Ok, with the ohter thread going, no doubt that was a stupid move on the parts of the guides, but I've another question.

Suggestion is Carolyn and I do rafting down here first.... in the next 3 or so years we will remain here.

No need in buying twice.... Would be wife and I, neither are large folks, I"m around 185, she about 112.

Would be for floating for fun, fishing and for hunting in the fall I'm sure.

Where do we start raft wise? I don't want to spend twice.

And there are obviously chances the raft would be flown out to drop now and then, and that we could be thinking as large as a single moose if possible on a float.

Might be that is not all possible in one raft but open for opinions.

We have access to a small V hull AL boat, down here we have 2 airboats and a 21 foot heavy Hydra sport, and a tunnel hull 16 foot flat bottom. But we have no jets or jet boats.

What I"m getting at is I think I have access to most anything else we'd need eventually, so this is a river floating only question

And FWIW I'm not fond of canoes... I don't care for the instability.

Thanks, Jeff

Incredibly tough question because there are so many options. Long floats too often start as a raft drag to deeper water, or the same thing in the thin braids at a river mouth. Those little canoes are sure handy then.

The flip side, pun intended, is stability and weight (in large part) are not there. Choosing a raft for ease of flying means lost stability.

For a do-almost-everything raft you need a rowing frame. Some are removable, just make sure what you are getting into when paddling without the frame.

Rafts can be intentionally flooded to add stability. They cannot be made smaller though...

Whitewater designs give up a huge amount of internal capacity to the tubes.

A better way to start would include getting an idea of the rivers you would intend to float eventually.

I figured one size didn't fit all.

No clue on rivers to float in the future. Will mean a lot of research for that.

Will be based out of Delta Junction so thats a start of an idea for me to look at maps in that area.

Into self-abuse much? Texas heat to DJ wind and cold...



Every size and type float from near there...

Tired of the TX abuse. LOL. Carolyn won't be able to stay for 2-3 winter months I"m sure... but me.... LOL I'm stupid, its what my boss tells me all the time anyway...

99 in the shade currently.

We will meet you when you come into town(Fairbanks) then at Sportsman's Warehouse. It is one of my parttime jobs that allows for gear purchases towards my eventual move back out to the Basin(four years out). We have a 14ft Otter that is about 1000 under retail.

Your wife will do fine in Delta. We have a gift shop in Pioneer Park and the one of our vendors is a lady and her neighbor from Delta that do fursewing and trapping. They both came up with their husbands from Ohio. The two couples bought adjoining 20 acre ranchettes from a barley farmer. They both built up places during the Spring, Summer and Fall. It got cold and windy in December and the husbands got cold feet. The husbands moved back to Ohio and the wives stayed. They go visit their husbands in July which is when they both have time off from their other jobs. (one is music teacher and other works at school).

Cool.

I'll try like heck to remember that when we move up! Have not flown into Fairbanks in years but when we move we'll be driving up anyway wiht the powerstroke so no biggie to duck into town!

Thanks for the help!

Sure hope its not me that gets cold feet. LOL.

Jeff

We had one moose and some gear on a 14 otter bailer and it could have taken a lot more. Cadillac, but heavy. Easy boat to run.

One moose plus camp in a pp is cozy for one, but easier if the water is easy and you don't need to suspend the load low between tubes vs stacking across tubes.

Never have run a cataraft.

Offhand, seems a 13 round boat or bailer with a super simple frame would get you in the 1 moose game.

rost495

I started with a 16 foot aire cataraft, I soon began to dislike it because of all the parts and bulk. I wanted a boat for fly ins. Sold It.

I then bought a 13 foot NRS and used it for about 12 years for my float hunts
It will carry a moose, 2 guys and camp. This size is slow when loaded down.
Weights about 86 lbs.

I now have the 14 foot NRS otter with solid floor and it carries more weight than the 13 footer and is much more nimble to paddle.
Had a moose, two sheep, two guys and camp , plus a 2 hp honda. It was a load but handled it with grace. This one weights 100 lbs.

I skip the rowing frame and use canoe paddles to cut weight with my rafts.

Shuuuuusssshhhhhhhhhhhh! They are Texans! For Gods' sake!

Hush, Art. They are upgrading...

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[/size]shhhh.. whisper it!

I don't think that [/size] thing does what you think it does...

