04-23-2014, 02:01 PM
[quote pontoonman]
... Still, I am firmly in the inflatable camp because ONLY they have the capability for the pack in fishing I like, yet can also go where any solid hull goes. I have developed a ritual over the years of carrying small inflatable repair kits, with patches, upholstery thread, valve parts, mouth inflation tube, etc. but only used it a couple of times.
Pon
[/quote]
I'm not out of the inflatable, camp either. I'm just examining options. I don't mind building things - I've rebuilt truck engines, entire Volkswagens, erected sheds and room additions, etc.... This wouldn't he hard to do. What I'm mainly interested in learning is:
Do I have to do it myself?
If I'm going to re-toon someday, why not look around? I already know I can get inflatable replacements.
But, I don't NEED the main features of an inflatable, like compact storage and transport. I'm not packing in anywhere; I can drive to my fishing area. My shed is spacious and I can store high among the rafters during off season using a pulley system. I only need the assembled pontoon to be light enough to carry.
Extruded foam displaces 60lbs./ft3. For my weight and gear, I need 600, using a 2x safety factor. That's ten cubic feet, or five per side. A foam pontoon, 6' long would weigh in at about 12-14 lbs., and offer an extra 120 lbs. of flotation per pair. With the rigid toons, I will be adding about
10 lbs more to the overall carry weight - that's it. Venture Outdoors' rigid 6T weighs in at 70 lbs, and I can get under that by about 20%. I can achieve my weight goals, it would seem.
As you note, I can also dispense with the downside of all inflatables - leaks and punctures. Set up can be as trouble free as sliding it off the truck bed and into the water. If I must tote the thing a bit to launch, it will be no problem.
[signature]
... Still, I am firmly in the inflatable camp because ONLY they have the capability for the pack in fishing I like, yet can also go where any solid hull goes. I have developed a ritual over the years of carrying small inflatable repair kits, with patches, upholstery thread, valve parts, mouth inflation tube, etc. but only used it a couple of times.
Pon
[/quote]
I'm not out of the inflatable, camp either. I'm just examining options. I don't mind building things - I've rebuilt truck engines, entire Volkswagens, erected sheds and room additions, etc.... This wouldn't he hard to do. What I'm mainly interested in learning is:
Do I have to do it myself?
If I'm going to re-toon someday, why not look around? I already know I can get inflatable replacements.
But, I don't NEED the main features of an inflatable, like compact storage and transport. I'm not packing in anywhere; I can drive to my fishing area. My shed is spacious and I can store high among the rafters during off season using a pulley system. I only need the assembled pontoon to be light enough to carry.
Extruded foam displaces 60lbs./ft3. For my weight and gear, I need 600, using a 2x safety factor. That's ten cubic feet, or five per side. A foam pontoon, 6' long would weigh in at about 12-14 lbs., and offer an extra 120 lbs. of flotation per pair. With the rigid toons, I will be adding about
10 lbs more to the overall carry weight - that's it. Venture Outdoors' rigid 6T weighs in at 70 lbs, and I can get under that by about 20%. I can achieve my weight goals, it would seem.
As you note, I can also dispense with the downside of all inflatables - leaks and punctures. Set up can be as trouble free as sliding it off the truck bed and into the water. If I must tote the thing a bit to launch, it will be no problem.
[signature]