# Building a frame for a new 16 foot Rocky Mountain Raft



## Bryan (Feb 3, 2005)

Curious where you can find a high back tractor seat for $60.


----------



## colorado_steve (May 1, 2011)

so there is this place called ebay..... 

NEW KUBOTA HIGH BACK TRACTOR SEAT! riding mower rider ztr | eBay


----------



## mikepart (Jul 7, 2009)

I don't see any problem with your plan as long as you pin the corner fittings and don't rely on set screws to hold them together.

With that being said, it dosen't seem like you are saving that much money over down river's three bay single rail for $639 Colorado

or a welded three bay frame from PRO for $527
Professional River Outfitters | 800-648-3236 | [email protected]

I don't really see the need for a seat mount on a three bay frame; wouldn't you just sit on your cooler or dry box? If you want a tractor seat then bolt it to a piece of plywood and strap it over your cooler or drybox.

As far as anodized goes, In my experience the only drawback to non anodized aluminium is that it will rub black oxidation off on your boat and legs. With aluminum, corrosion will not be factor in the integrity of your frame for many, many, many years.

One more thing that I would add. You have a sweet, brand new boat. Don't go cheap on your frame set up. It is just as important as your rubber, and a good aluminum frame will last forever. I don't know what is important to you as far as weight and the ability to break it down, but I highly suggest that you consider a full on double rail diamond plate frame with a rowers floor and maybie a custom table to fit your frame. Why not, you have already bought a sweet boat? Keep in mind the weight of a fully loaded 16 footer and all the stress that will be on those fittings in a flip. If one fitting breaks or comes loose, you may loose more money on gear then you saved on the frame. This is why I have a PRO frame with welded corners, but I don't see a need to ever break mine down.


----------



## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

Why only 3 bays for a 16 ft raft? Doesn't make sense to me.


----------



## mikepart (Jul 7, 2009)

Also, in my experience, the NRS oar towers suck because they have a tendency to spin on the pipe. I'm sure lots of people like them, but not me.


----------



## cpollema (Mar 9, 2009)

If you are considering building the frame yourself, I'd throw rowframe.com in the mix. You can get parts or have Gary help you with the design and build.


----------



## mdconner (Feb 1, 2011)

cpollema said:


> If you are considering building the frame yourself, I'd throw rowframe.com in the mix. You can get parts or have Gary help you with the design and build.


Rowframe.com never returns emails or phone calls


----------



## Robpineau (Dec 21, 2009)

+1 for rowframe.com or check out alreco aluminum surplus for your pipe last time I was there dre size was about 1.66/ft


----------



## Louisuga (May 9, 2012)

*Thanks for good advice*

I really appreciate everyone's ideas on my dilema. Here are a few clarifications:

I guess I decided to build a frame in lieu of buying one from one of the frame companies is that I thought that the frame that I had designed was similar to those made by some of the frame building companies. I was looking at 6061 aluminum (same as NRS) and was planning to use Hollaender fittings (same as DRE). 

I think that I would be saving lots of money over NRS and DRE. My full size frame with oar locks, seatpost, and seat, would cost just over $600, but if I purchased from DRE, the Colorado III (designed for 16 foot boats) + the seat mount, seat, and oar locks would cost around $1000. I guess I dont need the seat and could just sit on the cooler... 

The idea of getting black crap all over my boat, my gear and myself is not that appealing. On a scale of guy-from-movie-powder to chimney sweep, how dirty am i gonna get?

I suppose it makes sense to go ahead and get the cross bar to make the fourth bay. Again, trying to keep it cheap, figured I could always add it on later. 

Thanks again for all of the advice, I will check out the other pipe supplier. 

Louis


----------



## JerkmyBait (Jun 14, 2011)

When you use nonanodized aluminum for your frame, spray it down with phosphoric acid, let sit for a while, wash off with a wet rag, dry, and spray with an acrylic clear coat or clear metal lacquer. Then nothing turns black.

By the way, I made a 4 bay double rail frame for less than $600 for my 14 footer.


----------



## BCJ (Mar 3, 2008)

Been right where you are Louisanna: What you're doing will work. Non-anodized pipe will exodize and leave black marks over time, but, well, it can be washed off. I've been able to buy pipe at scrapyards from time to time. Whether you go with the larger or smaller pipe, though, do yourself one big favor - - add one more cross bar and two fittings and make it a FOUR BAY frame. You'll be glad you did, especially for a 16 footer. Finally, for the 3 bays that hold cargo, I like to make them equal dimensions, i.e., make them all fit your cooler, your drybox, or ammo cans, or whatever. This way you can change the location of things, e.g., put the cooler in front and sit on a deck on shorter trips, but the drybox in the center most of the time, or put it up front and the cooler behind it, etc. and so on. The versatility will payoff someday and doesn't take any more time to design it that way at the beginning. Me, I have a double-rail diamond plated Down River. I love it.


