05-13-2011, 02:22 PM
<Sorry for the lengthy post!)
Hi guys (and gals), remember me? If you DO remember, it was about a about a year ago that I last posted… but health/medical issues have kept me away for a while (but that’s ANOTHER story).
I was also the one that fashioned my early-design PVC rod-holders so that they would accommodate my older pistol-gripped casting rods. (I was reminded that nobody uses those kind of rods any more… ) [crazy]
Anyway, a little over a year ago, I purchased a Creek Company ODC 420 off of the “net”. Using several ideas from this site (thanks TubeDude), I built a two-per-side rod holder. (Pictures attached.)
I mostly fish for largemouth bass, so I find myself –for the most part – fishing shoreline structure or timber. Using fins as propulsion, I’m usually fishing backwards. And since I’m right-handed, I prefer to cast out the left-hand side of my tube. By placing the “stand-by” rods in the LH holders, it allows me free movement on the RH side for my “back-cast”.
However, I like to take four rod/reel combos out with me, so I found the need to have at least a three-rod-holder rack per side. This would allow me to fish with one rod, and still have the three others rigged and ready on ONE side – depending on my casting direction.
I carry only a few small tools – needle-nosed pliers, hook remover, etc. – and those are usually stored in the tube’s pockets, so my rack needs are simple… they only need to hold the rod/reel combo’s I bring.
A lot of my fishing involves fishing farm ponds. Most require somewhat of a hike to get to the water’s edge. As such, it’s also important to have a system by which I can carry everything in one trip, and WEIGHT is also VERY MUCH a concern… This became apparent when I realized that had built the “old” racks out of schedule 40 PVC… which is MUCH heavier than the schedule 20 stuff!
Shifting gears here (stay with me)… [blush]
Although the ODC 420 had served me very well during the 2010 fishing season, I also had some become aware of a couple of its shortcomings… at least for me:
1) Pockets. Although the ODC 420 has plenty of storage space, the design of the pockets, and more specifically the zippered-openings, leave a lot to be desired! Why didn’t they design the zippers to be full-length (relative to the pocket), or U-shaped zippers to allow FULL access to the pocket? When your design places the zipper in the center of the pocket , then as you open it to put in a small tackle box, the ends of the zippers move towards each other (to allow the opening to open wider) effectively reducing even further the effective size of the opening! I managed by using smaller boxes, but just thought it to be a poor design.
2) Air Valves. The ODC 420 has two bladders so it has two valves respectively, but they put the valves INSIDE of the pockets. Although a two-bladder system does have some inherent safety advantages, I found that this design presents two problems. First, the valves are not flush or recessed, so you actually lose some inside-the-pocket space to accommodate the valves. It’s not a LOT, but you can tell… Secondly, I transport my tube in the trunk of my Honda Accord. That means I have to deflate the tube to put IN the trunk, inflate it at the pond site, deflate it again for the ride home, and inflate it again when I get home (to aid in drying and to retain its shape). EACH inflation/deflation means that I ALSO have to empty/replace all that respective pocket’s contents to facilitate the inflation/deflation process. Besides being annoying, I’ve actually lost/left behind some items in the weeds around a pond, because of having to do this!
So in addition to wanting to build a lighter-weight, three-rod rack, I also started eyeing the Outcast Super Fat Cats. I purchased a new, but “pre-owned” SFC on eBay last December.
To resolve the light-weight rod rack issue for my new SFC, I purchased four Berkley rod holders – two needed for each tube (pic attached). The only issue was that my pistol-gripped rods had a slightly larger than 2” size, and the rod-holder opening was JUST 2”. But a quick “sanding” of the rod-grips provided just enough clearance for the Berkley holders to work.
OK, but now how do you mount this “flat” rack to the side of a “ROUND” tube?
