Any Pelican Bass Raider Owners Out There?

[LonnieP]

9 hours ago, John St said:

One other question.  My boat is on order, and I have not received it.  I still need to buy a trolling motor...should I get a 36 inch or 42 inch shaft?

36 is long enough.

[TriStateBassin106]

Does anyone know how delivery of the bass raider from cabelas work? Do they have to arrange a day to deliver at your convenience?

1 hour ago, John St said:

One other question.  My boat is on order, and I have not received it.  I still need to buy a trolling motor...should I get a 36 inch or 42 inch shaft?

Where did you order the boat from? 

[garroyo130]

Just picked up a Sun Dolphin Sportsman 8. With the company going out of business and the Bass Raider 8 being discontinued I figured this was my last shot at an 8 footer in this type of boat. 

 

Just found this thread and looking forward to reading all ... 123 PAGES?!!?!?!?!? 

 

 

[Gator_Bait]

15 hours ago, garroyo130 said:

Just picked up a Sun Dolphin Sportsman 8. With the company going out of business and the Bass Raider 8 being discontinued I figured this was my last shot at an 8 footer in this type of boat. 

 

Just found this thread and looking forward to reading all ... 123 PAGES?!!?!?!?!? 

 

 

Sun Dolphin going out of business??? I hadn't heard that, where did you see it? Might be some good deals on the 10 footer.

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, Gator_Bait said:

Sun Dolphin going out of business???

Plants in Muskegon, MI closing - DSG canceled orders for kayaks...seems they're having problems.

 

https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2020/01/kayak-maker-hemisphere-design-works-closing-third-plant-in-muskegon.html

[garroyo130]

1 hour ago, Gator_Bait said:

Might be some good deals on the 10 footer.

All the opposite from what I've seen. 

 

My DSG order actually got cancelled

[Gator_Bait]

DSG...? Not familiar with the initials.

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, Gator_Bait said:

DSG...? Not familiar with the initials.

Dick's Sporting Goods

Also Field and Stream carries (carried?) them - F&S owns DSG

 

Just as an aside - the Field & Stream Scout canoe (14' square stern) carried by DSG and F&S is actually a relabeled Sun Dolphin Scout SS.

[Gator_Bait]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

Dick's Sporting Goods

Also Field and Stream carries (carried?) them - F&S owns DSG

OH...OK, don't have one around here. I think I've seen them in Kansas City when visiting the kids.

[Smoke]

New member but been reading and using a lot of your great ideas. Just curious on if anyone has ever added outriggers. I am a large guy and I tend to uhh wobble.  I think I have read almost every page here and haven't seen a mention of it.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Smoke

[John St]

On 5/8/2020 at 11:30 PM, TriStateBassin106 said:

Does anyone know how delivery of the bass raider from cabelas work? Do they have to arrange a day to deliver at your convenience?

Where did you order the boat from? 

I ordered it from Bass Pro.  It's delayed though.

[TriStateBassin106]

9 hours ago, John St said:

I ordered it from Bass Pro.  It's delayed though.

Update: ordered mine from Cabelas, it's on backorder but I spoke to a customer service rep who said they'll get the restock date next week. hopefully we won't have to wait long!

[John St]

Who has ever heard of a thread lasting 10 years?  This thread has the greatest info ever.  OK, I need advice.  I am considering making my own rudder, using the shaft of an old trolling motor, as someone else suggested a few years back on this thread.  If I do that, what are your opinions about the minimum size of the rudder?  

[OCdockskipper]

I originally made my own rudder out of plexiglass and is was kind of large.  Later, I bought one of these https://bullnoseproducts.com/rudder , attached it to the old trolling motor shaft and have been very happy with it.  It is designed to work with the trolling motor on the front, but I just used it as a rudder for the back.  It isn't that large, but it gives enough resistance to stop the back of the boat from swinging around.

 

I have been using mine for about 4 years.

[optimator]

I've got a Sun Dolphin Sportsman 8 in route from Sportsmans Warehouse. They had them on sale for $349 and then I had a $50 coupon, 299 shipped. Should be a great little pond hopper. 

[Gator_Bait]

I was talking to a guy about setting up a little 10ft. boat. He said in Missouri there was a minimum 12ft. length to be legal...? I have never heard of anything like that. What about you guys? Fact...or call BS!

[Gator_Bait]

Sweet lookin rig! Have you had time to use the power pole more? How well does it work? 

[John St]

For those of you that have either a Bigfoot switch, or a foot controlled trolling motor, are they feasible without a wood floor to mount to?  What if I had one of those thick rubber exercise mats as a floor.  Could it just rest on that without moving around too much?

[John St]

Also, I'm putting this up for a vote, because I'm struggling on a decision.  If I DO go with a foot control, do you prefer:

1.  Motor Guide Bulldog

2.  A Bigfoot switch

3.  Troll King from Canyon Lake

[Gator_Bait]

13 minutes ago, Bassmobile said:

Hi Gator_Bait thanks for the comment on the boat!

