Framed Pontoon Help...

Tip from a cheapskate....

Call NFO this week and get a price for the boat (preferably from Dave himself). Then get a price at the NJ show. Odds are they won't be the same. Also get s&h charge from both.....buy the cheaper offer. Might save you $50-$300. Use that money for spare oarlock, spare oar, patch kit, life vests or whatever. I think you will be happy with the product. If you have any questions about assembly or repairs, don't hesitate to shoot me a PM.
 
Kray is right on with this one. Take the best price he gives you, then haggle with him for upgrades. I've talked to Dave quite a few times on the phone and it can change one conversation to another. Be prepared to call many times to get all of your stuff. You'll be happy once everything arrives though as they are great boats.
 
I am not sure if I am able to share prices, but, I just received a great price in the McKenzi drifter and whole host of extras. I will most likely order by the end of the week. I just need to find learning material to teach me how to row it and fish from it. Thanks everyone for the help and advice. In the few days I have been lurking on this site I have learned a lot.

Thanks everyone
 
Charlie..... I'm going to take a guess as to what you were offered.....

McKenzie boat for $1799 - $1899 with free shipping.

Upgrades (which just happen to be standard):
Padded / custom seats
Lazer Lok frame
Upgraded oarlocks
Standing platforms
Lean bar
Cargo bags
Through frame anchor system

Unless he's giving you a pump, anchor or carbon fiber oars, you aren't really getting anything out of the ordinary other than the free shipping.

If you did better than my guess, good for you. Take the deal and run!!




 
It's prob too late at this point but if you contact Scadden ahead of time he will bring the boat you want to Somerset. They use it for display and you take it home on Sunday for about 40% off retail. I've done it on my 2-man and had a buddy do it as well on an outlaw assault - both frameless and THE way to go..
 
Can you really stand in the frameless without worrying about tearing up the PVC?
 
You *can stand up in the frameless boats, but it's not ideal. It's easy enough to dump a guy in a framed model. One quick movement of the oars and that guy is swimming. I had a light duty frame made for my Assault xxx, which I added a front lean bar to. It's not perfect but it provides nice padded, pedestal seats and oar towers, which I like much better. I do add protection to the boat as I cut a piece of outdoor carpet and put it under the frame for the guy up front.

Still working out some of the kinks but it's serviceable. Alby has fished a couple times from it and can attest it works. Another trip or two and I should have all the kinks worked out to my 'custom' (read me cheaping out to save $$ and weight) frame.

*I wouldn't trust a roughed up boot stud directly contacting the PVC.
 
PS as Kray said some of that 'extra' stuff is standard. I got a great price on my boat plus had him throw in: travel bag, anchor, anchor system and pump. The retail markup on that stuff is crazy. A little bit of sweet talking and he'll include it.
 
Yes, I can stand no problem - however, how Scadden rigs the frameless 2 man is genius. You sit up high in the front and it makes fishing almost as good as standing up, and WAY more comfy. Trust me, we have 2 hard drift boats which are the ticket, but for smaller streams, access issues, etc that frameless Excalibur XX has been unbelievably effective... I've owned and fished out of other framed models. I can't even say that they are more sturdy. I've found the frame to tangle line, they are heavy, don't respond well to rowing in tough conditions, and are a nightmare to put together at times. Again, for my $ I'd go with a hard boat hands down, but I really am impressed with the Scadden 2 man
 
I bought a used Scadden, how do you maintain the bladders when storing them? Fill with some air or completely deflate? Do you recommend any product to protect the pvc from dry-rot or anything else? thanks in advance.
 
How are you storing it? If it's in a garage assembled, you can leave it together inflated at 50-60%. My pontoons with bladders are washed, dried, deflated, rolled up in a Rubbermaid container. Keep them in the basement. The bladderless pontoons are washed, dried deflated with the pump and folded / stored. For protection, I used armor all but think that 303 protectant will work better and will be trying it this year.
 
They are stored in the storage bag they came in, I have not used it yet. Just want to make sure I do not ruin them.
 
Keep them from catching on fire or having a mouse chew a hole in them and you'll be fine.
 
