Creek Company Flats Raider 9 Pontoon Boat

[Coster]

I am looking to purchase a pontoon boat in the near future. I saw this toon on Cabelas on sale. I will be using it for both freshwater and Saltwater. I tried looking at reviews online and I have not had much luck. I'm just looking for some feedback to see if this is my best option or if there is another toon I should consider.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Coster,

It looks like a good boat for flats fishing. You will appreciate the low profile tubes. They will definitely offer less wind resistance. For Saltwater I think a stainless steel frame might be better. It has PVC bladders and a poly bladder is consider better. I consider the Creek Company boats to be at the lower end of the pontoon boats but they do offer a lot of boat for the money. I don't like a pontoon boat that doesn't have adjustable oar positions but it may fit you just fine. A lot of pontoon boats have this feature. You can adjust the oars in and out but not back or forward. One thing I noticed is that replacement pontoons are not very expensive. I don't know if that reflects quality or that they are made over seas. Maybe both. It should be very stable for standing with the twin tubes.

 

[Joni]

I see the double pontoon as being a bigger foot print on the water, meaning a little harder to manuver.
I don't look at it as a safety feature, cause if one goes flat, how do you keep the frame attached.
I agree with Frank on the pontoon material. I much prefer Urethane over PVC. Not as effected by temp or altitube.
If you are talking the ocean, I would think a little higher end. I would not skimp on a floatation devise.
Never thought about the oar thing, but I guess it is cause mine are adjustable forward and back along with in and out.

 

[Coster]

Thanks for the information. I want to stay in under 1K. I'm also 6'6" push 290. So a toon that can hold me is a must. As far as saltwater goes it will be 2-3 times a year. I wont be able to get out as much. I liked the idea of the dual smaller toons vs. 1 large due to the wind. I fish in an area that is 15-30mph and whitecaps in a hurry. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for all your insight.

What about the Skycomish Sunrise?

 

[Joni]

First off, I got to say I DO NOT WORK FOR NORTH FORK although I am so impressed with their stuff I have been accused of it.

The Sky is an awesome toon. I haven't seen the need to be able to stand YET! They will have a new one out for 2008.
I have the older Cardiac Canyon which has 11 1/2' long by 12" DIAMETER toons. Reason is, the frame sits on top of the toons, not between them. This is a outstanding feature for modifying with a full deck.
They quit making the Cardiac because of the cost and supply and demand.
I am told, that at this time the Sky has 10' 16" diameter toons, but the new LOW RIDER will have 10+' 14" diameter toons.
Not sure on the price of these, but during shows, GREAT prices can be had.

The other suggestion I will make is the new NAVIGATOR II. It is a TUBE/TOON.
What I like is it is a 9' toon with 12" diameter. You can row and it has an optional deck to add a Battery and a motor.
Very comfortable boat with NO FRAME, so I can pack the boat IN my Suzuki along with all my gear plus battery and motor. Something I have been unable to do without using a trailer. This is under 1K.
The only down side to this boat is it tracks a little slower with the motor (but then I am comparing it to my Cardiac, no one else has this complaint). The oars could be a little longer.
The big plus to this boat is, when there is a wind present, PONTOONS want to turn to the side....this does NOT. And The old man stands 6'3" and weighs around 225, but he is out of the water (unless very choppy).

 

[Frank Whiton]

Coster;13791]Thanks for the information. I want to stay in under 1K. I'm also 6'6" push 290. So a toon that can hold me is a must. As far as saltwater goes it will be 2-3 times a year. I wont be able to get out as much. I liked the idea of the dual smaller toons vs. 1 large due to the wind. I fish in an area that is 15-30mph and whitecaps in a hurry. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for all your insight.

What about the Skycomish Sunrise?

Coster,

I have to say that there is no pontoon boat made that I want to be rowing in the ocean with 30 mph winds and maybe an out going tide. For salt water use I would definitely want a trolling motor to get around.

