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Anybody have a go-devil pirogue or a gator trax pirogue?

Thinking about getting one or the other. Would like to have an aluminum one to withstand the beating in the woods.

http://www.godevil.com/Pirogue_and_DuckBoat.html

http://www.gatortraxboats.com/Pirogues.htm

Well I'm gonna personnally suggest a different brand. I would go with a Ron Chapman. They are very light, definitly will withstand a beating. I've pushed for years in one. If you are gonna use in swamp, i would go with a round bottom, it will make all the difference in the world when going over logs. flat bottom and swamp equals a wet ass. and i wouldn't get anything under 13 feet either. but you better practice in the summer time!!!!!!

Alright now I have a pirogue, it has a flat bottom and Bro I am not calling you a liar by any means but how in the world could a round bottom boat be more stable for crossing stuff.

Explain to me why you have to practice using a pirogue. This is not the first time I've ever been told that. I have never had one before and would like one to get deeper in the woods. Just curious what the difference is between a pirogue and say a canoe is. Also, any advice on them would be ideal. I have the opportunity to buy a bobcat boat, however I'm not sure if I want to deal with worrying about ripping the built in trolling motor off. Think I'd be better off with a canoe, bobcat or pirogue?

i have used the gator trax and it is top notch

Pirogue = wet booty at least for me that is. You better test one from someone you know before you buy one.

http://www.banditmarine.com/index.html

check this boat out before u buy. I use this boat in the woods it is great.

I've had several 10' pirogues. Two have been Chapman cottonmouths. I now have a wooden one that came from the usfws office in Lafayette. Let me tell you that they are nothing like a canoe. If a dragonfly lands on one gunwale you will list to that side. But they sure make it easy to slip up on folks...I mean ducks.

A Chapman piroque will float on dew. They are extremely light. They are not stable you have to maintain your center of gravity. As suggested practice with it. You learn how to shift your weight and once you get used to it there is nothing to it. They will go anywhere. I have a flatback that I have put a trolling motor from time to time. If you used a mud motor it would have to be no more the 5hp which I think is the max it is rated for. I all depends on what you want to do. When I am in timber I pull it along with dekes, dog etc... If I get to a small pond, beaver run etc.. I skull across. If I was wanting something to get way back in the swamp jumping logs etc.. I would probably go with a gator trax or go devil that is made for that kind of stuff and I could put on more HP. It all depends on how you are going to use it most of the time.

Ok Lodi here goes it, a flat bottom pirogue has almost vertical side walls, which makes 90 degree corners from the transition of the wall of the boat to the floor, so when you come up to lets say a log that is an inch under the water line and your drafting 4 inches, well its going to be an abrupt stop at best. If you are standing in them and push poling through the swamp like i do, you are 9 times out of 10 going to dam near run right out the front of it. Now lets take the round bottom, which there are no corners at all, the rake of the boat starts from the middle of the floor and gradually curves aound until it meets the top of the side of the Rouge. So when you come up to that same submerged log, you will simply slip right over the top of it. Now as far as Stability in the sense that you are thinking of, lets say open water, i would go with a flatbottom. I was dam near born in a round bottom Pirogue, its all i use, Ask lantrip he got first hand lessons a couple years ago in "cold water". Demonstrations are Free lessons will cost Ya

LODI QUACKER wrote:Alright now I have a pirogue, it has a flat bottom and Bro I am not calling you a liar by any means but how in the world could a round bottom boat be more stable for crossing stuff.

I much prefer a fiberglass pirouge. Aluminum while very durable is VERY loud. Fiberglass is much quieter. I have used Chapman pirouges for about 30 years and to me they are the best but it's manily what I have used.

Gator Trax and i am sure Go Devil build nice pirouges they just aren't what I want. I like a flat bottom pirouge and fiberglass.

As far as practice if you get a big one 14' or larger practice won't be that important as they are relativley stable. Antying smaller than that and you will practice or you will swim come in duck season. Also if you hunt a dog train the dog in one before the season opens also. I can put 5 doz decoys, dog, gear and me in a 14' with no problem, in fact most of the time I can put another person in there with me, however I've been in them a long time.

Another vote for a Ron Chapman pirogue. I have had one for several years and agree with the others who have recommended the same pirogue. Pirogues are very narrow, which is what makes them "tippy." It's hard to explain what we are talking about until you try one out. With a canoe, you can rock back and forth without much fear of tipping because of the rounded sides and relatively deep sides of a canoe. A pirogue is only about 10" high on the sides so there is not much room for error.