Casting Deck Pics

[KAZUALT]

[left]Here are some pics of the deck that I have put on my toon. It is suspended between the frame rails using metal zip ties. I also put on side decks. Each deck has indentations in them that I have been using to hold my drinks and such. I went out today and they heldup great . They easily support my wieght. Best thing is that the whole thing cost me $10. Which in my opinion was well worth it.[/left]
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[jnbsigma]

Thanks for the post...that's some nice work. And you can't beat the price! []
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[tubeN2]

Nice job on the modifications.[cool]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Lookin' good. Now you need to get somebody to take a pic or two of you standing up on it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My only potential concern is that it would make it impossible to use fins. If you can fish the way you want, with oars and a trolling motor, then that is okay. But, a lot of us like using fins for handsfree control while working an area.[/#0000ff]
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[Dusty_T]

I guess he could always use the "paddle pushers". Not sure how they would work with a toon....But there are a few people in these parts who still prefer them over fins for tube's.

[img]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ctce008/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/3e/moz-screenshot-2.jpg[/img]
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[Majja]

Kaz it looks good. Now lets see some pics in action.
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[buckdawg]

you're not kidding about the fins. you don't realize how important they are until you don't have them.

I took the 'toon out yesterday only to find while i was loading up that i had misplaced them (i.e. left them behind) on my last outing. I was most displeased with myself. Needless to say the wind spun me around like a top and while it's always nice to get out, it wasn't as nice as it could have been[cool]

I'll be visiting SportMart in the very near future to replace the ones I lost. I won't do that again.
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[flygoddess]

[#800040]That is sooo cool. My only concern would be, how low does that storage area sit. If it is in the water, it is going to cause a lot of drag.[/#800040]
[#800040]As far as flippers.....okay I just got back from talking to the master "Dave Scadden" and he let something slip that is so simple it is CRAZY![/#800040]
[#800040]I too asked about the platform being in the way of using flippers. Now keep in mind his boats are 9' to 11 1/2' long, but the one in reference was the Madison. a 9' with 15" diameter pontoons.[/#800040]
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[#800040]Are you ready for this? Okay here goes. You take one of those flotation pads that you are required to carry in a boat. set it on the platform, sit on it and kick away. when you get to the fishing hole sit on the seat. Oh yeah, the reason I found this out was because the Madison he had on display had a six inch pedistal under the plastic seat. His platforms slide under the boat out of the way in all other cases, but I was questioning the fact you sit so high, that is when he mentiond sitting on the platform....I came up with the idea on the flotation pad.[/#800040]
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[#800040]Who says you don't learn cool stuff at the shows he, he, he, he[/#800040]
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[buckdawg]

That is a good workaround!

Unfortunately I don't use my flippers to get from Point A to Point B, I row. I need the flippers to stay facing the right direction when the wind isn't on my side (is it ever?) and to make minor location changes. Obviously if I had a platform to stand on the direction I'm facing isn't as important.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I hope you are not serious about recommending those wimpy things. They were invented back in the early days of tubing, by the Fishmaster company, for guys that waded and tubed small shallow farm ponds and needed to be able to walk forward...or move forward in their old donuts.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They are highly inefficient, even in round tubes...for goobers that still use round tubes. They are virtually useless for open front toobs and even worse for pontoons.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I still have a pair I bought in the 70's. Wore them for about 10 minutes...just long enough to get a few feet offshore and then back. I let another guy try them once. I kicked circles around him whiile he strained to make any headway. All he got was a severe case of "crotch cramps".[/#0000ff]
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[Dusty_T]

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[cool][#0000ff]I hope you are not serious about recommending those wimpy things. They were invented back in the early days of tubing, by the Fishmaster company, for guys that waded and tubed small shallow farm ponds and needed to be able to walk forward...or move forward in their old donuts.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They are highly inefficient, even in round tubes...for goobers that still use round tubes. They are virtually useless for open front toobs and even worse for pontoons.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I still have a pair I bought in the 70's. Wore them for about 10 minutes...just long enough to get a few feet offshore and then back. I let another guy try them once. I kicked circles around him whiile he strained to make any headway. All he got was a severe case of "crotch cramps".[/#0000ff][/reply]

Never tried them myself, I have had many people echo your distain with the paddle pushers.....But a few "crazies" -- including one of the local "pointy headed fish biologist guys" swear by them -- however, reading through your reply adds another clue as to why they may use them -- they are all still fishing out of donuts. (Not sure if they use straightrazors and ride to work on horses though.)
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[KAZUALT]

This is in reply to everyone that replyed.

First off, no I can not use flipperwith this deck attached. But as I have said before. I float on the rivers in Pittsburgh PA. Tey have a very strong current and I usually don't use flippers on them any how. I use my trolling motor to go up and my oars to go down. The river here flows at between 3 and 5 knots without rain fall, so it is pretty quick. I mainly have been using the deck when I anchor and want to do some fishing. Because of my back surgeries I don't like to use the flippers. Puts to much strain on my lower back.
I am installing the 7"- 14" adjustable pedastal swivel seat on my rig this week and it will make flippers obsolete because with that hieght I couldn't reach the water anyways. With the telescoping handle on my Minn Kota 30 and the pedestal, the deck should be a perfect place to rest my legs and not worry about going into the VERY COLD EARLY SEASON Pittsburgh waters. Even though it is 70 out right now the river is still only about 50. Thats to cold to stay in for very long. Granted it is not the prettiest addon I have ever done, but it is definately the most produactive.
This deck keeps me dry when needed.
Provides a great casting/sight fishing platform
Easier to grab dropped lures from than a net.
The side pods keep me from dropping things in the drink.
The Indents are only 4" deep so they don't contact the water. They are the FEET of the plastic coke pallet. Most pallets have 9 evenly spaced. I just cut out the deck area to include 1 in each deck section. You might be able to find a plastic pallet with FEET only on the 4 corners, but I didn't.
The tie wraps I am using are made to band steel pipe together. GOTTA LOVE LIVIN IN THE STEEL CITY. But I am sure there are ones that are availble that can hold the same amount of force.
The biggest thing that I found was that the plastic pallet tends to stretch where the tie wraps are placed. Eventaully the holes will need redrilled in a different location, but that should be next year.


Thanks for the words of encouragement and TIGHT LINES

KAZUALT
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]After reading your thorough explanation of the conditions and your fishing style, it makes a lot more sense. Sounds like you have done a great job of adapting to unusual conditions...at least by most tubers and tooners standards.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hats off to a great set of modifications.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Keep up the good work and stay safe.[/#0000ff]
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