Pram, storage and transport

[steveg137]

I'd like to buy a pram. I have a great pontoon boat but inflating each day and dodgy back make it little challenging.

For those that have or had Prams how do you transport them to the water?

Trailer ?

On top of a truck / car? Believe some are heavy so not sure if that's an option.

Rather not trailer one from sf to Fall River etc for every trip.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Steve

[Darian]

I've had an 8', TPL pram since the late '70's and transported it on a roof top rack. TPL prams were fiberglass and weighed approximately 85 pounds. When I was young, it wasn't a problem to load the boat on top but as I grew older, I bought a boat loader made by Sears that made it quite a bit easier to load on top. However, the real problem was loading the boat on top after rowing/casting all day long. It was really tiring and as a result I used the pram less & less. If I were to use the pram these days, I would transport it on a small trailer....

[Carl Blackledge]

Steve,

Most of the guys I fish with who own prams carry them in the back of there wide bed pick-ups, a few do use trailers, however who wants to drive 55 with a trailer for 4-6 hours?

Carl

[Baja Fly Fisher]

I had a 5 TPL prams and it in the back of 6' bed truck. It fit perfect with the tailgate down. Mine weighed 45lbs. I just sold my Columbia pram, with 2hp honda 4 stroke. Trolling motor, new batterey and all the accessories. Now I wish I had it. Years ago, I floated down the American, Williamson. Make a trailer out of an old jet ski trailer. 15" wheels and you can go 55mph all the time.
Don't get caught going over the towing speed limit, it's expensive.

[Terry Thomas]

I have a Valco 8' pram that I carry on the top of my vehicle. I use the type of rack that attaches to the transom of the boat and trailer hitch ball. It's easy for one guy to load the pram. Lift the end of the boat into the transom holder, tighten the two screws, and then lift the bow and walk it around and lift it on to you vehicle. It's been around for years and still gets the job done.

[steveg137]

Thanks for the responses guys. Really helpful.
Seems like lighter weight for car top.

Terry do you have name for the type rack you use ?

Cheers

[Fly Right]

Thanks for the responses guys. Really helpful.
Seems like lighter weight for car top.

Terry do you have name for the type rack you use ?

Cheers

Spring Creek Prams make a kevlar 8' pram that weighs in at 60#.

[pgw]

I've carried TPL (8') and Valco (10' & 12") prams on top of a Toyota Land Cruiser (FJ40) with one of those "gutter mount" racks and over the last 15 years, I've carried my Almarco/Redwood Welding 8' pram either in the bed of the last 3 pick ups (Ford, Dodge. Dodge) on on a Thule Rack attached to the hard aluminum bed cover on one of the Dodges. The pram carries well in the back of my new dodge with a 5'7" bed with the tailgate down.

[Charlie S]

Carl....move to Oregon..no 55 mph limit in 65 zones.

[Charlie S]

I've seen pgw's rig and if I wanted to go sans trailer I'd contact him for specifics and maybe pictures. His is the best and most secure I've seen.

[Carl Blackledge]

No thanks...not moving to Oregon

[ricards]

Spring Creek Prams make a kevlar 8' pram that weighs in at 60#.

Actually, the SpringCreek Classic is not made from kevlar, but from a fiberglass composite. And, yes, it does weigh about sixty pounds. I have used mine for years, and it is easily car-topped with Yakima racks, tie-downs, and load blocks. The only disadvantage of this boat is that its like fishing out of wide canoe. Stand up at your own risk! I prefer sitting down anyway, as it presents a lower profile, and is not as likely to spook the fish. Other than that, a sturdy, quiet, well-designed, and well-built boat.

[Carl Blackledge]

I stand up in my pram 90 % of the time casting to Salmon, and when i am fishing for trout I am still standing up and slowly drifting down the river at that point it's like walking on water. My metalhead is so solid and sturdy in the water I can stand in the rear corner and land a 45 pound salmon or a 3 pound trout, no problems....don't try that with Redwood welded pram or a springcreek pram. The bad thing is my pram weights around 82 pounds, however where ever I fish I just back up to the water and slide it in...my boat don't weight a thing in the water :)

Carl

[McFish]

My cartopper is a Portabote; folds flat, looks like a surfboard when folded. Takes about 15 minutes to set up, but gets faster with practice. Weighs about 80 lb in the 12 foot model, comes in 8,10,12 and 14 ft model. Easy row, standup casting.

