Light weight, appearance and seat comfort.

Oar locks and sleeves. Rear storage platform.

This review is for the Fish Cat 9 Lite. The previous reviews helped in the initial setup of the boat. On my initial trip I found the oar system primarilly the oar locks and sleeves to be a major annoyance. Both shifted constantly and made rowing an adventure. I have since removed the oar locks and purchased a permanant lock which cI clamped onto the sleeve. The connection is tight and rowing is a breeze. My impressions of the boat are much the same as previous reviews; light weight and well built. It fits easily into the back of my truck.

Customer Service

Very good. I contacted them by Email regarding the oar locks and sleeves. They responded quickly and sent me a new set of oar locks, no questions asked.

Similar Products Used:

None.

Sturdy frame, descent design overall. Lighter than expected, no problem lifting on to the roof of my SUV. Easily transports on a Thule-like rack. Sits high enough to keep you out of the cold water. I'm 6' 175lbs.

Main weaknesses are it has too much drag and plowing tendancy to row up current. The drag makes it difficult to row against the current and plowing tendancy makes it almost impossible. Couple of skags on the bottom of the pontoons would help with tracking issues. Oars are fine, but collar and sleeve are really poor. The brass oar loaks are OK but should have a slightly longer shaft below the locking pin. The plastic sleeve's collar diameter is too small and thin...will bend and slide through oar locks under hard rowing. Beefier sleeve would fix that. Thanks to the other reviewers here, I added a washer to the rubber oar collars which kept the nut from pulling through. The thumb screws for the adjustable seat are difficult to tighten enough to keep the seat from sliding under hard rowing. Needs larger thumb/hand screws and/or serrated tracks & guides. Anchor lock is positioned such that placing anything but very small itmes on the rear deck obstructs its use. It would've been better to mount additional pulleys to the bottom corners of the mount and run the rope up front to a traditional lock on either side.

This review is about the Fish Cat 9. I've only used once so far, but here's my first impressions. Built relatively well, except for oar system. Good value. Behaves like raft...likes to plow and sensitive to wind. Don't expect drift boat performance. I kinda expected drift boat performance, so I was somewhat disappointed. Easier to fish from and more convient then a normal raft. With a few minor improvements to the oar, anchor and seat systems, it would be a much better unit and I would've given it a 4+.

Customer Service

Haven't used yet.

Similar Products Used:

Rafts, inflatable kayaks, fishing innertube

Strong, floats high excellent for a big person. 270# and still dry!

Standard version is about 20# too heavy.

FISH CAT 9... Good value, solid but I would have prefered the light weight version with the Alloy Frame. The steel is strong but about 20# too heavy. Suggestions: 1. Move the oar lock sleeves up toward the handle about 2" - 3" (they will slide with effort. 2. Be carefull not to loose the nuts inside the rubber oar stops. 3. Rivit a alloy angle, (available at most hardware stores) to the rear deck to keep things from sliding off the back and make it stiffer and prevent bending. 4. Put an extra wrap around the bar when attaching the hulls, this prevents the hulls from shifting.

Customer Service

Excellent, they called me back when I had a question.

Similar Products Used:

ODC 7

Tiis review is for the fish cat 9...not the Pac 9. Pontoons ride nice and high. Rigging takes a while but I will probably get faster at it. Great being out of the water and nice to cast from. Aluminum deck is light and sturdy. Anchor attachment works like a charm--make sure you buy rope that is not too thick for roller and a pyramid shaped anchor that will not roll around if you put it on the aluminum deck. Seems to inflate pretty easily. Big storage pockets. Oars seemed good, but see below.

THE OAR LOCKS STINK. If I had not brought my screwdriver with me to tighten down the soft (almost stripped by the end of the day!) screws which cinched the oar locks I would not have been able to row worth a darn. The rubber sleeve seemed too low on the oar as well--plan to install a permanent oar lock with a higher rubber sleeve. Tricky to adjust so that you do not plow--I will learn where the best position is.

A good product with a few flaws

Customer Service

I might be calling them about those damn oar locks!

Similar Products Used:

None