Any Pelican Bass Raider Owners Out There?

[Bozz]

<Ram x is not supposed to even fade>

 

Yeah, it will fade but they are tough. No cracks or leaks on mine after I lost focus on priorities & neglected her while chasing the almighty dollar. Thankfully, I snapped back to normalcy & re-introduced her to the water with some additions from this very thread. I forgot it leaning on the side of a shed for a couple years as it endured several Kentucky summers & winters. Shame on me.

 

[liveoutloud]

Well, after months of contemplating the options for an outboard, many hours spent reading reviews and watching youtube reviews, I finally made my decision.

I went back and forth between a used merc or evinrude, a new tohatsu (japanese), or a super cheap new hangkai (chinese). each option had good and bad points, and the decision was very difficult.

Today, I broke down and decided to take a chance on the hangkai. I ordered it on ebay for $324 with free shipping.

I know that many of you think that is a poor choice, but it was the best option FOR ME.

When it arrives, I will put it to the test, and offer my review if anyone is interested.

Mike

[basshead1]

Well, after months of contemplating the options for an outboard, many hours spent reading reviews and watching youtube reviews, I finally made my decision.

I went back and forth between a used merc or evinrude, a new tohatsu (japanese), or a super cheap new hangkai (chinese). each option had good and bad points, and the decision was very difficult.

Today, I broke down and decided to take a chance on the hangkai. I ordered it on ebay for $324 with free shipping.

I know that many of you think that is a poor choice, but it was the best option FOR ME.

When it arrives, I will put it to the test, and offer my review if anyone is interested.

Mike

I have the Hangkai 3.5 and have no regrets. 

You got a better deal than me, I paid $360 and I had to wait for it to come from China(4 weeks).

I run mine in salt and freshwater and it still looks like new.

When I am running down the river I can get it to like 12-13 mph. heh

But normal flat water is like 7-8mph in the 10E.

It stays cool even down here in Florida during August.

A full tank gets me about 2 hours of run time at full throttle most of the time, which is great for a liter of gas.

It starts on the first pull once warmed up but takes 2-3 pulls to wake it up and get the gas flowing.

Sometimes the throttle grip will stick also. That could be bad if I get thrown out. lol

 

Enjoy your new motor and do some exploring. I get way way back into the creeks.

[liveoutloud]

Minnow,

 

How do you "winterize" this motor? I don't see any drain plug for the lower unit in the pictures on ebay. And I know, from past experience, that you are supposed to drain the lower end for freezing weather. We don't have alot of freezing days here in Texas, but we do have a few. Your experience and insight would be helpful.

 

Of course, once the motor gets here, and I can put my hands on it, it might be simple to figure out. But the owners manual that I downloaded is a joke... Terrible "broken english", and hard to understand.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[basshead1]

Minnow,

 

How do you "winterize" this motor? I don't see any drain plug for the lower unit in the pictures on ebay. And I know, from past experience, that you are supposed to drain the lower end for freezing weather. We don't have alot of freezing days here in Texas, but we do have a few. Your experience and insight would be helpful.

 

Of course, once the motor gets here, and I can put my hands on it, it might be simple to figure out. But the owners manual that I downloaded is a joke... Terrible "broken english", and hard to understand.

 

Thanks,

Mike

First off Minnow is my rank according to the amount of posts I made, not my nickname which is basshead1. If you see under your name it says FRY.

I made that same mistake when I started out here too. lol

 

I have not needed to do any maintenance on my motor yet, just got it this summer. I stored my motor for 3 months during kayak tournament season but I just made sure I burned off all the fuel. Some fresh gas and it started right up after sitting.

 

If you google hangkai owners manual there is a guy that started writing one in english but he never totally finished it. I think links to other sites are frowned upon here so i will copy and paste it. It is easy enough to google for yourself though. I highlighted the part you want to know.

