Unconventional Paddle Craft

[goosetalk]

I have access to a layout boat in the link below. With how the bottom is, how would think it would handle the current of the mid Meramec at normal summer flows? I’m only on the river once or twice a year renting kayaks so looking for an option to use this to get some more river time. 

https://www.explorebeavertail.com/product/stealth-1200/

Plan would be to paddle up from an access and float back down. Any suggestions on which access would be best to try as a maiden voyage?

Think I could launch at Scotia/Huzzah CA and be fine paddling up either creek as another option? 

 

[Gavin]

I don’t like the width and the  pontoon bottom hull. It’s shaped like a bathtub and it won’t be fun to paddle upstream. i think it would  not track straight,would be difficult to turn in current, and catch bottom/structure allot.  It’s a puddle duck hunting boat, not a river/creek boat. You want a a narrower hull with a flat or slightly rounded bottom.

[Al Agnew]

Oh, I guess you could make it work, but I'd run from it as fast as possible.  For one thing...115 pounds???  For a 12 ft. boat?  You are going to be using it solo, and it ain't gonna be easy to load and unload that thing.  And I agree with Gavin's critique.  If you want a boat that you can paddle upstream without working yourself to death, you need something a little longer and quite a bit narrower.

 

[fishinwrench]

While it may not be the ideal river craft, if you wanna use your duck boat to fish out of the few times you go to the river/creek there's nothing wrong with that.  It beats walking the banks or fishing from an inner tube.   

[Gavin]

Yeah, do try it. Will give you some additional options on your trip and you can form your own opinion. Think a trolling motor would be a plus with that one. Weighs as much as my 17' jon boat, and 40+lbs more than any of my paddle craft.

 

 

[goosetalk]

Thanks for the opinions. Yes it’s twice as heavy as most kayaks so using it would require a nice access where you can back right up to the water. I’ve used it to pick up duck decoys last year and it paddles/push poles decent, even with a good wind. Current I figured would be quite a bit harder to control, that’s why I was thinking of what access would possibly work that had some long slower pools, even if that meant targeting mostly green fish. I will most likely just use it on small lakes. When you are only out a couple times a year it’s hard to remember how fast that current is and how many times you actually hit bottom with a kayak. 

It actually has a trolling motor and small gas engine mount but it’s currently not registered (it’s my dads). 

[tjm]

115#  says it all, imo

Actually, if you're young and strong and can drive near the water, that is manageable. The boat reminds me a lot of one of those pond boats from the '90s. Bass Prowler or something- there used to be a fellow that fished the Elk drainage with a 8' or 10' one of those that fit in the bed of his pickup. Semi pontoon thing, looked kinda like a pedal boat in a park, his method was to use a trolling motor up and drift back. it worked for him and over the 4-5 year period I saw him he occasionally had another fellow with him. His boat needed over a foot of water and I'd guess that one does too.  I'd also guess that boat doesn't paddle very well for the reasons above, but you have pole, trolling motor, possibly oars as options too.

[snagged in outlet 3]

15 minutes ago, tjm said:

115#  says it all, imo

Actually, if you're young and strong and can drive near the water, that is manageable. The boat reminds me a lot of one of those pond boats from the '90s. Bass Prowler or something- there used to be a fellow that fished the Elk drainage with a 8' or 10' one of those that fit in the bed of his pickup. Semi pontoon thing, looked kinda like a pedal boat in a park, his method was to use a trolling motor up and drift back. it worked for him and over the 4-5 year period I saw him he occasionally had another fellow with him. His boat needed over a foot of water and I'd guess that one does too.  I'd also guess that boat doesn't paddle very well for the reasons above, but you have pole, trolling motor, possibly oars as options too.

Pond Prowler.  I'm on my second one, an 8'er.  Works great in small lakes with a trolling motor.  Mine weighs a 100 pounds and put in the bed of my pickup.  I drag it about 200 yards to launch in a small lake I have access to.  I carry the troller and battery in separate trips unless my son is with me and we drag it all at once.  The newer ones weigh more.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/Bass-Pro-Shops-Uncle-Bucks-Pond-Prowler-II-Fishing-Boat

[tjm]

Works in the creek too if you can get by the riffles, in low water he'd wade and tow over those.

[snagged in outlet 3]

9 minutes ago, tjm said:

Works in the creek too if you can get by the riffles, in low water he'd wade and tow over those.

They are surprisingly stable but cumbersome.