[Chef]

I looked into pontoon boats and float tubes. Float tube, after learning, wont even think about carrying my weight so I had to go pontoon and with the weight capacity, I went with Dave Scaddens Pontoon Boat.

I got it in the mail the other day and I was soooo happy.

I put it together today with a friend and I love it however I dont know how to put it in my truck.

I have a Toyota Tacoma truck with a canopy .

I had to deflate the pontoons, take off the metal back board and take off the lean bar. So that means on the water, I will need to inflate and put everything on.

Are there any other options? How I see it is to do that or to get rid of the canopy but then I wouldnt be able to take the pontoon to work and leave from work and go on the water. Canopy keeps things "safe".

I would like to do minimal as far as putting the pontoon together when I get to the water.

Any opinions or suggestions?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Shamoo]

get a high speed inflator, the rest will be cake!

 

[slippery_whippet]

Why not strap it to the top of your canopy? Presumably you'll be on it when away from your rig.
Faster turn around time, just watch it isn't too full on a hot sunny day.

--SW

 

[Dead Drift]

You could get a trailer or something like that. I have a ford ranger with a canopy and my scadden boat fits just fine with the tailgate down.

good luck!

-Connor

 

[Chef]

slippery: I thought of that but I would like to take it to work and go from work to the water if I want to and I work a ways from home.

Connor: really? That is interesting. Tell me, is that with the pontoons deflated? Did you have to take any parts off?

Bhudda: I have never seen one of those. I will have to take a look.

 

[scottflycst]

Most of us with inflatables have to make adjustments to haul them to the waters we fish. That's one of the truths about boats - they're always a little work. But the payoff is worth the excercise when it comes to fish to the hand. I've had different sizes of both boats and trucks, sometimes it takes a little experimenting to get the right procedure down to effeciently setup and take down. The boat I presently own and fish requires a bit of assembly but no extra air. Takes me about 15 minutes of "gearing up" to get on the water. It's a process I've come to enjoy, part of my fishing experience. I'm usually visiting with other fishermen nearby gathering important info that usually pays off once I'm on the water. Many a good conversation gets started by putting a boat together, it's not just the fish that attracts us to the water!

 

[Dan Soltau]

the idea is to make sure the pontoon isnt stolen while working, so strapping it down to the top of anything is out of the picture. trailer, roof of truck/topper are all quick thefts in seattle, hell if it was more valuable the topper isnt stopping anything. since it is a pontoon boat for fly fishing, the topper should provide sufficient security. The russian mob that has every cranker in the area is WAY more interested in the tacoma and parting it out than the pontoon. You may even find your truck gone and the pontoon sitting in its place.

there is a high speed inflator on sale in the classifieds. it plugs into your trucks battery and boom, less than 5 minutes for both...

 

[Chef]

do you have to store the pontoons with air in them? Doesnt make a lot of since to deflate, put in truck, go to water, inflate, deflate to go home, and inflate again when you get home.

thoughts?

 

[scottflycst]

Yes, I've always inflated mine about 70% for storage. Enough air to maintain proper pontoon shape but not firmly inflated. This allows for temperature changes and can also help if you have a space issue in your garage. I built a rack attached to my garage ceiling that my boat sits on and when the pontoons are inflated about 70% it fits just fine. I wouldn't store the pontoons long term completely deflated, they'll form creases in the pontoons and bladders that will develope leaks.

 

[Dan Soltau]

chef,
that is just the deal with inflatable boats. unless you use a trailer, which you can drop off somewhere secure while working, then you will have to deflate them. like mentioned, it is best to keep at least 50% air in them while storing. I have taken interest into the hard body pontoons, they are very compact and are nothing more than a couple clicks to set up.

 

[troutpocket]

There are some very nice frameless pontoons/rafts on the market these days. I sold my first pontoon boat after a few trips dealing with the issues you described and bought a Watermaster raft. Just another option.