I think the Skycomish Sunrise is a better choice than the Creek Company boat. Long, small diameter tubes do not work as well in rivers with fast currant. The problem is they can't build enough rocker into the tube. For any boat to be responsive to turning with oars you need a good deal of rocker and you must row from the center of the rocker. This is not to say they won't turn it is just they are not as responsive. One problem I have with the Skycomish design is the very short frame. With long pontoons there is a lot of the tube not supported by the frame. Look at this picture and compare the length of the frame to the Skycomish. I can't tell for sure but it looks like the straps holding the frame to the tube on the Skycomish just wrap around the tube. This works fine but I prefer straps that are built into the tube cover so the pontoon can't shift. It also helps in placing the tubes in the correct position when assembling. They may be fasten to the tube cover but I can't tell from the picture. Now if you are just going to use your boat in salt water and lakes my comments don't apply.

In the picture you can also see the rocker built into these 9' pontoons.

 

[Joni]

Frank, the pontoons on the SKY have large metal "D" rings on the side that are very secure. You do strap the frame to the toons with these "D" rings. It allowes a lot more adjustment to the overall boat for different pay loads. If you are going to haul a lot of weight on the back, you can slide the frame forward, and vise versa. The frame is small and compact, I see that as a plus. Once you slide the standing platform out you should still be centered on the toons. Plus the longer toons balance the boat out if you are leaning forward.
Not to mention more control on white water.
Now the straps that secure the frame to toon are basically the same ones I use to secure things to a trailer. Very strong nylon with a METAL clip.
I have heard concerns about the fact that the rear deck is not connected to the frame and have seen some accessories to allow the connection, but I have yet to see a problem with the fact that it is not part of the frame. Same deck as I have on my Navigator.
I had a BUCKS BAG and I have nothing BAD to say about it. That thing is going on 15 years old and is still being used regularly. My CC is going on 8 years and again, no problems what so ever.
I will say that some feel the need to inflate these to ROCK HARD which is going to cause problems. They do not need to be that hard. I can squeeze the tip of my toon. I also recommend a LVM pump to inflate followed by a double action hand pump to top off. DO NOT rely on a compressor.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Joni,

Thanks for your comments. I am glad to hear about the "D" rings.

Not to mention more control on white water.

If you mean slower to turn then I agree. Long pontoons with little rocker are not responsive to spin turns. They do make for a stable ride.

I will say that some feel the need to inflate these to ROCK HARD which is going to cause problems. They do not need to be that hard. I can squeeze the tip of my toon. I also recommend a LVM pump to inflate followed by a double action hand pump to top off. DO NOT rely on a compressor.

I could not agree more with you. I have had an LVN since they first came available. Those little high pressure pumps will just burn up. They work on inner tubes (for a while) but you need a high-volume pump for pontoons. I always carry my hand pump with me but have never needed to use it in a days fishing.

Please don't think that I don't like the "Sky", I do. I just want to point out some of the construction features as I see them. I don't carry heavy loads but I do float some white water and my requirements are based on my experience. I have had my Bronco II for 12 years and other than improving the anchor setup it has been a super boat. I have thought about upgrading my 8' pontoons to 9' but these darn things just won't wear out. I have never had a bladder leak.

 

[Coster]

Thanks guys for all of the help. I've been looking at a lot of toons lately and you guys gave me a lot of information to think about. I really like the Scadden boats. I talked with a guy who picked one up at the Sportsman's expo and got a great deal on it. Unfortunately the expo is here in AZ in March and need to get one sooner. I was going to make a call because they have the Skycomish Sunrise on sale and the price varies depending on what frame you get. Not to sure what the different frames are and I am not sure what the standard features are. I see tons of accessories available.

I also know a few guys with different Outcast toons. How do you think they compare? I have an Outcast Super Fat Cat and have not had any problems. I just want to upgrade. Like I mentioned before I will mostly be fishing Lakes with the occasional Saltwater trip.

Again thanks for all the help!

