I am thinking of buying an Argo

[akaShag]

with and without tracks

[akaShag]

More thoughts to answer Cliff's questions:

I have driven this (legally, I think) along the side of the road.  It takes up a LOT more room than an ATV, and with the tracks on most shoulders would not be wide enough, ie you would be driving partly on the road and/or partly in the ditch.

You will almost certainly need a bigger trailer than you have for an ATV.

They are a fun rig to drive, and if you like attention when you pull in to a Canadian Tire or LCBO parking lot, for example, most times you will have somebody come on over and ask you about it.

And they are PRICEY.  But then so are snowmobiles these years, and where I live the snowmobilers pretty much have to go someplace else to drive their sleds.

HTH

Doug

[Out4Trout]

Nice Rig - and lots of great info Doug!!

Did a 400ft hill (with ~60% grade) factor into the decision on buying this machine?

Len

[Big Cliff]

Doug I can't thank you enough for all this information, I really, really appreciate it and all the other replies and suggestions! 

I am starting to think you are right, an Argo just isn't going to compensate for old age lol, the rough ride and potential to get REALLY stuck (the young at heart in me would have to find out what it won't go through at least a few times). I guess I   might have to start doing a little less exploring and accept this old nonsense. 

I might just take a drive down to visit you this spring just to buy you a coffee and say hi, I love to hook up even for an hour. 

Tight lines and stay safe. 😊

[akaShag]

On 3/3/2020 at 9:56 PM, Out4Trout said:

Nice Rig - and lots of great info Doug!!

Did a 400ft hill (with ~60% grade) factor into the decision on buying this machine?

Len

Nope, the ATVs can climb the mountain with no problems.  BUT!  They don't float, and are not worth a hoot in snow over about ten inches or so.  They also don't go into some of the real gnarly bush and rocks where deer seem to go to die.  😉

[DanD]

Just thinking out of the box here; you have a quad right?

If so maybe get a 12 or 14 foot tinny, with a 9.9 on the back. A tilt & load trailer that you can customize for on & off road use (oversize balloon tires, rollers instead of bunks ect). Why a tilt and load trailer; you really don't need a ramp to launch or retrieve your boat with one. When I had my 14' tinny; I'd launch it in the Thames river, from the bank and never got the wheels wet on the trailer. Yes that could mean a pick up to load the quad onto and to hook the boat to for highway use. Or it is legal to double trailer tow here in Ontario. I haven't read all of the regs on doing this; but what I did read was you cannot go over the towing capacity of the tow vehicle with both trailers attached.  There are other ways that you can carry/tow both toys. A hitch mount quad carrier with side loading ramps, a ball mount receiver attached (welded) to the back of the carrier, a weight distribution hitch to carry the tongue weight of the boat trailer. A nice small package to go down the road with? 

Just thinking out-loud?

Dan. 

[DRIFTER_016]

On 3/5/2020 at 8:17 AM, akaShag said:

Nope, the ATVs can climb the mountain with no problems.  BUT!  They don't float, and are not worth a hoot in snow over about ten inches or so.  They also don't go into some of the real gnarly bush and rocks where deer seem to go to die.  😉

They don't float but with tracks the'll go through almost anything.

They also have more ground clearance than an Argo.

But there is that non-floating thing.

[DRIFTER_016]

3 hours ago, DanD said:

Just thinking out of the box here; you have a quad right?

If so maybe get a 12 or 14 foot tinny, with a 9.9 on the back. A tilt & load trailer that you can customize for on & off road use (oversize balloon tires, rollers instead of bunks ect). Why a tilt and load trailer; you really don't need a ramp to launch or retrieve your boat with one. When I had my 14' tinny; I'd launch it in the Thames river, from the bank and never got the wheels wet on the trailer. Yes that could mean a pick up to load the quad onto and to hook the boat to for highway use. Or it is legal to double trailer tow here in Ontario. I haven't read all of the regs on doing this; but what I did read was you cannot go over the towing capacity of the tow vehicle with both trailers attached.  There are other ways that you can carry/tow both toys. A hitch mount quad carrier with side loading ramps, a ball mount receiver attached (welded) to the back of the carrier, a weight distribution hitch to carry the tongue weight of the boat trailer. A nice small package to go down the road with? 

Just thinking out-loud?

Dan. 

I'm planning on a side by side with a roof rack to haul a tinny on.

With tracks it will be very capable and can go most places.

 

[Fisherman]

4 hours ago, DRIFTER_016 said:

I'm planning on a side by side with a roof rack to haul a tinny on.

With tracks it will be very capable and can go most places.

 

That is certainly a viable option and cheaper.  Once the track kit is installed going back and forth between tires and tracks and pretty easy, just don't try swimming.

[KawarthaAngler]

A fishing buddy of mine has one.  I've been in his and it's a rough ride.  But that thing will go anywhere and the fact that it floats is great peace-of-mind.

Here's a pic of his.

 

[CRAPPIE]

How about a Wilcraft?

[akaShag]

12 minutes ago, CRAPPIE said:

How about a Wilcraft?

Well, I had to look that up, never heard of one before.  Very cool indeed.  BUT it looks like it would be useless in deep snow.  The hull would bottom out and there is not much ground clearance.  The Argo has the same issue unless it is equipped with tracks - a wheeled Argo is about done in eight inches of snow - you get high centred and can't move.  Been there, done that........🙄

Doug

[Big Cliff]

16 hours ago, akaShag said:

Well, I had to look that up, never heard of one before.  Very cool indeed.  BUT it looks like it would be useless in deep snow.  The hull would bottom out and there is not much ground clearance.  The Argo has the same issue unless it is equipped with tracks - a wheeled Argo is about done in eight inches of snow - you get high centred and can't move.  Been there, done that........🙄

Doug

I am guessing that would be about the same in thick mud too then?

[Terry]

A Wilcraft is useless in Canada   

[akaShag]

24 minutes ago, Big Cliff said:

I am guessing that would be about the same in thick mud too then?

I have never been high-centred in mud, but if it was soupy, then yes I think a wheeled Argo would bog down in that.  Bogs are bad, because you are sometimes in water and sometimes on clumps of dirt, and if you get high-centred on a clump and all wheels in the water, you're screwed.  If I was going to go through a bog/swamp, I would bring an anchor on a length of rope.  If I got high-centred, I would throw the anchor as far as I could and use anchor rope as a winch strong point.  It would be messy..........