 

[Jim Fitz]

I drove to the yak canyon and back from Seattle with my pontoon inflated and strapped to the top of my Outback one time. Last weekend I did the same trip with it disassembled, partially deflated, and stuffed in the car. Pros and cons. It was real noisy coming back with a 30 MPH headwind. No matter what I did to twist straps and whatnot. I hate getting to the river yancy to fish and having to fiddle with crap but all and all, I think stuffing it in the car was better for me. Just a long drive with all the noise and wind resistance with it on top. If I had a truck it would be a no brainer that it would ride in the back whether it hung over the side or back or not. I store mine mostly inflated and hanging from my garage ceiling cause I have too much other crap in my garage and need to be able to walk through it.

 

[junkie]

the idea is to make sure the pontoon isnt stolen while working, so strapping it down to the top of anything is out of the picture. trailer, roof of truck/topper are all quick thefts in seattle, hell if it was more valuable the topper isnt stopping anything. since it is a pontoon boat for fly fishing, the topper should provide sufficient security. The russian mob that has every cranker in the area is WAY more interested in the tacoma and parting it out than the pontoon. You may even find your truck gone and the pontoon sitting in its place.

there is a high speed inflator on sale in the classifieds. it plugs into your trucks battery and boom, less than 5 minutes for both...

Lol. I would be relieved if my 'toon was still there and not my truck. I'm with Dan and scottflycst though. Deflate, fold, put in canopy, lock. When you get to the launch site, plug in your inflator. While you string your rod and put on your waders it's a done deal.

 

[Split Bamboo]

Chef, as you get more and more into flyfishing you will understand that sometimes you must adapt..make changes to accommodate the new conditions that you confront...this is one such situation...sounds like you need a bigger truck dude!!!:rofl::rofl:

 

[Jim F.]

I haul my Scadden Renegade & an Outcast Panther either alone or together in a Toyota Tacoma short box (no canopy). I semi-deflate the tubes (good idea if travelling any distance in warm weather or over mountain passes . . . eliminates the "boom" factor). When hauling both, I fabbed a rack from 1/2" conduit . . . Panther in the truck bed with the tailgate down, Scadden on the rack. Takes no time at all to re-inflate with either a hurricane or a double-action hand pump.

 

[Alex MacDonald]

Watermaster Kodiak!!

 

[Mumbles]

I used to strap my pontoon atop my roof rack. I did not have it on there in areas where I was concerned with it being stolen. Now I have a water master kodiak and that boat is really a breeze to pack, unpack fill and deflate. I fully agree that when you get to the water, set it up, get it pumping with the inflator and string a rod, switch the inflator to the next bladder, string the backup rod. Before you know it you'll be dressed and rigged, a few pumps of a hand pump to top off your tubes and your boat will be ready too. Once you get used to it (if you were a geek like me you'd practice late at night between tying flies or sports center update loops) you'll put the boat together in 15, then 10 then less minutes and disassemble it in the same or less time. A pontoon is a great craft, gives more options than a float tube. You likely can enjoy stillwater and flowing water when you are ready. Getting its transport, storage, assembly and disassembly is just a matter of practice and a bit of time that you'll have to use to get onto the water. It sure beats bank angling from a tightly wooded shoreline. Enjoy.

 

[gt]

when i had a small truck with a canopy, i would deflate the bladders just enough to get the rigged boat in the back. i did invest in a 12v high speed inflater, top off with the hand pump. i wired the connector directly to the battery, ran it down behind the grill so i could reach it when i wanted to, pretty much a matter of a few minutes to reinflate onsite.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=1707&pdeptid=1114

 

[Freestone]

I have an expensive LVM high speed inflator but I also have a cheap one that I got for about $5 at GI Joes that works just as well. Since I always inflate to just 95% and top off by hand, I usually bring the smaller, simpler cheapy that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I've had it for maybe 8 years and it still works fine. Here's what it looks like: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Fast-12...=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1284661395&sr=1-23

I'd save your money for other accessories and get one of these cheap ones and a hand pump. If you want to splurge, get a K pump.

 

[937]

Everything is a compromise. If storing it in the back of your truck is what you need to do then deflating it just enough to fit it back there is also what you need to do. Keeping all straps secure is pretty nice and if all you have to do is reinflate the boat then there's not much to worry about.