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Valco prams?

7K views 16 replies 15 participants last post by  GA 
#1 ·
I had the opportunity to purchase a 8' Valco pram for cheap and was wondering what people think of them. It seems to be rock solid and looks very stable. I will have to add a few accessories and it should be good to go. Sadly I won't be on a lake until this spring with my current work schedule.

Any Valco owners want to chime in?
 
#4 ·
I think Nick is right, Yellowlab is like the curator of the pram museum. I don't own or need a valco but I'd like to get in line behind Stonefish. What makes them so much better than other 8 and 10 foot jon boats is the 40 +inch bottom. Most are 32 or 36" bottoms. Harborcraft also made a wide one but niether is in production anymore. Both usually bring a premium used in nice shape.
 
#10 ·
Just for grins, I Googled "Valco pram"....all that came up were hits for baby strollers...LOL!

Jim B.
 
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#11 ·
Going back to all the years I worked at a marina, I recall Valcos as being pretty well-designed and stout boats. Of course, being on the salt we saw the larger Valcos and not prams.

Didn't Valco also produce the Bayrunner boats? They seem to be a sweet ride also!
 
#12 ·
I own 8' Valco pram. Very stable in the water. Great for lakes and slow rivers. Not good for high traffic
boat lakes. Heavy for cartopping. My only gripe, does not row well(nose dives). I have older 3hp
minnkota motor. If you plan on rowing only, you need to be in the near vacinity to where you want to
fish. If you get the boat cheap, you will get your money back down the road. They are bullet proof.
If you do alot of river drifting(back rowing), I do not think this boat was designed for that. Still water lake
fishing is ideal(what I do). Good luck!
 
#14 ·
I have wanted to try a valco Jon boat and once and a while I do see them for sale on CL. All the small valco joins I see are riveted and the bow does look pretty steep/flat as tight lines mentioned. The beam is what has me interested.

In WA, Spokane must have more Jon boats than any other location. I look at their CL ads on occasion for beamy Jon boats like the valco you got. Good score!

Look forward to your review or seeing it on the water.
 
#15 ·
I own 8' Valco pram. Very stable in the water. Great for lakes and slow rivers. Not good for high traffic
boat lakes. Heavy for cartopping. My only gripe, does not row well(nose dives). I have older 3hp
minnkota motor. If you plan on rowing only, you need to be in the near vacinity to where you want to
fish. If you get the boat cheap, you will get your money back down the road. They are bullet proof.
If you do alot of river drifting(back rowing), I do not think this boat was designed for that. Still water lake
fishing is ideal(what I do). Good luck!
That was my experience with Valco prams. Not enough fore to aft rocker and the bow would push alot of water versus glide over it. Stable but I'd rather not have cross seat stringers in a pram if possible.
 
#16 ·
Going back to all the years I worked at a marina, I recall Valcos as being pretty well-designed and stout boats. Of course, being on the salt we saw the larger Valcos and not prams.

Didn't Valco also produce the Bayrunner boats? They seem to be a sweet ride also!
Going back to all the years I worked at a marina, I recall Valcos as being pretty well-designed and stout boats. Of course, being on the salt we saw the larger Valcos and not prams.

Didn't Valco also produce the Bayrunner boats? They seem to be a sweet ride also!
I also owned the Bayrunner Baja 17' Center Console boat. I liked it better than I did the pram. Fully welded, flat floors, hidden cleats under the wide gunnels, 7' beam, high freeboard, full high bow rail, super light weight to tow, launch and fish. Got on plane with a Honda 50 Hp 4-stroke and sipped the fuel, a nice no hassle set up. I'd gladly own another one if it came along...
 

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#17 ·
Going back to all the years I worked at a marina, I recall Valcos as being pretty well-designed and stout boats. Of course, being on the salt we saw the larger Valcos and not prams.

Didn't Valco also produce the Bayrunner boats? They seem to be a sweet ride also!
Yep, I think Valco and Bayrunner were produced by the same company.

I had a 15' Bayrunner. Nice high flared bow and all welded. It had a tiller steer 25 HP on the transom.
I found that with just myself in the boat and with a little side wind catching that nice high flared bow at planing speed, the boat would get real squirrely, real fast. Almost lost it a couple of times out in the Straits. It wasn't an issue when I had someone with me sitting in the front for trim. I tried trimming it, and adding what weight I had to the bow to counter it while out there on my own, but it was enough of a concern that I sold the boat.

The Valco pram looks like a winner for its intended use to me though.
 
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