Pelican plastic boats?

[nralover]

Can anyone give me any input on these types of boats? I am looking at a ten foot model. It will mostly be for my wife and I, for ponds and smaller lakes. The price seems right, and it allows me to transport it without a trailer. Any info would be appreciated, NRA

[gahunter]

Been There, Done That. I have owned one similar but probably not as nice as Pelican. It did what it was supposed to do and was more stable than a comparitive aluminum. I eventually sold it whenI started fishing larger bodies of water. The down side of using mine was I hauled it in the back of my truck. That made it real mobile and allowed access to a lot of out of the way spots. However every time I used it I had to remove all items from the truck bed, load boat, tie down, load heavy battery, laod paddles,trolling motor, tackle boxes, rods etc. Then once I got to the spot, I had to unload all this stuff, unload boat, drag boat to water, load all items back into boat>>>>fish>>> then load again and unload again. This was when I was a lot younger. I finally got to finding excuses not to fish cause it seemed it was too much work. You also don't want to make the mistake of using on a lake with boats with gas motors or in a windy lake or get caught in a storm trying to get to the bank with only a trolling motor and paddle. If I was going to buy one, I would pay the extra $ for a trailer and if I was going to do that I would just buy a 1442 Alumacraft w/ a galv. trailer. A local dealer here orders them special without the front bench and mounts a front pedestal which is much better and easier to move around and to the back of the boat. The boat and the trailer will cost you around $2K and if you want to add a outboard later you can add up to 25-30 hp with tiller or stick steering. My recommendation!

[byg]

I have one,its 8ft.I fish alone so It works great for small ponds and pits.Loading and unloading aint bad.I do it in about 10minutes at a ramp.Draggin it down to a pond is a pain,but I figure most peeps dont want to (pressure)so all the better for me to fish. Good luck

[Micropterus salmoides]

I have one,its 8ft.I fish alone so It works great for small ponds and pits.Loading and unloading aint bad.I do it in about 10minutes at a ramp.Draggin it down to a pond is a pain,but I figure most peeps dont want to (pressure)so all the better for me to fish. Good luck

Amen.
I've always wanted a large boat, but this one was given to me as a present when I graduated college and bought a house. At first it was rough loading and unloading, but I have it down to a science now and wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm fishing places that I never would be able to w/ a larger boat.
Of course I'd like a larger boat, but all in due time. I call it paying my dues.

[J White]

I grew up fishing out of borrowed, leaky little 10 or 12', 30" bottom jons
(when we were lucky enough to borrow one!) and now see those type
of boats - Man, they are so NEAT looking, makes me want to find an
excuse for one.

I fished out of a Scamp when I was between boats for
awhile a few years back, I was going to devise some sort of ramps,
maybe sheet of plywood where I could slide it out and into the water
without unloading everything, but my boat I had ordered finally came in
before I got around to it.

[Countrytime]

If they get a hole in it and water starts getting inside the plastic between the styrofoam it will weigh a ton. It gets waterlogged. This is the main complaint I have heard people say they don't like them.

[Micropterus salmoides]

^ the one I have has a drain plug for the innards also

[SkeeterJeff]

Be careful... that is exactly what I started with to use on the two retention ponds in my condo complex. Next thing I knew I had it registered and was going to Eagle Creek. After taking 45 mins. w/trolling motor to get to the spot we wanted to fish, it was off looking for a bigger boat. That was last summer. We are on our second fishing boat since!

Seriously, I love mine. I still use it on the retention ponds here in the complex. It sits beside the small pond and only requires me carrying the trolling motor battery about a block to get to it. It's nice to come home from work and be fishing within 30 mins.

We had the problem with the livewell drain leaking and letting water get between the hull and floor. Yes, they are VERY heavy when you get water in there. I removed the drain plug by unscrewing it, cleaned around the bottom of the hull and floor, and used Silicone RTV when I re-installed it. No more leak, and yes, there is a drain plug for the space between the hull and floor. Prior to last year's incident I would drain it once a year, with very little water accumulated. Mine is a Bass Tender 10.2', and was made by WaterQuest. I believe they sold out in the last year or two.

My wife wanted me to sell it since we now have the big boat, but I talked her into letting me buy a small gas motor for it so we can still go to Eagle Creek after work, but won't take 45 mins. to get to our favorite spot. Anyone have a 7hp or less gas engine for sale?

Hope that helps. I'll be happy to answer any additional questions that you may have. BTW, mine looks a lot like the boat pictured above, with just minor interior differences.

[HOOKER]

I Have A Bass Baby Made By Connect-a-dock. It Has 8" Plastic Wheels Recessed In The Back Of It So I Can Roll It On The Concrete Ramps Into And Out Of The Water. I Also Made Ramps For It Out Of 5/4 Treated 8" Boards To Load The Boat In The 8' Bed Of My Pickup. It Will Set In The Bed And I Can Barely Close The Tailgate. People Always Make A Comment When They See Me Unloading And Loading. I Had To Buy This Boat Because I Had Drug The Bottom Out Of My Last Plastic Boat On The Concrete Ramps. I Gave It To My Son And He Is Having A Real Problem Getting Loaded After It Leaks Water In To The Hull. Like The Man Said "it Weighs A Ton". Hooker

[titleman]

No one makes the perfect boat! ONE boat will NOT fit all fishing patterns.

EVERYONE needs more than one boat!

I have a Coleman plastic boat that I only use three or four times a year, but those times are dandies!

Everyone needs more than one boat!

Titleman