Has to be light enough to carry around logjams, sweepers, etc. Also, has to be good quality in all aspects of the vessel! Don't want the seat to break and fall in . Still can't believe that actually happened to someone.... Not worried about the price tag. So, what's the best?? Can be pontoon, small raft, doesn't matter.

Thanks,

James

i'd say a pontoon!
tyler

toutle fly shop (toutle, washington ) has a good quality one man pontoon boats ..Not a bad price ..

If you are going to get a pontoon boat make sure it is rated for rivers. Some are and some aren't. I have a Bucks Bag Boat but it is for lakes only. The pontoons are not big enough for rivers. Jim S

Specific manufactures that are better than the other? The rougher the water it can take on the better! Obviously if a stretch of white water is "too much" for the boat, you can walk around it. That's why on the orginal post says it has to be light enough to carry.

Thanks,

James

Since you said money isn't an object, the here's what you do. Buy yourself a set of whitewater cataraft tubes. There are NRS, Aire, Sotar, Maravia, and Wing to nam a few. SInce you have the mone, buy a set of Wings. I'd highly sugest a sset of 12'. You can get by with a set of 9', but 12' are thebest al around versatility tubes. Now, you ned a quality frame built. Figure out how you want a frame t be built. Once you decided (I'd highly suggest haveing a 2 frame setup. One fo single man, the one for a doublyou ever do decide to run 2 people. Now, give Osprey on here a call, an have him build a cuustom cataraft frame. He builds a good, if not thebest cataraft frame you'l ever seen. I have a custom cataraft whitewater frame system built over 12 years ago by somone wh was one f best in industry. Well, I'd have to say Ospereys is beter by far. Get in touuch with him and he'l lead you theright way.

If you ever have a problem, or question, let me knnow.

PD-
If you want an all around kick ass pontoon boat that will take on very rough water yet is till very packable look towards the Outcast Pac 900. It is a 9 footer with stainless steel powedercoated frame, and heavy duty welded seam pontoons. Spend the extra $150 and get the the Cataract oars and you will be all set.

I'm not sure of the exact price but with the upgrade oars you are looking at around $1300 for a boat that can be put together in 5 minutes and can run some nasty whitewater. I have ran the Hoh from Spruce Creek all the way down to 101 in that boat without a problem. That section may not have terribly difficuly water but I have little epxerience on the oars and it got me through that water very easily.

Outcast is a division of Puma/Aire and stands behind their product. The 900 comes with a 10 yr. warranty.

Outcast Boats

Now I we just need to sit back and wait for 69'er to pop in and tell us how Outcasts suck and to buy a cataraft. [edit]Damn it! He beat me to it!![/edit]

[ 01-27-2002: Message edited by: RPetzold ]

The best of the pontoon boats are great for most applications, but I have used a Watermaster (oblong tube) for the past 15 years and it has some advantages: packs totally-including fins and oars-in its own carry bag which is packable and airline shipable; weighs only 33 pounds; easy to ship by helicopter and simple to set up.
Downside is that the best pontoon boats can take heavier water. I have had my Watermaster down some class III without a problem. Happy hunting.

Steelheader69,

Ball park figure on how much it'll cost with your idea?? Money shouldn't be a problem when the time comes to buy, but still wanna know ahead of time what it'll set me back.

Does ANYONE know what the smallest Aires Puma RAFT is? BK informed me that they're pretty bad a$$. I believe there's a picture of one under the "New Boats" section in the last STS. I think it's called the "Super Puma", if I remember right. Looks a little big to carry (the pink one pictured in STS), so I was wondering if they make one that's smaller. Kinda like the raft design better than the pontoon. Anyone out there own both at one point, that can give me the pro's and con's vs. one another???

Thanks guys,

James (PD)

Oh come on Sparkey, it'll be alright. Plus, all I said was that there's a difference, one's a pontoon boat and the other is a cataraft. Each has their bennies. Now, a cataraft is a kick butt machine and a pontoon boat smells like a butt ROFL. Just kidding. But they both have their places. I have told people to actually buy a pontoon boat. Only because it's not warranted to spend the type of money for a cataraft when you don't need it. Like buying a Ferrari for a chase vehicle when you can EASILY get by with a moped (but hey, would cut the commute from Oxbow to Minnie down to about 2 minutes ). I ran my Outcast on solid class 3's, borderline class 4's. Can it be done, yes. Is it advised, ummm nope. Plus, like you said Ryan, it all depends on your oarsmanship. The oxbow is a piece of cake for someone experienced, a bit technical for someone new.

