Banks layout vs UFO layout

J

Jeff Fleischut

Member
I'm looking into getting a 1 man layout over the off season. I'm debating between the banks pumpkin seed it the Towable UFO. Anyone have one of the two. What are the pros and cons off each boat. Thanks for any info u can provide c
 
Also check out duck boss layout. Tom from this site has builds a nice one. I saw it at the Tuckerton show and really liked it. Tom builds a great boat.
 
I have a regular UFO and love it. Very Very Very stable and tons of room. One of the guys I hunt with is 6'3 270 and he has no issues with comfort while in the boat. I have also hunted out of the Banks. Awesome boat. Great profile and no problem for us thinner guys. It's not as roomy as the UFO so bigger hunters may not be as comfortable.
 
Jeff, I don't know how much feedback you will get on the Bankes layout you are considering, since they recently changed the design. I have a Bankes Hercules towable. I am just shy of 6'-4" and weigh 210lbs., plenty of room and VERY comfortable sit for an hour plus...sadly, the boat doesn't help me shoot off my butt any better! Be prepared to miss...

You can view Tom Rowe's rig via the thread titled: "A tear rolled down my eye".
 
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I have a regular UFO and love it. Very Very Very stable and tons of room. One of the guys I hunt with is 6'3 270 and he has no issues with comfort while in the boat. I have also hunted out of the Banks. Awesome boat. Great profile and no problem for us thinner guys. It's not as roomy as the UFO so bigger hunters may not be as comfortable.
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I have hunted out of the basic UFO and have an older Bankes one-man pumpkin-seed. I concur with Tom's observations. the Bankes might be easier to stash on/in your boat since it is smaller, but if you plan to tow than soemthing a little largermay work better for bigger hunters.
 
I have been in both, though my bankes was an older one.

They are both good boats. I ultimately bought the bankes when the time came. It fit me perfectly, 5'10". 220 pounds. It was incredibly stable and the extra height on it kept me bone dry. That and the guy trying to sell me the UFO really turned me off with his attitude.

But a friend of mine that was 6 foot and close to three bills couldn't fit in the bankes. Maybe the new ones are roomier.

The bankes is or was really easy to stow and carry on a boat with its design, or at least was.

I wish I never sold my bankes. But you can get a used bankes for $800 if you look hard enough,
 
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just got a duck boss layout this year it has plenty of foot room and has a very smooth ride in the water very stable
we hall on a 16 ft double wide john if your close to york pa your welcome to come check it out
 
I tender with an 18ft Lund Alaskan. Boot room is almost to the point where I can fully rotate a size12 1600 Gram boot.
 
I tender with an 18ft Lund Alaskan. Boot room is almost to the point where I can fully rotate a size12 1600 Gram boot.
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Waders, or no waders? Just curious since movement in them is more restrictive, particularly when doing the transfer to the tender.
 
I have been using my new duck boss layout this season and can rotate my feet with waders on lots of room and it is really nice to lay in .
 
I purchased the new bankes pumpkin seed this year. it is wider and a little deeper than the older style layout. have hunted it a few times in the ocean and it has performed great. lots of room and no binding of your feet with waders on. it's not as big as their hercules, it is small enough that one person can lift it and put it in the boat for transport.
like any bankes boat it is very well made
 
The UFO towable has over 13" of foot room in the boat. it also has tons of shoulder room. All this and it tows like no other layout does. It has about 3 more inches of foot room than the standard UFO because of the hull design. Bankes makes a wonderful product as well but cannot give you any specifics on how much room is inside the new model. Hope that hopes.
 
I purchased the new bankes pumpkin seed this year. it is wider and a little deeper than the older style layout. have hunted it a few times in the ocean and it has performed great. lots of room and no binding of your feet with waders on. it's not as big as their hercules, it is small enough that one person can lift it and put it in the boat for transport.
like any bankes boat it is very well made
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Tom you have any pics of hunting wih the Bankes?? Just spoke to Micheal yesterday about puchasing one for next season.
Thanks
Farrukh
 
I don't know anything about either of them (so my opinion is worthless) but from some recent arguments I've seen on an unnamed forum, I'm not sure I'd want to deal with UFO.
 
I don't have any pics, haven't been bringing my camera this year.
I am in central NJ, so if you want to take a look at it. let me know.
 
I tender with an 18ft Lund Alaskan. Boot room is almost to the point where I can fully rotate a size12 1600 Gram boot.
Click to expand...
Waders, or no waders? Just curious since movement in them is more restrictive, particularly when doing the transfer to the tender.



With waders. 5mm neoprene. Helps keep dry and warm plus they float.
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I never wore waders in my layout, the bankes always stayed bone dry inside because of its design. I always worried about falling in on the transfer with wanders and them filling up with water.

Maybe if you need waders to hunt he layout you have the wrong layout or it's too rough to be out.
 
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