14' Saturn Cataraft advice?

[Hartley's boat]

Yeah..... I probably should but it is a nightmare! I bought the Cat off of a guy that lives at the other end of the state and he has no receipt or bill of sale and he has to fill out forms saying who HE bought it from and have them notarized and send them back to me and on and on and on! They make it a real PITA here in WV. and then hold on tight because they are going to hit you with charges for at least 3 or 4 different things! It's all a money racket for sure. I will probably be able to use the Cat with the trolling motor as long as I live without ever seeing a soul from the DNR.

 

[lncoop]

Yeah..... I probably should but it is a nightmare! I bought the Cat off of a guy that lives at the other end of the state and he has no receipt or bill of sale and he has to fill out forms saying who HE bought it from and have them notarized and send them back to me and on and on and on! They make it a real PITA here in WV. and then hold on tight because they are going to hit you with charges for at least 3 or 4 different things! It's all a money racket for sure. I will probably be able to use the Cat with the trolling motor as long as I live without ever seeing a soul from the DNR.

Holy Schnikeys!:facepalm: Makes me appreciate the relative simplicity of the process in Arkansas. When you get bored with the flat water you should give white water a shot.

 

[Hartley's boat]

Yeah! ..... once you get the seller to give you a signed and notarized affidavit that they bought it from so and so you have to have law enforcement give the raft a once over and sign a form saying there is no serial numbers or anything and those two along with two more forms are the paperwork you have to take to the DMV. As far as the knowledge I have on the thing as long as it is a inflatable you need no #'s and that is going to be my story if I get caught. I am pretty smooth and I think I can play dumb out of a fine the first time and then I will go through the dance to get it legal!

 

[64osby]

Here in MI the first offense is $110.00.

 

[mrdrh99]

 

[mrdrh99]

 

[mrdrh99]

Got the sea eagle and 50# minn kota today! It's so nice....
Going to mount my Lowrance elite 3x and some navigation lights. I'm toying with the idea of making a solid floor for the front 3/4 of the boat for when I'm alone. Will extend the tm wires and put battery up front. I also have a Bimini top to mount and that's about all.

 

[Hartley's boat]

Heck yeah! Way cool man! I love these things How long it that one?

 

[mrdrh99]

It's 12.5 ft long... About 8ft of deck space and 4.5 wide

I left it out overnight and its still rock solid this morning, no leaks! I think it got down into the low 40s last night

 

[Hartley's boat]

That's a good size for sure! I have to admit I was skeptical when I bought mine because I really didn't know what to expect. After just one short trip to the lake I m hooked! I am chomping at the bit to get back out there again but I have been sick as a dog for a week and I need to let it get out of my system really good before I hit that water again. Plus, I am still a little short on $ for the right trolling motor so it will all work out just fine. Just gotta be a little more patient!

 

[mrdrh99]

Yeah I got lucky and picked up a minn kota 50# for $130 in very good shape!

 

[Hartley's boat]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15686835

that is the one I am getting for mine! Can't wait!

 

[mrdrh99]

Nice, I wanted a new one but couldn't pass up that deal. Unfortunately I'm about to move from NC to Nebraska so it'll be a few weeks before I get to test the rig out

 

[Hartley's boat]

I would have jumped on that deal too! Good luck with the move and let me know how she does when you get to test her out. I am going to try and have mine on and get it in the water this upcoming weekend if the sickness lets go and the weather holds out! LOL! Fingers crossed!

 

[mrdrh99]

Yeah man... Hope you feel better soon! I'll be taking pics and making videos when I get out to Omaha

 

[Hartley's boat]

Well ....after a exhausting day of paperwork and signed, notarized affidavits from the previous owner to the local police .... I got a title made for my Cat! It was only $25 which actually shocked me! I figured they'd hit me for at least $100 but now since it is a titled watercraft they get money when it needs renewed so I guess it is the gift that keeps on giving for them! LOL! I pick up my trolling motor today and tomorrow I will be on the lake slaying the bass (with a little luck) so stay tuned for some stories from the water!

 

[gwozhog]

Why even mess with a trolling motor and heavy batteries. Why not pick up a 2.5hp Suzuki outboard. It only weighs 25 pounds and a gallon of gas will go all day. Just sayin.

 

[mrdrh99]

+1 def in my future plans for my sea eagle foldcat

 

[Hartley's boat]

The gas powered motor would be great for getting me where I need to go but I like to bass fish and you have to sneak up on them and that is not how you do that for sure! LOL! My 50# thrust Minn Kota pushes my Cat along nice on 5 and it is so quiet when I am sneaking in and out of coves that I forget I have it on when it is set on 1 to 3

 

[alanfox55]

WOW! I bet that thing really hauls the mail with that outboard on it!

My Mercury 30 is the same as their 40 2 cyl 2 stroke and is a large 30 at about 650cc. Fully loaded and with a 100lb dog it gets up and goes and gets on plane very quickly. I've only had it in the water one time when I damaged a gear so only got it up to 3500 rpm. I didn't have my GPS on so don't know how fast I was going but I was moving along pretty good even at that low RPM. When I am able to get it up to full throttle I have no doubt I will be able to do over 30 mph.