Conference wahoo::fishing

    
    Check out # 436, 665 and 690.
    
    I have one and love it
    
    TCDW
    

    I have a crawdad, and have had no problems with it at all.  In fact,
    my neighbor and I are both over 200 pounds, and the two of us and
    my wife have all been in the boat at one time fishing comfortably.
    I have not found it to be tippy at all.  My wife and I love ours
    for fishing, and I am sure you will too.
    
    Good Luck,
    
    Dick Dickerman

    If you look at the previously mentioned notes on Crawdads - I bought
    the one Gil Davis had for sale.
    
    I love it. I power it with the 3hp Minn Kota electric - also discussed
    elsewhere in this notes file, which give plenty of speed and very
    quiet.
    
    The boat is small enough that it can be put into many ponds that
    cannot be reached by a larger boat. The electric motor helps there
    also. It can be portered by 2 people.
    
    I modified (replaced the shaft with an 8' 2.5 inch square tube to
    make a boat trailer) a $119 Rich's trailer to carry it on and it 
    works super.
    
    I have tried to stand up in it - got up but got back down real quick.
    However the seats as supplied give plenty of room for casting etc.
    I would (am planning to) add a seat with a back.
    
    David.

    I'm convinced!  I will anxiously await Rich's to put the Crawdad back
    on sale, and grab one.  I want to thank all of you for taking the time
    to write--Good Luck to all!!
    
    Dave A.
    
    

       BJ's in Salem N.H. has crawdads. Don't know how much they are
    this year. They were around $300 a year or so ago.
                                                         Denny

    
    Hey Dr. Haigh,
    
    Talk to the TEXICAN, He found some great swivel seats for his CRAWDAD.
    I will probably try and get a couple this year for mine.
    
    btw...A large cooler placed behind the front seat makes a terrific
    table etc.
    
    TCDW
     

      Why not just buy the CRAWDAD XT, It comes equiped with swivel
    buckets and a wood and carpeted floor. I also like the color of
    the XT, gray on gray, at least the 1986 & 87s . I just recently
    saw a 1989 model XT that was light blue exterior and the swivel
    seats and carpet were dark blue. One other thing about the XT is
    the "full" wood floor makes the boat more stable to get up and walk
    around, a little bit heavier and a few more bucks but "well" worth
    it...
     PS: If you wanted to buy the "factory" swivel seats seperate, your
    talking about $35.00 each, and the floor you would have to make
    yourself.
    
                    An XT owners opinion.      TOM CLEM. 

    Dave,
    
        I purchased a Coleman Crawdad last year from Richs and from
    july - sept last year my wife and I were out every day just about.
    
        It was a toss up between a canoe and a crawdad and since Carol
    cant swim very good we went with the crawdad and we have never came
    close to tipping it over, I have stood up in it and have found it
    to be very stable in the water.
      I made a roof rack for my Ford Tempo which I used for a while
    but figured before I had to get a new paint job on the new car I
    had better get a trailer, we got a 12' boat trailer and did some
    minor modifications and I would not do with out it now.
       Last year I got a minn kota 10 8lb. thrust on ponds it is all
    we needed to push us around not fast but why do you have to go
    fast on a small pond? We bought a Gamefisher 3hp. motor from sears
    this spring (they had the wrong price on it and they had to sell
    it for that price since I saw it) anyhow with the gas motor I have
    to put some cement blocks in the front to keep the bow from coming
    over it really flys when I open it up.
        We have been on winni and winnisquam this spring and havent
    had any problems with it being tippy. I will tell you that the
    flat bench seat that comes with the boat is really uncomfortable
    we bought swivel seats from k mart last year $16.00 ea. and I 
    attached them right to the flat seat with 1/4-20 bolts and boy
    my back feals alot better after 3-4 hrs of fishing.
    
          Good luck with your boat hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
    
               HAVE FUN PUTTING THAT SUCKER TOGETHER...........
    
                                                   LEE
    

    
    
    Hey who knows of THE killer deal on a trailer suitable for a crawdad?
    Did some one mention one for $119.00?  
    
    Any ideas?  Maybe a drive-on?  I'm thinking of building a forward
    cabin with a small galley and bunks for two to four people.
    
    CRAWDADS BE COOL
    
    TCDW
    

    Hey TCDW,
    
    Your Crawdad's not complete without a tuna tower.
    
    -SSS-

    If any one is interested and it is not too late, arround the greater
    Maynard area the following are on sale this week:

                                               
    	Crawdad ram-X		Rich's Stores 	$299.00
    	Minn Kota 3hp motor	Hermans		$259.00
    	Trailer			Rich's Stores	$129.99
    
    David
    

    Question:  I'm looking for something that I can take to ponds and float
    a few rivers with as well.  Would a crawdad be better than a canoe for
    this kind of versatility, or should I stick with a canoe?
    