 

Thanks to gwebster from some other unnamed board. lol:

 

 

Hangkai outboard- help to create an owners manual

 Here is my draft of a practical manual for the 2 stroke 2 hp hangkai. Please amend and republish from your own experiences.

Hangkai 2 stroke outboard manual

This manual is supplied with no warranty as to accuracy and is simply my best guess as to what to do based on past experience of other outboards and making what I can of the awful manual which came with the Hangkai. If you damage your motor using this manual, I accept no repsponsibilty.

there are some questions below, please amend the manual in that or any other respect and reissue so it can be as complete as possible. Does anyone have a source of parts?

1. Summary

Advantages

Light at 9 kilos empty

Prop doesn't turn when at low revs- it engages as you rev up

Very cheap

Disadvantages

Low power

Poor quality steel used. You may need to paint your starter cover on the top, remove and grease all bolts when new etc to avoid corrosion.

High use of oil- 25:1 is costly and make embarrassing smoke.

2. Getting started

Fill from little fuel can which they supply. If you tip all the fuel to the larger side, you can use the small side to add the measured amount of oil per the gauge, then tip to mix the two.

There is no fuel tap. Pump fuel through using plastic bubble on the starboard side. When it is hard, pump 12 times more to push it through.

Move the choke lever to 'OFF'. In this position the choke is closed for starting.

Pull to start. It always takes me about 10 pulls or more, any suggestions?

Run the engine with choke lever 'ON' when started.

Let it cool by running in idle before stopping it with the red button on the top. 

If stored outside always cover, and avoid using in salt spray or rain.

3. Service

Once at least remove all bolts accessible, grease and replace. Or they may seize. Paint the steel cover on the starter, it will corrode otherwise.

Annually before winter

Grease clamps , wind in and out.

Remove prop and grease shaft.

Remove anode, clean or replace, grease bolt. ( But where do we buy another anode?)

Remove two bolts near prop to access gear box oil and top up or replace with Hypoid 90 ( this is a guess). Ensure no air bubbles by pumping in the lower end until it comes out the top end, with motor lying at a slight incline.

Run it in a bucket of fresh water until all fuel is used up. You may need to have removed some fuel before you start, to keep the time down.

Remove dome on starboard side. Fine sponge filter, take out, wash and dry.

The Chinese manual refers to a 'colander' but i can't find that.

Remove two alan key bolts on starboard side and 3 bolts and nuts. Pull away starboard side cover. The fuel tank is attached, which is why it is better to run it out before this stage.

A drop of oil on throttle cable.

Remove spark plug. I had to use a 19 mill flat spanner, and to get that in I had to loosen the one alan key bolt which holds the plastic inner cover.

Put engine oil in the cylinder, hold a rag over it while pulling starter cord to spread oil.

Check gap in spark plug, should be .7. This seems very big, so I am using 25 thousandths which is about .5.Clean it and re-insert.

Check gap in the 'magno electricity machine' if you can find it (.05) or 25 thousandths but please tell me where it is!

A drop of oil on the moving parts such as pivot etc.

Grease nipple 3 strokes. and revolve engine to spread grease.

Keep it inside in the winter.

Do not keep any mixed fuel. In fact I mix as I top up.

In Spring

Take out spark plug, pull starter with cloth in the hole or paper to catch oil, clean and refit, or replace it.

Add fresh fuel.

[liveoutloud]

LOL. Sorry about that, basshead1.

 

Thanks for the info.

[Montanaro]

Anyone ever use a push pole? My dad is considering a raider and is thinking of using a push pole to silently make our way through water shield fields instead of paddling.

[basshead1]

I have a 7 foot stick pin that I pole with.

[liveoutloud]

I've used an old shovel handle to push pole in shallow creeks.

