If you're looking to make a compact fishing/hunting boat that won't turn over.

[GAJoe]

Several years ago I saw the potential of a petal boat that had been laying upside-down in a farm pond.


I gave it a good scrubbing and a camo paint job. I replaced the rudder with a trolling motor and connected the steering linkage to it. I guess that it is a pontoon boat and will not turn over with the low center of gravity even while standing in it. I have used it for wildlife photography for several years.


The old trolling motor gave up the ghost a year ago so I got a new one and put a DC PWM reversible speed controller on it with help from RamblinWrek's help. You can slow it to a crawl. I got tired of having to raise and lower the motor by hand so I added a linier actuator to do it by simply flipping a switch. I ran a few cables through the hull and relocated the direction switch, speed potentiometer. and raise/lower switch to the steering console. No straining around to control it.
To save having to haul my battery back and forth on my bike I made a flood proof solar battery charger (it floats) and have a charged battery waiting at water's edge. (I use my bike to get to the flood control lake very quietly so that I don't scare the deer, ducks, herons, osprey, beaver, otters, ect. away.) I used quick connects for the battery and charger to make it a quick transfer from charger to boat. Hope this inspires you if you have a pedal boat that's been outgrown.
I've had this work in progress at this little lake for a few years without a single incident of theft or molestation. Now after all this work and expense to get it just the way I want it someone took it for a joy ride last summer and didn't put it back under the cover that I had it in. I hauled it home not wanting it to get rained in again. I was getting ready to take it back to the lake for the return of wildlife and this week got word that someone had stolen trolling motors from other fishing club members' boats recently. They were found stashed in the woods near the entrance gate.
I'm thinking about trading it in for a fishing kayak that would be easier to carry back and forth but I haven't tried a kayak and am scared of dumping my camera gear in the lake.

 

[Railroader]

'Yaks are a very cool way to get around the water. But EVERYBODY who has spent any amount of time in one has lost some gear. Floating dry bags, tethers, etc. will help, but the risk of loss or water damage to expensive camera gear is real.

If I were a photographer, I bleeve I would stick with what you've had working well for you.

Looks like a heckuva cool contraption to me...

 

[HarryO45]

There is a compromise. Equipment vs. Personal capabilities and experience. And as always the environment you are “in”... maybe literally if you are inexperienced in fast moving water with kayak, gear and little experience.

I like that paddle boat / w troller in a pond. I see more and more people with kayak with trollers too.

 

[GeorgiaGlockMan]

I love your boat..

You did a great job of bringing it back..

fwiw - I spent many hours solo and with a friend/cousin in a pelican paddle boat as a kid on lake of the Ozarks and can absolutely attest that you can in fact swamp one of those things and/or turn one over. Learned the hard way about tying gear down and non-floating fishing rods.

 

[j_seph]

There is a compromise. Equipment vs. Personal capabilities and experience. And as always the environment you are “in”... maybe literally if you are inexperienced in fast moving water with kayak, gear and little experience.

I like that paddle boat / w troller in a pond. I see more and more people with kayak with trollers too.

Raising my hand on this one, 1st time in fast moving water. Flipped getting in, lost rod in 3ft of water and got it back. By end of day I lost it again in 10 foot of water and did not get it back.