Decent Pontoon boats to buy

[Maverick]

Hey guys. now to start off i love my belly boat. but for those 3 to 4 hour trips on the water i think a pontoon boat would be great. and a little more warm(only have i believe 3ml waders, which do alright). What im wondering is has anyone run into pontoon boats that a relatively comfortable, durable but at a decent(cheap) price. this would be months down the road that i could ever get one but may as well shop around now. I know an ffbc member got a hold of the same deal my uncle did at cantire, if you read this or if anyone else had gotten that same deal hows it holding out?

[count]

I got mine at Cantire fire like 200 or 250 I think. Thought I would try it and see how I like pontooning. Way better than the belly boat. Mines not the packable one they sell sometimes. It dosen't owe me anything thats for sure. I've had it for 4 years with no problems. I is a bit faded now but its seen alot of time on the water. Still going strong. It doestn't take ahuge amount of weight but I'm not a big guy. You can giver a try when you get back if you want to seen how you like it. I guess I might be able to break it down enough to put it on my pack frame to hike in to somewhere. I think the next one I buy will be a bit bigger though and able to take my trolling motor.

[Ruger]

remember, you get what you pay for. i've got a FishCat Cougar, that at the time cost me about $900. it's still going strong 4 or 5 years later. that said, take a looke at some of the smaller boats made by Outcast. they have a new line called the Wave series. the 8' model is about $500. can't go wrong with Outcast Boats.

http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/...aspx?series=19

[bj70_guy]

I'd rather have a quality used 'toon than a new, questionable-quality 'toon (or most other things, or that matter).

I'll pass on the advice I got when I started looking for a pontoon - hard to go wrong with either Outcast or Buck's Bags.
Keep an eye on the classifieds here, and CL, B+S, Kijiji. Great deals pop up pretty regularly.

[Maverick]

thanks dudes. i shall keeep an eye out.

[bj70_guy]

Hey Maverick, this may be one for you:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/va...624719738.html

I emailed and asked him if it was a Discovery and how long it was. He wasn't sure but *thought* it was a Discovery and thinks it is an 8 footer.
He obviously didn't know much about it. Could be a good score...

[Maverick]

thats a sweet score mate. thanks eh. i apreeciate you looking into it. and not nabbing it for yourself.lol

[bj70_guy]

thats a sweet score mate. thanks eh. i apreeciate you looking into it. and not nabbing it for yourself.lol

Heh - I lucked into a smokin' deal on a PAC800 back in November, or I wouldn't have been posting this up
Let us know if you wind up with it!

[johnk]

Jake,

The benfit of a pontoon is you'll see more than in a float tube, e.g. moving fish, bug activity and fish moving across the lake.

Don't go cheap when you buy because, as you know, you get what you pay for but be careful that you aren't buying someone else's headache. Aluminum frames are lighter but steel is more durable if you're going to drift rivers. I would put a swivel base on the seat and my preference would be for the type you can stand up in. I wouldn't go with anything less than 9' pontoons and 10' if you're using it on rivers. the models with wire baskets in behind the seat are a very useful accessory for a variety of uses, gear bags, anchors/rope, cooler, etc. Personally speaking, I would stick with Outcast or Buck's with the exception that Dave Scadden pontoons are sweet but way overpriced. Take your time and don't buy on impulse. Pick something with a heavy duty bag material because you will, at some point, be dragging your craft over rocks and gravel.

[Maverick]

thanks again bj. well have to see im jobless atam

and johnk thanks for the info. i am a pretty big dude so steel might be necessary lol. had the same problem when picking a new model of ski this year ;p. i cant say i wont be using it on rivers, but in truth itll be more of a powell river lake machine with the exception of the occasional river usage. I would like as well a stand up model but not necessary. im going to keep an eye on the add that bj put up. as its quite a good deal.

peacefrog