[ARH4AU]

Just something to keep in mind especially with you being in florida like me.  The plastic on these things can actually melt in the florida heat especially if you plan on storing it outdoors.  Even if it doesn't melt the constant heating and cooling of the things will expand and shrink the plastic and make it weak.  That's my only negative here.  If youre careful about where you store it (a garage does fine in the summer) you shouldn't have problems.  I went to bass pro and was ready to purchase a pond prowler and I was talked into a 10ft jon boat that ive been happy with and can load in my truck.  ended up being a little cheaper.  Im not trying to bash this boat like I said I was ready to purchase the pond prowler but just something to think of.

Yeah, the melting point on these boats is 300* F+. It never got that hot when I lived @ Homestead.

[liveoutloud]

Well, my HANGKAI outboard motor arrived Thursday evening, and here is the initial review I promised. I will be updating with more detailed reviews as I put this little motor to more and more strenuous tests. Please understand that this cannot even come close to comparing with a Johnson, evinrude, or merc, but it was only $324 with free shipping, and it is brand new.

 

OUT OF THE BOX:

When I picked up the box, I was very surprised by how light it was (aprox 25 lbs including packaging). Upon opening the box, I found a 1 liter fuel can with the little side compartment for mixing the fuel and oil. I also found a funnel, an extra spindle, an extra pull rope assembly, a useless little tool kit (that you wouldn’t pay a dollar for at the dollar store), a cotter pin,  2 spare shear keys, and the fully assembled motor. The motor is obviously made from cheap materials, but seems okay for the price. I noticed that the owners manual that came with it is written in terrible broken English, and very hard to understand… but how hard can it be? This ain’t my first rodeo with an outboard motor.

I also noticed that the recommended fuel/oil mix is 25:1… ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?... That seems very rich, but okay.

 

TRASH CAN TEST:

The day the motor arrived, it was way to windy to get on the lake. But I wanted to play with my new toy, so… I filled a Rubbermaid trash can with tap water, assembled a quick “support system” with old 2x4s, and put the motor thru a “trash can test”. It took me about 10 pulls to get it to start the first time. I think it would have been less if I had noticed that the choke on/off switch was labeled backwards earlier. That is correct, the choke on/off switch is labeled BACKWARDS… lol.

Once the motor started, it seemed to take it 3-4 minutes to warm up. After warming up, it idled nice, and throttled up nicely, other than being excessively loud. I held full throttle for about 30 seconds at a time, several times, and let it idle for about 30 minutes. I heard a hiccup or two, but for the most part… no problems. When I turned the motor off, I did notice a significant amount of oil floating on the surface of the water. I figure this is probably due to the 25:1 fuel/oil mix, and partially due to the small water source (35 gallon trash can) that it had been running in for 30-40 minutes.

 

ON THE LAKE:

I took the motor to the lake today for the real test. I filled up the tiny (1 liter) fuel tank, and put it on my Pelican Bass Raider 10E. I should note here that my pelican is a little heavier than she should be because some water soaked into the foam inside the pontoons last year… And I am a BIG man (aprox 280 lbs). I pushed the boat into the water, and the little Hangkai started on the 5^th pull. I let it idle and warm up for about 4-5 minutes, then took off.

This little motor pushes my boat almost twice as fast as my 40# Minn Kota trolling motor on speed 5. I had actually hoped for a little more speed, but this is fine. I can definitely feel a HUGE difference in TORQUE. This baby has a crap-load more torque than the trolling motor. I ran it for about an hour, on full throttle the entire time (except during turns), and it ran out of fuel. One hour of full throttle on one liter of gas… that seems pretty good to me. Again, I heard several hiccups during this hour, but the motor never stalled. I also never noticed an “oil trail” behind me.

I filled the tank back up with another liter of the 25:1 mix, and it started on first pull. I ran the motor for a while, and killed it several times… Always started on first pull when warm.

 

OVER ALL:

This is definitely NO top of the line motor, but it seems great for the price, if it holds up for a few years. I read a review somewhere that said the guy switched to about 30:1 or 35:1 fuel mix, and he got more time out of a tank of gas, and eliminated the “hiccups”. I might try that, not sure. But overall, I am satisfied , so far, with my purchase. Stay tuned for future reviews as I break this little devil in.