----------



## mikepart (Jul 7, 2009)

To me, the black stuff is not an issue. The non anodized aluminium will inevitably make black marks on your boat where the frame sits over time and you may get black spots on your legs where they rub against the cross bar when you row, but you will not look like chimney sweep.

There has to be a metal supply yard in Craig, right? If there is I would get a price from them on the pipe before ordering off the net.


----------



## Louisuga (May 9, 2012)

*Doing it*

Hey guys, 

I did talk to a metal supply place in Craig, CO, and am awaiting a quote. Alreco in Denver quoted me at 164.10 for 2 88" siderails and 5 66" cross bars, which is a solid $100 cheaper than the internet price plus shipping. 

Cant find a local dealer for the hoallander 4 elbows and 6 tees, so i am going to get them online for 138.83 including shipping. So this means the 88" x 69" 4 bay frame will only cost $303. 

Now I just need to get oar towers/locks and Ill be ready to roll. Any suggestions on those?

Thanks again for everything. Buying a bunch of metal that I have never seen before is a little bit unnerving...


----------



## rafterman (Feb 4, 2011)

I have come up with a basic internal pipe oar tower design, but it is not yet proven(havent had time to run it down the river yet). It is very similar to rowframe's design, and uses a hollaender cross fitting like DRE/Clavey. I would stay away from NRS towers. They are heavy, not adjustable, and have a propensity to rotate if not very tight. I like Clavey's towers, but DRE/AAA/rowframe(Gary) all have good designs as well. I would go with one of these Hollaender-based tower designs. If you want the best go with some wildgoose engineering towers. Make sure to pin the corners of your frame, as well as your footbar so it doesn't rotate(if you decide to use one). Using a jig and/or a drill press will help you drill your fittings more accurately. I only use seats on catboats and sit on plywood decks covering drop-bag bays on my gear boat. I am thinking about making new decks from HDPE to save on weight. I too run 88 inch rails and have 3 - 18 inch bays(2 drop, 1 cooler) plus cockpit, and have ample room. I slide everything forward for weight distribution and to make more room in the stern for gear. I have heard good things about the new NRS aluminum oar locks. I cut decks to run on either side of the cooler for: centering the cooler, walking on the boat, avoiding entrapment, strapping water jugs.


----------



## caseybailey (Mar 11, 2008)

mdconner said:


> Rowframe.com never returns emails or phone calls


Conner is a liar. I've had Gary return both calls and emails. Maybe liar is a bit hard. Over-exaggerater? Generalizationer?


----------



## constructeur (Feb 27, 2012)

caseybailey said:


> Conner is a liar. I've had Gary return both calls and emails. Maybe liar is a bit hard. Over-exaggerater? Generalizationer?


I had a hard time getting a hold of the G man recently as well. I think it's because he's a busy dude doing the 9-5, etc, so no big deal to me.


----------



## JerkmyBait (Jun 14, 2011)

Another thing to think about, with 4 more tees and 2 more long pieces you could have a double rail frame. The crossbars would be shorter and it wouldn't cost much more. Just an idea.


----------



## ciggyboy (Mar 7, 2008)

If your phyc'd about your new 16' rubber then you should do a sweet frame since your rig is only as sweet as the rubber + the frame. With that size boat do yourself a favor and put a 4 bay frame on, get a flip seat to go over the cooler, and a pacific river clam shell bag for the stern. Trying to save a few hundred bucks on your frame sure wont seem so sweet when your spending 3 of the best weeks of your life living on the Grand and hassling everyday with a cheaper frame set up (or the MF for that matter) . Pony up for side boards or a double rail diamond plate too - I'tl be the best money spent!

DRE sells fittings that fit NRS size pipe so you can get their oar tower set ups extra tall and cut them down to size. Lots of 16' setups have 10"+ towers and the NRS max out at 8" which is a big difference. I think DRE has 12" towers you can order. 

Without the anadiozing your boat will be an uncleanable mess in no time too.

Hope my 2cents helpd out - Post some pics of what you build!


----------



## Big Da (Mar 8, 2006)

Call Riverboat Works in Salida.


----------

