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Now I know that insanity runs in my family. I had to try this and it works.
I put this together a couple of days ago and was waiting for better weather to test things out. Finally I got desperate and went this morning before too much wind comes up. It is 25 degrees, the wind is blowing, and a light dusting of snow is falling, and I go out in a float tube. At least I wasn't crazy enough to have even thought about fishing. I was only there for about 20 min and my hands were frozen. [inline "PICT1901 Standard e-mail view.jpg"]
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The lake is kicking up a bit, and the white stuff is slush and foam. The clouds aren't even promising anything but snow.
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Here is my FishCat 4 with a 24 MinnKota and a deep cycle battery. In the water with me in the tube it ran pretty nice and level and pulled me quickly out against the wind and back. I will put the battery in a box and set it on some styrofoam. It is actually quite nice and a lot of fun.
I would probably recommend a smaller battery. I looked at some nice electric wheelchair gel cells that are about 35 to 40 amp hours and only weight about 25 to 30 pounds. I think they would probably last ok with this small of a motor. But it works great with what I have now.
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Right On girl....Well, guys, no need to go try and score another tube.
You need to patent that thing! Maybe even thick plastick on the back and tube bed liner.
Now on the wheel chair battery. I have heard that before. They are lighter and they obviously can take the numerous charging, so, why don't more use them?
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Very nice work! Now why didn't I think of that. Do I not have enough of the insanity genes in my family? [cool]
Now, can you reach back far enough to release that latch that allows the shaft to go from horizontal to vertical? I ask because if you can't you would have to have the prop in the water at all times, which means there are greater chances of hitting rocks, etc. on launch. Then again, the real question might be...how much into the water does the prop have to be to work efficiently?
I just got my first motor, a Minn Kota Endura 45, and initially mounted it on a Float Power, but realized quickly how difficult it was to setup and breakdown. I am switching over to TubeDude's tube taxi setup using an old Togiak.
Lastly, I wonder if you can use electrical conduit instead of PVC. I am not sure if the PVC will hold up, but then again, with a 24# motor, it should be fine.
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It is actually much closer to me in the Fish Cat than when the motor is on my Renegade. I can reach it quite easily. In the picture the motor is not set down to depth. I went out about knee deep and adjusted the motor then got in.
If you have problems reaching you can always undo your side straps to your seat and lean way back.
I really didn't take the time to check everything out like I should, because I was freezing! When the weather gets nicer - if it does, I will take it out for a day of fishing and give my likes and dislikes then.
The PVC is sch. 40 and doesn't seem to be having any problem holding it. You could go to conduit or do what I did on the Renegade and run a threaded rod inside the pvc. This mount is fairly light as it is, and is easy to put on. You only need to thread the Ts through the seat straps and then I have a bungie cord from the handle in the back that go around the sides.
I am less than 145 lbs with all my gear, and the motor is small, but I still think that the Fish Cat and the Fat Cat have no problem with the extra weight of a small motor and battery.
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I would add that most of the motor weight is on the tubes -- fairly close to the mount. The further back you set it the more leverage and stress there will be. I think I might even shorten mine and bring the mount in a little closer to the tube.
I am concerned that the pvc might start to bend in the hot sun. Time will tell. If so I am not out much! Conduit might be a good choice.
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For me it would be aluminum. Light weight, no rust and strong. You can tilt that motor too, that is great.
Is that weight factor including a battery? Guys might have a little trouble with that. Now the H3 would be great.
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That is totally awesome.
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Aluminum would be great.
I put this together with what I had in the garage, since stores are a long way away. I want to experiment with it to see how well things work and what to change before I switch to better materials. More ideas and suggestions are what it is all about. What works for me, someone else can improve on, or adjust to fit what they have or need.
The H3 and Fat Cat size of tubes would have no problem at all. I was in some rough water so it was kind of hard to tell, but I don't think I was sitting down much deeper in the water. When just the battery and motor are on the tube it sits at a tilt, but with me in the tube too it leveled out nicely.
On the weight I am around 140 then you add 50 or what ever pounds for the battery. The motor is probably around 15 lbs maybe??
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All I can say is you are my new Hero! That is so simple.
I wasn't prying on the weight, I just meant a guy at 230 then the 50 or 60 plus 15...going to be at the max for allot of tubes.
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That is why I was specific on the weight myself. Although I think I under weighted my battery and over weighted the motor. Probably closer to 60 lb on the battery and 10 on the motor.
That is also why I brought up the option on the lighter batteries. My battery is 85 amp hours, but I don't troll with it all day. I use it in the wind, and to get back if my breathing isn't too good or I get an attack of the lazys. Mostly I just fin to where I want to go, because I am busy fishing.
It weights abt 60 lbs, but I could use a battery that is about half or less on the amp hours and at least half the weight. For an older person that weight can be significant. I think that with a float tube being so small and with not using it all the time, then the amp hours on the smaller battery would be sufficient. Does anyone on here have any experience with them?
I ran into one mention on the Washington Fly Fishing site when I was googling for information. Since it is a forum I won't put the url in here. IveofIone there was using a 35 amp hour battery that weighed 25 lbs. He used it intermittently for 5 hrs in the wind and it was 1/3 down. That might not suit everyone, but for me it would be enough.
But for now I have a battery and can't justify buying a small one to experiment with. Much as I would like to. -- I have about as much fun designing and making my own gear as I do fishing.
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[quote cpierce]It is actually much closer to me in the Fish Cat than when the motor is on my Renegade. I can reach it quite easily. In the picture the motor is not set down to depth. I went out about knee deep and adjusted the motor then got in.
If you have problems reaching you can always undo your side straps to your seat and lean way back.[/quote]
[  ]Awesome! I have a Fat Cat and my total weight is about the same, so I may consider doing this down the road, depending on how the tube taxi goes. And the suggestion with the aluminum is perfect FG.
So how did you attach the PVC to the tube? I am still new to all this tube modding and pimping.
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The mount is attached behind the seat. The seat straps are run through the PVC ts on the ends there. Then there is a bungie cord that runs up from the handle at the back and then goes around each side. What little of a run I had it seemed solid.
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I want to see a picture of you in the water with it. Looks cool! Ron
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Simple, but effective! Thanks.
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[quote dr.veha]
Lastly, I wonder if you can use electrical conduit instead of PVC. I am not sure if the PVC will hold up, but then again, with a 24# motor, it should be fine.[/quote]
Well here is a pic of my toon using PVC with an outcast motormount attached. I use a minn kota 34 and it holds up fine.
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I showed this setup to mamatrout and she likes it. Right now I have a float power attached to her FC4 and I like how this has compacted everything.
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That is a very good setup! Simple and can be made very light weight and simple to store and transport. Good job.
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Did you use 1" or 1/2" PVC?
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I talked to my Bro (Pokymon) who makes his living out of PVC. He is a sprinkler/landscaper.
He said heat is not a big issue with PVC, but rather UV rays. He thought PAINTING it or as mention Conduit.
Again...very impressive "C"
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FG - Thank you.
That is good to know on the heat. I have thought about painting it. Actually I will con my hubby into painting it as I can't do fumes.
For those who have painted pvc is there a particular kind of paint that is better for sticking?
AlbinoTrout - I used schedule 40 3/4in pvc. I also shorted the arms by 2 inches. Now the mount just barely brushes the tip of the tube.
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