Rampage Motor & Anchor Conundrum

[FlyBum]

So I've got the NFO Rampage. I was orginally going to get the challenger, but after speaking with Dave more he suggested the Rampage would be a better fit for me, because 99% of the time I fish alone.

The issue I'm now running into is how to have both the 4 horse outboard and anchor mounted at the same time.

I'm hoping Mojo, Joni or someone else familliar with the Rampage motor anchor mount setup will have an idea.

 

[mcnerney]

Tom: I can't answer your question on the anchor mount, I had ordered one but never did receive it. I just tie the anchor off to one of the black hand grips. I do use a 4 hp outboard on occasion and just wanted to let you know that my mount started to bend on a trip last fall on Lewis Lake in YNP. I took it down to my son to have him beef up the metal plate that you fasten the motor to............just something to keep an eye on.

 

[the_infidel]

So I've got the NFO Rampage. I was orginally going to get the challenger, but after speaking with Dave more he suggested the Rampage would be a better fit for me, because 99% of the time I fish alone.

The issue I'm now running into is how to have both the 4 horse outboard and anchor mounted at the same time.

I'm hoping Mojo, Joni or someone else familliar with the Rampage motor anchor mount setup will have an idea.

ran into the same issue with my avenger, wish i had a pic of it but i can try to explain what i did. where the two little pieces of metal "straps" connect back to the main deck... i would take a foot of anchor line out and slide my anchor underneath one of those straps. it would hold the anchor snug until i got to where i was going and just dropped it back down into the water. that way the anchor would not bang into the shaft when im underway (thats what she said). it mounts just fine and works like a charm when im stationary.

 

[Joni]

Hope this helps

Bigger board. However, try to balance between motor and anchor. Not hard to do, this was a trial run.

 

[FlyBum]

Tom: I can't answer your question on the anchor mount, I had ordered one but never did receive it. I just tie the anchor off to one of the black hand grips. I do use a 4 hp outboard on occasion and just wanted to let you know that my mount started to bend on a trip last fall on Lewis Lake in YNP. I took it down to my son to have him beef up the metal plate that you fasten the motor to............just something to keep an eye on.

Larry, Thanks for the heads up on beefing up the plate.

Hope this helps

Bigger board. However, try to balance between motor and anchor. Not hard to do, this was a trial run.

Joni, I was thinking that would work, but wondered if it would cause the boat to not track strait when anchored when in a river with some good healthy current.

I can't wait to take this boat out on its maiden voyage this weekend on the Sacramento River to chase Poor man's Bone Fish. Here fishy fishy!

 

[Joni]

I think strap the mount down tight and it should be fine. I get mine so tight I can pick the boat up by the mount. I also modified the mount with dog leash clips so it is quick and easy.

 

[FlyBum]

After seeing Joni's setup I went and purchased a board and did the same thing with my motor mount. Then 3 weeks ago when I was about to take my boat out with the new motor I discovered the the bolt that the the mounting bracket on the motor itself had broken off.

So I took it to a local marine mechanic who had to torch the broken bolt to get it out and he replaced it with a stainless steel bolt. So today I was very excited to get out on the river and do some striped bass fishing. By the way I went out with a local guide this week and caught my first striped bass on a fly actually half a dozen of them.

So I get down to the river got my motor mount setup on the NFO Rampage. I made sure I'd made the the straps I as tight as I could possibly get them. Got on the boat fired up the out board and instead of moving forward when I put it in gear the motor started to be pulled underwater. The thing is I double and triple checked every strap to make sure they were pulled as tight as I could possibly get them. However, it seemed even though Dave Scadden said the boat could handle a 4 hp outboard that it was too much for the bracket.

Now the only thing I can think to do is sell the motor and purchase a something like a 2 hp. To say the least I'm very disappointed.

I've never brought this up hear as I know that Mojo and Joni know Dave, but this is just one more issue in a series of poor customer service experiences I've had since purchasing this boat.

When I purchased the boat I bought it and several upgrades as a package deal. I was assured everything was in stock, but it turns out several critical components were out of stock and I had to wait several weeks for them. Including the anchor and anchor mount. Finally everything, but the anchor arrived.

Lastly I purchased a set of wheels for the boat from NFO/Dave Scadden and was again assured they are in stock, very quickly a package arrived from NFO and I was excited. However, when I opened it it was another motor mount which I already had and a seat pedestal I cannot even use.

When I called to inform them about the package they sent, I was informed that the wheels I ordered were on back order, even though just as every time previously I was told they were in stock.

If return shipping wouldn't cost me so much at this point I'd call Dave and ask for a refund of everything I've purchased from him. Disappointment and dissatisfaction is an understatement at this point. I'm seriously feeling like I wasted my money at this point.

