New NRS Inflatable Drift Boat

[dtown]

Has anyone used any of the Jack's Plastic Cutthroat models? They do a super cutthroat version with 19 in tubes for the same price. Obviously not as nice a bigger raft, but at only $2k new might not be bad on skinny water for an overnighter??

Gretch, check out Creek Company, the 2 man is $2k on sale, although supposedly they only have 1 left. My father-in-law bought one for fishing some pretty skinny water in northern MN, rivers kinda like the Lower Roaring Fork in the fall. Seemed like a decent rig for the cost the few days I've fished out of it.

http://creekcompany.com/product.php?...ge=&featured=Y

[critical-motion]

^^^^ Don't consider Creek Company if you want to do any sort of real whitewater. I had their ODC1018 1-man cataraft and while it was fine for lakes and smooth water, the weak frame (very cheap, poorly welded aluminum), thin and brittle tubes sleeves with questionable bladders, and overall poor design made it a bad choice for whitewater. Their 2-man cataraft is essentially a stretched version of the ODC1018. You can pick up a used, name-brand (NRS, Aire, etc) 2-man cataraft these days for $1,500-2,000 if you shop around on Craigslist. If you want to buy new, you can also get an Outcast Fish Cat 13 for just over $2k and it has much better quality tubes (made by Aire) and a sturdier frame http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/...ult.aspx?id=30. I've used the 10' Outcast pontoons on class 4 whitewater and on multi-day trips with no issues.


Lots of reviews of the Cutthroat on mountainbuzz.com. I've done overnighters on my one-man cat with 20"x10' tubes and it was not diffcult to carry the gear.

NRS drift boat has a nice shape, I bet you could even anchor up and pull plugs from it or even row upstream in moderate flows. I've done both with my big cataraft, but it's less than ideal due to the drag from the two pontoons (it's even worse in a raft). NRS boat should be pretty tough as they use good materials on their upper end inflatables. I bet it could be taken down some pretty rocky rivers in low-water conditions (ie. Sol Duc river on the Olympic Peninsula) when a drift boat would be less than ideal.

[dtown]

^^^^ Don't consider Creek Company if you want to do any sort of real whitewater. I had their ODC1018 1-man cataraft and while it was fine for lakes and smooth water, the weak frame (very cheap, poorly welded aluminum), thin and brittle tubes sleeves with questionable bladders, and overall poor design made it a bad choice for whitewater. Their 2-man cataraft is essentially a stretched version of the ODC1018. You can pick up a used, name-brand (NRS, Aire, etc) 2-man cataraft these days for $1,500-2,000 if you shop around on Craigslist. If you want to buy new, you can also get an Outcast Fish Cat 13 for just over $2k and it has much better quality tubes (made by Aire) and a sturdier frame http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/...ult.aspx?id=30. I've used the 10' Outcast pontoons on class 4 whitewater and on multi-day trips with no issues.


Lots of reviews of the Cutthroat on mountainbuzz.com. I've done overnighters on my one-man cat with 20"x10' tubes and it was not diffcult to carry the gear.

NRS drift boat has a nice shape, I bet you could even anchor up and pull plugs from it or even row upstream in moderate flows. I've done both with my big cataraft, but it's less than ideal due to the drag from the two pontoons (it's even worse in a raft). NRS boat should be pretty tough as they use good materials on their upper end inflatables. I bet it could be taken down some pretty rocky rivers in low-water conditions (ie. Sol Duc river on the Olympic Peninsula) when a drift boat would be less than ideal.

I would agree w/ his review on the Creek Company frame...perfect for what my father in law uses it for, anything w/ some decent flow/ whitewater will put it through the ringer.

[gretch6364]

Yeah...seems like the better bet is something from Riverboat works using Rocky Mountain tubes and a stripped down frame that i can slowly add stuff to once the wife decides she likes to float fish...or something used....I have also seen a couple out there.

I just don't want something bigger then I can handle by myself, as that is probably when it will get used the most, but I want something that I can float the Ark at 600 to 300 in and do some lake fishing with. Also, the possibility of putting the frame in the back of my FJ and strapping the tubes to my roof sounds the most appealing.

[jma233]

If you're going by yourself mainly I would think you'd want a one man toon or better yet one of those kickboats with no floor that you take from gravel bar to gravel bar. You can always rent a db in places like the N Platte or CO when you go with the wife (at least there used to be a shop near Fraser that would rent db's). Also...dont know how you would fish out of a 2 person cataraft on a lake by yourself.

[gretch6364]

If you're going by yourself mainly I would think you'd want a one man toon or better yet one of those kickboats with no floor that you take from gravel bar to gravel bar. You can always rent a db in places like the N Platte or CO when you go with the wife (at least there used to be a shop near Fraser that would rent db's). Also...dont know how you would fish out of a 2 person cataraft on a lake by yourself.

Yeah...this seems to be an issue...I was thinking I would use an anchor a lot. A kick boat on the Ark or Co sounds dangerous to me!

