OMG, I love my Argo

[Big Cliff]

You won't believe the places this thing will go..... we just picked them up on Saturday. Well you know the first thing we had to do was drive them down the road, through a ditch and into the river. Swamp grass, water, mud, beaver dams, you name it, we tried it and all they did was  keep amazing us. We ended up hitting a little lake we knew for some pike, OMG amazing, we caught so many fish we lost count, ( you couldn't get there any other way) we went places you couldn't get with a boat or an ATV, we went places where you couldn't walk. We went places you couldn't get to even with a float plane, ( well you might make it in but getting out would have been a challange 😊

Now I will admit you can get them stuck. Yup I did LOL,  I tried to cross a small creek just wider than my wheel base, it was deep with very steep sides, ya, my son did have to winch me out. Well if you don't get one stuck you don't know what it takes right ? 😊

Edited May 26, 2021 by Big Cliff
To add pictures

[Fisherman]

Almost unstuck-able, but if you try it can be done. 

[misfish]

Did ya buy tracks Cliff ?

Sounds like you are having some fun .

[Hack_Fisherman]

So awesome. I’d buy an Argo over an ATV any day, especially an 8 wheeler with tracks. 
have you got pics? (Of the adventure and your new toy)

are you running an outboard or just using the Argo’s propulsion?

Sounds like a real blast!!!

[mamona]

This is awesome, it feels like you purchased unstoppable
Any report pics will be truly appreciated.

[Terry]

I always wanted to buy one. You will have lots of fun, safe adventures with it 

[Big Cliff]

I will try to get more pictures this week, we didn't get tracks, believe me if you can't get there with the wheels you probably shouldn't be there.  We decided to go with the 650 instead of the 700 for a couple of reasons, the main one being the 700 is efi and the module is below and behind the engine, the only way to service it is to remove the engine. The 650 is carburated and a breeze to service. I am truly amazed at how well these things are made and what they can do and the adventure has just begun. It's a blessing for both me and my son, no more having to strap outboards and all our gear to our ATV then un load, reload, hope the cached boat is where we left it or isn't being used by someone else. We can fish together or indipent, the seats are padded and quite comfortable, lots of leg room and you can move around very easily. As far as 8 wheel or 6 wheel, the 6 wheel is perfect for our needs, if I was a young man with a family I might go with the 8 but since most of my usage is going to be 1 and occasionally 2 I think this was the right choice. 😊

[Hack_Fisherman]

I didn’t see the pictures before for some reason. Unless you have since posted them but regardless that looks really fun. 
I think I would much prefer an Argo over an ATV. 
 

How did you find it moving around in the water under its own propulsion? Obviously not meant to move like a boat, but could you get from place to place in a decent amount of time? I.e. did you find the small lake to be too big or could you easily do the whole thing etc.. 

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Hack_Fisherman

[akaShag]

Glad you are enjoying the new ride, Cliff.  Tracks are really for snow, as I may have said before.  In snow deeper than maybe eight inches, you bottom out and don't go anywhere with tires.

Doug

[porkpie]

Looks like a ton of fun!  They are really versatile machines, our neighbours down the way at the old family cottage had one for years and it saw all year use.  They had a 6by with tracks.  Great machine on the lake with heavy snow! I think you made the right choice.  I saw that 6 wheeler loaded down many times and it just chugged along.   We have a new Honda pioneer with tracks coming mid June. I am looking forward to trailering it down to Nippissing this winter to give it a whirl!

[Big Cliff]

9 hours ago, Hack_Fisherman said:

I didn’t see the pictures before for some reason. Unless you have since posted them but regardless that looks really fun. 
I think I would much prefer an Argo over an ATV. 
 

How did you find it moving around in the water under its own propulsion? Obviously not meant to move like a boat, but could you get from place to place in a decent amount of time? I.e. did you find the small lake to be too big or could you easily do the whole thing etc.. 

 

I did add the pictures, they were on my cell phone and i had to transfer them.

It moves really well in the water under it's own power at about 1/4 throttle we were at a fast troll. We are going to add an electric trolling motor mostly because it's quiet and we won't be using gas. 

[Big Cliff]

8 hours ago, akaShag said:

Glad you are enjoying the new ride, Cliff.  Tracks are really for snow, as I may have said before.  In snow deeper than maybe eight inches, you bottom out and don't go anywhere with tires.

Doug

We thought about tracks Doug but I don't expect to be using mine much in the winter, we can add them later if we do decide we want them. 

[Hack_Fisherman]

10 hours ago, akaShag said:

Glad you are enjoying the new ride, Cliff.  Tracks are really for snow, as I may have said before.  In snow deeper than maybe eight inches, you bottom out and don't go anywhere with tires.

Doug

Could this scenario also happen in bog/marsh where there’s enough solids to bottom out but enough mud to spin tires? I’m just asking because it would be really unfortunate to get stuck in a large open area with nothing to winch from and on terrain that’s not easy or impossible to navigate on foot. 
 

