I am interested in getting a cataraft soon and have a few questions. My primary use would be in the susquehanna in Maryland and pennsylvania. I would be fishing from the boat and standing up would be advantageous. The susky is @a mile wide in areas so there are many areas that you can not get out to wade. With the exception of one class 2 rapid most of the river is fairly flat. During a low summer or fall the current can be very slow to almost non-existant. During this summer there were several days where I was fishing out of a canoe with my brother where there was a upstream 20mph wind. On those days you would actually float upstream in many places unless you were paddling. So, my first question is how affected are catarafts by the wind? Are they slower than drift boats or canoes? What cataraft's would you recommend? How much approx retail are the steelheaders? Has anyone had any experience with catarafts made by Jack's Plastic Welding? How were they? I know there were a lot of question any help would be appreciated.

Evan

Well first off, if you want to stand and fish you instantly have written off all the low end boats immediately (buuck's bags, outcasts, etc). Now I saw all your wants and thiisleads me to ask do you plan on fishing with anyone else? (I noticed youu said you'd fished with your brother) Since you live in MD you'll probably have to order throuugh the mail (unless you have any whitewater shops nearby). Ii'd highly suggest a smaller 2 man boat. I'd say a 12' wouuld be ideal. You can hve a custom built one which would be the ultimate way to go. Youu'd first purchase a set of tubes either by Wing, Sotar, Aire, NRS to name a few. Then you'd have to fiind someon who makes custom frames (Osprey on here makes a world class cataraft frame but you're in MD and he's in WA) Then ouutfit with oars, anchor system etc). If you wan to maailorder premade fishing boats youu can go to http://www.nrsweb.com and look at prices on their tubes and their fishing frames. But for a premade boat I'd highly suggest the steelheader II from skookum. ( http://www.steelheader.com ) Ii'm sure he can ship it to you and I know the frames are normally take down and can be shipped. His boat is truly built ready to fiish. Has all bell's annd whistles just as if you were buyinng a low nd boat. Plus his boats are built to stand up and fish. It can run whitewaterr even though you will only be running class 2's.


I've heard of th JPW's. Heard a mix of revues on the JPW's. I've never used one or seen one personally so couldn't give you a true first hand testimony though Ii've run and seen alot of cats.


Sendd me an emaiil with any more questions or help advice. Ii can lead you in any directioon you need to go.


Jerry

I'd almsot forgot. Most boats are affected by the wind to aextent Ccatarafts are the sportboats of the water. Theyre desiigned t cut water. You shouuldn't hhave any problem with winnd in the aspect of floating back upstream. Bbut i you have no current no boat will float you downstream any easier. Pushing a boat downstream is work no matter what, buut it's MUCH easier to psh a whitewater designed caat over a rocker hulled cat you find in the ouutcast/buck's lines.

hope this helps

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: Steelheader69 ]

Hey can UPS ship a frame to Maryland?

Good questions SmallieHunter (cool name)
I'm sure it reminds a lot of girls in Oregon who have dated Stewy and RT

I've used my cat with an elec. motor to fish bass in a few local lakes, and it sounds like this might be the ticket for you ,to combat those winds.

After you check out a few sites drop us a line,and we'll help you in the right direction.....Os

Try Black bear They are inexpensive tubes..They might not be a class 4 water tube but for lakes and what not they would be just fine.A set of 13'x 20" tubes are 700.00 and 14'x 19" are 750.00..TM

Does anyone know how much the Steelheader II or III cost? Also can the 12 foot model be configured for 1 or 2 people easily or do you have to buy a second frame?

Ii'm not sure on cost of steelheader II. Contact Bill at skokum and he can give you prices. Tell him that I sent you. Ii'd say iupper grand lower 2 grand price. About average cost of a decent cat. Yes, usually you can configure them to 1 or 2 people depending on type of frame you buy.

Hey Os, depends on the frame ssize really depends on if any small parcel company caan take it. I'd say you'd have to ship it via freight. That's unless you maake i a take down fram wheere you can take frame apart and ship multiple pieces in multiple boxes. In fact after first of year I'll robably either have you do modifications to my whitewater frame or possibly make a whole new frame for the 12' tubes I'll be buying first of next year. Hell, at this rate Os Ii'll be buyinng 18' set of tubes and having you make me a 6 person frame. LOL

Along the same line has anyone seen or used a biyak? How do they compare to catarafts?

Evan

Hey, what do you kids have against those Outcasts? Not built strong enough? I finally seen a couple the other day. Some WDFW biologists were using them on a local river to conduct a spawn survey. They looked pretty good in and out of the water. Fair amount of storage space, too. Plus they're a little easier on a guy's pocketbook.

