Watercraft Advice

T

timbow

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May 7, 2014
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Looking for a new raft/pontoon/other?? and need help. I currently have a frameless 9' pontoon, which I really like, except for the no motor part. Shuttles don't really exist where I fish and the wife wants no part in being my spotter. I'm in the market for something that will be capable of drifting larger waters (like middle Allegheny) but will then be capable of getting me back up river to drift again or takeout. I'm not looking for speed and don't mind the occasional portage in low riffles.

My first thought was a framed raft with a 2.5-5hp outboard, but I'm having second thoughts on the ability of a prop outboard being capable of running the river in lower flows. Any thoughts or advice is much appreciated!
 
timbow wrote:
Looking for a new raft/pontoon/other?? and need help. I currently have a frameless 9' pontoon, which I really like, except for the no motor part. Shuttles don't really exist where I fish and the wife wants no part in being my spotter. I'm in the market for something that will be capable of drifting larger waters (like middle Allegheny) but will then be capable of getting me back up river to drift again or takeout. I'm not looking for speed and don't mind the occasional portage in low riffles.

My first thought was a framed raft with a 2.5-5hp outboard, but I'm having second thoughts on the ability of a prop outboard being capable of running the river in lower flows. Any thoughts or advice is much appreciated!
Click to expand...

I have one of these > Mokai

It's a jet kayak for lack of a better description. I haven't gotten it out because I sold my pickup a few years ago, but I now have another pickup and can haul it to the river (Susky) very easily.

It tops out at around 15mph and has no trouble getting you through low water and riffles. You can fish from it, but I like to beach it and wade, jump back in and fish another section.
 
afishinado wrote:
timbow wrote:
Looking for a new raft/pontoon/other?? and need help. I currently have a frameless 9' pontoon, which I really like, except for the no motor part. Shuttles don't really exist where I fish and the wife wants no part in being my spotter. I'm in the market for something that will be capable of drifting larger waters (like middle Allegheny) but will then be capable of getting me back up river to drift again or takeout. I'm not looking for speed and don't mind the occasional portage in low riffles.

My first thought was a framed raft with a 2.5-5hp outboard, but I'm having second thoughts on the ability of a prop outboard being capable of running the river in lower flows. Any thoughts or advice is much appreciated!
Click to expand...

I have one of these > Mokai

It's a jet kayak for lack of a better description. I haven't gotten it out because I sold my pickup a few years ago, but I now have another pickup and can haul it to the river (Susky) very easily.

It tops out at around 15mph and has no trouble getting you through low water and riffles. You can fish from it, but I like to beach it and wade, jump back in and fish another section.
Click to expand...

That's pretty sweet!
 
TB,

Here's a video to give you an idea how the thing works on the water in a river >

 
A bit outta my price range, unless you want to give me a super deal on a used one. Looks like an awesome boat though and hope you get to enjoy it soon!
 
Dear timbow,

Just a thought, but if you fish a river that has ramp accesses and you have a vehicle capable of towing a trailer it's hard to beat a 14' john boat with a 9.9 hp motor.

You'll learn quickly how far up and down the river that you can venture from each ramp and it you go too far a bowline and walk along the shore will get you back to the pool you need to be in.

You can find a complete running 14' rig for a gee whizz, easily. The wider the better. A 16 footer with a good trolling motor would work too. I fished the NB of the Susquehanna for a decade with a jet outboard and rarely ran the jet other than to go upriver out of the box and return for another drift.

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 
Thanks Tim. I may be making this more difficult than I need to and chasing a magical unicorn by looking for one boat that that will do it all. A jon would work great for the rivers with ramps and the price is right on them. I can then keep my pontoon for smaller waters where no access/ramps exist and the combo of the two will take care of my needs.
 
The making of a fleet. I at one time owned three boats at one time and they all had motors. I'm down to one now. The Mokai is the unicorn your looking for though. I've seen one on the river and it's very versatile. As for price, 6 grand is a bargain for all that versatility.
 
poopdeck wrote:
The making of a fleet. I at one time owned three boats at one time and they all had motors. I'm down to one now. The Mokai is the unicorn your looking for though. I've seen one on the river and it's very versatile. As for price, 6 grand is a bargain for all that versatility.
Click to expand...