Now, he wants a boat you can stand up and fish from. So Outcasts are out of the picture (except the 12' and that's only for the front passenger). You have the money to spend, go with something good. I'd say, and Osprey can give you an exact figure, somewhere in the $2500-$3500 range, all depending on what you put on it and how intriquet you make your frame. Can be more and less. It really depends on oars you want, type of frame design (multi piece or single). Options.

The Steelheader is an awesome boat if you want a premade fishing boat. But if you want to customize and get exactly what you want, have one built.

Have fun packing a pontoon boat, frame and all around some of the jams in our rivers. Watermaster if huge water is not a concern.

Yeah? I've told people to go to Hell, but that doesn't make it a prime vacation destination.

Hey Cuz

OK since price is no object...."The perfect One man Boat" ......Is not a Raft!!!!!
They are slugs compared to Cats
First
1 set of 12'Wing Inflateables Cat tubes with top and bottom chafe.

1 piece White water fishing frame with double top rails (more storage and adds more strength to frame design)
Stand up platform is Honey comb titainium flooring.(The Best)
Remote anchor system.
9' set of Cataract Oars

retail costs will be around 2500-3500.could be more depending on Frame material and how much someone wants to charge you for a Custom Boat

Nothing handles like real cataraft...they are the Sports cars of the River

Oh Sparky....sorry dude that one ain't it
.................Os

James,
I have owned both a raft and a pontoon boat in one-man versions. You wanted feedback on both, here is my $.02:
The raft: It was a Tote-"N"-Float. When Personnal Watercrafts first showed up about 10 yrs ago, this was one of the few around I could find. I think it was around $600, 8 years ago, fully equiped. This meant anchor system, pump, oars, everything. It was light enough to haul around with no problem but I never carried my rods put-together with me on the same trip I was carring the boat around an obstacle. If the rods were broke down, no problem. Ya had to wear neoprenes and ya sat low in the water. This made your butt into a depth finder, ouch! It was slow
to row which made getting out of tidewater areas (Feeders to LaCenter) tiring. It handled Heissen to Lewisville with no problem but I always ended up soaked. It was not very reponsive which meant you had to plan yor moves waaaaaaay in advance. I sold it after one year for the following....

The pontoon boat: Bucks Bag Bronco. Bought it about 7 yrs ago. With everything (Anchor system, waterproof storage, oars, etc) it was about $1000. The tubes are bladder types and are 8 ft long. Lots of controversy over bladder types of pontoons. Anyway, it worked for me as I never had a problem with the pontoons. The frame was awesome. You ended up drier as you sat up higher out of the water. With your feet in the braces, rowing hard, low tide, you could be out of the Feeders in LaCenter within 20 minutes. Very responsive boat and quite a fishing machine. It was heavier than the raft for carrying around crap but not too bad. I even ran it from Sunset Falls down, walking it around the bad spots. It did the Trestle rapids though.
There are lots of options in boats available now that weren't there even as recently as 8-10 yrs ago. A guy can find the cheap boats on sale at GI Joes for < $300. Ya break it, ya buy another. Plus ya can buy two cheap so your buddy can go along.
My $.02,
x

Hey Extreme, whatdaya do when you came up on Horeshoe falls?? Being the biggest waterfall on the EF, obviously you had to walk around... How was carrying your pontoon boat around it? Been in that area, and it was a serious pain in the a$$ to walk around the falls without a boat!
I do like staying dry though, good point...

Osprey, 12' of pontoon might be much to "pack" around a over-sized sweeper. Also, this personal watercraft must be able to maneuver in smaller rivers, I mean small!! But also has to be able to take on some decent whitewater.

Cuz??? Thanks, Brah.

Keep em coming, getting a lot of good info so far!


Much aprreciated,

James

That is why you want a Pac 900...I can guarentee you will love this boat!!

i was lookin in the ads of sts and saw an add for Drift Lite Boats they are 1 or 2 man DB's that can fit in the back of a pickup truck.
Tyler

It's not the Titanic Boys
sure you can't pack it on you're back and you ain't runnin anything tuff on that Outcast of Sparky's.

I run a smaller frame for small rivers.When I've had to pack my larger set up... more than once, I just drag it.Damn shoulda went left there $@!#@*)(&**.


Being 6 miles from you're rig because you're little pontoon boat sprung a leak or you broke the frame

I've seen all these horror stories before.

You asked for our opinions ,that's mine.
I'd rather have more boat than I need,other wise buy an Outcast.
.....Os

In five years of working a tackle shop and selling pontoon boats, both Bucks and Outcast, I have never seen an Outcast pontoon returned because of a leak and I have never ever seen a tweaked frame on an Outcast of any sorts. If either of these scenarios were to take place, we would be the first to hear about it.

[ 01-28-2002: Message edited by: RPetzold ]

Is this going to be anything like Jig Wars????

Fishhead5