Renegade Review

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]So...I got to ride and fish from a Renegade. I have test-floated a whole lotta water craft over the past plenty years. I would like to think myself capable of making reasonably accurate evaluations without too much personal bias. Yeah, right.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I do have some "unique" outlooks and fishing styles that make my preferences a bit different from the average tuber or tooner...whatever "average" is. So I will bring those exceptions into the review process so as not to create unreasonable outlooks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]For example, the Renegade was created mostly by fly fishermen...for fly fishermen. Readily apparent. I fish mostly with spinning and baitcasting gear. And it is also designed for folks who like to go down rivers. Not me also. No problem. There are adaptations and modifications possible using the features and construction of the basic craft.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]NUTSHELL IMPRESSION: Priced out of reach of the "mainstream" tuber and tooner. Dave is mighty "proud" of his craft...as well he should be. Quality is great and it is always good to buy quality. But some folks are fighting a budget battle and there is just not room for that kind of expenditure. The price tag on the Renegade would cover a lot of rent, car payments or food . Unless you got the net spendable you have no reason to be looking at one.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Howsomever, if you have all the money in the world and nothing to spend it on then it is a good investment. You will not find a better craft for similar money...or even more.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]LIKES: [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]1. The size and carrying capacity. Since I am large and also carry lots of gear...including motor and battery...it is good to be able to go afloat and remain above the water and in a level attitude. It is amazing how well the Renegade holds all that weight and still skims easily over the water...with fins, oars or motor.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]2. The seats are part of the inflated "floor" that extends from the nose to the middle. The EVA foam seats fold down flat and are adjustable for your preference in back position. Plenty high for my touchy back. And you sit a bit above the water line when afloat so you stay drier and warmer. But you sit lower to the water than in a pontoon...which is one of my dislikes about most pontoons. Too much reaching and less efficiency with the fins (in a pontoon).[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]3. The Renegade is easily propelled with either the oars, your fins or a motor. All work well. The craft rides high and any kind of propulsion is efficient. I personally will not use the oars much but I was pleased with the rack and pinion mounting and the way they fold down flat and out of the way when not in use. Standard oars are short but they do an adequate job of moving you upon the water. If you want to enter races you can upgrade to bigger oars.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]4. Bladderless construction. I hate repairing pinhole leaks in air bladders. The outer shell of the Renegade IS the air bladder. And it is very tough PVC that should repel most common punctures.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]5. Strap-on pockets. While there are a few downers in my mind about these pockets, I like the concept. Strap them on with the quick connect buckles and you are good to go. Plus...that is what makes it possible to add on my PVC rod rack and utility rack. I make a PVC base, strap it on under the pockets and then push on the modular rod and tool holders. The straps hold the PVC goodies firmly in place. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]UNLIKES:[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]1. Let's begin with where we left off...pockets. These things are way too big for utility fishing pockets. They are more for storage. We all need more space to hold our stuff, but not right under our arms. Should be a big pocket/storage box behind the seat or velcro attached behind the utility pockets. Both pockets are the same...not a left and right. You gotta decide what you want on which side. And the double zippers are a pain...especially since they open from the back to the front. A single zipper opening from the front is much more practical. And the "selling point" of the pockets being made with insulation is not a selling point to me. The pocket walls are way too stiff and are annoying to rub on the bottoms of your arms. At least the pockets are single compartment and big enough to hold a bass tanglers lure boxes. Many fly flinger craft have a network of small pockets that drive you wacko if you wanna carry larger lure boxes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]2. The foot bar is not adjustable. Only one location and one length. Not everybody is the same and most of us have different ideas about where we want our knees while rowing...or our feet while under way with an electric motor. I did not even mount the foot bar on the Renegade I took out because I could not even pull my legs back far enough to rest on it. That adds drag during rowing or when using the electric motor. Not an improvement over using a float tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]3. The air valves are a "one touch" to deflate your craft. While that seems like a handy thing...it is not handy if you forget to secure the valve covers before launching and accidently bump one while well away from shore. Those things dump air fast. You have 3 air chambers but having one of them suddenly deflate will seriously compromise your enjoys.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Since I like to carry several rigged rods on every floatation excursion, I need enough rod tubes to store the extras...as well as ones to hold my active rod when I am dealing with a fish, rerigging, etc. I also need a place to carry oft-used tools like pliers, knife, net, etc.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have tricked out enough tubes and toons to have a pretty good feel for what PVC components I can use and how to attach them to get the desired results. When I first saw pictures of the frameless Renegade...with only a few precious D rings...I had to ask myself how it would be possible to put together my beloved PVC sideshow. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once I got to see one up close and personal the light bulbs came on. Of course. I could make a simple base for each side and buckle them down with the strap-on pockets. And making a motor mount was also simple. But it required custom cutting and fitting as I went along to get a mount that fit properly and would handle the weight and torque of of a serious electric motor.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the first-time innovations I came up with was a PVC battery holder frame. Without a rear deck and mounting brackets for a battery box the battery is forced to ride on the inflated floor behind the seat. Not too stable. Much potential for tipping and damage to the craft or the angler. Flygoddess had the problem handled with a piece of carpet under the battery and then some straps attached to the side D rings and the motor mount. In the attached pics you will see how I handled it.[/#0000ff]
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[kochanut]