 

[Joni]

FB, I am so sorry you are having problems. I have a friend that uses a Merc 4 on her Renegade. She used the motor mount, but said she got water in the seat so she uses a deck in front of her.
Do you have pictures of how you strap the motor mount?

 

[mcnerney]

Tom
Sorry to hear the bad news. Also surprised you can't use the 4 hp motor you already have on your Rampage. I used my 4 hp motor last year to motor all the way across Lewis Lake, sure it is too much power to open it wide up, but it works just fine as long as you are a little careful with the throttle. It worked great even though my motor mount bracket was bending like crazy. I had a heavier plate welded on it since then.

Tom: Does CA require you to register your boat when you use a motor? Wyoming doesn't require registration, unless you are using a motor or electric trolling motor, so I'm going to have to get mine registered.

 

[Joni]

Tom,
In you top post you mentioned you bought the Rampage, but then in the problem post you mention it is a Renegade. So which one is it?

I wasn't even aware there was a wheel set up for the frameless, can you tell me more about that?

Dave usually answers his emails in the morning, have you mentioned this to him there?

 

[FlyBum]

Tom,
In you top post you mentioned you bought the Rampage, but then in the problem post you mention it is a Renegade. So which one is it?

I wasn't even aware there was a wheel set up for the frameless, can you tell me more about that?

Dave usually answers his emails in the morning, have you mentioned this to him there?

Pardon I have the Rampage. Its true that on Dave's website he only shows the wheels for the frames. However, when talking to Dave one day he told me he had new wheels for the frameless that are officially coming out in 2014. However, he said he had them in stock and sold me a set. This was several weeks ago and the only things I did receive I never ordered. I've spoken to Dave as well as one of his employees several times and they are politely dismissive regarding things being on backorder when I bring up that I was told by Dave they are in stock.

Dave and NFO have such a good reputation that I'm really surprised. I keep thinking my experience has to be a fluke, but it has happened with every order (3 orders) I've made. I'm dumfounded.

So anyway with regard to the motor issue now, I'm considering selling mine and purchase a 2 or 2.5 hp motor, my concern is whether on the American River or the Lower Sac if a 2 hrs will push my up stream against the current.

 

[Joni]

I have had to wait for items, but I know that going in. Sorry about all this.
We had a 5 hp on our X5 which is the same size boat but has the frame. Alan did at any rate. And like my friend, he ran the boat backwards with the curve as the front. More like a Zodiac.
All you would need is a deck, but that is just an alternative.
I went back and looked at pictures and my friends was a Tohatsu 3.5.

It worked fine. She mentioned the faster she went, the waves came up in here lap. But she has a smaller boat the Renegade.

Again, if you can take a picture of how you mount the motor mount, maybe we can figure this out. Dave does it in videos and he said he had no water issue, but he did it on the Rampage, not the Renegade, so I was thinking you sit higher.

Just because we know Dave and the guys, and love the boats, we are not employees and rarely go to the shop. I understand you are upset, we just never had any issues is all.

 

[the_infidel]

how did this work out for you?

 

[mcnerney]

So I get down to the river got my motor mount setup on the NFO Rampage. I made sure I'd made the the straps I as tight as I could possibly get them. Got on the boat fired up the out board and instead of moving forward when I put it in gear the motor started to be pulled underwater. The thing is I double and triple checked every strap to make sure they were pulled as tight as I could possibly get them. However, it seemed even though Dave Scadden said the boat could handle a 4 hp outboard that it was too much for the bracket.

Tom: Something just isn't right in your setup. Did you have the toon fully inflated? I'm trying to figure out what is up with your setup. Last year I took my Rampage up to Lewis lake, the boat ramp is on the south end of the lake. After getting everything loaded I motored all the way to the north end of the lake to the Lewis channel, it must be 1 1/2 miles using my 4 hp outboard. The motor tilts back a little when under power but its really is no big deal. The only issue I had on the entire trip was that the motor mount plate was too weak and started bending which caused the motor to tilt rearward even more, so I asked my son to weld a new metal bracket, only to find out it is made of aluminum so we decided to add a larger piece of wood to prevent the plate from bending. I can attest that the Rampage will easily handle a 4 hp outboard motor. On my return trip from Lewis Channel the wind was whipping and the waves on the lake were probably 1 1/2 ft high, the waves were coming over the boat so I decided to motor along the west side of the lake to avoid the larger waves in the center, but still occasionally had waves coming over the boat. I had on my neoprene waders so it was no big deal. The motor and boat performed flawlessly.

Larry