Where do pontoons fit in?

Compared to kayaks, they possess a few advantages -- stability, seating position, cargo capacity, and a lot disadvantages -- much more affected by wind, vastly less efficient to move through the water, not suitable for ocean launch among others.
Reason I bring this up is that I think with my back and ortho issues and at nearly 63 years old, I am just not suited for comfortable kayak use, so I am thinking about selling the Outback and buying something like the Sea Eagle 285, that I can also propel with an electric motor.
Of course it makes me feel like I am letting down the gang here. I just want to be able to get out on the water without trying to ignore pain.
Any chance of a mutant pontoon forum here?
Thanks for listening.

I'm not so sure that pontoons have any advantages over some of the newer style, highly stable fishing kayaks with high position seats.  Is it the pedaling that is bothering your back?  Have you tried a high seated paddle kayak like the Old Town Predator or one of the various models from Jackson Kayak?

A pontoon forum probably isn't going to happen here.  But I imagine that a lot of kayak fishing information will still be useful to a pontoon angler.

For me with my back issues the answer ended up being purchasing a Hobie PA.  The higher seat and more adjustable positions allows me to change the pressure on my back and hips when I pedal.  The added stability and width makes it possible for me to stand easily when fishing which also helps relieve pressure on my back, my issues may be different than yours, my back pain comes primarily from sitting for periods of time longer than 15 minutes.  I had to get a trailer, that has also made things easier, no longer trying to slide a kayak up on the roof helps also.
For me a pontoon boat would be out of the question, may work for you.  Get what works and what you need to keep fishing regardless, as bsteves said, it's all about the fishing and camaraderie, not the type of flotation you use.

Good Luck
John

Just did what you are considering, sold my last hard shell boat, for the very same reason... back issues. There may have been other brands of hard shells that could have made me more comfortable, but after buying and selling three hardshell kayaks, I've gone back to what I know and that's inflatables.

I still have a kayak, an Aquaglide Blackfoot Inflatable kayak that folds up and fits in the trunk. One of the best parts for me (and my back), it weighs in under 40 pounds; yet is still 12'8" x 39" and quite stable. The 11" tubes aren't much worse than the hard shell boats I've paddled when it comes to wind, very likely because the Blackfoot has a detachable skeg. I believe one of the reasons why an inflatable is more comfortable for me is it requires very little force and little torso twisting to get such a light boat to respond. But, that's just my opinion.

I'm sure there are other places to demo the Aquaglides. Next Adventure in Scappoose Bay had several models of them during demo days. A real plus over say the Aire brand is the floor of the Blackfoot is very rigid as it uses very high pressure, not the typical 2psi of most inflatables.

I don't do Ocean in a human powered boat, so I have no comparisons there. However, I believe I would take the Aquaglide out of Depot Bay and I do run it in Winchester Bay, but I wouldn't think of trying a pontoon in any of those circumstances... too slow, to much sail area.

I also have an Outcast Pac900 which holds a 40# Minn Kota with a Cabelas Gel Cel 90AH battery. Since I use it mostly in whitewater, the Minn Kota doesn't get run often. The advantages to a pontoon boat in my opinion is the versatility to pack a good deal of "stuff" 400# capacity for overnight summertime river runs plus an ability to run class 3 whitewater even with this old river runner at the oars. Rubber boats are very forgiving; I've messed up, hit rocks, been through whitewater backwards but never yet flipped it; however others have flipped theirs in demanding whitewater.
Weight of the pontoon boat is under 60 pounds, but the frame breaks down and the tubes are separate. There isn't one piece that weighs in a more than 10 pounds, until it is assembled at the waters edge.

The pontoon boat in the wind without the Minn Kota is a disaster. Even with the electric power what is missing is some sort of a keel to keep the boat from crabbing or going sideways as you try to go forward. It's a learned experience and needs to be done at a slow speed of 1/2 throttle or less with the Minn Kota. Worse part is when you launch it will likely be calm, when you try to get back to the launch area in the afternoon it is frequently windy (lakes). One needs to try to do a downwind run to get home. Upwind and crosswind are tough.

There is a decent Facebook page started by an Oregon Pontoon runner (search "Oregon Pontoon boats". There are some discussions on other forums about pontoon boats, but in general when you own one you are sort of by yourself until you happen upon others who own them as well.

The best ones aren't cheap, running $1400 to $1600. However there are ones that I wouldn't use in more than class 1 waters available at Costco, Dicks, Sportsman's, etc that can be bought new for as little as $300 and on up to $500 or more, but not really a river runner unless you are adventurous and can swim very well.

There is no doubt hard shell especially sit on top kayaks both paddle and especially pedal styles have taken over the personal human watercraft market. There are reasons why inflatables still sell; some of it will be for the needs of us disabled who just cannot get comfy and for others the reasons I mentioned above.

Yea I was going to say a pro angler might be more what you'd like. Demo one if you haven't. Also hobie has the evolve motors you can add as well or I've seen people add other motors to hobies as well.

For me with my back issues the answer ended up being purchasing a Hobie PA.  The higher seat and more adjustable positions allows me to change the pressure on my back and hips when I pedal.  The added stability and width makes it possible for me to stand easily when fishing which also helps relieve pressure on my back, my issues may be different than yours, my back pain comes primarily from sitting for periods of time longer than 15 minutes.  I had to get a trailer, that has also made things easier, no longer trying to slide a kayak up on the roof helps also.
For me a pontoon boat would be out of the question, may work for you.  Get what works and what you need to keep fishing regardless, as bsteves said, it's all about the fishing and camaraderie, not the type of flotation you use.

Good Luck
John

Yeh, what they said. In the end you gotta do what is right for you.

You might also look at the Wavewalk kayaks, they have a catamaran style hull with a center seating area unlike the conventional kayak.  http://wavewalk.com/  You have more mobility to change seating positions or even standing.

There has been discussions about them here in the past, might do a search.  There were a couple of dealers on this forum also.

Think also about the Hobie i11s inflatable - rogerdodger has one and has been talking about it a bit.  I was kind of surprised to see the weight is still 60+ pounds, but perhaps roger can break that down - what's the weight of the heaviest segment that you have to lift and carry.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=16893.0

I'm presuming that you'd like to reduce the weight you have to lug?  Or maybe the weight you have to lift to load and unload?

I had a pontoon boat.  In the end, I decided it wasn't for me.  It wasn't as stable as I expected, and assembling and loading it and then disassembling it to load - and later unload - was a PITA.  And of course it had the other issues you've mentioned: they are a heck of a sail, they don't track well, you aren't gong to get anywhere quickly...

P.S.  "OTHER PADDLECRAFT" http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?board=29.0

I'm not so sure that pontoons have any advantages over some of the newer style, highly stable fishing kayaks with high position seats.  Is it the pedaling that is bothering your back?  Have you tried a high seated paddle kayak like the Old Town Predator or one of the various models from Jackson Kayak?

A pontoon forum probably isn't going to happen here.  But I imagine that a lot of kayak fishing information will still be useful to a pontoon angler.

Predator also have motor options. The XL has the modular center console motor, while the MX has a trolling motor mount accessory.

Not that I'd trust either to get me home from the salt or survive a surf launch or whitewater run, but on a larger lake fighting the wind, yeah.

Thanks for all the thoughts, fellas. Gee, you'd think I would have spotted the "Other paddle craft" forum.

Thanks for all the thoughts, fellas. Gee, you'd think I would have spotted the "Other paddle craft" forum.

You gotta have no life to speak of when waiting for conditions to be "Go"...