Hi Krayfish,

I held off on ordering anything. I was supposed to call Larry from Scadden about the boat but I seen some complaints on their customer service, so I went back to the drawing board and started looking at some others. Im looking at the fish cat 13 and the pac 1200. I am also looking at a few of the bigger boats such as catchcraft and sotar. They seem to be a little more then what I am looking at paying. If you all have anymore advice I am all ears and thanks for the help so far.

I think it will mostly come down to money and checking out some more reviews. I do like the frame system on the Outcast boats and I would like something I can deflate and fit into the back of my truck. Then I need to learn how not to drown myself with it.
 
Also,

I found out they no longer make the McKenzie Drifter anymore but offered me the Outlaw Avenger XX for 1900. not sure if that is a good deal or not. Like I said, I am looking around at other places also.
 
That is a very good price. I think DaveS might have paid almost a grand more that that for his boat. I've fished out of / rowed his several times. Nice boat. I'm will go out on a limb and say that it's a better boat...and a better price than the Outcast. I'd snag that deal. Tell Dave to toss in an anchor and you've got a deal.

As for the complaints about service.... I don't think they are trying to "shaft" you but are a bit (at times really) disorganized. Any issues I've had have been resolved quickly and Mr. Scadden made everything right. He even overnighted a part to me in NY at no charge since it was missing from the box I'd received.

I think the product is one of the best out there. If you understand the process, they're easy to deal with. Example: You order a boat, pay for the boat and are told "we'll ship that on Monday".... what that really means is "give me a follow up call in 2 days to make sure we didn't miss getting your order filled". They do a good bit of the fabrication in house so there might be a delay of a week or two if you requires something that they might be out of. I know he had problems with a supplier (Sawyer Oars) keeping up with the demand for carbon fiber oars. He's since changed suppliers.

With a lifetime warranty, if the bladder gets a tear, send it back and they fix it. If it's a minor tear, you can fix it yourself for less than $10 in supplies and that's a whole lot cheaper than mailing it back to Utah.

I'm adding carrying handles and some extra D rings to mine. You can pick the stuff up on NRS website. They even have videos showing you how to patch, add handles, D rings etc.
 
I was hoping to add something to this tread, but Kray basically covered it. I do have the Avenger XX. I am more than pleased with it. I got the boat about a week after I ordered it. I was missing the straps and maybe the hardware or oarlocks or something. I called Dave Scadden the evening I received the boat, he overnighted the missing stuff. I think that's acceptable.

I have never once worried about the quality of my pontoon, and the Yough can provide a pretty good test.

If I had to do over, I'd do it all the same.

You get a feel for maneuvering these pretty quickly. Don't sweat that, I can give ya some pointers if you need them
 
save yourself some money and buy this one see LINK

can be rigged for 2 or 3 anglers and comes with much beefier tubes than the McKenzie drifter ST

Maxxon 14 foot 2 person Cataraft Pontoon Fishing Package $1500 (Exton, PA)

14 foot x 21.5 inch diameter Maxxon Cataraft tubes are built with heavy duty 2200 denier polyester base fabric and have two air chambers per tube. The long waterline of Maxxon tubes provide higher buoyancy than equivalent length tubes from other brands, and the Maxxon pontoons seem to go faster in the flat-water sections of rivers. Maxxon uses a 3300 denier chafe patch on the top and bottom of their tubes see black material in pictures, comes with four heavy duty D-rings on each side of each tube, molded urethane end cones for protection against large river rocks. These tubes have been used only twice on the upper Delaware river and are in excellent condition. Package comes with 2 person powder coated welded aircraft aluminum fishing frame, a sliding front stand-up deck, two padded seats, a seat riser, full size HD oar locks, anchor, custom outdoor carpeted 2-pc removable deck, and pair of oars.

link to pics

frame breaks down pretty small and the tubes can be deflated and rolled up...

Whole package can fit into the back of a mid size SUV (4Runner) if its taken down.

Stored indoors ready to go
 
As high as that thing sits, it's got to be a handful on windy days.
 
Show me a 2 / 3 angler float craft that isn't a handful on very windy days...

everything is a trade-off...


 
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