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ok, I am pimpin ma old fish cat. got it a couple of yrs ago an only fished it once. got it from a friend for $10.00.
It's in good shape so I am going to use it this yr. on our lakes here in WA.
bought a 10' sch 40 1 1/4" pvc and some parts to build this. It will have a set of oars on it that I wiill build the oars for it. 2 pole holders in the rear. 1 for my fly rod and 1 for my spin rod. got alot done today but still needs more work.
I will try to upload a pic of it before I started. thanks
Outlaw45
it's there but I don't see it. ok, it's up. [cool]
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It will be nice to see your tube once it is all done. Good luck and keep us posted.[cool]
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You are most welcome. Please feel free to look through the archives as well. You may be able to get some good ideas.
I use a horizontal rod rack on my Fish Cat 4 especially when I am using my fly swatter. [cool]
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You certainly can't argue the cost.
If the tube has been stored for an extended period, include a thorough check of all the seams, tie points and other sewn connections.
Also, I'd seriously consider new air bladders, and retire the old ones as spares.
Both the fabric skin and bladders deteriorate over time and it might be good insurance to put a little effort and money into them, now.
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Nice looking craft. Looking forward to seeing your mods.
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Interesting that you're trying to make a toon out of it. Interesting idea. This is what I did to my wife's FC4.
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Yeah, I thought about cutting the bottom out and putting a frame on it. But will keep it as a float tube. Getting more done on it.
I just wanted to be able to row in wind to get me where I need to go. When fishing I'll use my fins to stay put.
It is a interesting tube.
Thanks for lookin.
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in my last post I said I was thinking about cutting out the bottom and making a toon out of it.
has any body ever done this? [crazy]
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do you have any more pics of your wifes tube? what size motor is on that? am starting to build my oars. thanks
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She has a min Kota 30 on her craft in that pic. I also have a min Kota 34 that she can use. The 34 has a 36" shaft compared to the 30" of the 30.
I used boat bumpers zip tied underneath the bow section to give a little more floatation support when the motor and battery are in place. The motor mount has feet that slip under the seat to hold it in place. I will see if I have any more pics.
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how long does the battery last on the 30? what size of battery? I saw a 30 at bass pro for $100, don't know how good it is.
thanks for your reply. hope you have some more pic of the fc4,ee how you set it all up. [cool]
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[#0000FF]There are a lot of variables in how long a battery will last. MinnKota says that the 30# motor will suck up 30 amps per hour at top speed. That means that if you have a 100 amp/hour battery it should hold up for about 3 hours at high speed. But that is seldom the case...especially if you are running it on a float tube and not a small boat or pontoon. You have a lot more drag in a tube than in a craft with a surface drag only. And every system is going to be different.
Also, your motor will actually suck up almost the same amount of juice on lower settings than on high speed...unless you have a maximizer motor that uses only the exact amount of power you need. Otherwise, even though you are going slow the excess power is used up as heat.
In short, get the largest battery you can afford and that will fit on your craft. Take good care of it and make sure it is fully charged before and after each trip. Get a voltage tester and check the voltage before and after a trip to see how much you used on that trip. After while you will get a feel for how much power your system uses and how far you can go before you have to get out and walk.
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I fish with the 34 and a 55 on my toon and get a good 6 hours out of them. But then I use it to move around a lot too. I have been also using it to get to locations then just shut it off and use my flippers to hold the spot as well. Here are a few pics I have. I am still looking for more.
The white PVC I ended up painting a nice blue to match the FC4.
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That reminds me I need to go out the batteries on the charger again.
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Here are pics of the motor mount.
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Due to the issue with the additional weight from the battery and motor the bumpers add the additional floatation necessary to keep the craft level. I put them right under the back where it curves upward. Here are the pics. The craft is deflated in these pics but when inflated they curve into the craft nicely.
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