Broke down and got a pontoon boat today

[robinsoj]

I went to Mantua today for some float tubing. I was out for about thirty minutes and noticed the tube had lost some air. So, I went back to air it up again and make sure the valve was locked this time. The same thing happened last year the first time out (also at Mantua). No problem. Well, I ended up trying to air it up with my portable air compressor with the valve locked. Not a good thing. A seam must have come loose. Doh! Oh well, the tube was starting to get wore out anyway.

So, I packed up and went to Sportsmans Warehouse to get another float tube of some kind. I looked at the kind of tube/pontoon hybrid that you sit out of the water more first. It was $90. I was going to buy it, but my adapter for the air compressor wouldn't fit this one and this one used boston valves. I bought a boston valve float tube a couple of years ago and it didn't hold the air pressure.

So, I thought I'd get another Caddis Nevada Gold float tube like I already had for two years. It's a high quality float tube that worked great when you don't try to inflate it with the valve locked hehe. I enjoyed the float tube. It was $105 with fins. But, it turns out they didn't have any in stock.

So, I started to look at the pontoon boats. I wasn't seriously considering buying one, though. I owned one about 4 years ago before starting to float tube and fly fish for that matter. I ddin't like the one I had because it was too heavy and large to carry when assembled and it was a pain to assemble. I also had a truck bed back then and have an SUV now. Besides, living in an apartment on the second floor without much storage doesn't work well with owning a pontoon boat.

So, logically I bought a new pontoon boat hehe. It is a Buck's Bags South Fork. It weighs about 43 pounds assembled. Much lighter than my Leigh was. Unfortunately, I'll have to store it and move it in three pieces (pontoons and seat), but that shouldn't be too much trouble.

Anyway (or should I say So,), I'm all set for my maiden voyage. I picked up lots of new still water flies while there. Mantua is about half open water. I just have to decide if I'm goin' fishin' or playing golf tomorrow. I'm anxious to do both.

[Fred]

Can i borrow it?

[robinsoj]

Sure, after the pontoons burst during my first trip to Strawberry because I forgot to let some air out hehe. That reminds me. I didn't ask about what warranty these things have. My guess is they don't cover doing stupid things, though hehe.

Convenience was why I used float tubes. Hopefully, I can make up for the inconveniences of the pontoon boat with some great trips this year that I couldn't have done without it.

Heck, I might even buy another float tube for trips that you have to hike a little (or a lot). I probably won't keep the pontoon boat in the SUV the whole season like I do with float tubes hehe. I'm glad this thing is light.

Any advice from you veteran pontoon boat owners? I hope to be able to stick it out on a windy afternoon now that I have the pontoon boat instead of a float tube for one thing. I should also be able to get around pretty well and fish some places that I couldn't easily get to with the float tube.

[Strike II]

You'll love the toon over the tube. They are a lot more work to get out on the water, but once you're out there they are really nice. I don't even have an SUV, I just throw it on top of my Tercel with a rack and look like a hill billy going to California! I haven't had mine a year yet, but I did get a small used motor. I would get a motor definately! The wind won't bother you as much.

The southfork is a really good boat. My buddy has one and loves it. I don't think there is a better boat out there for the money. They're under 500.00 right? I have an old (and yes used) scadden. It works well, but doubt I would pay full price for the scadden brand new (700) when I could get the southfork for much less.

[cheech]

I have this boat. It is SWEET! For the money, you won't find a better boat. There is a lifetime warranty on it. I don't know if they warranty operator error. I'm probably going to be at Mantua tomorrow. Was it any good? Email me bassonthefly@yahoo.com

[So. Utah Angler]

I love the South Fork So much I have two of them! The South Fork is rated for whitewater and stillwater.

In my opinion, the Pontoon is the best value for the money. Great warranty and Bucks Bag has a lot of options as far as accessories for their pontoons. I would also reccomend a pair of force fins because the fins take the effort out of moving around to different locations.

I hope to drift the green with my pontoon sometime.

FISH ON!

