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Thread: WTB aluminum Pram

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    North Highlands, Ca.
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    2,220

    Default

    If I may back up Carl a bit here, that pram in the picture is one I bought from him years ago. I'm no spring chicken either, but I spend way more time standing on the seat(Carl had a diamond plate seat put in before I bought it) than on the floor. I can stand on either side of the seat but mostly in the center. I fish for stripers in the American quite a bit and as I drift downstream the pram will twist and turn with the winds and currents, I wear a stripping basket on my belt and just pivot as needed to fish my targets. I've packed it on my back for short distances, like through narrow gates. I've also slid it down levees, up levees, across lawns and parks, and once used two slimy logs to launch off a high bank at low tide in the delta. It's been banged up a bit since that pic was taken but it's like dings on my shotgun, every one's a bit of my history. Every fisherman has different needs, there's no one watercraft(or even 3 watercraft) that will be perfect in every situation. I've been calling it the Black Pearl for years, but after reading Carl's post above maybe "Mental Head" would be better?

    Ed Wahl
    Last edited by Ed Wahl; 02-25-2019 at 08:48 PM. Reason: spelling
    Elwood: It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses.

    Jake: Hit it.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Santa Rosa, Calif
    Posts
    1,015

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    Ed,

    I bought your pram " the pearl" from the Mental head company in Oregon and I am pretty sure on the pink slip it says that.

    All the prams I had manufactured were Mental head take-offs. After sitting and standing in a pram 8-10 hours a day for 6 weeks a year there are lots of little things I wanted changed from the original model, especially the seat and the anchor systems.

    Your pram is worth a lot more today then when you bought it from me= Good investment plus lots of fun

    Carl Blackledge

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Elk Grove
    Posts
    17

    Default Many thanks to all for your insight on buying a pram

    Many thanks to all for your colorful insight on owning and buying a pram. I have several pontoon boats, including a brand new JW Outfitters Voyager model that has never touched water. These crafts seem cumbersome to me in having to set up and tear down.

    I know now to get a flat bottom pram. To that end does anyone have experience with a Lowe 10 foot Jon boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Carl Blackledge View Post
    Ed,

    I bought your pram " the pearl" from the Mental head company in Oregon and I am pretty sure on the pink slip it says that.

    All the prams I had manufactured were Mental head take-offs. After sitting and standing in a pram 8-10 hours a day for 6 weeks a year there are lots of little things I wanted changed from the original model, especially the seat and the anchor systems.

    Your pram is worth a lot more today then when you bought it from me= Good investment plus lots of fun

    Carl Blackledge

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    94

    Default

    I had to chime in on this one. I have a 10' MetalHead pram. It will be buried with me. Ed, the correct answer to the "how many boats do you need" question, usually from your spouse, is 5.

    Below are the first 3 pages from the original brochure for mine, and the price sheet.

    My 2 cents, if you can, buy a Metalhead.

    Dan

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    Last edited by willies99; 02-26-2019 at 12:42 PM.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Santa Rosa, Calif
    Posts
    1,015

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    Willies 99

    Wow that brochure sure brings back some old memories.

    From a guy who used to practically live in his pram 6 weeks a year I would NEVER think of owning any other pram for safety and comfort and ease of fly fishing out of then a flat bottomed Mental head.

    Carl Blackledge
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    Last edited by Carl Blackledge; 02-26-2019 at 06:26 PM.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    North Highlands, Ca.
    Posts
    2,220

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    You are correct Carl. It's on the pink as well as the plate on the transom. I was just kidding though, it's always going to be "The Pearl".
    Elwood: It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses.

    Jake: Hit it.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    North Highlands, Ca.
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    Hey Dan, did I run into you one afternoon at Keines old shop? There can't be too many Metalhead 10 footers around. KD had made a dolly and a loader for the one I was looking at that day.
    Elwood: It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses.

    Jake: Hit it.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    94

    Default

    Ed,

    No dolly and loader for mine. Mine came with a slick little Baker trailer.

    After having my 10' Livingston get torn off the top of my Explorer by a huge gust of wind near Cordelia, close to the finish of a great 600 plus mile trip to the Fall River, Hat, and Manzanita, I pledged to trailer my boats from then on.

    Sounds like we have a few Metalheads in our neighborhood. You meet the nicest folks in them. Ha ha

    Dan

  9. #19
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Antelope since 1989
    Posts
    460

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    I have to say my biggest regret in my life as a flyfisher was not using a pram I purchased on a whim at a garage sale some 20 years ago. It sat for 10 years keeping my firewood dry as I used a float tube, pontoon boat, or my Fishrite jet. I decided to sell it here on Kiene’s board when a wise fly fisherman sent me a message as to why am I selling such a nice pram. We later talked on the phone and I told him how I bought it, but never used it. His advice was use at least once before I sell it. I did, and I still have this tricked out 8’ Valco, then I bought a 10’ Valco, and now I am rigging and customizing a 14’ Valco flatbottom Jon Boat for a cartopper to go to BC this spring. The app.43” width makes it incredibly stable. I have fished it at Davis with a howling wind and everybody got off the water but me. I stayed out there on an epic bite and caught fish after fish. My friend was on shore listening to others conversation about how stable that boat was with these challenging conditions. Check CL often, they do show up on occasion, not as rare and expensive as a Metalhead, but a fine pram to flyfish out of. Good luck on your acquisition, if you need any help finding one, send me a pm and I will keep my eyes open for one. I passed on a nice 8’ Valco in Medford 3 weeks ago that was in beautiful condition for $300. I am a boat hoarder and have to many, one more and I would be living in the boathouse with my dog.Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Rockman; 02-26-2019 at 11:47 PM. Reason: Misspelled

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