Take Care,

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Coster,

Outcast makes an outstanding boat. They are well constructed and have good bladders. You won't go wrong with an Outcast.

 

[Coster]

If it were you would you go with a Scadden boat or Outcast?

Thanks Frank.

 

[Joni]

Outcast are great boats, but FYI, Scadden designed several of them before he went out on his own, an they have made no changes to them (I guess they really don't need to)

 

[Frank Whiton]

If it were you would you go with a Scadden boat or Outcast?

Coster,

I wrote a long answer yesterday morning but lost it when I tried to submit it. So I will try again.

I don't think I should influence your choice by telling what I might do. You are doing a good job of researching toon's and the final choice should be yours. First you need to determine in your mind what your primary use will be and choose a toon that best meets your needs. If you choose a boat from Scadden, Out Cast or Bucks Bags you will have a great boat. Here are some of the things I would be thinking about.

1. Is the primary use for rivers, salt or lakes. Do you need the boat to be White Water approved by the manufacture? River boats needs some rocker built into the tube. It is not as important in a lake or salt water boat.

2. Are the oar locks adjustable fore/aft?

3. Are the foot rest adjustable?

4. Is the seat adjustable? If the oar locks and foot rests are adjustable you don't need an adjustable seat. If the seat is adjustable you don't need the oars to be adjustable. Being able to adjust the boat to fit is not as important for salt water or lakes.

5. Is the frame made from aluminum or stainless steel? Stainless may be a better choice for salt water. Is the frame painted. Painted frames may get scratched up a bit.

6. How is the anchor support constructed? Is the anchor easy to use?

7. Does the boat have a motor mount and is it removable.

8. What is the diameter of the tubes? Does the frame provide good support to the tubes so they are not displaced by striking rocks or white water. Small diameter tubes are less wind resistant and large diameter tubes have more rocker.

9. How are the pontoon shells made and how heavy is the material on the top and bottom. The bottom gets the most abuse.

10. What are the bladders made from. Poly is the best choice. Make sure they have life raft type valves. Are the valves made from brass? The best valves use to be made from brass. Some of the new plastic vales are quite good.

11. What is the back platform made from? Do you need to carry heavy or bulky loads?

12. Does the boat have saddle bags?

13. Does a pump come with the boat?

14. Is it easy to assemble? How much does it weigh?

15. Does it have a standing platform? If it does it should be easy to remove or slides under the seat when not in use. A fixed standing platform won't allow you to use flippers to help control the boat.

15. What is the length of the oars? I would not get oars shorter than 7'. The longer the tubes and the heavier the loads, the longer the oars need to be. What material are they made from? Are they one, two or three piece? I would only get three piece oars if you were packing or flying the boat.

If you compare these items against various boats you stand a good chance of getting a boat that meets your requirements. You will not find everything in one boat. The trick is to pick and choose the items that are the most important to your application.

 

[Joni]

Right On Frank!

 

[Fishstick]

I was initially looking at the Skykomish but opted for the new Madison. Shorter toons than the sky and the new improved rocker. It has all the ammenities of the sky (rear deck, casting platform with lean bar and lots of cargo space). For stillwater, I have found that it get's blown around quite a bit with a good wind.

I'd agree with an earlier post in that you would not likely find me out on the big water with a 30kt wind in a toon. A kayak, perhaps, but not a toon.

 

[Coster]

I spoke with Dave Scadden today, He gave me some helpful insight to the new 08' models. Due to my size the length of the Skycomish is going to be my best bet. They have made several upgrades from the 07' to the 08. I really appreciate everyones input on these toons. I am going to place my order this weekend. Thanks again everyone. Tight lines!

 

[Fishstick]

I think you will be happy with the Sky....a bit of advice, get the wheel when you order. It's a heavy toon to drag any distance and the wheel sure makes it easier. Well worth the little extra $....

 

[Joni]

Are you going with the new 2008 LOW PROFILE Sky?