# Cougar marine payton scooter



## jsw (Mar 15, 2010)

Looking for some first hand info on this boat, specifically how wet is compared to say a dargel 136, and how the speeds and draft compare. Anybody have one or ridden in one? How is it?

No offense to anybody but im not interested in baby cats, shallowsports, or shoalwaters just looking for info on the payton.


----------



## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

heard good things. Cougar does the work on my bay boat they are nice people.


----------



## 2013Shoalcat (Aug 1, 2012)

I have a friend that has one. I've never been on it but I bet it's nice. He put a raised console on it and I think it has a 70hp on it.


----------



## jsw (Mar 15, 2010)

Thanks for the feedback. Anybody out there ridden in one?


----------



## southbay (Aug 30, 2010)

The Payton is extremely dry riding, almost impossible to get wet on. Like most small scooters it can get a bit rough in bad chop, but since it only drafts 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" it will run in the skinny waters where it's calmer. Best performance is with a 50 HP, no jack plate, 3 or 4 blade prop and if your going to add a tower, do it over the console.
A couple of Paytons will be at the Cougar Boat Show & Sale February 7-17 at their location in San Benito.
Just FYI, they also make the South Bay 160 LP.


----------



## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

I still want to take a ride in the new boat....


----------



## Justin_Time (Jan 29, 2008)

southbay said:


> The Payton is extremely dry riding, almost impossible to get wet on. Like most small scooters it can get a bit rough in bad chop, but since it only drafts 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" it will run in the skinny waters where it's calmer. Best performance is with a 50 HP, no jack plate, 3 or 4 blade prop and if your going to add a tower, do it over the console.
> A couple of Paytons will be at the Cougar Boat Show & Sale February 7-17 at their location in San Benito.
> Just FYI, they also make the South Bay 160 LP.


I do not understand why jack plates are not put on ALL shallow water boats, especially scooters. I know my scooter sure performs better with one and couldnt imagine not having it. Any reason why the boat performs better without one?


----------



## Fishcrazzy63 (Feb 2, 2011)

I have a 2010 Payton with a 60 HP Suzuki on it. What do you need to know?


----------



## jsw (Mar 15, 2010)

Hows the build quality? Fit and finish? Draft? Thanks fishcrazzy!


----------



## Fishcrazzy63 (Feb 2, 2011)

jsw.....PM me your phone #and I will answer as many questions on the Payton as you want to ask. My previous boat was a 13.6 Dargel.


----------



## Newbomb Turk (Sep 16, 2005)

Fishcrazzy63 said:


> I have a 2010 Payton with a 60 HP Suzuki on it. What do you need to know?


Post up some pics. Those are sharp looking scooters....


----------



## Fishcrazzy63 (Feb 2, 2011)

*Scooter pic*

2010 Payton Scooter. The boat now has a 60 HP Suzuki.


----------



## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

can I ask why you changed motors? That one looks pretty legit on it.


----------



## TooShallow (May 21, 2004)

About the jack plate....small scooters don't like the extra weight in the rear end, and once you get it set up right, tilt and trim is all you need to adjust to accommodate changing conditions.


----------



## Fishcrazzy63 (Feb 2, 2011)

texasislandboy...The Tohatsu was a great motor just not enough umphhh with the increase in drag of the raised bridge for the hole shot I wanted. With the 60 it is no problem.
TooShallow...the boat started off with no jack plate but I could not keep it in the sweet spot. So.....I tried a manual jack plate to get the "magic" set-up. PAIN IN THE BUTT to adjust. So.... I put a Atlas jack plate and step-and-trim tabs on there and BINGO the adjustability of the jack plate on the run let me fine tune it. Added weight in the back was more than worth it. I do however, know a person running the same hull and she has only tilt and trim and it works just fine for her.


----------



## jrb007 (Feb 24, 2010)

texasislandboy said:


> I still want to take a ride in the new boat....


Pm me anytime to ride on the sb160 if you're around baytown/Trinity bay area. I live in Webster now and if not around there I go to corpus, Matty, or port o Connor at least once a month. Joe


----------



## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

jrb007 said:


> Pm me anytime to ride on the sb160 if you're around baytown/Trinity bay area. I live in Webster now and if not around there I go to corpus, Matty, or port o Connor at least once a month. Joe


Thanks for the offer man! But I'm down south in port isabel.


----------



## jrb007 (Feb 24, 2010)

1


----------



## southbay (Aug 30, 2010)

texasislandboy said:


> Thanks for the offer man! But I'm down south in port isabel.


Hey texasislandboy!
There are a number of Payton Scooters in the RGV that we can get you on for a demo. You'll be impressed.
As far as the newer South Bay 160 LP, until just this moment all of those boats were purchased by guys up north, Houston, San Antonio, San Marcus, etc. But, we just completed one for a couple in McAllen and there's another in the works for a guy in Harlingen. So, we can get you a local demo...finally.
The SB160 doesn't have the 2 1/2 to 3 inch draft of the Payton, but 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ain't bad. Ride, well that's a big difference in smoothness in rough chop, although both are "dry".
Both boats are great fishing platforms and you can't beat the quality or price. Take a ride and then decide.


----------



## geoquest (Sep 25, 2004)

*Draft*

Do you have any pictures or video of the boat in 3" of water? That's awsome!

