Float tubes for big dudes

Dear Board,

I just joined, I was browsing the interwebs and I stumbled across this site. After viewing a fews posts it's clear to me that you are some serious float tubers.

I figured someone here might be a big galoot like me and be able to offer a suggestion for a tube for someone who is big enough to probably need a boat!

I'm 6' 5" and go about 330 pounds. I currently use a Waterskeeter DayTripper and Caddis NavigatorIV.

Are there any other tubes worth looking into for a guy my size? I'm not looking to rig something for anything more than float tubing small lakes fly fishing for bass and panfish if that matters.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

My Son, who is 6'5" at 270lbs has one of these, only an older version. Floats him really well. Even though the specs say load cap. is 300lbs, they have to be on the "safe" side, and I would trust it to easily float you, being that it has the 2 bladders in the pontons, and both the back rest, and seat inflate.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I also have a fishcat, been using it for over 2 years w/o any problems.

Hi Tim, I am a fairly hefty 360 lb 5ft 11inch fella and the have settled on a Cumberland FT. In one of my posts (i think Bighorn FT) I listed a number of tubes that i had found that max out at 350lb, couldn't find a tube higher than that however the Ponderay has a capacity of 350lb but looks like a small boat. Anything greater than 350lb and I think it starts getting into pontoon territory.
I look on it that if the float tube is rated to 350lb then for safety reasons it is probably able to take slightly heavier weights.
I am a newby to Float Tubing and haven't even been on a maiden voyage yet so I'll be able to test my theory out shortly, could be the voyage of the ss titanic.

Dear motorazr,

I'd be interested in hearing how your maiden voyage goes.

I'm kidding about the flair gun of course, and I hope you catch a pile of fish in your new tube.

I'll be taking my Waterskeeter out tomorrow for a little excursion on a local lake. That boat floats me fine but I wouldn't want to be in it and weigh less than 250 pounds without a stout anchor system.

Even a big fella like me gets pushed around with the wind in the Waterskeeter. I just hope tomorrow isn't as windy as today was? My fiancee and I went fishing in my square stern canoe and we got blown all over the lake.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

I'm heading to Western Victoria tomorrow for 3 days of trout fishing, unfortunately i am taking the missus who has to have someone sit beside her and bait her hooks(plus talk to her).Such is married life. Will have to wait to test out the FT. Hope you get some better weather.

Dear motorazr,

Enjoy your trout fishing excursion.

I'm sure you'll find a way to tolerate the missus.

I'm lucky, my lady baits her own hooks. Once I teach her proper fishing knot tying she probably won't need me at all?

I'm holding out on that lesson for a bit.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Tim Murphy wrote:Dear motorazr,

I'd be interested in hearing how your maiden voyage goes.

I'm kidding about the flair gun of course, and I hope you catch a pile of fish in your new tube.

I'll be taking my Waterskeeter out tomorrow for a little excursion on a local lake. That boat floats me fine but I wouldn't want to be in it and weigh less than 250 pounds without a stout anchor system.

Even a big fella like me gets pushed around with the wind in the Waterskeeter. I just hope tomorrow isn't as windy as today was? My fiancee and I went fishing in my square stern canoe and we got blown all over the lake.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Heay TM great reading from you again and seeing you still support that Day Tripper. You do give that tube meaning

I'm 6'2" and 375, and my Caddis Navigator II floats me just fine.

My vote is the cumberland just an all around great tube. Cover Bonanza is giving our members a 15% discount on FT purchase PM me on how to get the deal.
Welcome to the board glad you found us I am sure you will have fun here like eveyone less does.

I would totally go with the Cumberland tube. It recently got redesigned and it's alot bigger than the previous version was.

Dear Board,

The Cumberland definitely looks interesting. Is it safe to assume that the apple green and olive colored version I see advertised is the newer redesigned model. If it isn't what color scheme should I be looking for?

Regards,

Tim Murphy

That is the one

Tim Murphy wrote:Dear Board,

The Cumberland definitely looks interesting. Is it safe to assume that the apple green and olive colored version I see advertised is the newer redesigned model. If it isn't what color scheme should I be looking for?

Regards,

Tim Murphy

They have always been the same color. I've had mine for like 3 yrs and its the old version but I still love my tube. If you buy one today you will get the newly updated bigger tube, the way you can tell is that it has a serial number on it towards the back on one of the bladders. The olders ones did not have serial numbers.

you can't beat the Cumberland.. especially with the 15% FTF discount here at CoverBonanza.com

I wish I had known about the discount before I got mine!

Dear Board

Hello everyone my name is Mike, i am new to the forum and mew ro float tubes.
My wife just got me a tube as a late fathers day gift, which im sure im going to love.
She bought me The Togiak which i have been researching and it seems to be a pretty decent tube as far as i can tell...for someone my size anyway 5' 11 and 270.
But i do not want to take it on the water unprepared, is there any mods you guys would recommend for performance and convenience.
Any ideas would be appreciated, Thanks

Mike

Mikem909 wrote:Dear Board

Hello everyone my name is Mike, i am new to the forum and mew ro float tubes.
My wife just got me a tube as a late fathers day gift, which im sure im going to love.
She bought me The Togiak which i have been researching and it seems to be a pretty decent tube as far as i can tell...for someone my size anyway 5' 11 and 270.
But i do not want to take it on the water unprepared, is there any mods you guys would recommend for performance and convenience.
Any ideas would be appreciated, Thanks

Mike

welcome to the forum mike and you have found the right forum to join and look around the forum and what people post and im pretty new to this forum myself and learn alot in this forum and very nice people my tube is still in progress haha well yeahh come out to one of our gathering one day and ask people you will learn alot our next gathering is at lake paris but not sure what date

Mikem909 wrote:Dear Board

Hello everyone my name is Mike, i am new to the forum and mew ro float tubes.
My wife just got me a tube as a late fathers day gift, which im sure im going to love.
She bought me The Togiak which i have been researching and it seems to be a pretty decent tube as far as i can tell...for someone my size anyway 5' 11 and 270.
But i do not want to take it on the water unprepared, is there any mods you guys would recommend for performance and convenience.
Any ideas would be appreciated, Thanks

Mike

welcome to the forum Mikem909, you should make a new post on the "Introduction to other members" section. this is the spot to be when tubing, so much to learn. once you start hitting the water and doing some real fishing then u gonna be hook! but when tubing you don't really need much except having a pump to pump up your tube and your rod to fish and bait to use. bring a net if you want and its good to have a lip gripper and some type of pliers to take out a hook when you hook up to a fish or if it swallows it. modding isn't really something u really need cause i don't have any yet but i plan on modding mines very soon with some rod holders and such.

Hey Franklyn
Thanks for info. I look forward to tubing n learning more..
I might be able to make too the next gathering since i live in Riverside just let me know the date

Hey Kg562
I will be sure to make a new post in the intro section.thanks for the advice
N as far as the mods I'm looking for something to give me a Lil extra flotation like an extra foam pad under the seat out something like that...as I said I'm a big guy n i just wanna make sure i don't misuse my new tube

Mikem909 wrote:Hey Kg562
I will be sure to make a new post in the intro section.thanks for the advice
N as far as the mods I'm looking for something to give me a Lil extra flotation like an extra foam pad under the seat out something like that...as I said I'm a big guy n i just wanna make sure i don't misuse my new tube

hahaha dont worry im big myself im 5'11 and weight around 270 also and my tube is bone stock

What r u tubing lol