Experience is hard to trump have done a lil bit of floating

Achilles double ender

Rikon double ender, self bailing

Another double ender who's name eludes me currently (rental)

And aire catarafts


All had frames, sans one lil double ender we floated birch creek to birch creek village on



Putting together the Aires or other catarafts are a pita as bud man eluded too

With that said we just purchased our 2nd one last season

My pards a machinist & scallops the frames to reduce weight & imprints letters on the alum frame to make assembly a lil easier

Here are the major reasons we opted for a second cataraft, though at least one of those reasons are a moot point now with the asymmetrical tubes they offer these days

Lightly loaded a double ender will run off & leave the cat in its wake

But when hauling game we had to put 1.5 moose on the cataraft & .5 moose On the d/e

Hanging up in shallow water: often in the cat you just hop off the cooler seat down into the middle & just pick up on the frame on either side to keep the boat moving whereas on the d/e you have to jump out & then back in, may seem trivial to some but it's not where the river is braided or starting out up high. Lots less energy consumed & much easier ime to keep it from hanging up

Retrieval of dead moose, if you kill a moose a ways from the river but there's a creek or lake that cuts distance for the pack pretty slick to unleash one tube ( ours are both twin tubes of same size so it's like a mini canoe almost ) load some quarters on it lash em down and float quarters to river instead of carrying them on your back

Also because it breaks down smaller I find them easier to load in an aircraft

They truly are a bit of a pita to assemble & or break down than a d/e but for me the advantages of the other stuff I mentioned are worth it

Love to float hunt, though it's a lot of work breaking down and reassembling camp when on the move, still cruising a river with a load of game is just hella cool ime

[img:center]http://URL[/img] [img:center]http:// [img]http://[URL=http://s235.pho...0pics/raftingTikchikloadeddown.jpg[/img][/img]

You noticed that, too?

I agree it is a very cool way to go... I'm just not into babysitting rookies these days...

Jeff, take a look at the Levitator, I think that may be as close to a do all raft that you will find. Personally I'm a huge fan of the Pro Pioneer but that boat is designed with mostly 1 purpose, float hunting shallow rivers and creeks.

We had a levitator and a 14' otter on the same float hunt...otter all the way once on the water. The lev serves a purpose, but it is ALL TUBE, and stubby with no rocker. The bulk of gear and meat gets stacked higher and higher, vs. being spread out on the otter.

I've heard of guys buying two Soar 16s or PPs or aire canoes and catarafting them together with a frame, yielding both skinny headwater/tributary ability, and load carrying ability with frame for motoring on big slow water.

I've never hunted out of a raft but have done 24 or 25 trips on the Gulkana helping with a float trip ministry. We have cats, Aire rafts, Kings and NSR Otters. I've rowed them all except for the Aire 18 foot, and if I had to choose an all around for hunting, fishing and recreation it would be the 14 foot NSR Otter self bailer with a rowing frame.

I don't have any experience with this raft. I just thought it looked good and it was a killer deal.

https://www.amazon.com/White-Water-...&s=boating-water-sports&sr=1-231

KC

To get from our sailboat to shore we used an inflatable most.

They are very stable and can be 'taken down' to transport.

Ours were in the 9 to 10 ft size and could take an outboard.

Jeff,

I had an 18' Aire Leopard Cataraft with a custom drop fame that really lowered the center of gravity.

It was made so the center section rode about 4" above the waterline when fully loaded and the end sections were raised to tube-top height for taking big rollers without taking too much water.

I put 3/4" Marine plywood floorboards all across the frame for a platform so that you could walk the entire length of the boat. A raised rowing bench of marine plywood provided not only a seat, but additional flat space to hold misc. gear.

The longest part of the frame was 6' and I could get all of it into a Super Cub except the 10' oars, which we strapped to the wing struts.

I mostly floated Class 1-2 water with a couple of Class 3-4 stretches and never had a problem. The most I ever put in it and floated a river was ~1750lb and I could still maneuver it quite easily.

A good Cataraft, with decent rocker, will outperform any oval or "D" raft, particularly on faster water.

From unloading the components on a river bank to pushing off took two of us about three hours and that included pumping up the tubes with a double-acting hand pump, assembling the frame and floorboards, and sorting and lashing everything for best center of balance.

I also built a motor mount for it and trolled for Silver Salmon in Resurrection Bay using a 25hp outboard. Got some pretty strange looks from other boaters...

My two picks would be first, the Aire Leopard; LINK

and second, the Aire Lion 16; LINK

For just you and Caroline, camp gear and a moose, the Lion 16' would do just fine.

I have pictures of mine, but they are all prints.

Ed

Ed thanks for the input.

Hopefully in a month or so I'll send you another picture... LOL.

Jeff

14 or 16 ft, about 6 chambers, self bailer with custom frame to fit 2 of your coolers,3 oars,and at least 18 inch tubes. On the coolers I suggest high end since they may serve as seats depending on ones design. A large water proof dry box can serve as a second seat. Coolers and dry boxes should be suspended in the frame and not rest on the bottom of the raft. Bottom needs to flex over submerged rock etc. Coolers don't work for crap if the lids compress and don't seal. Always lash coolers and dry boxes into ones frame. Accompanying gear should be purchased with concerns toward durability, and fitting into a compact initial load. Things like thin flat stoves, roll up tables, and chairs should be given a lot of thought.

I've done many week+ scout trips with rafts, but mainly favor a hard boat for my fishing trips that may run to two weeks.

Rafts can carry a ton of stuff, but they handle like a ton of bricks if overloaded.

OK how do the new Hi pressure drop stitch floor rafts perform. Sure makes a difference in my Saturn Kaboat.

Looking for drift boat like performance lots of rocker and a hard floor.