-J-


----------



## jrb007 (Feb 24, 2010)

*3"*

I've got a couple videos out on internet of the 1st sb160 but none of the payton scooter. And my sb160 is the heaviest/ most rigged there is to my knowledge...ill be in corpus in couple weeks may even fish down south one of the days...


----------



## southbay (Aug 30, 2010)

geoquest said:


> Do you have any pictures or video of the boat in 3" of water? That's awsome!
> 
> -J-


South Bay 160 or the Payton Scooter? Check out our website slideshow pics for both boats. Should be a couple Paytons showing off their 2" or so draft. The Payton is probably the shallowest drafting boat I've ever seen. The current South Bay 160 needs 4 1/2" or so to float.


----------



## shallowgal (Jun 11, 2004)

I've been on one of the OOOLLLLLdddd payton scooters from the 80's I think. Super skinny. If you are looking for a 1 man rig its probably one of the best options in the LLM.


----------



## el rojo (May 14, 2005)

I've seen the old Payton Scooter that had a tower over the center console and was being driven and steered by leaning from side to side while on the tower.


----------



## texasstyle (Aug 22, 2012)

southbay said:


> South Bay 160 or the Payton Scooter? Check out our website slideshow pics for both boats. Should be a couple Paytons showing off their 2" or so draft. The Payton is probably the shallowest drafting boat I've ever seen. The current South Bay 160 needs 4 1/2" or so to float.


Not trying to hijack but what do you mean "current"? Is there more than one? I have logged quite a few hrs in a SB160LS and it was a little more than a 4 1\2" draft. Not bashing by any means its a nice boat, just curious.
TS


----------



## southbay (Aug 30, 2010)

el rojo said:


> I've seen the old Payton Scooter that had a tower over the center console and was being driven and steered by leaning from side to side while on the tower.


Yup, Marvin's home-made Payton's were wood and he just locked down a tiller motor way back when and climbed up his tower and leaned to steer it. Scary to me. The "licensed" Cougar model has steering and a few little changes, but it still gets super skinny.


----------



## southbay (Aug 30, 2010)

texasstyle said:


> Not trying to hijack but what do you mean "current"? Is there more than one? I have logged quite a few hrs in a SB160LS and it was a little more than a 4 1\2" draft. Not bashing by any means its a nice boat, just curious.
> TS


No offense taken. As with any new boat design changes are made. In the case of the South Bay 160 LP we were not pleased with the original draft of the first couple boats. They were "okay" but I guess we were spoiled by the larger South Bay's and the Payton Scooter that almost don't need water. So, we sat down and re-balanced the hull which significantly changed its interior contruction and fuel tank placement. Now, the "current" boats are drafting much better, closer to what we wanted, and the last couple are around 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 with no one onboard. The SB160LP still maintained its very smooth and dry ride which was a good thing. In all honesty, small boats are a real pain at times to get just right because there's not much there to work with. For anyone considering a SB160, Payton or another small scooter my advice is to keep weight centered or forward (passengers, towers, platforms, etc) to get the best performance possible.


----------



## texasstyle (Aug 22, 2012)

southbay said:


> No offense taken. As with any new boat design changes are made. In the case of the South Bay 160 LP we were not pleased with the original draft of the first couple boats. They were "okay" but I guess we were spoiled by the larger South Bay's and the Payton Scooter that almost don't need water. So, we sat down and re-balanced the hull which significantly changed its interior contruction and fuel tank placement. Now, the "current" boats are drafting much better, closer to what we wanted, and the last couple are around 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 with no one onboard. The SB160LP still maintained its very smooth and dry ride which was a good thing. In all honesty, small boats are a real pain at times to get just right because there's not much there to work with. For anyone considering a SB160, Payton or another small scooter my advice is to keep weight centered or forward (passengers, towers, platforms, etc) to get the best performance possible.


That kinda sucks for the owners of the first few huh? If you were not happy with the performance they are probably not either, did you offer to "re-balance" theirs so they will perform like you had originally planned? Or do boat builders not do that, I don't know much about boat building...

TS


----------



## southbay (Aug 30, 2010)

Don't get me wrong, the original South Bay 160's were by no means a slug and like most builders we are always tweaking this or that until we can't improve the hull anymore. Depending on how a guy had his boat built originally, where he wanted batteries, etc, it may be possible to convert it or it may not be. So far, every owner has loved their boat, but I think the newer owners may be loving them a little more. Also, just recently, we found a different prop that woke up the boats and are contacting everyone about that.


----------



## southbay (Aug 30, 2010)

Sadly, On September 22nd, Marvin Payton the legendary designer of our Payton Scooter passed away at the young age of 94, just 4 days after his beloved wife Thelma died. (That's love!)
In honor of the man who designed one of the first if not the first scooters; put the first tunnel in a shallow water bay boat; developed the cavitation plate (accidently), and designed a hydraulic jack plate before there was one, and who was such a famous fisherman they named a section of a bay after him, we are offering a limited edition "Payton Scooter Legacy" model with over $3,000 in custom features and even a console tower (right out of Marvin's playbook) at no extra charge for the next 9 months and 4 days. Check it out at www.cougarmarineusa.com


----------

