Why no Polyethylene/Plastic watercraft?

MarshRat

Steelhead
I was scrolling through the flotilla thread, and noticed an absence of polyethylene vessels. Plenty of inflatables (float tubes/pontoons), wooden prams and aluminum row boats, but other than a few kayaks, I noticed very few plastic boats.

Locally, I hear Dogfish (Bellingham) makes a good platform...
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As well as Backwater out of Surrey...
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And then there are the bass pond type boats as well...
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It seems to me that these boats would be relatively easy to slide in/out of a truck bed, no assembly at the launch, and relatively indestructible. No trailer to worry about, no air bladders to patch, no wood to treat. I would also think they would be more stable for standing compared to a kayak, and would take an electric outboard much better than a kayak.

What am I missing?
 
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krusty

We're on the Road to Nowhere...
Forum Supporter
Maybe it's an untapped market.

The main downside (from my perspective) is that they're somewhat heavy and ungainly to handle. These days seeing a pram-like boat on the water is increasingly rare. I suspect that's so because of so many excellent alternatives.

Canoes are also falling in popularity.

The plastic kayak market (especially sit-on-tops) has exploded in popularity. Relatively inexpensive, and useful for a wide variety of interests. Prams, whether plastic or wood, are largely confined to fisherfolk. That's an inherently smaller market niche.

Having been a flyfisherman for 60 years, and having owned canoes, prams, and kayaks I've found standing to flyfish unnecessary. And there are plenty of motormounts for kayaks these days. SOTs are just extraordinarily versatile.

Finally, with the advent of pedal drive kayaks it's easy to see why plastic dominates the kayak small boat world.
 
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Cliff

Steelhead
Any idea how heavy it is? I'm intrigued.
Oh gosh, I don't remember exactly, but I think it's around 50 lbs. I actually preferred trhe blue boat in the photo as a fishing platform, but the white boat was lighter and smaller. I have had chronic lower back issues most of my adult life and the white boat was a little easier to get on top of my car. I think the "Modulus" branded prams were made up north (Whatcom county?) several years ago.
 

krusty

We're on the Road to Nowhere...
Forum Supporter
A Pelican Bass Raider is another possibility.
 

RCF

Life of the Party
Lots of rotomolded (plastic) small boats in the CL classifieds. They are about half the weight of a solid wood or fiberglass boat of the same size with the same weight capacity. They usually are less pricey than wood or fiberglass ones. Only the really cheap ones may warp being left in the sun. I see very few aluminum boats on CL.

Many are designed to be row boats, sailboats, and powered boats all at the same time. Problem is they are not great at any of those uses. They usually have rounded bottoms which is better for sailing but making them unstable, easy to tip over and even dangerous trying to get into them from the dock without going in. Standing is also an issue in many of them. The one's @Cliff has/had are flatter bottom and straighter up sides.
 

Herkileez

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
I had a Sundolphin Watertender a while back. It was a terrific one-person boat...wide bottom, very stable to stand and cast, tracked well, light/durable. Sold it when I needed a bigger, two-person boat. Great boats.

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Josh

Dead in the water
Staff member
Admin
All of these boats have great reputations as far as I've ever heard. Despite my misgivings below, I suspect I'd pick up a Dogfish if I could find one used.

My issue is that most of them are heavy enough to require the ability to get close to the water with your truck wherever you are fishing. Especially if you are fishing solo. Dogfish and Sundolphin 8.5 are ~100lbs. 10' Pond Prowler is 130lbs. None can be cartopped easily (if at all). So you have to have a truck. And many of them aren't meant for anything but the calmest small water.

I guess for me, if I'm fishing solo, I'd prefer to have a kayak. Easier all around to load/unload/transport. Fits in a truck or on a car/suv. Handles all sorts of water. And if not that, then might as well be something on a trailer.

But if I were fishing small lakes/ponds that I could get a truck to easily, and especially if I were fishing with a buddy, I could see them being cool. Lots of fish have been caught on those pond prowlers (plenty of videos online) and I have a couple buddies with Dogfish and they love them.
 

krusty

We're on the Road to Nowhere...
Forum Supporter
All of these boats have great reputations as far as I've ever heard. Despite my misgivings below, I suspect I'd pick up a Dogfish if I could find one used.

My issue is that most of them are heavy enough to require the ability to get close to the water with your truck wherever you are fishing. Especially if you are fishing solo. Dogfish and Sundolphin 8.5 are ~100lbs. 10' Pond Prowler is 130lbs. None can be cartopped easily (if at all). So you have to have a truck. And many of them aren't meant for anything but the calmest small water.

I guess for me, if I'm fishing solo, I'd prefer to have a kayak. Easier all around to load/unload/transport. Fits in a truck or on a car/suv. Handles all sorts of water. And if not that, then might as well be something on a trailer.

But if I were fishing small lakes/ponds that I could get a truck to easily, and especially if I were fishing with a buddy, I could see them being cool. Lots of fish have been caught on those pond prowlers (plenty of videos online) and I have a couple buddies with Dogfish and they love them.
Many of the larger kayaks (like big Hobies, tandems, and many pedal kayaks) are nearly trailer weight....certainly beyond what most solo flyfishers could easily handle.

My heaviest kayak is about 85 lbs, and I've started using one of the heavily padded Sea to Summit kayak scupper carts to move my kayaks from the truck bed to water and back....short distances but the scupper cart is a real game changer in improving ease of use. I use a Wheeleze kayak cart with fat tires for longer distances.
 

Josh

Dead in the water
Staff member
Admin
Many of the larger kayaks (like big Hobies, tandems, and many pedal kayaks) are nearly trailer weight....certainly beyond what most solo flyfishers could easily handle.

My heaviest kayak is about 85 lbs, and I've started using one of the heavily padded Sea to Summit kayak scupper carts to move my kayaks from the truck bed to water and back....short distances but the scupper cart is a real game changer in improving ease of use. I use a Wheeleze kayak cart with fat tires for longer distances.
Oh for sure. But my point is that you don't HAVE to have that size/weight of kayak if you don't want to. My Nucanoe is ~65lbs and I move it easily solo with a little wheeled cart made of PVC.

Could you add transom wheels onto something like a Dogfish? That might make a big difference.
 

Josh

Dead in the water
Staff member
Admin
Okay, this place in BC is listing them for $1500CAD


That's $1160 USD, which seems much more reasonable.

I do like that they are under 60lbs. Their promotional videos show a guy standing and casting. At 47" wide, that should be doable for most folks.

 
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