    Any recommendations on the latter, as I would like to take the wife and
    kids out now and then...
    
    

    
    Had my Crawdad since 1983 and love it.  
    
    I would not call it tippy at all.
    
    I run it with 4.5hp Johnson.
    
    Only problem I had was that the original seats split after a year.
    Replaced them with larger home made wodden ones and like them much
    better.  
    
    The only thing I don't care for is the fact that it's sometimes
    a bit of a nusance to steer in a strong breeze.  I believe it's
    because it flat bottomed.
    
    I can't believe it's lasted this long after the way I beat it.
    
    go for it.
    
    Frank
    

    I didn't notice any mention of length and capacity (lb) of crawdads.
    I have a 17' Coleman canoe that I am currently keeping in my basement,
    but I won't have room for it soon, when the walls for the family
    room start going up. If a crawdad is short enough, I might consider
    trading the canoe for a crawdad, if it will fit in the modified
    basement. Otherwise I'll have to keep the canoe at the in-law's
    condo full-time, which would limit my options considerably (and
    I doubt they'd be terribly thrilled with the idea themselves).
        
    The canoe is somewhat tippy/scary in Paugus Bay when the water gets
    a little rough from boat traffic or wind - would a crawdad be that 
    much better? They look like water could easily come over the sides,
    but I did see one or two on Paugus Bay this weekend, but they sure
    looked vulnerable out there!
    
    Thanks,
    
    Ed
    

       Crawdads are 10 footers I think.
                                                   Denny

      Crawdads are 11' long 3'5" wide and weigh in at about 130.lbs
    with a wooden floor and swivel seats....
                                                    TOM CLEM...
    

    Sounds a bit heavy compared to a canoe, but considering the 
    floor and seats, not too bad - might still go on the roof of 
    a car...
    
    Ed
    

    
    re: the roof of the car........
    
    If I'm by myself, I use my wifes car.  It is a hatch back and allows
    me to hoist up the bow and slide the CRAWDAD forword. btw, I use
    the styrafoam blocks that came with the CRAWDAD as "roof racks".
    with a little carving to match the contour of the roof, it works
    great.  I tie it down with 2 inch nylon straps I bought at Spags
    for about 3 bucks each.  It is a bit unruley but can be handled.
    Still trying to find the time to pick up that trailer at Riches.
    
    TCDW
    
    

    Can you paddle a crawdad like a canoe?
    

  	I take my kids (4 & 6) out in the canoe as often as possible.
    
    	If I could swing the $700. (quick guess) for the crawdad on
	sale, good electric motor w/battery etc.  I'd go crawdad.  I'd
    	feel safer fish from a crawdad with my kids than I do in the
    	canoe.
    
    	Bryan

    Re .19 & paddling.
    
    Last spring I tried paddling on a lake in NH that did not allow
    any motors. I have plastic paddles.
    
    It does work. It is hard work. The beam of the boat makes it quite
    difficult to switch from side to side.
    
    In the end my partner (He also has a Crawdad) switched to one boat
    each person taking one side and it handled quite well. - we still
    got skunked.
    
    David.
    

I'm contemplating getting a CRAWDAD after all the previous discussion and 
praise.  Where in the Brockton (or Nashua) area can I look at one?  I'm
especially interested in one with a small (<=4hp) gas engine and whether or not
it will fit in a Nissan Maxima wagon or on the roof of a Honda Accord.

Tight lines,
Tim

    Tim:
    
    Rich's in Nashua (exit 7W off the highway) sells and displays crawdad's
    and also has swivel seats etc for them.
    
                                                    Tom

I don't have the magazine anymore (my wife throws magazines out as soon as they
leave the newmail pile...) but there was a picture (ad) of a Coleman boat that
wasn't the Crawdad (I just saw the Crawdad yesterday at BJ's - $369, I think). 
This thing looked smaller (I'd guess 6' to 8' long), had two short bass chairs,
and said "PRO" on the side.  It appeals to me because I think I could just
slide in the back of the Suburban.

Has anyone seen these?  If so, I'll change this to a base note for discussion.

Thanks,
Pete

    
                     Coleman Ram-X boat
    
            I'm sure you are talking about the Coleman RAM-X Pro.
      I was just about to buy one, but decided I'll wait until the end
      of the season.  Last year BJ's sold there remaining stock on these
      for $199.00  I'm going to take a chance that they will have some
      left the end of this year for about that same price.
    
            Coleman did have a promotion on this boat that just expired.
       If you bought the RAM-X Pro, they would give you a free Berkley
       Graphite Lightning Rod & reel.

    Apparently, Rich's supply of crawdads is some sort of special purchase
    of (possibly) last year's model. While investigating, I was told
    by a clerk at Rich's in Mancheser that they will be repeating the
    $299 sale again for Father's day (they'd better, I just passed up
    a chance to bag one at a store in Mass just to keep the Duke from
    getting $15 sales tax!)
    
