Float Tube Newbie

[atvaholic]

[quote TubeDude][cool]
[#0000ff]Let me know if you have any unanswered questions when you get ready to trick out your ride. I have lots of pics I have not posted.[/#0000ff][/quote]

Carefull what you are offering. And thanks again. I'm sure i'll be in touch.
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[atvaholic]

Sorry for all the questions people...but do I need a special pump adapter? I have one for my old water skeeter boat, but dont know if it will fit...or if its included...?
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[atvaholic]

Sorry Tube dude, yet another question...do you sit high enough in the fat cat that you could wear hip waders? From what I see of the prowler, you are in the water from the bottom of your knees
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[flygoddess]

I can't answer for Tube Dude, BUT, all "V" shaped tubes: SFC, H3, ODC, even the Navigator II by NFO, will all get your hinde end wet. You won't be sitting in water but it will splash up onto the seat.
You can see in this picture how High I sit, but I still get water on the seat.



I would try wet wading it, but Hippers, I think you will get water inside and they are a pain to dry out.
You could get by with waist highs, but they really are that much cheaper then Chest, and you can fold chest waders down to be waist highs
For the H3, the adaptor is just a 1" to 2" piece of tubing. It fits any double action pump with the larger nozzle The tube really should come with one, check the bags. The tube is hard to squeeze in the valve. Sometimes a little spit helps.
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[Saberfish]

[#000000][size 4]I think that unless you're a real light weight, even most pontoon boats will give you "chilly cheeks" on occassion.[/size][/#000000]
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[size 4]There are a few on the market that do set the operator in a very high position. I think that Joni's yellow Nortrh Fork is one of those that give a high ride.[/size]
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[Bluegillman]

[#800000][/#800000]Issue #1 [#000000][/#000000]Wow I like this one far from the road! Take me with!!! When u do that kind of trip please post the stories here.[]

[#800000][/#800000]Issue #3 TubeDude knows alot and he has been making a book and I'm waiting for one.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]As others have stated, you do not sit high enough in ANY float tube to get away with wearing hippers. The top of the seat is usually at or above the waterline, but kicking, leaning or navigating will tip the seat enough to get water sloshing around . [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You don't need full chest waders, but anything else can get your behind damp. They do make waist high waders, but in trying them I found them to pull down in the back when you sit. So....I buy chest waders and the cut off the straps and roll them down around my waist...using a quick connect belt to hold them in place. (See attached pic) I hate suspenders.[/#0000ff]
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[flygoddess]

Thing about my Yellow boat is they are thinner diameter than any others in that they are 12" diameter, BUT, unlike any other boat out there, the frame is flat ON TOP of the pontoons. All the others including the new NFO the frames drop down between the pontoons.
And Tube Dude, for the record, I don't get any kick backs from Dave. I pay show price just like everyone else. In fact my Cardiac Canyon was $1,200. and I still have the sales slip
I paid more for the H3 then what there are on sale for now.
I praise the boats because there are USA MADE, and in my opinion the best there is...personal experience. I did have an SFC with the inflateable seat or rather Mojo did, and I honestly do not see any difference in the seats on the H3 and the SFC. Maybe you can enlighten me. Dave was one of, if not the only one, who designed the SFC.
I guess I have know Dave for probably as long as you have. Minor differences of opinion on a couple of things.
Anyway, back to Newbies reporting!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey Joni, I did not mean to imply that you got "kick backs"...just special pricing. Actually, he gave me a break too...at least it was less than list price...not much of a break.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, as I have said, I also believe in buying domestic goods...but only if they are better. If I can't find what I want from the USA, I buy wherever I can get what I want.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]About the seats. You would think they would be the same. They are not. They look the same, but for whatever reason, there is a slight forward slant on the bottom seat of the H3. Even when fully inflated, there is a tendency for the angler to keep slipping forward. And when you let out a bit of air, for comfort, you slide right out the front. That creates both discomfort and a whole lot of extra strain on the arms during a day's fishing, to keep pushing yourself back in the seat. That has never been a problem with any of the Super Fat Cats I have fished from. EVER. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The only way I could fish comfortably in the H3 was to add a piece of styrofoam at the front top...inside the seat cover...to raise the pitch. And then, I still had to add another seat (see pics of experiments) to be able to fish in comfort. That should not be necessary with a high priced ride like the H3. It is only a slight glitch, but enough to ruin the comfort factor...at least for me and my wife. Neither of us ever had a comfortable trip in them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]All of this is subjective. We all have our own opinions. Mine are based on my own personal experiences. I cannot dispute what you have experienced and you cannot dispute my observations. They are real to me and that is all that counts. When I pay the kind of money it costs to get a decent float tube, I want a comfortable ride...not just a prestige name or USA made. I will pay more to get what I want, but I will never pay more for something that does not work for me.[/#0000ff]
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[flygoddess]

