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Socal Bassman
09-06-2007, 02:37 AM
Alright fellas, by now you all know that I've had my interest in the toon side but have been resisting the urge to pull the trigger. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I do make the switch though. Nothing is etched in stone just yet as I am still sticking true to the tube. I also have other "projects" I'm working on so it's probably gonna be a couple months before I end up buying my next craft anyway.

With that said, I have been doing some searching and comparing and found these to be the most likely candidates for my next craft. If any of you have any of these models, please chime in and state your likes and dislikes about that particular model. The ones listed with pics below are my "most likely" picks in the 9'-10' models. In the 8' models, my top picks are: the Outcast Fish Cat Cougar and Creek Company ODC 816. I'd also like to hear about other toons that I may want to consider also.

tacklejunkie
09-06-2007, 05:25 AM
Looks like a nice selection to choose from 8) The last two are quite spiffy and looked pre-dialed for trolling motors..
Should be able to review my cougar later tonight. Heading out for a test run :lol: Feel free to meet me down there and jump on it for a test drive :wink:
Only thing about mine is I'll have to make my own casting deck.

matt duarte
09-06-2007, 06:56 AM
ya socal, those are all sweet! the first 2 look like you will be sitting in the water much like a tube and it doesnt look like you can change the seat or raise it. like TJ said the last 2 looks pretty spiffy!

one thing you might want to concider is weight... like rons toon is pretty heavy but they do sell some sort of wheel attachment you can buy to make moving it easier... i have the 816 and with it fully assembled i can lift it over my head no problem.....but i havent lifted it fully loaded yet.... i would think the longer the toon the more stability you will have, the shorter like the 816 the 8' would be easier to move around in

i guess it all depends on how much you want to spend....

Ronira
09-06-2007, 07:38 AM
Well SoCal, the Scadden Boats are sweet in every respect. The only thing I would say about the Navigater 2 is it's very limiting. You allready own a tube. The Navigater is unique but doesn't give you an opportunity to stand and fish with the trolling motor and that's a really big deal for me. Seat height is also an issue, same as your tube. I think a guy would get much more versatility on a toon with a frame. The Creek Co boats are also very good. The ODC 1018 and 915 both have an available standing deck and the frames are made to handle the weight on the front of the frame. All of the ODC boats have the ability to move the frame fore and aft to aid in balancing weight and that is a big deal to me. Tough choice buddy.

matt duarte
09-06-2007, 07:43 AM
hey ron will the standing deck fit on my toon???? or will i have to make something? do you recall how wide the standing deck is?? i think the space i have is 26 1/2 across from frame to frame..... mine should be strond enought right? or am i going to have to do some grinding and bracing and welding???

Ronira
09-06-2007, 07:49 AM
Hey Matt, I'll go measure my deck right now. Your frame is an ODC aluminum frame so you should be allright but I haven't seen one of those boats yet. Let me go measure my frame real quick and I'll get right back to you. Okay, just measured my frame and it's the same as yours. 26 1/2 outside of frame so my deck might slide right on your boat. We can try it out next time we go fishing. The only reason I say the other frames are strong enough is because Creek Co sells the deck for those two models and they don't sell one for the 816. Also your boat weighs 35 lbs less than mine and some of that is probably frame.

matt duarte
09-06-2007, 07:54 AM
sweet thanks

matt duarte
09-06-2007, 08:17 AM
sweet! it might work! im not a heavy guy so i think if it fits it should hold me fine... aslo you toon is 10' long and mine is 8' the matrial proly weights a lot to.... good looking out ron thanks

matt duarte
09-06-2007, 08:29 AM
well i just called creekcompany and they guy i talked to said a standing plat form will not work on a 8' pontoon....he says the boat will flipp.....for some reason i dont belive him :lol: i think it should work fine, if im sitting up fron whats the difference in standing? ill see if yours fits ron and if it does ill buy one and if it doesnt ill make one and take a picture and send it to creek company with a big nananana im standing nanana :lol:

Ronira
09-06-2007, 08:36 AM
Probably just need to add counter weight to the back of the frame Matt. That way the rear of the boat won't come out of the water.

matt duarte
09-06-2007, 08:41 AM
ya i was thinking the beer chest and trolling motor and battery should counter it enough ill test it outin my pool though, i stand with nothing on back and see what it does than ill add the weight

ooohhhh man i cant wait to get this thing on the water!

Z-TUNAKILLER
09-06-2007, 10:41 AM
Alright fellas, by now you all know that I've had my interest in the toon side but have been resisting the urge to pull the trigger. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I do make the switch though. Nothing is etched in stone just yet as I am still sticking true to the tube. I also have other "projects" I'm working on so it's probably gonna be a couple months before I end up buying my next craft anyway.

With that said, I have been doing some searching and comparing and found these to be the most likely candidates for my next craft. If any of you have any of these models, please chime in and state your likes and
dislikes about that particular model. The ones listed with pics below are my "most likely" picks in the 9'-10' models. In the 8' models, my top picks
are: the Outcast Fish Cat Cougar and Creek Company ODC 816. I'd also like to hear about other toons that I may want to consider also.




Socal Bassman


GETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-DONE

Z

FISH ON !

