Originally Posted by
L Kenney
A pram not only will get you out of the water, but Above the water, which has clear benefits for spotting fish as well as casting.
Look for something with a minimum beam of 36" on the deck where you stand to cast, and enough freeboard that you're not scraping your knees with the oars when rowing. There are lots of options in aluminum, glass and even wood. I've had prams in all three materials and liked them all. Wood and glass are quietest but a piece of indoor outdoor carpeting or closed cell foam on the deck makes aluminum workable....and it needs little or no maintenance. A small electric motor or self contained outboard is helpful on occasion but not really necessary. Get a light bow roller for your main anchor and cam cleats for stern anchors. As to car topping, it can be tough if you have an SUV with a pronounced slope to the rear window and the aft rack isn't close to the rear of the vehicle. But an 8 ft to 10 ft pram weighing between 65 and 110 lbs is no problem to single hand load on a pickup shell if your aftmost rack is close to the rear of your shell. Drag it up to the rear of the truck, flip it over, lift it up and put the bow on the aft rack, push it forward and tie it down. Ten minutes once you do it a couple of times. In a pinch you can stuff an 8 footer in the truck bed with the tailgate lowered. Check Craigslist and this forum's Classified for used prams for sale. No reason to buy new. And either wear or keep a PFD close at hand when you're on the water.
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