Not trying to start anything, but if I remember right, you did the same mods on your older SFC.
I haven't had any feeling of sliding forward that you mentioned but also as you mentioned, to each their own.
Maybe cause there is more inflated tube behind you, you feel like you are siding out. With the shorter tube and as big as you are, I imagine you lean back more in the SFC.
We are letting our Brother in-law Poky-mon use it this weekend, maybe he will post his impression, not that it matters to you, you have made your statement about how it worked for you, but just some other input.
It is at a tie right now with you and Tube Babe, and me and Mojo[laugh]

But I still use my Navigator II which is the bigger version with NO complaint.
We will get back to this subject at the end of the year or the beginning of next on how the Chinese SFC hold up as well as the H3 although I do have a year longer on it. LOL
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]You are right, I did sometimes take the contour seat in my old SFC. It developed a defective lower seat cushion and would lose air from pinhole leaks, at the seam corners, no matter how many times I patched them. I finally got the problem solved though, and never used the chair seat again. And, I have never needed or wanted it in the new SFC. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I really think that part of the situation with the H3...at least in our disagreement...is in the body mass and body shape differences. You are a skinny little thing, who does not even rock the tube when you move around. I am taller, wider and much heavier. That makes a big difference in how we sit in our craft and where the center of gravity is.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You wrote:[/#0000ff][#000000]Maybe cause there is more inflated tube behind you, you feel like you are siding out.[/#000000]
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[#0000ff]I did not imagine sliding out. I did actually slip out the front on two different occasions. I tried every possible combination of seat inflations and belt adjustments. It NEVER worked right FOR ME. And, at the end of every fishing day, the backs of my arms were sore from continually pushing myself back in the seat so I didn't slide out again. The additional floatation in the front should have prevented that. It didn't. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, give me some credit. Over the 5 decades I have been tube fishing, I have fished from more float tubes than most people even suspect exist. I have a whole list of "checkouts" I use to rate a tube and to decide whether it works or not. I have NEVER had any other potential slideout problems except for the Daytripper.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With all due respect, I DO NOT CARE what your experiences...or your brother in law's are. They mean nothing to ME. My concerns are whether or not the tube will float ME comfortably and whether I can fish from it. My size and my style of fishing create a totally different set of circumstances from what you and your style of fishing create.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I respect your experience, and your opinions. All I am saying is that what suits you will not always suit me...and vice versa. Fair nuff?[/#0000ff]
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[mojorizing]

[quote TubeDude][cool]

[#0000ff]And, give me some credit. Over the 5 decades I have been tube fishing, I have fished from more float tubes than most people even suspect exist. I have a whole list of "checkouts" I use to rate a tube and to decide whether it works or not. I have NEVER had any other potential slideout problems except for the Daytripper.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With all due respect, I DO NOT CARE what your experiences...or your brother in law's are. They mean nothing to ME. My concerns are whether or not the tube will float ME comfortably and whether I can fish from it. My size and my style of fishing create a totally different set of circumstances from what you and your style of fishing create.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I respect your experience, and your opinions. All I am saying is that what suits you will not always suit me...and vice versa. Fair nuff?[/#0000ff]
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[font "Times New Roman"][#000000][size 4]Come on now Pat. This is not the Tube Dude Forum. We all know how long you and the wife have been float tubing. No one is saying you're not an experienced float tuber. But one does not need to float tube for decades to know what's good, what's crap and so forth. 90% of the tubes you've tried since you've been tubing, have fallen by the wayside and have been discontinued in favor of moving ahead with the times and materials, new shapes and styles.[/size][/#000000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#000000][size 4]You don't like fishing from the H3. That's your's and Tube Babe's opinions. I'm not a lot smaller than you are (and neither are my brothers) and I've not had any problems sliding off the seat (seat is not tilted forward in other words) The best built tube on the market. And you know it is. So NFO didn't give you a freebee or sell one to you at half price. We don't get one either. I bought our H3's from Dennis Brakke- Fly Desk. So I got them for what he sells them for. Joni told you what we paid for the CC's from Anglers Inn. The Navi's were show price. [/size][/#000000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#000000][size 4]Majja and a few others love their's (H3's) too. Just remember you carry a lot of weight here, and just because they weren't your cup of tea, doesn't mean others might not like them. For the price between a SFC and H3 you know which is the better built, longer lasting boat.[/size][/#000000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#000000][size 4]I had problem with my SFC when I had it. One was the seat. Granted it wasn't a blow up seat, but the foam seat. Now that felt like I was sliding off for the first 1/2 hour I sat in it [/size][/#000000][/font][font "Times New Roman"][#000000][size 4]until the cheesey seat back started to fold in half(then I did what you did. Slide a piece of lexan in the back for support. It hugs my hips because it's so narrow and it tires you out when you have to kick (compared to the H3) That's a lot of drag in the water.[/size][/#000000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#000000][size 4]One of the best days of my fishing life was when I got the H3. And for some reason, I've never had the problems you two have had, don't have any problem with getting a fish into the pocket (between the tube tips), not problems with the seat or back- I inflate them to what I like and they're darn comfortable to fish in all day. I can transport them in the back of the truck (with shell) fully inflated and you're vehicle is a Blazer (mid size) if I remember and I see how you'd like a smaller craft as so you wouldn't have to deflate them.[/size][/#000000][/font] I can see some of the cons you have (size) but not any of the others.
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]And I'll disagree with you on the USA/ China made thing. China has CRAP. Most things built in the US in fishing are 100%+ better than crap out of China.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#000000][size 4]I respect your opinion, but I also don't care what YOUR experences are either, because they mean nothing to me. I'm not one to follow the "leader" because I form my own opinions from my experiences. People look up to you, so as a moderator, you should be pretty even keeled. One man's celing is another man's floor.[/size][/#000000][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]You said what I said...only different.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Different strokes for different folks. Only expressing my opinion and that is how I presented it. No need to get your panties in a bunch.[/#0000ff]
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[atvaholic]

