Marsh-Rat vs. Aquapod questions

Larry Eckart

Well-known member
Guys,
Back here in Michigan, you don't see many Aquapods or Marsh-Rats, both of which are made in the northwest. Does anyone have some experience with both? For puddle ducking in the marsh or layout hunting (in controlled conditions) is there much difference between the two? Any mini "reviews" would be appreciated.

Larry Eckart
 
actually (3) if you inlcude two different lengths of the Pod, save yourself some time and grief and go with a FATBOY, either the DP or the Fat Boy original....bigger than the Rat or the 10' pod and as a result a little heavier but both are more stable than the either of the boats you mentioned, carry a bigger load, have the ability to mount a motor without having to resort to a side mount, and they are made in Missouri which will reduce your shipping cost......

AND the owner of the company, Ira McCauley, is one of the finest people you could hope to meet and a real asset to this page.....

Go to the MoMarsh website.... www.momarsh.com for photos and descriptions of the boats.....

Steve
 
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Steve,
I'm interested in something light enough for one guy to handle easily with a larger tender boat. The MLB Classic is too small for my size (6'1") or else I'd get that. I've got a Hoefgen Duck Boat which has similar features to the MoMarsh's good boats. In fact, my buddy has a Busick layout. Great when both of us hunt, but not so good by yourself.

And, while I'm only 52 now, I want something I can still throw around when I'm 62. So weight is an issue for me.

Send me a private e-mail if you have stronger feelings about either the Aquapod or Marsh-Rat. (RiverLarry2@aol.com)

Thanks, Steve.
Larry

PS: good post last week about Worth and Dave. I still feel sick about it.
 
Larry,

I don't have any experince with the MarshRat but I'll add my two cents about the Aquapod. I have a couple of 10 footers and at 55lbs I think they're great. I've only had one incident when I was learning how to distribute weight and that was just stupidity with having way to much weight in the same location and I started taking on water when I leaned back to tilt my trolling motor. The one thing you'll have to remember if you need to haul several doz decoys or travel very far consider a bigger boat. You'll notice I build a transom on mine. The motor works much better in this location rather than the side board location that Attbar uses with their motormount. I power it with a 54lb thrust Minnkota trolling motor and it moves right along. I carry a full size battery, small Avery blind bag, paddle, gun, 18 mag decoys , 2 goose floaters, camo covering, detachable running lights, layout seat, small mushroom anchor, myself (220lb) and the trolling motor. That my friend is a loaded Aquapod. Also sitting on my knees while underway was killing my back after any length of travel so I built a slat seat that I place across the coaming. It's quite comfortable and I've never felt like I was going to roll over. The boat is quite stable but I also use it on sheltered waters and small rivers only.

Hope this helps. Email me if I can answer any other questions.

Ed L.

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for your frame then your looking at boats even smaller and more cramped than the classic...

I can't lay down in the classic, I'm 6'-3"....I can't even recline to 3/4's down in the 10' pod and essentially am sitting upright in that boat.....the marsh rat is better for getting down in but its the poorest performer of the bunch from a paddling standpoint....

None of them, MoMarsh included are particularly easy to do an overhead press to a roof rack.....to solve that and eliminate the wt. factor get the specialized loading racks that don't care what a boat weighs....

The DP tows like a dream....I've towed mine at speeds of in excess of 30 knots....do that with a Pod or a Rat and you need to attach a big hula skirt and a bunch of shark hooks cause you'll have a great Musky lure on the end of the line.....

Dragging any of them into a tender to transport athwart ship is 6 of one, half dozen the other....

My .02.....

Steve
 
Hi Larry,

I looked at both the Rat and a Fatboy this summer and eventually bought a new Roto Rat. I used it this fall on the smaller potholes of the Delta Marsh with some success. Overall not a bad little boat, but not a boat I'd be comfortable in on bigger water. One man, and 30 decoys is about all it can handle from a space perspective. I think it might have a little more foot room than my MLB, but its not suited for real open water layout hunting. We used to layout hunt on the Bay of Quinte with an Aquapod and if I recall correctly it was less stable than either a Bankes or an MLB.