Tell that to my wife
 
For 6k.. get a drift boat and a 6hp long shaft.
(you could do it for under 5k if you wait for the right deal)

Make a rowable sled/power drifter
14ft flat bottom with a 25hp jet
upgrade to a rowing system

Personally I'd trade all my floaty things for an ATB/sled from stealth craft
I think their other boats suck... but those power drifters look great
 

The ATB is a fine looking piece of equipment. I think though it all comes back to the notion I had that one boat could do it all. A jet sled would be awesome for bigger rivers and lakes but I wouldn’t be able to use it on smaller waters that I fish, so I’d still need to keep my pontoon for those waters. Jet motors are pretty hard to come by on the used market and new 4 strokes are way out of my price range. Maybe I’ll just stick to wading after all....
 
Here are 2 jet johns for under 4k

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/boa/d/pulaski-16-aluminum-johnson-jet-30-20/6822512094.html

https://altoona.craigslist.org/boa/d/east-freedom-98-lund-25-hp-nissan-jet/6813900678.html

and 4500
https://tuscarawas.craigslist.org/boa/d/new-philadelphia-2005-mercury-hp-jet/6810950252.html

Then keep the toon for drifting

In Western PA, if the water is too small for the Jet Jon... then it would probably be too small for the toon. Unless you look at middle youth with no motor or Little J

There is no 1 boat to do EVERYthing
but a drift boat with a small outboard is close
 
Rollingdog wrote:
Here are 2 jet johns for under 4k

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/boa/d/pulaski-16-aluminum-johnson-jet-30-20/6822512094.html

https://altoona.craigslist.org/boa/d/east-freedom-98-lund-25-hp-nissan-jet/6813900678.html

and 4500
https://tuscarawas.craigslist.org/boa/d/new-philadelphia-2005-mercury-hp-jet/6810950252.html

Then keep the toon for drifting

In Western PA, if the water is too small for the Jet Jon... then it would probably be too small for the toon. Unless you look at middle youth with no motor or Little J

There is no 1 boat to do EVERYthing
but a drift boat with a small outboard is close
Click to expand...

Thanks for the leads!
 
How about this with a 5 hp outboard?

https://www.outcastboats.com/pontoon-boats/fish-cat-13-green-w-8-oars.html
 
Krayfish- Do you think a 5hp on that would be enough to push up river at a decent speed?
 
I know you didn’t ask for my advice on adding a 5hp outboard to that Outcast, but I’d be concerned that the motor would be too heavy for the boat, and/or that Outcast’s frame or that the motor mount itself wouldn’t be built strong enough to handle the motor.

I’ve owned pontoons of various sizes, and small outboards, but never that exact Outcast model. However, I’d think IF it could be done (and you might also want to use an oar as a keel), a 5 hp outboard would probably push that Outcast like a bat outta hell.
 
Thanks MT, appreciate your input. My concern with it would be how much bow lift you would get when under power. I’m not sure you’d be able to run it full throttle. I was really hoping someone here had some experience with something like a 12’ raft with a rowing frame and 3-5hp outboard. It would be ideal as I could remove the frame and take the kids out to float the river in the summer heat.
 
There will be little to no bow lift with a properly set motor. If there is a passenger up front their won't be any bow lift with a 5 hp. Motor support is based on the torque power of the motor. A 5 hp will have little torque so a little mount will suffice. Not sure how fast you would want to go but bat out of hell speed is not possible out of a 5hp motor with two people.
 
If I could get a raft to move 5mph or so up the middle Allegheny with a small Lehr propane engine I’d be happy. I’m about 155 soaking wet and am usually solo
 
If solving the lack of shuttle problem would satisfy you and you have a pickup, consider a small motorcycle and set of ramps to self shuttle with.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/d/greensburg-honda-sl-100/6784437205.html
 
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