[robinsoj]

Cheech, I didn't get to do any serious fishing while at Mantua today because of the float tube problems. I was tossing a plastic worm hoping to pick up a bass on the way out to where I could use the fly rod. It was very shallow. Then, I saw the tube was low on air and headed back in. It looks like only a high of 39 tomorrow, so I'll probably not play golf and play around with the new pontoon boat. I might even catch a fish, but probably not hehe.

Strike II, retail is $600 according to the manufacturer. I paid $459 at Sportsmans Warehouse. It's probably just an average price for it. They assembled everything for me, too.

It's good to know that people like this boat.

I used a portable air compressor to inflate my float tube. The adapter also fits this pontoon boat's hand pump adapter. I'll continue using my compressor. I was testing inflating a pontoon with it today. It inflated fine using the compressor, but when I took the adapter off it lossed a lot of air. So, I turned the valve to the down position and tried it again. This time, no air came out when I removed the adapter and the valve moved by itself to the up position. They don't provide much information for anything on this boat. It just says to have the valve in the closed position before inflating. I guess "closed" is down. I don't know. I'd hate to break a seam in my brand new pontoon boat because they don't document their product. Am I doing it right when using an air compressor by having the valve in the down position when inflating? Also, is the valve supposed to be in the up or down position when on the water? I haven't been able to find any information on this on the Net yet.

[cheech]

Twist the valve so it is upto inflate it. It should be this way on the water too.

[Teewinot]

What is the Southfork pontoon boat rated at for whitewater? Has anyone floated it in whitewater, say a class III or IV?

[Strike II]

Did you guys end up going to Mantua? We have 12 inches of snow at my house I bet Mantua got at least 2 feet. Cheech, what kind of motor do you have for your Southfork?

[robinsoj]

Originally posted by cheech
Twist the valve so it is upto inflate it. It should be this way on the water too.

I tried twice with the valve in the up position when inflating with my air compressor using the supplied adapter and my tire adapter. Both times it inflated fine, but then a lot of air came out when I removed the adapter. This was just testing without fully inflating, too. I was just twisting off the supplied adapter. I don't think I could do any wrong there. The third time I tried the valve in the down position. It inflated fine and didn't let any air out when I twisted the adapter off. The valve also moved by itself to the up position at some point during inflation.

When should the valve be in the down position then? Is it locked when down so there would be no way to let air out?

They really need to document their product. I'll try to get some information directly from them, too.

Anyway, I might take it out for the first time tomorrow. We'll see what happens then. I just don't want to damage the pontoons from not inflating it correctly. That is what damaged my float tube yesterday.

I couldn't believe the snow when I woke up today. It was the most that I have seen this winter here. I went snowboarding today. I'll wait for better weather to take the pontoon boat out. I usually check the snow report early in the morning if there is a chance of good powder. I didn't expect this much snow and got to the resort an hour after the lifts started. I'm usually there early. No telling what the weather is going to do this time of year hehe.

[raposaNegra]

I think the kind of valve they use is called a "Halkey Roberts" valve. On my raft with this style valve I use a mini compressor to inflate it most of the way with the valve up. When the compressor can't inflate it any move, close the valve and tighten up the tubes with a hand pump. You can expect the tubes to shrink a little when they hit the cold water.

[robinsoj]

Well, I took the new pontoon boat out for the first time today at Mantua. I had no problem whatsoever inflating it this time. I had the valve up when doing so and no air was let out this time when removing the adapter. I used my portable air compressor and the pontoons had enough air pressure. Works for me.

I put the boat through a tough test today, too. It was a typical windy Mantua afternoon. I think using the fins were easier and faster than with the float tube. I didn't have to use the oars. The wind was pretty tough, though. I wasn't moving very fast against it. Besides the wind, another test today was when going back in. A large section of ice blocked me off. I broke through a lot of ice on the way back near the shore. The boat seemed to handle it well. I also ran over a submerged branch probably with boat pontoons. The pontoons looked fine what I checked them later. It's a tough little boat.

I did use the oars some. I definately need more practice. I couldn't do much good with my fins up, but it was windy. These oars include oar locks. There is no way to lose the oars unlike the other pontoon boat I had. Definately a nice feature.

So, how did the fishing go? A report is on that other less freqeuented Web site that is much like this hehe.