds if I took my time.
Unfortunately Buck's no longer has anything to do with watercraft or with parts... Keep that in mind when buying used.
Unfortunately Buck's no longer has anything to do with watercraft or with parts... Keep that in mind when buying used.