[akaShag]

1 hour ago, Hack_Fisherman said:

Could this scenario also happen in bog/marsh where there’s enough solids to bottom out but enough mud to spin tires? I’m just asking because it would be really unfortunate to get stuck in a large open area with nothing to winch from and on terrain that’s not easy or impossible to navigate on foot. 
 

If the tires would spin because you are high-centred, so probably would tracks.  And yes, Argos most assuredly do get high-centred in bogs.  A buddy of mine took his wife out for a "romantic" tour in his 6 wheel Argo and got it hopelessly stuck on a hump in a large marsh.  They both had to get out of the Argo into the stinking muck to push it off the hump.  I don't believe his wife ever set foot in the Argo again.............😁

The worst I ever was bogged in my first Argo was an 8 wheeler with "super tracks" which were the extra wide version Argo had at the time.  I was going across a snow-covered lake in late winter, hit a patch of slush, and sunk the hull up about half-way.  Tracks were on the ice, Argo was surrounded by slush.  Tracks would run but had no purchase.  I BENT my heavy spud pole, using it as an anchor point for the wich..........and then three of us shovelled slush for a while.  HINT:  slush does not shovel all that well.  Anyways, with some fervent prayers we got it up on top of the snow and I pinned it all the way to shore.  That was where I found that some of the slush had found its way into the bottom of the hull and froze up the brakes on that side, so the Argo pulled to that side.  I would go about 25 yards, do a hard correct on the steering, another 25 yards, and repeat for about 10 kilometres.  One of the guys with me that evening never set foot in an Argo again either............

Doug

[Fisherman]

12 hours ago, akaShag said:

If the tires would spin because you are high-centred, so probably would tracks.  And yes, Argos most assuredly do get high-centred in bogs.  A buddy of mine took his wife out for a "romantic" tour in his 6 wheel Argo and got it hopelessly stuck on a hump in a large marsh.  They both had to get out of the Argo into the stinking muck to push it off the hump.  I don't believe his wife ever set foot in the Argo again.............😁

The worst I ever was bogged in my first Argo was an 8 wheeler with "super tracks" which were the extra wide version Argo had at the time.  I was going across a snow-covered lake in late winter, hit a patch of slush, and sunk the hull up about half-way.  Tracks were on the ice, Argo was surrounded by slush.  Tracks would run but had no purchase.  I BENT my heavy spud pole, using it as an anchor point for the wich..........and then three of us shovelled slush for a while.  HINT:  slush does not shovel all that well.  Anyways, with some fervent prayers we got it up on top of the snow and I pinned it all the way to shore.  That was where I found that some of the slush had found its way into the bottom of the hull and froze up the brakes on that side, so the Argo pulled to that side.  I would go about 25 yards, do a hard correct on the steering, another 25 yards, and repeat for about 10 kilometres.  One of the guys with me that evening never set foot in an Argo again either............

Doug

I remember that story about the brakes being seized on the one side.  That one was a rotten bugger with the roll pins on the axles, when one goes, sooner or later they all snap and the front ones were a miserable piece of work to get out.  When I got my Bigfoot they had gone to splined axles, one less thing to worry about.

[akaShag]

11 minutes ago, Fisherman said:

I remember that story about the brakes being seized on the one side.  That one was a rotten bugger with the roll pins on the axles, when one goes, sooner or later they all snap and the front ones were a miserable piece of work to get out.  When I got my Bigfoot they had gone to splined axles, one less thing to worry about.

and it's Drew from Owen Sound who was with Marcel and I for that adventure.  It scarred Drew for life.  😁

[Fisherman]

And then there was the adventure with You,Gary, Mark Cullum, me and maybe someone else, the freezing rain trip, you had to put marks old Elan(he got from you) onto the toboggan and pull it with your new one all the way from mountain lake back to the parking lot by the Anderson building.  Stuff we did, some people wouldn't believe it.  The days of no cell phones and wives wondering where we were.

[akaShag]

5 minutes ago, Fisherman said:

And then there was the adventure with You,Gary, Mark Cullum, me and maybe someone else, the freezing rain trip, you had to put marks old Elan(he got from you) onto the toboggan and pull it with your new one all the way from mountain lake back to the parking lot by the Anderson building.  Stuff we did, some people wouldn't believe it.  The days of no cell phones and wives wondering where we were.

And Tooner Martin roaring around pulling donuts in his half-track on the roads.  Whose truck was parked on the middle of the road and then slowly slid into the ditch, with nobody inside it?  We all watched it go.  Pretty much every winter trip in to Mountain Lake turned into an adventure...........

[msp]

That looks great !

[Big Cliff]

On 6/2/2021 at 8:13 PM, msp said:

That looks great !

It's different from driving a quad for sure, after spending a few weekends playing around on it I would never buy a quad again. These are much more maneuverable, it will literally turn 90° which is a whole lot easier than trying to turn a quad around on a trail. Not having to worry about how deep the water is when you come to a wet area, there is a ton of storage so you don't have to tie everything down; my cooler, tackle bag, and all the other junk that makes a backwoods fishing trip more comfortable fit right in.

