[Bobb]

Originally Posted by Joni

Bobb, very cool boat! However, I find it funny they want $150. more for a Minn Kota 28 LOL
Doesn't say what they make the bladders out of, but they have the best valves in my opinion.
You do realize, for $400. more you can get one that is a foot longer and wider with 19" diameter toons instead of 16". Plus Tubeless and a LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Just giving you something else to look at. Not familiar with the one you posted, but it looks great! I am however very familiar with NFO.

No I didn't. What brand is it? I'll take a look. Minn Kota is a bit pricey. Basspro has a 48 for the same price.
Thanks

[Bobb]

Do you mean North Fork Outdoors? I like it too but it's open under the seats. What I like about the Foldcat is that it has a floor to keep gear and prevent things from going ker-plunk. Also the frame is already attached when you roll it out. I think the toons are about the same on both. I'll check it out again. Thanks for your info, Bobb

[Joni]

Like I said, I don't know anything bout the boat you posted, but I do know NFO. I used the two man and three man at the Lodge. We got the floor for the back/drivers seat so it would slide out of the way like the front seat. Mobile made it nice to stand and help the client, but, sliding it back I could use flippers and keep it in place or small adjustments Hands Free.
I am also curious how long a #28 Minn Kota would last on a boat that big. I have the 30 on my 11 1/2' and if I keep it on one I can get about 8 hrs.
I will definitely look at your boat more. Great price. But I am sold by NFO.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Bobb,

Here are my thoughts on the Sea Eagle Fold Cat.

The advantages as I see them is the portability, very good valves, a motor mount and low cost. The floor may be an advantage according to how it is built and how low it is to the water.

Some areas of concern. Sea Eagle is known for low cost inflatables but not necessary for heavy duty construction. The foot pump they are offering will not get you up and running in 5 minutes. You will need to buy a LVM 12V inflator for $139. The boat is designed for lake fishing and would not be a good choice for river fishing except in slow moving water. The trolling motor offered may be a bit small for the boat. The front seat seems to need a pedestal. I noticed the fellow in the front seat was having a problem finding something to do with his feet. You wife may not like the lower seat configuration.

The thing that makes me skeptical is their video. They concentrate on what is bad about other boats but doesn't show much detail of their own boats. Does anyone really think that it takes 4 hours to get other similar pontoon boats ready to launch. Really good boats are sold on their quality and design features. They don't show the bottom construction, they don't show how the roll up works, they don't show their tube construction. If they don't have some way of locking the boards into place the rigidity will only come from the inflated tubes. Zodiak and Avon have had roll up inflatables for years. This is one inflatable I wouldn't buy with out looking at one first.

Frank

LVM 12V Inflator

[Joni]

Originally Posted by Frank Whiton

Hi Bobb,

Here are my thoughts on the Sea Eagle Fold Cat.

The advantages as I see them is the portability, very good valves, a motor mount and low cost. The floor may be an advantage according to how it is built and how low it is to the water.

Some areas of concern. Sea Eagle is known for low cost inflatables but not necessary for heavy duty construction. The foot pump they are offering will not get you up and running in 5 minutes. You will need to buy a LVM 12V inflator for $139. The boat is designed for lake fishing and would not be a good choice for river fishing except in slow moving water. The trolling motor offered may be a bit small for the boat. The front seat seems to need a pedestal. I noticed the fellow in the front seat was having a problem finding something to do with his feet. You wife may not like the lower seat configuration.

The thing that makes me skeptical is their video. They concentrate on what is bad about other boats but doesn't show much detail of their own boats. Does anyone really think that it takes 4 hours to get other similar pontoon boats ready to launch. Really good boats are sold on their quality and design features. They don't show the bottom construction, they don't show how the roll up works, they don't show their tube construction. If they don't have some way of locking the boards into place the rigidity will only come from the inflated tubes. Zodiak and Avon have had roll up inflatables for years. This is one inflatable I wouldn't buy with out looking at one first.