The biggest thing is I don't even really care to float and fish out of a boat really...I find wading much more enjoyable...but Colorado water access, crowds, and laws are a pain in the ass. Yes I know I can't drop and anchor or touch bottom "legally." Was really thinking of one man overnight fishing trips. Push off on Saturday or get out of work early on a friday...and camp part way down. Used to camp alone alot before I got married.

Will a 2 person cat or raft blow around a shit ton on a lake? Sorry for my jongness.

9.5' Tributary SB Raft with simple frame and small light anchor?

[schwerty]

Most 2 man rafts will get pushed around if the wind kicks up on a lake but everything will, to a degree. For shallow lakes, an anchor system helps but without the ability to use your legs to angle yourself it can be tough. Just part of lake fishing.

Although they are not ideal for super skinny water, Watermasters are great for overnighters. I lake fish with mine frequently. Does a nice job!

[gretch6364]

Have you ever done any whitewater in it? Obviously, nothing huge, but would you survive most class III short shots without going over? I have looked at these before...and forgot about them...probably a great way to slow your self down on some "private" river bottoms without drawing too much attention.

Any seen or tried the Dave Scadden Assualt XX?

[Foggy_Goggles]

Gretch, you're kind of all over the place. My opinion is the boat that gets wet the most is the best bet. For float fishing the Ark, North Platte, Colorado, Blue, Green etc. a 12-14ft. raft is the best bet. While it can be done, hauling your rubber deflated, having a fishing frame on your truck, and rigging solo, hitching shuttles will get to be a pain in the ass quick. If you don't have the desire or ability to get a trailer, you need to have a real good plan to keep the weight down. I'd be looking at either a small cat or mini-me/max or that trib. Keep your frame super basic. With the traditional raft, you could rig it for two. Kickboats are sweet but they really come into their own in the end of summer/fall when the rivers are lower and warmer. You may not like float fishing but the facts are that with a competent oarsmen you can have your fly spend more time in the strike zone than wading.

[schwerty]

The Watermaster can hang in class III if you know what you're doing. Takes a bit of getting used to though.

[Underoos]

Portability related: 14' Hyside self bailer, basic rowing frame, dry box and cooler, all in/on a Subaru with room to spare.
Set up and break down each under twenty minutes.
If your not retarded you can fish out of it just fine.
Purchased for $1500, plus new oars and some odds and ends.
That being said, I wish I had a trailer.

[sierraskier]

So how do you guys think would this be for skinny California water relative to a raft? Can I really bounce this thing off every rock in the river while I learn to pilot it?

[Woolly the Mammoth]

I'm intrigued by this boat. If it rows like a drift boat instead of a raft, but has some of the advantages of a raft then it could be a viable option. In particular, I'd like to know how well the self-bailing function works. Also, I assume that it would float if it took on water or flipped, which would greatly improve your odds at recovery over a standard drift boat. It is also likely to be more resistant to rocks than a drift boat.

[NMmatt]

Drift boats are actually pretty damn resistant to rocks - I know, I have hit a shitload of them. At least right up until you crack it in half. I would hazard a guess that gelcoating this bad boy is not an option - so it may be more resistant to scratches, but as far as deeper gouges go, I'm not sure it would hold up as well. Depends on how easy it is to patch, I guess?

Sierraskier, I'm going to guess no. Even if it's bombproof, I think that's the wrong mindset!!

Woolly, I want to go fishing with you - I won't lie, I'm a little afraid! But I'm thinking you got your eye on some specific water...

[ak_powder_monkey]

so can you A) put it in a 185
and
B) Load the shit out of it?

[Brad Crowne]

Fishing is a great experience ,we have enjoyed it during our summer vacation and I remember clearly the number of fishes i have caught.

[gretch6364]

What an odd first post

[neckdeep]

The Watermaster can hang in class III if you know what you're doing. Takes a bit of getting used to though.

Get back to me on that after you run Mesa Falls>Warm during salmonflies. I've done it five times and broken an oar twice in the shallow rapids below the Bear Gulch access. Fixed oars are so sketchy in fast but shallow whitewater. So, needless to say, bring a spare oar.

Gretch, in your stuation I would get an Aire Puma which is the little brother of the SuperPuma, a standard for whitewater angling in these parts. It's manuverable in tight quarters. It can handle real whitewater though due its smaller size big holes and haystacks can flip it. You can put the minimalist rowing frame into it for oars (which you will need if you are solo). Or you can run it as a paddle raft for stop and go wade fishing and as a pure whitewater playboat. It only weighs 90lbs as a paddle raft so it can easily be carried up or down a trail to the water by just two guys or portaged around a falls.

[schwerty]

I would stay away from that section ND! I prefer a bigger boat there.

Took mine down parts of the snake river canyon but that's completely different water! Standing waves are no problem. Even big ones. Hydraulics with a good amount of force are very scary tho.

I didn't take your advice from a while back....have the hoback a shot too. Mistake!

[Hugh Conway]

not a traditional fishing boat really, but anyone tried one of these?
http://www.ducky.com.ua/