I do like the weight of the Roto Rat over the original Marsh Rat, I think its around 50 lbs and the price is reasonable as well.

I still think I'd rather have a Fatboy, but shipping to Manitoba was more than I was willing to pay.

Let me know if you have any other questions,

Gary
 
I have had the 8 and 10 foot pods and for someone of my size 6-2 and a svelt 230 the pods are akin to squeezing a fat chick into a miata - just isnt going to look or feel right. No really: pods have fans and i liked mine for some things but not for = paddling (they track poorly), shooting side to side (they are tippy), for using with a trolling motor (no bracket), or carring any distance (mine lacked hand-hold in good places - and i swear it weighed way more than advertised).
Just my 2 cents.
 
Larry, sounds like you need a Kevlar Zackbox. If what you are looking for is a slightly larger layout boat...Marks stretch classic is pretty comfy.
 
Don't tell me you are selling the Hoefgen? I thought you loved that boat. If I could determine a good way to mount a motor on it, I would consider this the best duck boat around for hunting samll streams and rivers. I would ove to pair this boat with a small scavenger mud motor (68lbs) but I don't think the boat could handle it.

The other boat I would consider is the Fat Boy like Steve mentioned. At 11' X"'s, it would fit better in the back of the pick-up and as you know, the Hoefgen doesn't do very well.

Keep the Hoefgen Larry -

Mark W
 
Mark,
Never! Just making comparisons. The Hoefgen is a "till death us do part" boat. But I'm also interested in a layout boat that one guy can throw on top of the tender. Lightweight and long enough for a 6'1" guy to stretch his legs. These trade offs also become less sea worthy.

Larry
 
I've gat a 4 River 9'6' boat which, from what I understand, is the same as the one man marsh rat. It is a good boat, I ue it for puddler and for protected water layout hunting. However, as Steve noted, they don't paddle the best. Not bad, but not the best. For me, poling it in about 6" of water is the best situation as far as tracking & speed. It does weight a good bit but I can easily load it into my truck or my jon boat. I have not tried to tow it.
That said, if I could do it again, I would go with a FatBoy, from what I have seen theyare more versatile, handle more weight, paddle better and are more seaworthy.
 
Larry

If I were you I would forget about both....and buy a Bankes Hercules. I know they are alot heavier and bigger...but the profile is perfect for real layout shooting and you can always grass one up for the marsh if you want...But the are plenty big and comfortable enough for a 6'4" person...and tow like a dream. I have put hundreds of miles on mine in all kinds of conditions including....shouldn't do that conditions.

The only down side is the weight.....but alot of it is engineered weight to make the boat tow and break the displacement to get the boat low in the water. 2 guys can lift one grunting....and I just carry mine in the back of the pick up on the way to the ramp....boat towed behind.

Gar
 
Gar,

I have a Bankes Hercules, but have not used it much and have little experience towing it.

Can you make some general recommendations on towing a Hercules, such as optimum length for the tow rope, etc?

Did you make a special rack to carry it in the back of your PU?

Thanks in advance.
 
The first secret to towing a Hercules is to put another 40lbs in the front (where your feet go when you hunt). It gives the boat a better attitude in the water...and actually as long as you weigh less than 250lbs it is an asset to making the boat hunt better.

My tow rope is about 40ft long...this puts the boat about the 3rd wave of the wake. This is where the wake is the widest but still high enough to create a holding wave for turns.

Other than that...keep the speed down under about 25mph....above that the boat will start to ski a bit on the keel.

I have a 2X10 cradle I built for the boat for in the truck. The width is just slightly wider than the coffin box and 8ft long. Supports the boat very solidly. I just use a rachet strape to hold the boat in...and a bungy at the front just in case the bow wants to bounce up.

Hope this helps.

Gar
 
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