Argo 6x6 - how good are they on water?

diegocn said:
Thank you all for providing opinion. I think argo is a no go. Watching some of the videos of argo in water I agree 600m on the French in argo would be terrifying.

We will probably end up with the canoe idea. Is there any type of ATV that can be carried on a canoe? I really want the extra range a vehicle can provide once we hit the other shore. I've seen some kind of snowdog type atv that weights less than 300lb and can pull a trailer. But it seems they are not popular in north america.
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Are you handy?

 
I guided many years in the Mackenzie Mtn's NWT and we used the 8X8 Argos for later in the season hunting Moose/ Caribou. They were an amazing machine! True you need to have a tool box and keep the maintenance up and a can of ether to pop tires back on the bead but they were a work horse. Rougher than hell at times so a motocross kidney belt is what I wore. Never had any need to cross a lake with one (and don't think I would if I had to) but ran the Keele river lots. Mostly gravel bar to gravel bar. I was fond of them long before Jim Shockey was. The 6X6 would have been useless up there if you got into a bolder field. Also heard they liked to go over backwards. Probably ok for the average person and place.
 
For a small ATV that will fit in a canoe or a small boat check out Rokon it is a two wheel drive all terrain motorcycle. There is lots of info on the web and also lots of youtube videos to check out.

Back in the 1980's one of my friends had one and we would take turns riding it in the woods, once you got the hang of driving it it would really go places that most vehicles would never go.
 
They're the Sea King of the ATV/UTV world, requiring at least double the maintenance hours of actual usage. They're easy to fix, but it's like working on things laying in a bathtub.
They really work best on muskeg. I have an 8x8 on plastic tracks and only use it on shorter runs where nothing else will go. The tracks make it even slower in water, like probably under 1 km/h. I think they're OK for crossing ponds and that but I'd never take one on a lake.
 
My experiences are great with them but it all depends on how much it is loaded!!!

You can always put a small motor but remember this is not a boat. Working winch is a must and make sure to have the drain plugs in!!!

Bilges are good for small splashes but not continuous waves coming in. Stick to the shallow waters as much as you can.

It for sure can pull a canoe

Cheers and happy fishing.
 
When I was in the military I was part of the base ground search and rescue team and we had a pair of 8x8 Argos that we used. I spent a lot of time driving those guys in northern Alberta and I loved every minute of it. I also loved that I was not on the hook for the maintenance bill on them, I found the ones we had had liked to burn belts every so often. I took one across a lake once and it took longer then I care to say. They don’t steer to well in the water either. But if you mounted a small outboard on the back you would be doing well. They are also slow and loud but by golly I took those things into some places I never thought I could get an off road vehicle. If I had money to blow and already had a quad, bush truck, sled and boat an Argo would be the next thing I got as far as off road vehicles is concerned.
 
God damn these things.

They have the dangerous combination of ability to get your crazy places and tendency to break in said places.

You have not truly argoed until you have walked out 4k through terrain necessitating an argo and then gotten a rescue argo to extricate the broken one.
 
JDMLandscaping said:
When I was in the military I was part of the base ground search and rescue team and we had a pair of 8x8 Argos that we used. I spent a lot of time driving those guys in northern Alberta and I loved every minute of it. I also loved that I was not on the hook for the maintenance bill on them, I found the ones we had had liked to burn belts every so often. I took one across a lake once and it took longer then I care to say. They don’t steer to well in the water either. But if you mounted a small outboard on the back you would be doing well. They are also slow and loud but by golly I took those things into some places I never thought I could get an off road vehicle. If I had money to blow and already had a quad, bush truck, sled and boat an Argo would be the next thing I got as far as off road vehicles is concerned.
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Or sell all of them and get a one does it all...Sherp...lol
 
How strong is your self esteem?

Do you just need to able to rip around a bit once you get there?

a fat tire 50 cc mini bike would pack in a tin boat quite nice.
 
Having spent over 35 years fishing/hunting/boating on various parts of the French River I can tell you this, 600m of open water is frightening as I have seen 2 foot whitecaps on the river from different North and west winds depending on where you are there.
Also someone mentioned your landing point, it is extremely rocky so flat areas are uncommon
 
Buy a Jon boat and motor, get a ATV and take the ATV across the water on the boat. Thats what the guys do at our camp.
Ive had five Argos's over the years and still have an 8 wheeler, as much as I love them machines, most everything in this thread about them is true. You had better be a good mechanic, know how to fix flat tires, and put them back on the rim, carry lots of rope to help winch yourself out when you get stuck, and a chainsaw to cut trees that fall across your route. Ive never broke down yet where I couldn't fix it to get out, but have come close a few times. Broken axles, flat tires, replacing the roll pins in the axles shafts happen when you start pushing them in the bush. I have been stuck in waist deep water in a swamp in mid November replacing the roll pins in the front axle, which is a job for a contortionist to reach. The firewall, engine ducts, and clutch have to be removed to be able to see the front axle buried in the machine. There is a learning curve in driving them, you will get good at reading the terrain on where you can or can't go, or be prepared to do some winching. Once they get sucked into the mud they can be almost impossible to move.
They are like a big bobber on water and you need a outboard to be able to maneuver on even the slightest current. I take mine about three km up river every year, and when the water is rough its an ordeal to get through, bilge pumps (plural) are a must as sometimes they take on water, especially on the rough days.
The new machines are better, and they have addressed a lot of the common problems, but they are now a very expensive machine to buy, 40k for one properly outfitted is not hard to reach.
 
Me and my 80 lb lab got a ride across a small pond in an 8x8 argo once, it was scary, halfway across he jumped out and swam the rest of the way. I think he was the smartest one on that trip.
 
kamlooky said:
Just curious as to why them Arrrrrgo folk don't utilize thet thar winchie thang awn the frunt?
There fur a purpose...…...no?
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They are there, but many times there is nothing big enough to tie on to. Ive used shrubs before as that is all thats around sometimes. And when you do use the winch make sure the motor is always running, as the winch will suck your battery flat faster than you can blink.
I installed a car alternator on mine to be able to keep the battery charged properly, the stock charging system doesn't keep up when your using the winch.
 
Just curious as to why them Arrrrrgo folk don't utilize thet thar winchie thang awn the frunt?
There fur a purpose...…...no?
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In my experience when you hook them to the rescue argo they can just rip right off.
 
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