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Ideas for a more stable lean bar for pontoon?

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4K views 20 replies 8 participants last post by  A.A. 
#1 ·
Had a great few hours fishing this morning. The guy I went with rows well so I got to fish too. Now I really sympathize with the people I take out. The front lean bar on my Scadden McKenzie Drifter frame is so flimsy and so far forward you feel like you're going to fall off. i would love to either stabilize it, or get a different one. Any ideas?
 
#2 ·
I can't believe Dave hasn't gotten sued over that lean bar yet! A folding lean bar for a one person boat on a lake or stopped on a river is one thing, but IMHO, it's about the stupidest thing one can put on a multi-person boat intended to be used on the go.

After only 5 mins. up front on a new boat's inaugural trip, I made the proud new owner pull over before I lost all my teeth on a rock as I fell out of the boat or broke my hip as I was flung backwards! Aargh... Anyway, I secured that stupid thing with a few short NRS cam straps. It still left it canted too far forward but at least it didn't move as much. If it were my boat instead of my now ex-fiancée's (and I won't claim that the boat had nothing to do with the Ex part), I would have welded that sucker in place. Actually, I never would have bought it in the first place or would have sent it back to UT or to the dump, but I digress. He had an early production one so hopefully the boats got better as time went on.

Anyway, the lean bar really needs a spacer block under it so that when you secure it, the angler isn't leaning precariously out over the water. And trust me, no matter how tightly you strap it down, when you bump a rock hard and the angler grabs the lean bar to prevent themself from falling, the flimsy bar still has enough flex that they will have a hard time staying upright and will most likely still fall - into the seat if they are lucky (so make sure the seat back is ALWAYS up). After hundreds of hours in that blasted boat, I grew to hate it more and more each trip! Oh, and good luck with the stupid floppy striping basket that will be angled to down to the water spilling all your line out when your trying to focus on casting vs holding it up. I always wanted to put some duct tape or zip ties on that thing but... like I said, EX fiancée, LOL!
 
#3 ·
I have a scadden skyhomish and rarely use the platform and leaning bar for the same reason, and that is one of the primary reasons I went with that model when I bought it.

I would consider talking with BDD on a more secure platform for a McKenzie drifter size of boat. I am certain that they would be willing to fabricate something more robust that could still be removed.a
 
#5 ·
Yeah, my buddy pushed the oars forward pretty hard when I wasn't leaning too far forward and I started to fall back. Naturally, I grabbed the lean bar (even though I knew it would swing back) because it was the only thing to grab. I practically landed in his lap. I definitely want more stability forward and back. I want the people I take out to feel more comfortable up there. Agree, the bar should be a little more upright, pulling u away from the front of the boat. I don't want to weld it permanently in place for storage and transportation reasons. Was thinking maybe a couple of short bars up front clipped in place like the hobie lean bar.

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Btw, I never tried the scadden stripping basket, but the outcast Velcro one is awesome.

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#15 ·
This thread reminds me of the story about the guy who built his house upon the sand...hard to put a quality lean bar on a frame that is not designed to accommodate it in the first place. Or the guy who catches a dark fish and tries to put the quality back into it by smoking it. It probably won't happen.

If you could build a very light, very portable, very inexpensive, very tough, very stable frame...well you are still not going to get rich but you might be able to ink out a living at it. Problem, it is pretty much impossible to on a level that you can market and produce.
 
#16 ·
This thread reminds me of the story about the guy who built his house upon the sand...hard to put a quality lean bar on a frame that is not designed to accommodate it in the first place. Or the guy who catches a dark fish and tries to put the quality back into it by smoking it. It probably won't happen.

If you could build a very light, very portable, very inexpensive, very tough, very stable frame...well you are still not going to get rich but you might be able to ink out a living at it. Problem, it is pretty much impossible to on a level that you can market and produce.
So true. Yeah, deep down I know I'll eventually end up with a different frame some day. Just trying to improve something that works for now. And hopefully do it without too much cash so I don't regret putting too much into this thing. I'm still getting out and still having fun, works for now. If something breaks on the frame, I'm not putting any more money into it.
 
#17 ·
about the only thing i can think of is making an aluminum frame with a cross bar pedastal seat that swivels. That way an angler can turn and still cast while seated. At the end of the day scaddens were made for point a to point b transport and nothing more. They can continue to try and market it as more, but the truth is scaddens are garbage
 
#18 · (Edited)
So, what are the limitations of my frame? My lean bar sucks. The frame is not very adjustable, other than the rowers seat can slide forward or back. But, it holds my pontoons and seats just fine. My oars work with it. I've replaced the oars, pontoons, and rower seat. I like that I can break it into two pieces and carry it down the stairs in the backyard to the river. I can use half of the frame and go solo. Frames seem to be a pretty simple piece of engineering (don't take offense anyone, and forgive my ignorance). There are definitely more elegant frame designs out there. Is the aluminum or welding inferior? Are there places that tend to break or wear out on his frames? Thoughts and insights?
 
#21 ·
Sounds good. Just talked to our new neighbor. He is retired but still has access to all his old equipment. Turns out he can cut, weld, bend metal tubing etc. He wants to go fishing and is going to help make a couple attachments to stabilize the lean bar. That will work for now. Still, looking forward to that upgrade one of these days.
 
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