Question:
I've been using an Outcast pac800 boat for the last two years here in
Colorado. It's been a terrific fishing platform, but I have a 7 year
old boy that needs to start going on my outings. (otherwise the
kitchen pass doesn't come so often)
This question has probably been asked several times here, but what is
the thought on fly fishing from a canoe? I often fish lakes on Pikes
Peak that allow only car top boats, so I don't have much of a choice.
I'll probably put some outriggers on the canoe for safety with the
youngster, and also to set up a good platform at anchor. Sound
reasonable? Or is there a better choice for a car top boat?
Also, what's a good way to list my Outcast 800 for sale? It's in great
shape, as it has seen little use due to the, hopefully ending, drought
here. I've had an ad in the paper with no calls yet...haven't tried
ebay yet, but I really don't want to have to break it down to ship if
not necessary.
Answer:
-Three years ago I bought my Hobie Float Cat on the West coast from a guy in
Virginia. He had listed in for sale on the net. I saw his listing, emailed
him,. made an offer subject to shipping arrangements and he accepted.
Here is the way shipping worked. I went to a westcoast Mailboxes Etc., gave
them my credit card info and they filled out a Brown will-call tag for the
agreed upon amount payable to a Virginia MBE. The seller took the Hobie to
the Virginia MBE and they disassembled it, checked it out and packed it and
held it until UPS showed up with the will-call tag. The Virginia MBE called
him in and then paid him the agreed on amount.
After 8-9 days via slow truck west, UPS delivered the package to my MBE
office who unpacked it while UPS waited and verified that it was not damaged
in shipping and UPS left. I was called, showed up and verified that all
parts were there and in good shape. MBE prepared a bill which I paid via
credit card. The packing fee was earned by the Virginia office and MBE paid
them internally, My office computed the UPS fee, the will-call tag fee and
added in their LD phone charges. My credit card was charged for the amount.
I left with Hobie. Everybody was happy. No EBAY nor PayPal hassles
The two MBE offices worked kind of like an escrow office.You probably won't
have the problem I did with Hobie's rigid pontoons. Ole UPS Brown poop
wouldn't transport items longer than 50 inches for a private party but they
will for a commercial customer.
-In the spring of 1985 I was in the crater of Mt. St. Helens with my boss
surveying the lava dome. The snow on the north side of the crater
floor was melting fast and there were rivulets running everywhere. We
got the word on the radio that the chopper had set down with a chip
light and was going to be delayed while they cleared it out. My boss was
a world-class volcanologist with a well-deserved reputation as a real
hard horse field guy. At 58 he could easily out distance me, the young
punk 30 years his junior. He worked about 90-100 hours a week and
churned out top notch research papers, seemingly in his sleep. Faced
with the prospect of 2 hours in the crater with nothing to do he turned
to me and said, "let's make some dams!". The next couple of hours were
some of the most enjoyable I ever spent with him. There are little kids
inside all of us.
-I don't recall exactly. Seems like packing, shipping, will call phone and
insurance was in the $30-50 range. The seller disassembled the Hobie cat and
placed it in the factory bag. MBE took one pontoon out so it was shipped in
two packages which affects the cost some.