if you get one you will want to upgrade to the Avenger, i sure as hell did. were thinking about getting the wife an X5, would make 3 NFO boats for us. worth every penny
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[Tarponjim]

So, do you want my Renegade? I'm going fishing for the weekend in WY with the new one. I have some time off now to help get it to you without shipping.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]My CFO (TubeBabe) gets back in town Monday. Already discussed it but need to decide about working in another one...or ???[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm sold. Anytime next week if you got a reason to be in the area. Since I don't fish the Gorge it will be good to meet you.[/#0000ff]
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[Tarponjim]

Consider it done. We'll work out something next week. I'll get over that way sometime. Don't have any appointments down there until early November (flight to Mexico!), but I do need new tires for the truck!
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[albinotrout]

Nice review. I do agree that the price is one made to scare away rather than buy. It is an interesting design still. Not sure if it would work with me but then I like my toon. Glad it works for you! I believe you will get lots of use out of it. [cool]
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[flygoddess]

I don't see the price as a big of issue. You look at any USA made pontoon in the upper end and they are all equal in price.
It is just that NFO caters to the UPPER END and does not carry the entry level priced.
Just like Cadillac...[]

They are NOT for everyone. But, I do believe you get what you pay for and this is the best it gets, this is coming from someone that has tried and owned others like Buck's, Leigh, Outcast.

Take a look at Hunters...ATV's, fancy guns...no one mentions prices there for great gear, just sayin'.

First there was Donuts, and we thought them to be a little pricie, then came the U tube...Ooooh nice, but even more pricie, but better. Then the V tube..WOW! over $200.!!!! but state of the art...and so it goes.
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[flygoddess]

I had a chance to look over some of the sales on NFO's. To add to this well thought out review, I would like to add that 55% of the sales of the NFO boats ARE to Spin/Bait fishermen. Specially up North/west.
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[pontoonman]

Thanks for the info on NFO products, FG!

No doubt in my mind NFO is best quality with state of the art developments constantly evolving and coming at us. And American made, YAHOO! I'm glad they're here to offer their innovative products to customers.

The only thing NFO don't have is a super lightweight tube for packin, at low cost. Packin is a market where LESS is MORE and normally one would expect to pay a PREMIUM. You can carry 3 of the lightweight ODC "V" tubes for the weight of one Escape, and buy 4 or more for the same price as 1 Escape. Just sayin...

I'm eagerly waiting to see if that's a market niche which the small NFO Assualt will address with a higher quality product than the ODC.

Pon



[quote flygoddess]I don't see the price as a big of issue. You look at any USA made pontoon in the upper end and they are all equal in price.
It is just that NFO caters to the UPPER END and does not carry the entry level priced.
Just like Cadillac...[]

They are NOT for everyone. But, I do believe you get what you pay for and this is the best it gets, this is coming from someone that has tried and owned others like Buck's, Leigh, Outcast.

Take a look at Hunters...ATV's, fancy guns...no one mentions prices there for great gear, just sayin'.

First there was Donuts, and we thought them to be a little pricie, then came the U tube...Ooooh nice, but even more pricie, but better. Then the V tube..WOW! over $200.!!!! but state of the art...and so it goes.[/quote]
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[flygoddess]

Because NFO is American made, and the reflection on the price, Dave's market is more the fly in's and not the pack ins.
He is catering to the mid and upper class and does well there.

With the quality control issues, and the cost to make them locally, (for lack of a better word) Cheaper, is just not practical. As Dave put it, that is why there is ODC, Waterskeeter, etc. And he thinks these are fine crafts.

Again, that is like looking for a budget Cadillac.

And the percentage of people requesting ultra light is a very small margin, not really a practical business move, but he is experimenting.
You will see a lot more returns on light weight gear however, like the Alpacka, and I don't think he really wants to deal with that. I know I wouldn't. His shop is quite small.
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[macfly55]

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[macfly55]

no commment... :-)
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[dayhut]

Thanks again, Pat, for all the super support.
This forum group is awesome, in bag part because of you.
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