Go welded all the way...and catchercraft does make a great pontoon!!

<= Removed the LeeLock because he thinks they suck.

Fish on...

Todd

Rag,

First of all, our Kamloops frame is made from galvanized steel and made in North Bend, WA. The Osprey Frame is made overseas out of aluminum and then power coated. It says so right on their website. If you only knew how much they paid for the Osprey frame and how much they are marked up...

Next, and I'm going to be very clear so there is no misunderstanding...Prior to February 2011 the Skookum Steelheader frame and since March 2011 for Catchercraft, the 1- and 2-Salt Steelhead frames are exactly alike because they were built by the same man, Ken Rambow out of North Bend. He provided the Steelheader frames for Skookum Products until he built them their last frame in February 2011. Since that time, Skookum must have contracted with somebody else to have their frames built.

For example, Todd's Steelheader II frame, yeah, it was built by Ken Rambow. After Ken stopped making frames for Skookum, he started making the same frame for Catchercraft...the same frame he had built for over a decade. Now I ask you again, how we ripped off Skookum?

And regarding the NRS frame that you refused to believe we are repairing, I'd be more than happy to have the guide contact you if that's what it takes. Again, not saying that NRS makes inferior products, just saying that we happen to be fixing one right now, coincidentally.

True.

When I purchased my skookum, about three years ago, it was shipped from NorthBend.

Really? That surprises me a little. Maybe it was an isolated incident because typically Mr. Day (Skookum) usually stopped by Ken's place and picked up multiple frames at a time and then had them shipped from Skookum rather than the North Bend fab shop. It was probably due to the circumstances at the time.

ya only live once ... (grin)


<--- has no clue what difference a catchathingy or a skookum might have, but someday will have one in Montana.

What size is that????

Danno84,

Good post, nice to see some true WW knowledge come to the thread. One problem with Maravia, Hyside, Sotar, Aire is they don't make smaller pontoons, of which the original post was pertaining to. Sotar is the only one even close with their 11 footers that retail for $2275 just for the pontoons, no frame (they do have deals sometimes). Most fishers don't need that quality of pontoon for fishing applications. JPW offers a great US made pontoon that is reasonable and that is why I mentioned it in my earlier post. Not even Saturn offers 9, 10, or 12 foot pontoons so everyone is pretty much stuck with Maxxon or JPW at the smaller size, which is why Skookum, Bad Cat, Water Ready, and yes, even those crazy loons at Catchercraft all use Maxxon or JPW pontoons in the smaller boats.

And just to confirm, I'm not suggesting that NRS frames are junk in anyway...but the fact is we are repairing 3 cross members right now.