 

Mike

[Mainebass1984]

 I got a used pelican 10E at the end of last year. I noticed it had a few deep scrapes and scratches. They do not leak water but a couple are pretty d**n deep. Any suggestions on how to repair the scrapes ?

[basshead1]

 I got a used pelican 10E at the end of last year. I noticed it had a few deep scrapes and scratches. They do not leak water but a couple are pretty d**n deep. Any suggestions on how to repair the scrapes ?

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=plastic+weld

 

I have heard of people also melting down old milk jugs to fill in the cracks.

 

 

Well, my HANGKAI outboard motor arrived Thursday evening, and here is the initial review I promised. I will be updating with more detailed reviews as I put this little motor to more and more strenuous tests. Please understand that this cannot even come close to comparing with a Johnson, evinrude, or merc, but it was only $324 with free shipping, and it is brand new.

 

OUT OF THE BOX:

When I picked up the box, I was very surprised by how light it was (aprox 25 lbs including packaging). Upon opening the box, I found a 1 liter fuel can with the little side compartment for mixing the fuel and oil. I also found a funnel, an extra spindle, an extra pull rope assembly, a useless little tool kit (that you wouldn’t pay a dollar for at the dollar store), a cotter pin,  2 spare shear keys, and the fully assembled motor. The motor is obviously made from cheap materials, but seems okay for the price. I noticed that the owners manual that came with it is written in terrible broken English, and very hard to understand… but how hard can it be? This ain’t my first rodeo with an outboard motor.

I also noticed that the recommended fuel/oil mix is 25:1… ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?... That seems very rich, but okay.

 

TRASH CAN TEST:

The day the motor arrived, it was way to windy to get on the lake. But I wanted to play with my new toy, so… I filled a Rubbermaid trash can with tap water, assembled a quick “support system” with old 2x4s, and put the motor thru a “trash can test”. It took me about 10 pulls to get it to start the first time. I think it would have been less if I had noticed that the choke on/off switch was labeled backwards earlier. That is correct, the choke on/off switch is labeled BACKWARDS… lol.

Once the motor started, it seemed to take it 3-4 minutes to warm up. After warming up, it idled nice, and throttled up nicely, other than being excessively loud. I held full throttle for about 30 seconds at a time, several times, and let it idle for about 30 minutes. I heard a hiccup or two, but for the most part… no problems. When I turned the motor off, I did notice a significant amount of oil floating on the surface of the water. I figure this is probably due to the 25:1 fuel/oil mix, and partially due to the small water source (35 gallon trash can) that it had been running in for 30-40 minutes.

 

ON THE LAKE:

I took the motor to the lake today for the real test. I filled up the tiny (1 liter) fuel tank, and put it on my Pelican Bass Raider 10E. I should note here that my pelican is a little heavier than she should be because some water soaked into the foam inside the pontoons last year… And I am a BIG man (aprox 280 lbs). I pushed the boat into the water, and the little Hangkai started on the 5^th pull. I let it idle and warm up for about 4-5 minutes, then took off.

This little motor pushes my boat almost twice as fast as my 40# Minn Kota trolling motor on speed 5. I had actually hoped for a little more speed, but this is fine. I can definitely feel a HUGE difference in TORQUE. This baby has a crap-load more torque than the trolling motor. I ran it for about an hour, on full throttle the entire time (except during turns), and it ran out of fuel. One hour of full throttle on one liter of gas… that seems pretty good to me. Again, I heard several hiccups during this hour, but the motor never stalled. I also never noticed an “oil trail” behind me.

I filled the tank back up with another liter of the 25:1 mix, and it started on first pull. I ran the motor for a while, and killed it several times… Always started on first pull when warm.

 

OVER ALL:

This is definitely NO top of the line motor, but it seems great for the price, if it holds up for a few years. I read a review somewhere that said the guy switched to about 30:1 or 35:1 fuel mix, and he got more time out of a tank of gas, and eliminated the “hiccups”. I might try that, not sure. But overall, I am satisfied , so far, with my purchase. Stay tuned for future reviews as I break this little devil in.