Frank

LVM 12V Inflator

Good points Frank. All pontoons can be taken apart and put in a bag. The Cardiac Canyon I have (before I put the deck on it) Had a Duffle bag 14" X 24" x 12". Not bad for a 5' wide 11 1/2' pontoon.
5 HOURS! What are they smoking?! I do have the LVM and wether it is my CC or my 9' Navigator II, I can pump them up in about 5 minutes, but you do have to top them off with a hand pump. I don't trust the pumps with the gauges cause they do not seem to be compatible with Pontoons for some reason.
Is this the same company that makes those Sevlor boats?

I just went back mand noticed there is no step for the front person, and no stabilizer bar. I tried to stand up on mine and it is no problem on glass smooth water, but a boat goes by....there is nothing to grab hold of. Scary!

One other thing, the rowing! He turns around to row so the front person is going forward. It doesn't look like he can row backwards (no oar holders) Correct me if I wrong, but you want to be going backwards don't you? How do you fish going forward except maybe off the side like a drift boat.
When I take clients out, If they want to stand they can cause they have the brace, or they can sit. I am rowing (backwards - more power) and they can even troll if they want.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Joni,

The rowing position is the main reason I said it was only usable in a lake. The only good way to control this boat is with the trolling motor. The oars and seating are not set up for good rowing.

Frank

[GRN]

$139 for an electric pump? Excuse me while I look for a third ankle to grab... anyone have any more reasonably priced suggestions? I have two portables for the bikes, both have high pressure capability and pack down smaller than my bath kit... at a whopping cost of $29... why does one only needing to operate in the <20# range cost more than 4X? My Outcast Boat only cost me $199... yes, I'm a cheap bastage

[Frank Whiton]

Hi GRN,

You can use an electric air pump but they are high pressure/low volume pumps. You will eventually burn it up. You could end up buying one a seasons. It will also take much longer to fill your pontoons.

The LVM is a low pressure/high volume pump. Pontoon boats use low pressure tubes but it take a good amount of air flow to fill them. Just look at the size of the valve on a pontoon. The LVM pump was designed to inflate life rafts in a hurry. It will not over fill your pontoons and it will do it rapidly. I can fill one tube on my 8' Bronco in less than a minute. You do have to top off with a manual pump to get the correct pressure.

If you really want to save money use the foot pump. It will do the job. When I was flying my Zodiac around Alaska we had to used a foot pump. It would take a half hour or more to fill my 12' Zodiac. It was not anything we looked forward to. I bought my LVM 12 years ago for $125 and it is as good as new. That is about $10.50 a year and I consider it a very good investment.

Frank

[Joni]

We did the same thing Frank only with the double action hand pump. That got real old, real fast so I broke down and bought the LVM for around the same price you did. Great thing also, you can hook it to your car battery if you don't wanna pack an extra, or we use one of those small rechargeables.

[Munkh]

I bought a Fishcat Cougar sold by Sportsmans Warehouse last year and played with it all summer getting it adjusted for me and outfitted they way I liked. It does have footrests that are not a solid bar in front so it is easy to mount\dismount.

The seat is adjustable however I found that the seat would slip position if I was rowing hard against the current to avoid rocks or whatever so I made a more secure mount once I found the best position for myself.

The anchor seat I have is built in and I havetn tried it yet that is for this years trials.

Motor mount is fixed but it does have a solid alluminum removable platform for the motor battery or a cooler, gear ect.

I have added rod holders to mine for a small spinning rod and fly rods.

I tried a stripping apron from outcastboats.com and wasnt happy with it. It seemed to get in the way more than it helped. I may revisit this later this year with a different style.

I have plent of room to carry my two way pump with me so if the pontoons deflate I can quickly pump them back up. I usually pack it whole with the pontoons about 1\2 deflated to fit in the back of my truck and it only takes a few pumps onsite to fill it up.

Mine does come apart easily with 8 straps and a few pins. I love fishing out of it and cant wait to get on the water this year.

Luck on choosing one