Well, I built a simple “adapter” out of ¾” PVC (schedule 20 this time!) and bolted it to the rack. I used the same mounting mechanism that I used on the heavier, first-attempt PVC racks by cutting a notch in the PVC end cap and then drilling a hole to accommodate a retention pin. This time I used a simple – both in design AND cost – safety-pin type connecting pin. (Pictures attached)
The result?
The previous two-rod holder weighed 3.2 pounds, EACH. The new three-rod holder weighs in at a svelte 1.4 pounds! That’s a 3.6 pound savings on the two rod racks alone! (That may not seem like much, but when you’re carrying a bunch of gear a ¼ of a mile to get to a farm pond, EVERY pound counts!)
Now what about the SFC vs. the ODC?
Pros: 1) Just from a “feel” perspective, the SFC “feels” like it’s better quality materials. 2) The pocket-design is FAR superior, and 3) I love the not-in-pocket valve access.
Cons: 1) Just a personal thing, but I like the TWO bladder system on the ODC – if only just from a safety perspective. 2) I like the way that the ODC retains its “v-shape” better when I sit in the tube. I weigh at least 240lbs. with waders and all. When I sit in the SFC, it “brings IN the sides” and “pontoon points” more than the ODC. I attribute that more to the rigid foam seat and seat-back of the ODC vs. the inflatable “cushions” of the SFC. 3) I also like the flat apron on the ODC better (and yes, I DO realize that the “deck-type” apron is a new “innovation” on the SFC). But I think that after a few outings, I'll get used to the SFC apron.
Bottom line?
I love my new rod racks, they work GREAT!
The ODC 420 and the SFC are both great tubes… both have their advantages and di
vantages. Which is “better” will depend a lot on – I think – the USER’S preferences... and budget. My SFC cost nearly $250 more than my ODC 420. Yeah, I’m aware of the bladder quality, etc. – just noting that there’s also a significant difference in price; especially for those on a “budget”. Still, I don’t think you can really go wrong with either. And in any case, I now have TWO float-tubes, one for me and one for my wife or a buddy to go get some basses… [
]
[signature]
Hi guys (and gals), remember me? If you DO remember, it was about a about a year ago that I last posted… but health/medical issues have kept me away for a while (but that’s ANOTHER story).
I was also the one that fashioned my early-design PVC rod-holders so that they would accommodate my older pistol-gripped casting rods. (I was reminded that nobody uses those kind of rods any more… ) [crazy]
Anyway, a little over a year ago, I purchased a Creek Company ODC 420 off of the “net”. Using several ideas from this site (thanks TubeDude), I built a two-per-side rod holder. (Pictures attached.)
I mostly fish for largemouth bass, so I find myself –for the most part – fishing shoreline structure or timber. Using fins as propulsion, I’m usually fishing backwards. And since I’m right-handed, I prefer to cast out the left-hand side of my tube. By placing the “stand-by” rods in the LH holders, it allows me free movement on the RH side for my “back-cast”.
However, I like to take four rod/reel combos out with me, so I found the need to have at least a three-rod-holder rack per side. This would allow me to fish with one rod, and still have the three others rigged and ready on ONE side – depending on my casting direction.
I carry only a few small tools – needle-nosed pliers, hook remover, etc. – and those are usually stored in the tube’s pockets, so my rack needs are simple… they only need to hold the rod/reel combo’s I bring.
A lot of my fishing involves fishing farm ponds. Most require somewhat of a hike to get to the water’s edge. As such, it’s also important to have a system by which I can carry everything in one trip, and WEIGHT is also VERY MUCH a concern… This became apparent when I realized that had built the “old” racks out of schedule 40 PVC… which is MUCH heavier than the schedule 20 stuff!