[NVFlyAngler]

I have the Spring Creek Stillwater Classic, which I believe clocks in at 7 ft. 10 in in length. I drive a GMC Yukon XL. If I remove the third seat and fold the second seat down, the pram fits inside. I can also transport my 9 ft. fly rods fully strung up and ready to go. All in all, a pretty darn good setup for fly fishing.

[Fly Right]

I have the Spring Creek Stillwater Classic, which I believe clocks in at 7 ft. 10 in in length. I drive a GMC Yukon XL. If I remove the third seat and fold the second seat down, the pram fits inside. I can also transport my 9 ft. fly rods fully strung up and ready to go. All in all, a pretty darn good setup for fly fishing.

Another option worth considering is an inflatable dinghy. These fold up and can be transported in the trunk of most cars. Inflation with an electric pump that works off of your car battery takes 5 min or less. Most come with oars and accept a trolling motor or small outboard as well. These are very stable if you want to stand and cast. I fished out of a 9ft Avon for years.

[JayDubP]

steveg137 - I am not a pram guy. I drive a SUV so everything needs to store behind the 2nd seats and as important it must fit in garage cabinets at home.

I use a portable, rechargeable Bravo air pump ($150) to inflate and to deflate my Watermaster raft- takes 5 mins to get ready to launch or to pack it away. Bravo pump inflates to an exact psi, so no topping off needed. If I want, I can carry everything to the water and inflate there. But, I normally inflate/deflate & load up the boat by my vehicle so I use a 2 wheeled dolly to roll the boat fully loaded to/from the water.

If I was going to fish stillwater with a motor, I would get one of Sea Eagle's Pro Series inflatable Frameless fishing boats with wood floor and pedestal swivel folding seats.

For single use, the 285fpb (9ft, 30lbs, $900) or ST10 for 2 person use (10-1/ft, 45lbs, $1300). I had the green 285fpb ( U pontoon) and rowed it on all the N Cal Rivers plus used it on stillwater with a Minn Kota electric. I comfortably fished standing on the wood floor. The material and construction (overlapped 4 seal seams) on SeaEagle's Pro Series is far superior to other fishing inflatables. Go for a Honda 2.3hp gas motor ($999) and you could really cruise.

Both models have a hard plastic pedestal swivel seat with padded back. I found the seat very comfortable on my old back, however seat is on a standard 5-1/4" base, so you could add a very luxurious bass boat seat.

https://www.seaeagle.com/FramelessFishingBoats

[steveg137]

Jay dub
Thanks for the info. I've been looking at those boats, plan to take look in person.
Out interest why do you prefer watermaster?
Do they have anchor option?

[Carl Blackledge]

The trouble with a raft, if you can call this trouble is they are a very bad investment....If you buy an aluminum pram it's just like buying a used high end reel or rod, they never lose there value. If you bought a used pram say for $500.00 and used it 5 years you will likely sell it for $600.00. Aluminum isn't getting any cheaper, if you apply that same strategy to a raft, I think you would be lucky to get $100.00.

I have never owned a raft, however I can't comprehend how a raft could hold a candle to a pram as far as fishing out of it, comfort and safety come to mind also....just my 2 cents

Carl Blackledge

[steveg137]

Carl I hear you on the depreciation issue. The main challenge is storage and transport. With a pram I'd likely have to pay for storage space as we don't garage space. Also transporting it will involve getting a new car rack.
I'm still debating it though.

[Carl Blackledge]

Good luck on whatever you decide.

Carl

[steveg137]

Appreciate all the input
I basically need a bigger house, more space and more money. Or to move closer to the water. None are likely right now but it's all good.

[JayDubP]

Jay dub
Thanks for the info. I've been looking at those boats, plan to take look in person.
Out interest why do you prefer watermaster?
Do they have anchor option?ANCHOR: Watermaster does sell an anchor/motor mount that I do not use nor do I like the design. I am mainly a moving water user but when I do float a river where I could anchor safely, I have an aluminum "luggage rack" I strap down on the rear deck (you could do same out of pvc) ... I use a Scotty Clamp Mount and Scotty Anchor clamped onto my rack.


On the Sea Eagle 285, I used the same Scotty Clamp Mount and Scotty Anchor clamped on the Sea Eagle motor mount.

[steveg137]

Thanks Jay Dub!