Help picking out a pontoon boat

[ejc77]

Hey, so I’ve decided this is the year I’m going to buy a pontoon boat for fly fishing the Bow and nearby lakes and I’m in need of some help picking one out! I’m a true beginner to rafting and have only been down the Bow river a few times with a guide in their drift boat so I need something very easy to handle and trustworthy! I’m leaning towards the Outcast PAC 1000 because of the looks and reviews of these boats. It’s $700 more than the Fish Cat 10IR so is it worth the difference to go aluminum instead of steel? I’m also looking to keep the price below 2K as well. I’m only about 5”7 so is a 10 foot pontoon boat a little too much for a beginner to jump into or should I start on a smaller 8’? The other reason I’m leaving towards and 10’-12’ is I want to somewhat customize it eventually with some additional seating for my wife and kids (toddlers) to enjoy the calmer lakes with. Any help and useful feedback would be greatly appreciated. Also I was contemplating the Outcast Fish Cat 10IR ($700 cheaper than the PAC 1000) as well as the Dave Scadden Outlaw Avenger X so if anyone has personal experience with any of the 3 or could provide their two cents and thoughts would be a big help! Thanks!

[tallieho]

It's been a longtime since,i have sat my butt in one.Here's my .02 worth.You have made good reputable choices.Outcast {!},Scadden{2].Having owned both,Outcast has more dist,where as Scadden can be very hard to contact at times.Parts etc.These boats are for 1 person,check your gvw. Adding tr.mtrs,batt,fish fnders,anchors.All add up.I would never buy crap from costco,or the likes.REmeber it's your life,not there's

[Pierre]

When I was shopping for a PT boat, I looked at Scadden. I really, really wanted a Scadden, but like tallieho said, I heard lots or rumours about poor customer service/parts, etc.. So I went with Outcast

Our fishing season is so short, we can't be waiting weeks for parts,..so I opted for a Outcast as parts are easy to get locally.

[Altaboy]

I have the Scadden and it works well. The nice thing is that it’s frameless so it packs up smaller and it’s quicker to set up. I have used it on some smaller lakes and on the Kitimat River with no issues

[haggis57]

Another vote for Outcast. I've gotten great support from directly from Outcast for parts and accessories for both a 15 year old Fish Cat Streamer and newer Fish Cat Scout.

In addition to the framed pontoons, might want to look at the frameless Outcast pontoons - Fish Cat Scout (7 ft) and OutStealth Pro (8 ft). At 35 lbs, both are easier to handle than a framed pontoon. I've been using my Scout primarily for ponds & lakes and have even created a simple PVC motor mount for my Scout for larger lakes. http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...on+motor+mount


I wouldn't hesitate to float the Bow in my Scout and have seen a couple of different Scouts on the Bow.
Ken

[ejc77]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! It seems like the majority of negative comments I read about Scadden is in respect the their customer service and not necessarily about the quality, is that a fair assumption? I’ve already tried to reach out to them for more information twice, once via email and I also left a message and I have not heard back from anyone yet. It may have to do with the world chaos happening but needless to say not off to a good foot with perhaps a potential customer. The current price point on the Scadden “Outlaw Avenger X” I’m interested in is quite appealing ($1299US). The size, storage capacity/cargo weight, standing platform are all intriguing! Is the pontoon material on the Scadden similar to the Outcast or is there a drastic difference? Also, still wondering about the size: is handling a 10-12’ boat on the Bow River much more difficult than a shorter 8-10’? I just want to ensure I have the room for storage for over night trips or second person if I decide to modify the seating capabilities?

[thedonald]

I had the outlaw challenger xxx, a 12' model. That is what you want if your wanting to take extra gear or people. I found the design and construction very good. I had to phone customer service a couple of times before I got through but now I can't remember why. The 12' will blow around on you in a windy lake but that's fishing in a pontoon boat.

[goldscud]

It is an important point...bigger boats get moved around a lot more by the wind.

