Diana, what manufacturer of cats did you sell for? I don't think any, besides skookum and and fishcraft, made a complete system. Unless you sold NRS. Most cats are as forgiving, if not more then a driftboat. You hit a log or rock on with a driftboat, and you can stand a driftboat up and sink it getting a gunwhale in the water. Seen that many times, especially through the rock gardens going into the canyon on the Hoh. (in fact first time I ever met Bob he fished a set of guys who did exact same thing). Plus, you dig a cat into a hydraulic, at least it'll pop back up, you do that to a DB and it's staying on the bottom.

By chance, where you selling more of a pontoon class boat like an Outcast, Bucks, or Skeeter? Had my cat on borderline class 5's (upper Icicle, Nisqually) and my frame never tweaked and pulled through. Now a DB or pontoon boat, no way. I know alot of those pontoon boats have a moderate river classification (except those under 7' usually). I know crazies who've tried to run spots like the upper Duc, upper Sky, and upper Toutle in those things. I prefer to be in a solid cat when I hit big water like that (especially drifts like the Rogue). It sounds like you're describing a pontoon boat over a cataraft. Most cataraft frames are built virtually indestrutible. My frame hit a rock running a hydraulic on the Rogue and put a dent in lower frame, but didn't pop a weld at all. Now, a frame on an outcast/bucks will pop like a zit on anything wild.

I'd definitely wait and see what the maker says. If they're unresponsive, then go to the attorney. Especially since there was damages (a loss of a cherished rod is a damage). Would you have lost that rod if you wouldn't have had the seat snapped? It's not being greedy, and say it this way, you find a lawyer who works on contingincy and you'll make more then enough to buy a burger. I've had to sue over dogbites and other mishaps from my job. I've always faired in the 60%+ moneywise on all settlements using a lawyer. Just have to be careful what lawyers you use. A pay by the hour is where you barely have any money to show when you're done.

Good luck, and at least you're alive. Even more of a reason to have a real cat, they use whitewater seats, not those fancy dancy swivel seats you see on pontoon boats. LOL

[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Steelheader69 ]