BAIT BOATS?

[tezza]

Hi i,m looking to buy a bait boat, any reccomendations, any one know whats on the market?prices etc

[Chesh]

Viper or Microcat

 

choice is yours

 

how much you got to spend?

[tat2monsta]

build your own its cheaper if you would like some plans and list of what you will need mail me and i'll send them to you

[carper99]

hi tezza i hear baddger have got one out and is only a coupple of hundred quid but i dont know how good the microcat is about £625 for just the boat and if u want the echo souder is another £595 on top the vipperwill set u back about £675 and the echo sounder is another £665 on top of that

[bushwacker]

Hiya mate,

having used and seen used 2 or 3 different bait boats I decided on the Microcat and bought one. It is the most stable of the ones that I tried and watched being used. It is a little expensive at £625 for the boat, and every thing else is basically extras,but I find it to be the best.

If you do buy a CAT, don't bother with the Zenon beacon, but get your self a decent volt meter to check your batteries. I bought a beacon, and then the son-in-law (who's an electrician) told em about and showed me how to check them with the volt meter. I bought one, well a multi tester to be honest and have had no problems at all. The beacon is the second one that I have had and this in fact is U/S.

 

If you want to see the CAT being used, borrow a copy of the video that you get with it and watch that, quite interesting.

 

[mpbdsnu]

Don't you have to put tape over the battery compartments on the Cat Bushwacker?

 

........you don't on the Viper!!! Far superior, imho.

[bushwacker]

Yes you do have to put tape , or the covers over the battery compartments, you are quite right there. But I honestly don't think that the viper is as stable as the cat, and that is one that I tried for my-self. The bait boat from Angling Technics is not as stable either, tried that aswell. If you think about it a catermaran (spelling?) has to be the most stable. Obviously these are all our own personal views though, and I wonder if any unbiast comparisons have been carried out by any-one?. It may be interesting to know and to read their findings.

[Elton]

Take a look here and then give Spencer, the shop owner, a call on 01638 661594.

 

He's a nice bloke and will give an honest opinion....especially if you mention me

 

[ 05. July 2004, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: Elton ]

[mpbdsnu]

I thought of the pro's and con's for both the AT Microcat and the Viper, before I went for the Viper:

 

Microcat - sits nice and low in the water, but lets in water when a bit rough & don't like the idea of sealing with tape. Has to be primed each time before use. I like the idea of the twin hoppers, but I believe the mechanism is quite complicated and is occasionally prone to problems. It turns on a sixpence, but it has to be stopped first, and there is a delay before this can take place, so drifts in between times. Easy to change battery's and spares can be bought. The moulding is quite fragile in places on the Cat, and prone to cracks at the slightest knock. Rigs has to be placed one side (hopper) or the other. Overall size: 690mm x 370mm x 173

 

Viper - sits a bit higher in the water, but there is also a fair bit beneath the water too, so balances out. Needs no priming, just switch on and use. It does not take on water & battery compartment is perfectly sealed. Only has single hopper, but easy to adapt with two pods that can be velcro'ed on the side (seen it done). Hopper is of a simple mechanism and so less chance of faults occurring. Also turns on a sixpence but can be done without stopping, so no delay and thus no drift!!! Also very easy to change battery's and spares can be bought at less than half the price of microcat ones! Made of 6mm thick acrylic - that is not prone to cracks. Hopper is dead central and thus no bias when rig is taken out. Built in battery efficiency meter. Overall size 700mm x 330mm x 200mm

 

Comparing the two sizes the Viper is just 10mm longer than the Cat. The Cat is actually wider by 40mm. And the Viper is only 27mm higher than the Cat. Not really that much higher at all, so any succeptibility to wind is in my opinion negligable!