 

Mike

Yeah the top end is low but it gets there fast. A brand new motor for less money than a used motor, too cheap to pass up.

This is my first outboard so it is great for me.

I am already eyeing a bigger boat, this was just my warm-up boat but I will keep it for easy access to the water on a dime and for electric only lakes.

 

 

 

 

[Mainebass1984]

sweet

thanks basshead1

[BadBassWV]

 I got a used pelican 10E at the end of last year. I noticed it had a few deep scrapes and scratches. They do not leak water but a couple are pretty d**n deep. Any suggestions on how to repair the scrapes ?

I rammed the one I have now into a rock bank and put a small hole in it. Went to Lowes and bought a piece of black pipe drilled holes in the pipe to make shavings. I took the shavings laid them over the hole, took a torch and heated a large screw driver and touched the shavings to melt them. Hole is fixed and ive never had another problem with it.

[tfultz]

Trolling motor mount for my stake out/ push pole

[CBarnes]

Is it safe to put a drain hole in the Pelican 10e? I was going to use a tru hull fitting and cut off the excess underneath has any one done this?  I don't understand why pelican stopped putting in a drain.

I have learned a lot and got some great ideas here thanks.

[py8pointer]

Is it safe to put a drain hole in the Pelican 10e? I was going to use a tru hull fitting and cut off the excess underneath has any one done this?  I don't understand why pelican stopped putting in a drain.

I have learned a lot and got some great ideas here thanks.

 

It sure is. just make sure to use silicone on both sides. haven't had a problem with mine, and did it the same way.

[basshead1]

Is it safe to put a drain hole in the Pelican 10e? I was going to use a tru hull fitting and cut off the excess underneath has any one done this?  I don't understand why pelican stopped putting in a drain.

I have learned a lot and got some great ideas here thanks.

 

 

It sure is. just make sure to use silicone on both sides. haven't had a problem with mine, and did it the same way.

Are you guys talking about the drains for inside the hull or did yahs build one to drain through from the top like a scupper hole on kayaks?

If so I am on board and know my next project. heh Got pics?

[CBarnes]

Are you guys talking about the drains for inside the hull or did yahs build one to drain through from the top like a scupper hole on kayaks?

If so I am on board and know my next project. heh Got pics?

To drain the main hull of any water that splashes in or from rain.  I am setting up my boat and will post a picture next week.

[sctrailhiker]

Well spring is knocking on my door all I can say is I love my boat. About 90% done with my upgrades either way I'm setting a hook or two next weekend.

[sctrailhiker]

Here are some pics. I fabricated a mount and also made a set of risers for my seats. I'm going to carpet my floors and I'm thinking about installing a live well.

[Bomber7]

I'm thinking of doing that to my seats too

[sctrailhiker]

I love it. I'm a tall guy and I don't like feeling cooped up. That's why I sold my Jon boat. I made mine out of 4" black iron pipe and 1/4" steel plates. I made mine so it would add weight so my seats won't fly out on transport. They sell them at Walmart for 15$ each.

[IndyWingmaster]

Hi guys!  I just joined the forum today, but I have been reading this thread for a couple months now.  I can proudly say that I picked up a Pelican Bass Raider 10E.  It was on sale on Craigslist and a friend of mine went and picked it up for me.  Anyways I bought it without having seen it.  My friend looked it over before paying and made sure all was good and I couldn't be happier.  I wasn't sure if it was 8 or 10 foot because of the photo, but I picked it up yesterday and saw that it was a 10E which is exactly what I was looking for.  Long story short - I am ready to start working on this boat and get it ready for this season and with all the great ideas on this thread I don't think I could go wrong.  I will post some pictures when I get a chance and likely ask you guys some questions along the way.  I appreciate all your help.  Thanks.