We just got enough boats to fill all of our customers' orders and have some extras in inventory. So I grabbed one for me and planned a couple day float on the Deschutes River to test out the boat.
I decided it would be best to put the boat together at home in my shop to install some of the extras I bought for it. I unboxed the boat and inflated it. Then added a cargo pocket to one side, rod holder to the other and an anchor lock to the rear. At first glance it looks like it has lots of cargo space.
I then started to load the boat to see where I would put everything once I hit the river. I easily fit a mid sized cooler in front of the foot rest bar. My Fishpond boat bag mounted in front of that. In the back I easily fit two dry bags, chair and a backpack. You could load a lot more gear in the back, but you have to keep the anchor lock accessible. The other nice thing with the Clearwater is it has lots of D-rings and loops to tie gear down. This makes packing for overnight trips much easier.
After it was loaded I wanted to figure out how to stow some extra rods rigged and ready to go. I had some strips of stick on velcro that looked like it would do the trick. I stuck a strip about ten inches long in the front and back of the boat on the left side.
I then loaded the boat in the back of my truck and to the river I went. The river was running high and off color, but did not care. I needed a break. Besides I know that the off color water makes for great streamer fishing. There would also be very few anglers fishing in these conditions.
Once I got to the river I quickly loaded my boat and pushed off. I was pleased with how nimble the Clearwater felt with such a load on it. Having a small boat like this balanced with the weight evenly distributed front to rear is very important. Keeping the boat balanced helps with stability and control.
The float that I picked had several small rapids testing the Clearwaters control and stability. I hit the first small rapid and the Clearwater handled it with ease. Having real 7’ oars really makes this boat easier to row. I was hesitant on how the oar stands/lock would work without a frame like my PAC1000 pontoon boat. They worked great and stayed very stable.
Stopping at several spots to fish the Clearwater would slide through very shallow water with little effort. The anchor lock held the boat well and operated a lot easier than I expected. I quickly realized that with the open floor raft design of the Clearwater it is much easier to get in and out in shoal water. I was wearing studs in my boots so I did not want to step on the seat or side of the raft which would make getting in and out easier.
I spent the rest of the trip floating and stopping to fish at every good spot I could find. I spent a lot of time looking at the advantages and disadvantages of the Clearwater compared to a framed pontoon. The biggest advantage of the Clearwater is that it only weighs 35 lbs and packs up much smaller than my pontoon. This makes the Clearwater much better for packing in my RV with limited space. A pontoon boat would be a little easier to get in and out of. The Clearwater seat is low enough that you could use flippers in a lake for more control while fishing, this is tough to do in a pontoon.
My final thoughts are that the Clearwater is an excellent choice for such a light and compact package. Especially if you travel a lot with your boat, the Clearwater would be much easier to check on an airline. I would not say it will replace my PAC1000, but since it is more packable I will probably use it more.
Oh yeah, this was not a fishing story, but I thought I would mention fishing was really good!
Trav
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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Sounds great and lots of fun. Travis what do you think about saltwater use? Thinking I can pack in on my flats boat on longer runs.
ReplyDeleteI think it would work just fine for that purpose. I would make sure to wash it well when done so you don't get corrosion on the D-rings, Oars or Oar stands.
DeleteTake Care
Travis
outward&onword
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