Shifting gears here (stay with me)… [blush]
Although the ODC 420 had served me very well during the 2010 fishing season, I also had some become aware of a couple of its shortcomings… at least for me:
1) Pockets. Although the ODC 420 has plenty of storage space, the design of the pockets, and more specifically the zippered-openings, leave a lot to be desired! Why didn’t they design the zippers to be full-length (relative to the pocket), or U-shaped zippers to allow FULL access to the pocket? When your design places the zipper in the center of the pocket , then as you open it to put in a small tackle box, the ends of the zippers move towards each other (to allow the opening to open wider) effectively reducing even further the effective size of the opening! I managed by using smaller boxes, but just thought it to be a poor design.
2) Air Valves. The ODC 420 has two bladders so it has two valves respectively, but they put the valves INSIDE of the pockets. Although a two-bladder system does have some inherent safety advantages, I found that this design presents two problems. First, the valves are not flush or recessed, so you actually lose some inside-the-pocket space to accommodate the valves. It’s not a LOT, but you can tell… Secondly, I transport my tube in the trunk of my Honda Accord. That means I have to deflate the tube to put IN the trunk, inflate it at the pond site, deflate it again for the ride home, and inflate it again when I get home (to aid in drying and to retain its shape). EACH inflation/deflation means that I ALSO have to empty/replace all that respective pocket’s contents to facilitate the inflation/deflation process. Besides being annoying, I’ve actually lost/left behind some items in the weeds around a pond, because of having to do this!
So in addition to wanting to build a lighter-weight, three-rod rack, I also started eyeing the Outcast Super Fat Cats. I purchased a new, but “pre-owned” SFC on eBay last December.
To resolve the light-weight rod rack issue for my new SFC, I purchased four Berkley rod holders – two needed for each tube (pic attached). The only issue was that my pistol-gripped rods had a slightly larger than 2” size, and the rod-holder opening was JUST 2”. But a quick “sanding” of the rod-grips provided just enough clearance for the Berkley holders to work.
OK, but now how do you mount this “flat” rack to the side of a “ROUND” tube?
Well, I built a simple “adapter” out of ¾” PVC (schedule 20 this time!) and bolted it to the rack. I used the same mounting mechanism that I used on the heavier, first-attempt PVC racks by cutting a notch in the PVC end cap and then drilling a hole to accommodate a retention pin. This time I used a simple – both in design AND cost – safety-pin type connecting pin. (Pictures attached)
The result?
The previous two-rod holder weighed 3.2 pounds, EACH. The new three-rod holder weighs in at a svelte 1.4 pounds! That’s a 3.6 pound savings on the two rod racks alone! (That may not seem like much, but when you’re carrying a bunch of gear a ¼ of a mile to get to a farm pond, EVERY pound counts!)
Now what about the SFC vs. the ODC?
Pros: 1) Just from a “feel” perspective, the SFC “feels” like it’s better quality materials. 2) The pocket-design is FAR superior, and 3) I love the not-in-pocket valve access.
Cons: 1) Just a personal thing, but I like the TWO bladder system on the ODC – if only just from a safety perspective. 2) I like the way that the ODC retains its “v-shape” better when I sit in the tube. I weigh at least 240lbs. with waders and all. When I sit in the SFC, it “brings IN the sides” and “pontoon points” more than the ODC. I attribute that more to the rigid foam seat and seat-back of the ODC vs. the inflatable “cushions” of the SFC. 3) I also like the flat apron on the ODC better (and yes, I DO realize that the “deck-type” apron is a new “innovation” on the SFC). But I think that after a few outings, I'll get used to the SFC apron.
Bottom line?
I love my new rod racks, they work GREAT!
The ODC 420 and the SFC are both great tubes… both have their advantages and di
vantages. Which is “better” will depend a lot on – I think – the USER’S preferences... and budget. My SFC cost nearly $250 more than my ODC 420. Yeah, I’m aware of the bladder quality, etc. – just noting that there’s also a significant difference in price; especially for those on a “budget”. Still, I don’t think you can really go wrong with either. And in any case, I now have TWO float-tubes, one for me and one for my wife or a buddy to go get some basses… [][signature]
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