By Kenny McKim on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hey all of you experts out there!!!!
I am going to purchase a floater and from everything I see and hear most of them are up north or out west. I need some swamp,sand and river current advice as there are none in my area to test so my purchase will be made upon every ones advice.I have property along an old riverbank that contains mostly gentle slopes with a few on the steeper side. This consists of very loose deep sand to compacted sand and mud. I currently own 2 & 4 wheel drive Honda 4 wheelers but they don't float. I am also 50 years old and like a beer now and then on the trails so don't like my kidneys beat to death. 4 wheelers have suspension 6x6 or 8x8 only have tires. The trails have been maintained for the width of a 4 wheeler with some periodic maintainence I have managed to keep my eyes. There is some sharp turns and steep short dips. Another situation is the river. The curent is probably about 3+ mph and varies from a few inches deep to about 10' with a pretty good sandy bottom except for a few areas of quick sand and a sumerged or partially exposed log here and there. I would carry 2 adults 450# total +or- and a couple of born to ride dogs with some other junk about 50# total. The river is the main reason for the purchase to be able to go up, current problem or go down,no known problem and to cross other side and ride trails similar to ones previously described. With the river condition I think I need an outboard motor for up river which I already have a 6 HP extended shaft.I will be looking to buy a used AATV with low hours under a 100. From what I have researched I think I need the Max IV or the Big foot. I also know of an Argo response 8 wheel that may be close enough to be feasible. Does the Max have an option for an outboard and silly question but due to the lenght of these especialy the Response 8 wheel how do you control the outboard motor and do you steer with the outboard and or AATV controls? How durable is the motor mount so that if hitting a submerged item what breaks? If all of this isn't enough to worry about, punching holes in the front, tipping on a submerged log enough to fill up and tip over and sink, ease of maintenance such as oil changes, bearing and chain lubrication and do the auto chain tensioners really work and what models have them and power requirments. I hope this didn't get to boring but I am really a rookie so some feedback from those in the know would be a great help.
THANKS KENNY

By Douglas MacCullagh (Dougmac) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Kenny - Wow! 500# in the water is a bit much for the Bigfoot (rated for 350# in water). Max IV (rated 500#) or Response (rated 700#) is a better choice. I don't have any experience with an outboard on my Response, but you may want an outboard tiller extension (BOAT/US or a good boating supply house). 3+ MPH current is too much for an AATV with just the tires. Hitting a submerged onject with the tires is a bad idea. The outboard will be safer. I live in South Mississippi, and operate in sandy soils, briar thickets & underbrush, and slow rivers & pond/lakes. E-mail me at dougmac@datasync.com if you like

By Dave Andreasen (Mndave) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Kenny,

You have a lot of the same questions that I had when I bought my Max IV. I live in Minnesota and have ridden in swamps and river bottoms here. The swamp is a tamarack swamp (lots of trees, fallen logs, and small pockets of open water). The river bottom was mostly clay (muck), sand or rocks. Oh, and the occasional fallen log to make things interesting.

My advice to you is to make sure that you get a winch and a paddle for any swamp or river riding. I found it was pretty easy to get stuck in mud in the river bottom. You could push yourself out with the paddle. The winch will help you if you get stuck in a swamp. You may also want to consider taking a pole or an anchor (search the previous week's posts) for swamp rides. You can use these to have the winch pull on if you get stuck in an area that doesn't have a tree nearby.

You will get stuck a few times no matter what machine you buy. These machines take practice to learn to drive properly. My Max IV does great in my tamarack swamp as long as I am careful and don't have too large of a load.

I wouldn't worry too much about a log penetrating the body. I am sure that it is possible but it seems unlikely. The skin on the Max IV is pretty tough especially with the skid plates. I would worry more about tipping or denting a tire rim on a rock. Don't ask how I know about this. :)

As to which machine, pick the one with the features you like and that can handle the weight limits. Argo and Max both make a good product.

Hope this helps!

Dave

By Jim Morfesy (Azjim) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Which ever way you decide to go on your new purchase, I would recommend one thing (and somehow the word needs to get out). Once you find the machine you want, call a dealer and have them run the VIN. There are Grey Machines out there being sold by dishonest people who remove the plate from the machine, and sell it as a USA machine. If you purchase one of these, the US Dealers/Distributors will not sell you parts. It's not fair to you, because you bought the machine used in good faith, but that's the way it is.