I'm wanting to get a float tube as a Christmas present for my dad...?

He had to sell his boat for financial reasons. He fly fishes for bass and trout mostly, but uses bait casting gear for bass also.

rather than answer each question individually, l'll just sum it up for you.
l fish from tubes. a lot.
for me, the very best waders to use are none at all. just shorts. but at times they become necessary.
many socal lakes do not allow body contact so waders become a necessity.
l have used neoprene, canvas, cheap vinyl and have finally settled on a good set of breathable ones from hodgman.
vinyl gets hot in the summer. tears easily, best to avoid completely.
canvas is heavy. and can get uncomfortable.
started with neoprene. nice and comfy in winter. they get hot, hot, hot in the summer. and they are NOT made for sitting in a float tube. the seam in the crotch of mine was the first to go. you slip around in the seat of your tube. the butt area wears next. the material flexes fine when walking. in a tube the seams do not. you can roll the top down while wading in a stream. you can't do this in a tube.

my point:
breathable no stretch fabric waders are definitely the way to go. they retain enough body heat in the winter to keep you comfortable. in the summer, you don't wind up sitting in a puddle of sweat. all the others are very bad about this. they are light, fold up into a small package and store easily. you can put them on or take them off easily. not so with neoprene.

but, whichever type you decide on, get stocking foot waders, wear beach wading slippers, divers booties or a cheap pair of light tennis shoes so you don't damage the foot with your flipper strap. the flippers will stay on better with some sort of shoe, anyway.
hodgman is a decent brand. most of the others should be fine. prepare to spend $150.00 and more.
there should be enough gear storage space in the pockets of your tube.
vinyl would puncture the easiest. canvas being the toughest. there shouldn't be too much worry of punctures while in the tube. they all come with repair kits.

How to Buy Speed Boats : Speed Boat Accessories

Bait N Tackle Fabric Shower Curtain $24.99 Do you love to fish? The Bait N Tackle fabric shower curtain will remind you of your favorite hobby each time you enter your bathroom. This 100% polyester shower curtain is decorated with fishing poles, fish, lures, and other fishing gear....

KassWinns LCR Red Marine Liquid Caddy Beverage Holder $9.97 Liquid Caddy keeps a cool drink close at hand on your boat. Attach this drink holder nearly anywhere. The Liquid Caddy is the perfect place to put your beverage when you're boating or fishing. It gives you hands-free convenience so you can hold a rod and reel, drive the boat or tend the anchor. Just pull and twist the bottom of the cupholder and it will automatically adjust its length and diameter...

Sea Eagle Sea Eagle Seat Caddy for Swivel Seat - Model SEATCADDY Watercraft Accessories $14.21 A handy gear and cup holder that easily mounts onto our Swivel Seat....

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Build Your Own Wooden Fishing Boat

Building your own handcrafted wooden leisure of fishing boat is not nearly as difficult as you might think. I have built many from scratch, but the first is the most educational. And that's what this article is all about. You don't need special expensive tools or any carpentry experience. Just follow simple instructions and you can build an incredible wooden boat of your very own and save thousands of dollars for that new rod and reel.

So what would you like? A saltwater fishing boat ready for the bay? A freshwater cruiser primed for the lake? If you can imagine it, you can built it. And for less than $250 using top-grade marine plywood and certified materials!

Let's start with the basics. My first boat-building project was an eight foot outboard ready motorboat. The plans were for a simple "Portuguese style rowing dinghy" designed by a boat builder in Finland named Hannu Vartiala. All I had to do was add a motor-board (all of ten minutes work) and all of the sudden I had a handcrafted motorboat ready for an outboard. Let's look at a similar simple project.

First, get some plans and, if possible, building instructions. You can buy them at a number of online boat building shops by searching for "plywood boat plans" on Google, but Hannu's are incredibly easy to follow and free. Here's the link to the first project I did. It's an eight foot car-top model that goes anywhere:

http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/dinghy1/simboii.htm

For materials, all you need is

1.) 2 sheets of 1/4" marine plywood. You can use other types but I always stick with marine. You can get it in most places for about $39 to $45 per sheet.

2.) Marine epoxy with hardener (1 gallon kit is plenty) and about 40 feet of 4" fiberglass tape.

3.) A couple 3/8" x 1.5" pieces of trim board for the rails

4.) A piece of pine for the bench and reinforcements

5.) A set of cheap oarlocks (optional.)

You can find everything by searching Google and the wood at a local home supply store or lumber yard.

The boat construction method we will be using is called "stitch and glue." Note: Hannu has a modified stitch and glue method that saves time, and in my experience, builds a better boat faster.

Moneysaving Tip: Everyone who even knows someone who has built a boat will talk about West Marine for all of your supply needs. And they certainly do have it all, but I found I could find deals averaging 40% less by shopping around. There are plenty of real bargains out there. If you can find the online store of a shop in a popular boat building area like coastal Maine, Cape Cod MA, Nags Head NC, Santa Barbara CA, or just about anywhere in Florida - you can usually get better deals on supplies and expert advice from anyone working in the shop. Raka, Inc down in Ft. Pierce Florida is a good example (http://www.Raka.com) but certainly not the only one.

As for tools, all I use are an 18V battery operated handheld power drill, 18V battery operated circular saw with a plywood blade, 24" metal straight edge and square combination and a whole lot of "C" clamps.

If you start with an easy boat like the one I did, you can build beautiful wooden boats like a pro without ever doing anything more complex than a straight cut with a circular saw. That's how I got started and now I build custom wooden saltwater fishing boats you might see in fishing tournaments.

You can do this. Best of luck!

About the Author

Michael Small is a wooden boat builder specializing in custom crafted
saltwater fishing boats
in use from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to the Chesapeake Bay, 500 miles south, in Virginia. He can be contacted anytime through his website at
http://www.saltwater-fishing-boats.com
and is always happy to answer questions.

Pilot for the Florida Keys Fishing Show.

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WuT ♥ i wana know is how the woman was naked on my boat fishing, one for man what the camera is shooting me not to smile a naked woman. Official ~ Survey about one of Yahoo! 'S magazine articles ~

depending on whether it was attractive or not

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