Sorry Guys(and gals)...didnt mean to start anything here. I respect all the opinions and experiences offered here. I have made my choice. I went with the prowler. The reason was simple. I live in Canada, and have $200 Gift Certificates to a store here. They do NOT carry the H3, but they carry the prowler. I also could not find a n H3 dealer in Canada. That made my decision easier.

I hope I got a good one. Will take pix and post here if anyone wants to see...(when it gets here).

Thanks again, all.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Looking forward to your review and pics. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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[k_fish_4_fun]

this has been a great informative thread. Just last week I was about to order two H3s, but NFO was out of stock and couldn't say when they would be back in stock either. Stike one. Now I see some questionable comfort in the seat. Strike two. I have an older Outcast, been a great tube overall, yah, I had some seat creep in that one, but over the years it seam to settle in. The stripping apron sucked and not sure the new one looks any better, but at least it has one. I haven't seen the one for the H3 while on the tube, looks like it is an extra add-on.... could be strike three for me? I guess bottom line for me is I would like to see one up close and personal. Any idea of where I can take a look at one?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Welcome aboard. Now that we have you properly ...[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The general opinion of those who have seen/used the new Outcast aprons are that they are not good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not sure where you could get a look at the H3 apron. What part of the country do you live in...and are there any Cabelas within easy reach? That would be my best recommendation. Not sure if there is a list of other dealers on the NFO website.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Do you need the apron for fly fishing...or just an apron? You might consider the "sushi board" aprons we make from plastic container lids. They are easy to make and work well.[/#0000ff]
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[macfly55]

I for one would really like to see your prowler once it comes in and you get it all set up..and tricked out.. what is always better for me to see is pics of you and your ride on the water and the fish you catch..

..good luck and hope to see some more posts and pics from you in the future.. []

MacFly [cool]
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[k_fish_4_fun]

I guess maybe I was unclear... I need to see the H3 equiped in order to make a decision, not just the stripping apron. The Scadden site has pics of the an apron, a universal fit one. Anyway, I am in Ogden area and occasionally can make it down to Cabela's but I don't think they have any of the Scadden boats on display do they?

Incidently, anyone on this board have experience with the Supercat50 or Supercat60.... I think that one looks like the cats meow. But even more spendy then the H3. I can't help but wonder why that boat isn't more popular and why local shops or even more online shops don't carry it? And similarly, what happened to the echo boat? Anyone?




[quote TubeDude][cool][#0000ff]Welcome aboard. Now that we have you properly ...[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The general opinion of those who have seen/used the new Outcast aprons are that they are not good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not sure where you could get a look at the H3 apron. What part of the country do you live in...and are there any Cabelas within easy reach? That would be my best recommendation. Not sure if there is a list of other dealers on the NFO website.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Do you need the apron for fly fishing...or just an apron? You might consider the "sushi board" aprons we make from plastic container lids. They are easy to make and work well.[/#0000ff][/quote]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]If you really wanna see one, try to get an okay to visit the NFO showroom and warehouse in Ogden. Much closer than Cabelas.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not sure about Echo. Maybe the goddess lady will chime in. She is pretty tight with the owners.[/#0000ff]
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