Fishing Forum

http://www.ventureoutdoors.net/pontoon_boats.htm

Anyone tried the Echo Fisher? That's being sold through Wal-Mart now. It's not the most glamorous looking unit but seem to be intelligently designed.

I'm sure that it can be put together in 2 minutes flat, disassembled in the same, and put into any car's truck without any inflation issues. Built in rod holder etc.

The design seem to suggest a small but stable unit, if not the prettiest looking thing. I think if they had used a different color scheme, it could look a bit more professional. (This is not a criticism of the unit's function but an opinion.)

Youtube has a sample of someone putting one together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe6lCw3T-PU

Anyways, anyone care to share their experience with this unit?

Thanks,
PTL
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[cool][#0000ff]Echo is a small but growing company that makes quality fishing craft. However, I can't get very excited about their hardside models. We have discussed these on the board before and I seem to recall we mostly agree that a big part of the appeal of float tubes is their inflatability and portability. Unless you have a truck or a BIG SUV, you would have trouble fitting any other gear into your vehicle for a trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I suppose I am biased against a hardside craft. My first commercially manufactured float craft was an injection molded plastic donut...also complete with indentations and holes to hold fishing gear. It was probably not as good in the quality department, but it split around the edge and sank...on a fishing trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have sustained a few pinhole leaks in my inflatable craft over the years, but never anything that did not allow me to make my way back to shore. But, more importantly, for me, is the ability to deflate my craft, roll it up and stash it in a small space so that I can head down the road to stop and fish anywhere I want.[/#0000ff]
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I noticed this a couple of months ago. Man Carol is pulling out all the stops. She started of by buying the LEIGH boat and all that intels then came up with the deflateable self sealing and then the hard side.
Hobies never interested me for reasons TD stated (bulky), but we usually transport our boats inflated anyway, till last summer when we switched gears.
HECk! you could darn near just pull this boat behind you[]

There are some people that are scared to death of water and floating around on top of it. I would say this is a great boat to take away ANY fears of a leak, plus it has compartments for everything.
Another thing to remember, is STORAGE. You won't always be packing the boat, so do you have a place to put it. Here again these are nice cause you could take it apart and stick it in a corner somewhere.
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