    A manager at MVP Sports told me that they sell their crawdads at very 
    low profit, to generate sales of accessories (peripherals) like car-top
    carriers, paddles, PFDs etc.
    
    re -1, If you can get a Ram-X Pro for $199, more power to you!

    Ed

    
    Re the guy who wnats to see on in Nashua.
    
    Come over to my house in South Nashua - Close to Exit 4 - any evening
    or weekend. If you plan it right we could even go for a fishing
    trip on the Nashua or Merrimack River.
                                                               
    Unless you already have the 4hp gas motor -  I strongly suggest
    the 3hp Min Kota electric. If you really need the 4hp there is always
    the 24volt 4hp Minn Kota.
    
    David 
    Dtn 264-7658 (MKO2) or 296-4258 (UPO1) try MKO first.
    Home 603-888-1042
     
    

       I've decided to sell mine because I have many projects going
    on around the house and just don't have the time to use the boat.
     I think it went out once last season and hasn't gone out yet this
    season. you can read about it in note 241.271
    
                                                TOM....

    No, but watch the Rich's flyers. They had the best deals on Crawdads
    last year. The only reason I didn't get one of those is that I had a
    chance to buy a used model of the fancier version - and already
    assembled!
    
    Also - watch for the early sales of Crawdads. A manager at MVP Sports
    in Danvers told me that Coleman is not going to manufacture the plain
    green Crawdad anymore but is going to the Crawdad XL (dosn't that name
    sound like pure baloney? What is it, a race car?) exclusively, which
    means more $$$ to get into a Crawdad. Fine if you got the money, not
    fine if you don't want to pay for the frills.
    
    They're awful nice little boats though - I don't regret swapping my
    canoe for one. I can fish in it all day compared to the canoe, and I
    can stand up, and carry more stuff, and mount a motor easier, and...
    
    (but it is a bit on the heavy side when you have to load it on the roof
    of your car all by yourself. 150lb...ooof!)
    
    Ed

    Brian,
    
    I hope you know that BJ's requires you to be a "member" in order to buy
    anything there. In fact, you can't even get in the store without a
    membership card. AND, I think they recently changed the membership
    qualifications, which may or may not complicate the matter further.
    Make sure you will be able to buy from them before you make the trip.
    
    Also, it might be worth a try calling a couple of Rich's to see if they
    have any left overs from last year - they might!
    
    Ed

    I was in MVP sports in Nashua the other day. I did not see any std.
    Crawdads. They had the XT (no rebate yet) for, I think $489. They had
    a Ram Pro X (I think that is the model, the one you see Clunn fishing
    in) which looked liked a floor model for about $130 off the list. I 
    can not remember the exact price. It was something like list = $459
    on sale for $329. Don't know if your looking for that type rig, but the 
    price seemed good.
    
    Good luck in your quest.
    
    Ed

    Brian,
    
        Try the richs in concord NH its on fort eddy road North on 93
    take the exit (for the plates) and go straight through the lights.
    
    
                                                  Lee
    
    

>    I was in MVP sports in Nashua the other day. I did not see any std.
>    Crawdads. They had the XT (no rebate yet) for, I think $489. They had
>    a Ram Pro X (I think that is the model, the one you see Clunn fishing
>    in) which looked liked a floor model for about $130 off the list. I 
>    can not remember the exact price. It was something like list = $459
>    on sale for $329. Don't know if your looking for that type rig, but the 
>    price seemed good.
    
    Hey, if that's true, I say GRAB IT! You will not beat that price, and
    don't everlook the fact that it is ALREADY ASSEMBLED! I bought mine
    second hand, and was told that they are a real bear to put together.
    I believe it, because I bought a Coleman canoe a couple of years ago,
    and after unpacking it, thought I could put it together in an hour or
    so. HA! FAT CHANCE!! HOURS later I was still grunting away - and
    I had plenty of room and the right tools, and am pretty good at putting 
    things together.
    
    If Rich's is not selling last year's base model (Coleman may not even
    be making them anymore!) my opinion is that you WILL NOT find a better
    deal than this and that if you pass it up you WILL regret it!
    
    My humble opinion...
    
    Ed
    

anyone know where Crawdads are available in the Maynard/ Marlboro 
area ?  Riches does not have them, Barnicle Bills does not have one
or similar.

Thanks, Al

    
    
    	Reply .38
    
    
    
    		I know where I can get them for free in the Fitchburg
    	area. However, I probably shouldn't say that TOO loud....
    
    
    	b

    
>    		I know where I can get them for free in the Fitchburg
>    	area. However, I probably shouldn't say that TOO loud....
    
 I would be interested in the kind you eat as well !!!!!
No sense wasting them on fish

    MVP Sports or Colemans carries them, but I don't know how close any of 
    them are to your location...
    
    Ed