Colorado Fisherman Forum banner

Replacement float-tube bladder?

15K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  PIKER 
#1 ·
I have a Buck's Bag - "Top-Gun" thats worked well for 12+ years. The bladder seam split the last trip, (captain not on board). Gander Mtn. & S.W. both say they are out of the replacement bladders. Does anyone use a truck tube instead of these flimsy bladders? Where do you put the valve stem? Is that painful? Looking for input. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
I know this doesn't answer your question but use this damage to your belly boat to buy a kayak or a pontoon style boat with paddles. If you use either one of these even once, you will wonder how you ever suffered so long with your belly boat. Honestly, they have to be the most inefficient way to get around on water ever invented.

I imagine you could get a truck tire tube for your belly boat and duck tape the stem to the tube so it doesn't poke you. But why? I'm sure some people who love their belly boat will chime in here and tell me how misinformed I am but they just haven't fished out of a kayak or pontoon yet. ;D
 
#3 ·
kirbydog said:
I know this doesn't answer your question but use this damage to your belly boat to buy a kayak or a pontoon style boat with paddles.  If you use either one of these even once, you will wonder how you ever suffered so long  with your belly boat.  Honestly, they have to be the most inefficient way to get around on water ever invented.

I imagine you could get a truck tire tube for your belly boat and duck tape the stem to the tube so it doesn't poke you.  But why?  I'm sure some people who love their belly boat will chime in here and tell me how misinformed I am but they just haven't fished out of a kayak or pontoon yet. ;D
I won't tell you how misinformed you are, but I LOVE my belly boat. I have a lot more places to store gear and tackle than any kayak I've ever seen. And I get around just fine with it. Plus I can get around and fish at the same time, I don't have to worry about rowing.
 
#4 ·
Scorpion-I can cover 10 times as much water in a kayak than I ever could in a belly boat. And the sit on top (SOT) models designed for fishing they have out now have tons of storage. I bet their were people who talked about how the auto would never replace the horse and buggy in the early 1900's. ;D
 
#5 ·
One morning I watched a couple of guys launch one of those 2-man inflatable pontoon boats, they just picked it up and set it in the water, no backing down a boat ramp. Then they put in a battery and trolling motor, jumped in and off they went. I really envied them, they had everything they needed for getting around the lake and it looked like pretty comfortable fishing.

I may have to put one of those on my Christmas want list. :)
 
#6 ·
kirbydog said:
Scorpion-I can cover 10 times as much water in a kayak than I ever could in a belly boat.  And the sit on top (SOT) models designed for fishing they have out now have tons of storage.  I bet their were people who talked about how the auto would never replace the horse and buggy in the early 1900's.  ;D
True, you can cover 10 times more water but if you are rowing I can still be fishing! :-\
 
#8 ·
I know a couple people that use truck tubes in their belly boats;  However you may want to check on current regulations, because some states require that the tubes have a certain number of chambers in them.  I'm not sure if Colorado does or does not.  Truck tubes are usually single chambered.
 
#9 ·
I have an old (1988) Trout Traps belly boat that came stock with a truck tube for the big doughnut and a little car tire tube for the backrest.It'll never blow out! My buddy used to have a float tube till he picked up a "water skeeter" type pontoon and he no longer has a belly boat.Says as soon as I try one I will want one.If you wear fins you dont need to row either.Plus if you're sitting above the water it ain't nearly as cold.
 
#11 ·
i had to go to a pontoon boat because of my size(300 plus) and i love it. you dont need to use the oars but it is nice to have them tucked away in the back in case the wind comes up and it is nice to be up out of the water, you can actually see down into the water and i think i have more mobility when fighting a fish. got my girlfriend one of those waterskeeter tubes that looks like a belly boat on 2 small pontoons, she likes sitting out of the water also and she say's that it is more manuverable that her old trout unlimited tube. the only bad thing about a pontoon boat is they are not really very portable and if you take them down they seem to take a long time to get put back together, so i just keep mine in one piece and let some air out of the tubes when transporting and storing so they dont get to puffed up when the air heats up..
 
#12 ·
I went looking for this Stillwater place on Ralston rd in Arvada. I couldn't find it nor were theyin the phone book. Can anyone who suggested them give me a liitle clarification or address/phone #. I did get the tube replaced with a truck tire but I would like to solve the case of the missing fly-shop.
 
#13 ·
In my experience I've found pros and cons with each.....belly boats are low on the water, but lightweight and easy to pack into those remote mountain lakes. Pontoons don't require rowing as you just use kickfins, get your butt out of the water and can cover a lot of water (I have a small trolling motor for larger lakes), but they are also larger, take longer to setup/take down, and don't travel very well.....that said, did rig up a wheel that attaches to the bottom of my toon out of some aluminum and a hand cart wheel, happy to send photos if anyone is interested.....now I can lower the wheel and move the toon around like a wheelbarrow. Kayaks are the ultimate for speed - you can cover far more water in a short amount of time, but they are not as well balanced unless you are using an outrigger. If you are using a nice touring kayak, gear is not a problem, in fact can hold more gear than either a toon or bellyboat.
 
#14 ·
hey if you are close to parker you can have my tube.i think it should work,its the donut style.i picked it up at a tag sale for 5 bucks.but the fabric on the boat is all ripped up.was gonna try and fix it but its a lost cause.
pm me or email me and come get it.
shawn
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top