[ejc77]

Thanks everyone, some very good points and comments! I actually received a return call from Dave Scadden himself today (coincidence??) haha. He actually lowered the price on the avenger X boat as well as the shipping costs by almost 3/4 so now this will most likely be the unit I will go with. He stated the material is 2800 Denier with welded joints so this eases my mind as far as quality goes and they also have the lifetime warranty. The weight capacity is 1200lb compared to 500lb with the Outcast so this is a huge jump as well and with being 12’ long allows me to add the second seat if need be for the “wife”. This will help justify the cost as it can be used for “Date Night”??!! Decisions... decisions!

[kilgoretrout]

All I'm going to suggest is whatever you buy do your homework beforehand ie reviews on boats and customer service which like a car dealership seems to disappear after the sales made. Keep in mind that two person boats are made for two people one fishing and one rowing which makes them less ideal when there is only one person.... just saying....

[ejc77]

Good to know with the second person, I was figuring it would be more of a challenge if going solo. Agree on customer service, once they have your money chances are they will go MIA if not a reputable company.

[pipco]

I've owned an older version of the Outcast PAC and the Panther ( my wife's toon but I use it occasionally) for the past several years.

Though I have not used it much in recent years it was on the water ( mostly small pothole lakes and a few larger lakes for pike and walleye) an average of 40 -50 times for a few consecutive years after first purchasing.

I have a small jon boat parked at local lake that I fish regularly so the toon has not seen much water for three or four years.

Both great one man pontoons that have their pros and cons.

I really like the low profile of the Panther (less wind resistance) and the four air cells but I do appreciate the weight difference and mobility of the PAC.

Only minor complaint to either boat is the seat which broke on one and cracked at the hinge point on the other just from constant use and abuse.

After wearing out the water skeeters we originally purchased in a few years I'd have to say the Outcast is a far superior pontoon.

Customer service is okay.

The aluminum frame is well constructed and reasonably light with powder coating standing up very well.


I'm not sure what they'd be like on a river or stream and would suggest trying a smaller body of stillwater to get the hang of it.


We've enjoyed many, many hours on the water with ours.


Happy shopping and have fun!

[ecsuplander]

I love my fishcat scout. Light and comfortable. I have a motor mount for it and have used a 30lb electric on it. Have not floated a river with it yet, but hope to this summer. Bought for less than $600.00 a few years ago.

[slingshotz]

I've had my Outcast 10-IR for many years now and I've been meaning to try to float the bow with it but the opportunity has never arose so I can't give you insight for river floating. It is quite stable and easy to row so I'd expect it'll be fine on the bow.

However, I've used it on a lot of lakes, small to large and if you pair it up with a trolling motor it is pretty awesome. The biggest selling feature is to have the standing platform so you are not sitting all day. It's like being on a bass boat, super stable and you get a great view of the water. Being able to stand really helps if you want to chuck heavy lines and streamers as it gets tiring trying to do that while seated.

[Don Andersen]

Hi,
I’ve drifted rivers from the st. Mary’s to the Blackstone in a 8’ boat.
Pontoons in sizes under 12’ are meant for a single person.
I’ve own boats from Bucks, a small shop who made what I wanted in a 8’er and now own 2 Outcast 800’s.
If you intend to fish windy lakes, stay about 8’.

Regards,

Don

[ejc77]

Hi all, appreciate the feedback! I’ve decided to go with the Outlaw Avenger XX. It’s a 12’ model which I think will suite my needs more. I may have my work cut out for me on windy days but should work extremely well when carrying the family and more weight. I will probably use it drifting/fly fishing rivers 80% of the time and use my Minn Kota motor on the lakes. Hopefully the nice weather comes sooner than later and the spring run off is nice and quick, already getting anxious to get it setup and try it out. Fly fishing falls under “social distancing” doesn’t it?? 😉 Stay healthy everyone!

[kilgoretrout]

Best of luck with the Scadden I hope it works out for you