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Looking For A New Personal Boat

3727 Views 19 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  rpbfishin
Currently I have a pontoon boat but I am more interested in something frameless as I am getting sick of setting up the boat every time I want to get it out. I want a boat that can handle rough water and has enough room to do overnight trips but is also a good fishing platform. I have been looking at the Outcast Stealth Pro and the Scadden Challenger. I am also interested in the Watermaster Kodiak. I'd love to get some suggestions or experiences if anybody has any.
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the bakraft is very small and not very good for overnight trips, Aire is coming out with an expedition sized bakraft for this very reason in the spring 2017. It isn't really a good fishing platform. I actually am in line to get 2 of the new expedition sized aire bakrafts this winter, but not for fishing, but for hiking into multiday whitewater kayaking trips.

Maybe a trailer is what you want so you can keep your boat rigged.

Or maybe a raft instead of a pontoon, rafts with a simple rowing frame rig faster than a pontoon boat. Usually 4 straps, (1 on each corner) and you are off and running.

maybe something along the lines of a hyside mini-max, aire trib-9.5 or the maxxon xsb-320 for a small raft, with a minimal frame that only requires 4 straps would work better and be faster to rig without using a trailer. You could certainly put enough gear in any of these small rafts for multiday trips packing light and handle rough water.

Or you might want a different transport rig, I can put my Aire puma raft in the back of my pickup fully rigged and drive 70mph down the road no problem.


Fishing can be done out of an inflatable kayak, but not really for standing up. I do however quite well sitting down fly casting and chucking hardware for salmon. If you think a kayak may be your new method, then several boats could be recommended. I personally use older model aire lynx I and aire lynx II rigs.
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+1 on the WaterMaster Kodiak. Super durable, maneuverable and unbelievably stable. Also, some of the best customer service I've been dealt.
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I've used my WM Kodiak on 8-day float trips, but I don't fish from it. I just use it for transportation on the water, stopping, getting out to wade and cast.
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I'd like to get a comparison of the WM and the Outcast Commander (http://www.outcastboats.com/frameless/osgcommander.asp). Seems like they would do similar things but the outcast is easier to row.
Do a search on the forum. They have been compared/contrasted before, by me and others.
I like the looks of this one, designed to fit in a full sized pick up bed.

Automotive exterior Grass Gas Plant Bumper
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Define rough water.
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I have the Commander and absolutely love it! If you're planning on using it in "rough" water, be prepared to get wet. I'm not sure I'd want to take mine on an overnighter (perhaps the Watermaster would be better for that?). the weight distribution would be such that the front end would be higher than I would want it to be. I use mine primarily for stillwaters, but that's also because I'm not comfortable as a rower to take it down anything that it could handle (but I couldn't). As far as a fishing platform though, I wouldn't have it any other way (although I like the look of the Scout too).
The OP of the thread listed several requirements that their new boat must meet. They said it must:

-Be Frameless (sick of setting up a framed boat) - this is a convenience thing
-Has enough capacity to do overnight trips (MOST fishing oriented inflatable boats can accomodate an overnights trip worth of gear as long as you don't intend to live like a king)
-good fishing platform (convenience factor)
- can handle rough water (performance/safety requirement)

Of the 4 requirements listed above, the "can handle rough water" is the one requirement your boat MUST meet over the other three IMHO; of the 4, this one is a no compromise, the other three can be compromised on to find whatever blend you need assuming you can not find a boat that meets all 4.
It must be pointed out that the "can handle rough water" is partially dependant on your skill, ability, training, preparation, and level of safety equipment (along with that of persons you float with), but having a boat built to take the stresses of, and that can perform in rough water requires certain attributes that you may not find in a frameless craft unfortunately. But you must define what rough water is. Is it class 3? Class 4? Give some examples of sections you intend to drift?
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Went with a watermaster
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Assuming you don't get separated from your water master if you flip, the water master is a fairly user friendly boat to reflip. I saw a guy get flipped in the terminator rapid on the Thompson reflip his boat mid rapid and that day the terminator had massive I want to call them waves but they were more truly ocean swells. The kind of waves that we had a 16 foot raft climb but then get kicked off the side. Over 8 footers for sure with huge troughs that day.
Currently I have a pontoon boat but I am more interested in something frameless as I am getting sick of setting up the boat every time I want to get it out. I want a boat that can handle rough water and has enough room to do overnight trips but is also a good fishing platform. I have been looking at the Outcast Stealth Pro and the Scadden Challenger. I am also interested in the Watermaster Kodiak. I'd love to get some suggestions or experiences if anybody has any.
Check this out just saw it on craigs list and it looks pretty cool. They use these on the Dean River B.C. for 3-4 day float trips.
http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/spo/5966692732.html
http://www.bigskyinflatables.com/product/water-master-kodiak-raft/
Check out Waterstrider also. The guy who designed the WM makes these
Check out Waterstrider also. The guy who designed the WM makes these
Looks like the same boat. do you know where a guy can find one for less than $1000?
I paid $1000 for mine, but it had never been inflated.
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