[ 11-21-2001: Message edited by: Krome Brite ]

Krome,
Nothing against outcast they serve their purpose... not sure what that purpose is yet, but once you see the OspreyCraft side by side there is no comparison.

12' of white water runnin fish catchin rubber, steel and carbon fiber. UH, UH, UH...

I just took delivery of mine this week and let me say in the word of Os' "It's a Beautiful thing"

I have no problem with outcast's or other pontoons but my original question had to do with a cataraft that I could fish from standing up. I was also concerned with speed as I have heard that buck's or outcast pontoons are slow in lazy current.

Evan

Hi Does anyone know if the Osprey frames are stainless tubing. Ordinary steel tube rusts at the weld points and if you hit bad water and rocks they can come apart at the seams ;nothing but stainless will do

Krome. There is a difference. Ii've owned outcasts and know them well. Edsels looked real good coming off th assembly liine, buut didn't mean they were a good car. Outcasts are purely designedto drift yoromm point A to B. Unless you're an expert whitewater oarsman they can be downright deadly on anything over a class 3. They only have 2-3 smal crossmembers keeping the boat together. You'll be doing a lot of frame twisting in any thnical rapids.

Ok, You cann stand up and fish from a true cataraft. They cut water well. They are NOT as slow as an outcast or bucks bags. When you dig iin with your oars you'll move and drift while most rockerhulls will lag and rock on you.

Hey coot, I have an old whitewater frame thats over 12 years old ttas made of galvanized steel tha's still in excellent shape and hve posted framee on a boulder running a class 4 a bent th pipe but didn't bust a seam. I do believe it's stainless, oh Os?????

Os, do you have any pictures of your frames that you could post or email to me? Could you describe your frames? How much do they cost?

OK, so they're stronger, longer, and sleeker. Kinda like I figured. True catarafts, are those the one's they sell in GI Joes or are they the ones that you guys make the frames for and order tubes for putting them together? I seen a Fishcat in GI Joes the other day. Is that a true cat? I'm not interested in buying one or anything right now, just curious for the future maybe. Thanks.

I'm in a hurry so I'll try and make this quick,
St69 you're old frame and new one are both gal. steel.
In a perfect world stainless would be great.
I haven't seen one yet I assume cost is too much.
I choose gal. steel because it's easy to work with a durable as heck.
Aluminum is used also for frames,but in order to get the same strength as steel you have to increase the diameter by .25 etc etc.after alls said and done,you 've got frame that weights only a little less,than a steel one yet cost you 50% more to build.

Rust is somethind we all live with here in the N.W .
so just like anthing else we Cat owners have to do a little maintance periodicly.

Coot:as far as you're question,I've never had a seperation on one of my frames,
If welded correctly the weld is stronger than the original material....sorry gotta run.....Os

Hey Os, I knew my old frame was galvanized, but couldn't tell on new frame. Was so bright and wicked looking looked top of line to me.

Coot, you can't go wrong with Os's frames. I can't tell you about logistics with welds, that's Os's job. But I can tell you from using them for over a decade and whitewatering with them that I've posted my frame a few times and have never split/cracked a seam.

I'm serious, guys. Are those ones they sell at GI Joes down here any good/strong-the Fishcats, etc. (Outcasts aside)? Your guys' are obviously better in ways, but do the Fishcats, etc. in the stores have their good qualities too, for like floating a non-class 2+ rapid filled river? I wouldn't be interested in ever doing whitewater trips with it or anything. Maybe lakes and just smaller, gentler streams. Thanks.

[ 11-24-2001: Message edited by: Krome Brite ]

hey Krome,any of the so called pontoon boat you discribed,will fit you're purpose.
The main down fall to smaller boats are they just aren't stable enought the handle bigger water or be able to stand and fish off.
But just for a boat to get from spot to spot,you'll be fine......Os

Hey Os, yes Ii'm home again today. May go hit a local river for ssome doggiies .

Krome, I had an older fishcat and a pac 9 years ago. They're more then suitable for what you want to use them for. Llike I've said many times, don't buy what youu don't need. Why pay $1500 and up when you doon't need it. The nice thing about the fiishcasts/outcasts are they are lightweight and easily transportable on your back. They work great for lakes, sure beats the hhell out of a floattube. They spin great and will handle mild flows. ust be careful, they're tubes aren't the best in the world, one good hit and you'll be swimming.

I was thinking one of the cheapy ones at G.I. Joe's might be the way to at Pt. Defiance.
I could park at the Owens Beach Parking lot, Pack it down to the water. Row 50 yards and I'm fishing.
Anyone try this before or see any problems with it?