Socal Bassman
09-06-2007, 12:27 PM
Thanks for the input everyone. Yeah I hear you Ron, that the NavII wouldn't be as versatile as a craft with a frame. I called NFO and the guy told me that the backrest of the seat can be folded back, which will allow me to stand up. The problems I see with that is I won't have a backrest to lean back on when I'm sitting, limited space to stand with that rear cargo deck attached, and stability.

Matt also brought up a good point about weight. That's one of the major things I had to consider. I'm not that big of a guy so hauling a 70-80lb. toon (unloaded) from the parking lot of 11/12 down to the water might be a little cumbersome. That's pretty much the main reason I'm considering an 8' model. A wheel attachment like the one I saw on Tackletour.com would prove invaluable because it would allow me to set everything up at the truck and roll the whole thing down to the water.

The other main consideration is price. I'm pretty sure I could find a lower price out there on the Creek Co. boats if I did some research. The prices they have listed on their website just doesn't separate them far enough from the Scadden crafts. A considerable price difference would definitely sway my decision towards Creek Co. though. As I see it now, the Scadden crafts offer the most bang for the buck. The things I like about the Scadden boats are: an adjustable seat which will help offset the weight of motor, battery, and gear; the standing deck can be slid under the seat allowing the use of fins; and of course a 15 year warranty might come in handy. :lol: There are a couple more differences, though minor.

Ronira
09-06-2007, 12:55 PM
Yeh SoCal, the Scadden pontoons are very nice. Ztunakiller knows where to get a 1018 like mine and his for 650 or thereabouts. He posted it somewhere and we should ask him. As far as lots 11 & 12 I think you can launch at the boat ramp and get there easily. These toons will cover an amazing amount of water in a lot less time than you might think. I towed 3 tubers and myself on mine from the island to lots 11 & 12 in 5 minutes. When you can drive close to the water getting in is a snap. The wheel is cool but not at all critical. Just go where you can drive to and let your boat do the rest. That's one of the MAJOR advantages a toon has over a tube.

tacklejunkie
09-06-2007, 06:09 PM
The pontoons are definatley fast. I was keeping a pretty good pace today and made it back from across the channel in 5 mins as opposed to 40 mins on a tube. That was paddling without a motor..
I would say.. anything you can do to get your legs out of the water is going to increase the speed you can travel.

Also, Consider seat hight. Having a higher seat helps alot! I had great visibility on the toon today, and when I Stood up, it was even better. I felt like I Was fishing off a lilly pad. :lol:

Z-TUNAKILLER
09-06-2007, 07:04 PM
OK tj, tell the truth..... give us the pro's & con's of your first tooning trip... what would you change/add/take off/add on/etc. and dos & don'ts?



Z

FISH ON !

tacklejunkie
09-06-2007, 07:22 PM
My anchor pulleys don't allow me to pull the anchor up from the front as they should. I think I ran the rope the wrong route. I had to inch the anchor up by hand at the rear pulley while taking up the slack with my other hand. the anchor rope cleat worked great with the diameter rope I chose and holds the anchor up when I'm rowing. I can drop anchor and be perched in a second.

Speaking of rowing,
It's like trying to steer a spinning top :lol: I'll be looking into something to keep me on track soon (rudder?)

I could get places 10x faster than in a tube. I Was at my spot in 5mins.
I would anchor, catch 2-3 fish, move to another spot, anchor, catch 2-3 more fish. I didn't hit a spot where I didn't catch any fish, and I only fished a shoreline of about 600 feet or so.

Fishing off the boat was fine. No problems hooking the pontoons at all. When you are looking out, you don't even know the pontoon is there. The toon rode light. I was able to park ON TOP of weed beds and was floating in 3-5" of water at times. Rowing through the weeds was easy.

I could stand up on the seat, although a bit sketchy. I took off my shoes and cought a few fish standing up on the seat in my socks :lol: Didn't get wet launching or landing.

I might want to add a seat swivel after all. It was akward fishing the back of the boat. Also, it would be nice to anchor the front so the wind doesn't change the boats direction as much. I have a 1lb tube anchor that might handle that.

I found that while fighting fish, I had to be rowing around too :lol: The larger fish I cought took me all over the place and actually steered the boat towards a bed of weeds before getting wrapped up. I kept one oar in the water and one tucked away, in case I needed to change directions quickly.

I want to add a standing platform and the trolling motor/battery, then reroute the rope through the pulleys and I couldn't ask for more! All in all, I did good compared to how I normally do. It was an experience to remember for sure! Didn't farm any fish and I only lost one nice one to a break off (thrice used knott, should have retied)

It was worth the work to carry, pack and haul the toon around.
I like it :twisted:

matt duarte
09-06-2007, 08:57 PM
sweet! i cant wait! ya i think i might wat to but the swivel first as well as the seat riser

Z-TUNAKILLER
09-06-2007, 09:15 PM
WOW.......I'm really JONSEN now......all sounds pretty basic...Good ..the less surprises the better. I'll tell you what, if i figure this thing out on sat. at the goon.... may try the upper.... for some of the night action ??? .. I'll have to see what lights are needed ... red - green bow and i think just a white in the stern ?

wheres one_leg....... he seems to very knowledgeable about all things boat/fishing/human dictionary?


MATT U GOING? :thumb:



Z

FISH ON !