 

I have gotten out on the water several times since we installed the Micro Power Pole and I have to say that it is an amazing product.  Kinda laugh when I realize how much it changes my fishing in regards to ease on the water.  The boat is great, very stable no problems with maneuverability etc.. and the Anchor Mate works good with the 8 pound mushroom weight we have, but... to just be able to push a button or double tap a button for auto mode and have the spike go down and bam! your not moving... well, it is really nice.  One thing is you will weather vane with the wind, in other words you will gradually spin around like a weather vane on a house, and end up with the wind to your back in a strong wind or current but that is really not an issue.  There are five levels of force on the unit, in other words how hard the spike will drive in to the bottom of the lake.  I am only using force level one, or the weakest of the settings and it has no problems holding the boat in place.  We also have the Micro battery pack and it easily lasts for a day on the water, info says it's good for 100 up down cycles, I believe that to be true however have never tested it.  With the soft mushy lake bottoms the spike goes all the way to the top of the handle even in for example three or four feet of water, with a harder bottom, it drives in and actually lifts the back of the boat just a little bit up, then re sets itself and backs off just a little so there is no constant lifting pressure on your boat (hope that made sense), this thing has a ton of driving power, and it is intelligent.  In the auto mode going up, it will fully retrieve the spike and then lower it back down until about 1 inch is sticking out of the bottom of the unit, so you don't have to worry about the spike bouncing out of the unit when you are moving from one spot to another in choppy water. Add to all this it has operating buttons on top of the unit, comes with a wireless dashboard unit to operate the spike, and comes with a wireless remote unit and lanyard to hang around your neck if you want.  All in all, yes it is expensive, but... I really really really do like it and am happy with the quality of build and mechanical operation of it.

 

Hope this helps you out.

Does it drive in so much it pulls the back of the boat down coming out? How deep can you anchor?

[Gator_Bait]

OK, I don't have a little boat yet so I'm doing research and asking a LOT of questions! Some of the pictures and videos I've seen look like the stern of those boats are barely above water. Looks like a small wave could pot water in the boat. BUT...it could be the camera angle, or stupid loading everything against the back of the boat.

 

Does your Pro 102 have higher sides and sit up in the water more than the 10E and it's clones? Or is that an optical illusion?

 

Sorry for the ton of questions...I'm trying not to make a stupid, and expensive, mistake!

[Guitarfish]

I have a BassHunter 10', and a Pelican Predator 10'.  The BassHunter is very stable and a great pond/ flat lake boat. If it gets a bit windy the boat plows and splashes water up.  It drains out but who wants everything wet? It also is not the most aerodynamic, so top speed with just an electric trolling motor is a fast walk.  I never put an outboard on it.

 

On the Predator the bottom is more boat like.  I am adding a front deck, casting seat and trolling motor.  I will put an outboard on this boat so I can get where I want to go a bit quicker, then deploy the MinnKota.

 

Both styles of boats come up for sale occasionally.  I stole the Predator (dirt cheap) and paid $450 for the bare hull BH with seats.  A bit more comfort for my older bones on the Predator.

 

Hope that helps, but only you know where you are going to fish and the normal conditions.  One note, the BH is a cork so I always felt like I was going to be safe.  I don't know what happens when a Predator swamps.

 

Oh and how are you going to transport?  I used the BassHunter (110lbs) out of the back of a small Mazda pickup.  The Predator weighs about 170lbs without the motor so it's on a small trailer.

[LonnieP]

7 hours ago, Gator_Bait said:

OK, I don't have a little boat yet so I'm doing research and asking a LOT of questions! Some of the pictures and videos I've seen look like the stern of those boats are barely above water. Looks like a small wave could pot water in the boat. BUT...it could be the camera angle, or stupid loading everything against the back of the boat.

 

Does your Pro 102 have higher sides and sit up in the water more than the 10E and it's clones? Or is that an optical illusion?

 

Sorry for the ton of questions...I'm trying not to make a stupid, and expensive, mistake!

I fish from the front of my Pond Prowler and the rear does sit up a little higher but it’s no big deal at all, no where close to the water. I fish a fairly big lake in mine and have  road out some pretty big wakes and only a little bit of water came in the boat.

[oysterk]

Hey all, just ordered mine from Cabelas as well on backorder! Excited to get it out on the water soon. 

 

Also, anyone have recommendations for a good battery? For a 55lb thrust trolling motor

[OCdockskipper]

On 5/21/2020 at 7:17 PM, John St said:

Also, I'm putting this up for a vote, because I'm struggling on a decision.  If I DO go with a foot control, do you prefer:

1.  Motor Guide Bulldog

2.  A Bigfoot switch

3.  Troll King from Canyon Lake

I have always used the Bigfoot switches, so i can't compare, but can say the Bigfoot does its job day in & day out.

 

As for not mounting it, it may want to roll a bit on its side from the wire, so you could mount it to a small piece of wood that you then place on the mat.  The extra weight of the wood should keep it in place.

 

1 hour ago, oysterk said:

Also, anyone have recommendations for a good battery? For a 55lb thrust trolling motor

I spent a couple of hundred dollars on a higher end rechargeable battery that ended up lasting a little over 3 years.  When it died, upon recommendation, I replaced it with one from Walmart that was $89 and is already lasted 16 months.  Even if it dies in the next few months, I still come out ahead compared to the price of the high end battery.

 

For comparison purposes, I get out once a week, run a 46lb thrust and Garmin depth finder and charge it after every trip with A BPS on board charger.