There are some skills to learn in driving one and it does take some practice, it has taken me a bit to get use to how well this thing climbs and descends hills and how steep a grade it can handle. Climbing over obstacles, things I would never have even attempted with a quad, entering and leaving water..... there definitely is a whole new skill set to learn but it sure is fun.

My son and I spent the last two weekends clearing a trail in to a lake that has hardly seen anyone fish it. The only access is through a combination of a couple of miles of water and bush, too much water for a quad, too much bush to easily carry a canoe. We'll be fishing it this weekend 😉.

[Hack_Fisherman]

9 hours ago, Big Cliff said:

It's different from driving a quad for sure, after spending a few weekends playing around on it I would never buy a quad again. These are much more maneuverable, it will literally turn 90° which is a whole lot easier than trying to turn a quad around on a trail. Not having to worry about how deep the water is when you come to a wet area, there is a ton of storage so you don't have to tie everything down; my cooler, tackle bag, and all the other junk that makes a backwoods fishing trip more comfortable fit right in.

There are some skills to learn in driving one and it does take some practice, it has taken me a bit to get use to how well this thing climbs and descends hills and how steep a grade it can handle. Climbing over obstacles, things I would never have even attempted with a quad, entering and leaving water..... there definitely is a whole new skill set to learn but it sure is fun.

My son and I spent the last two weekends clearing a trail in to a lake that has hardly seen anyone fish it. The only access is through a combination of a couple of miles of water and bush, too much water for a quad, too much bush to easily carry a canoe. We'll be fishing it this weekend 😉.

Way to make the ENTIRE ROOM green with envy!!!

ENJOY, please do a report with pix pix pix or it didn’t happen

 

 

[Old Ironmaker]

'm jealous dear Cliff. Looks like you are having a blast. You and I didn't have such things when we were kids, I was 16 in 70', yep sounds right. We had field bombs then, if you could find a field in Hamilton. I went havesies with my cousin that lived pretty close to Darien Lake in western New York, they had a few acres and all his pals had fields. We found  a running 60 something Chevy station wagon we paid 40 bucks for, 20 each. I think I drove 4 laps around our makeshift Indy 500 oval, maybe 4 laps, that was 5 bucks a lap because the next time I went down there the field bomb was not there. 5 bucks a lap. I made 50 cents an hour pumping gas. 20 bucks was a weeks wages. Learned a good lesson, actually a few. 

edit: what kind of insurance do you need to cover your arse? I see a pal got one over the winter. All the bells and whistles. He showed me it was plated. I know he has been barred from getting a license anywhere in the World, Ontario for sure. He says he is insured, really? Without a valid drivers license? I don't know the answers thus I ask, do you need a license? He's 82 years young. 

Edited June 10, 2021 by Old Ironmaker

[Big Cliff]

3 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

'm jealous dear Cliff. Looks like you are having a blast. You and I didn't have such things when we were kids, I was 16 in 70', yep sounds right. We had field bombs then, if you could find a field in Hamilton. I went havesies with my cousin that lived pretty close to Darien Lake in western New York, they had a few acres and all his pals had fields. We found  a running 60 something Chevy station wagon we paid 40 bucks for, 20 each. I think I drove 4 laps around our makeshift Indy 500 oval, maybe 4 laps, that was 5 bucks a lap because the next time I went down there the field bomb was not there. 5 bucks a lap. I made 50 cents an hour pumping gas. 20 bucks was a weeks wages. Learned a good lesson, actually a few. 

edit: what kind of insurance do you need to cover your arse? I see a pal got one over the winter. All the bells and whistles. He showed me it was plated. I know he has been barred from getting a license anywhere in the World, Ontario for sure. He says he is insured, really? Without a valid drivers license? I don't know the answers thus I ask, do you need a license? He's 82 years young. 

LOL, we had a few of those "field bombs" too, one was an old Datsun we stripped of everything it didn't need to run, even the gas tank got moved up into what was the trunk, that was our first ATV. Yup, an ATV with a 4 on the floor, many many hours of fun!

If you want to run an Argo on crown land it must be plated and insured (Just like any ATV), I have full coverage on mine but I believe you only have to have liability. I did have a chat with the local CO last week about also having to register it as a pleasure craft and he told me that as long as it was plated he was happy and he didn't see the need for both, the registration numbers or a plate were just a means of identifying it.

As for the drivers license I do believe he would have to have one to drive it on crown land but not on privet property, and yes he could insure it without having a drivers license, might be a bit of an issue if he got into an accident outside of privet property though.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I would check with my insurance broker to ensure the rig is insured when someone without a valid license is driving it on private property. Many folks are unpleasantly surprised that although they pay for insurance they are in some cases not insured. Not just ATV's, their homes as well. 

[Big Cliff]

1 hour ago, Old Ironmaker said:

I would check with my insurance broker to ensure the rig is insured when someone without a valid license is driving it on private property. Many folks are unpleasantly surprised that although they pay for insurance they are in some cases not insured. Not just ATV's, their homes as well. 

Well it's not something I have to worry about, I have one of the best agents in the business and when she tells me I am fully insured I trust her and I can assure you no one is going to be driving my Argo that doesn't have a license on private or public property (unless it is stolen in which case I am insured).