# Aire Puma or NRS Otter



## cataraftgirl

Anybody use an Aire Puma or NRS Otter 120 for fishing? Love it? Hate it? Input please and pictures of your set-up much appreciated. 
Thanks


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## fishhawk1400

I use to own a super duper puma Sold it and and I bought an Aire Jaguarundi. I rowed both a puma and sdp before I Bought one. The extra 6 inches in width and extra foot makes a difference when fishing with two other guys.

They are great boats for one day trips. because they are so narrrow dry boxes are a custom order. Dry storage is a must for fishing. For me a cat was more versitile for what I do. I would look at the Streamtech boats to.


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## ReillRaft

I rented an Aire for a paddle boat--assumed I was getting a D-Series but upon rolling it out, found that it was a Super-Duper Puma. Obviously I didn't get any fishing done in it but I can for sure tell you that I felt like it was too narrow for my liking as a paddle boat. This is the only 14' boat I've ever run that I didn't feel like there was enough room for six paddlers plus the guide. Again, its a personal preference thing but I felt like the Puma was too narrow for a paddle team, but I don't know what you like for fishing--I would think a wider boat but that probably depends on where you fish? Just my experience, sorry I can't help more with the fishing side, hope it helps.


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## MT4Runner

ReillRaft said:


> I rented an Aire for a paddle boat--assumed I was getting a D-Series but upon rolling it out, found that it was a Super-Duper Puma. Obviously I didn't get any fishing done in it but I can for sure tell you that I felt like it was too narrow for my liking as a paddle boat. This is the only 14' boat I've ever run that I didn't feel like there was enough room for six paddlers plus the guide. Again, its a personal preference thing but I felt like the Puma was too narrow for a paddle team, but I don't know what you like for fishing--I would think a wider boat but that probably depends on where you fish? Just my experience, sorry I can't help more with the fishing side, hope it helps.


I agree with you from the paddle side. Buddy of mine has the 143-D and it's a great paddle boat.


cataraftgirl, I saw a lot of SDP's on the Madison and Yellowstone, among all the drift boats. Before you lay out the cash, could you borrow one? Looking for new or used? Glacier Raft Co. up here sells 2-3 year old SDP's every year to keep their fleet new. They don't get insane wear in that short amount of time, either.


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## matt cook

Pumas make sweet, sporty little oar rigs, but they llike any other boat get piggish with a lot of weight. My first raft was a puma, in fact I still have it and will never sell it. I am also a fishing guide. That being said I would not recommend the 11'6" puma for fishing unless you carry a minimal amount of gear and seldomly float 3 people. I have what is essentially an nrs fishing frame with the stern seat attachment. I just can't fit my gear in an organized and usable manner, but I carry lots of tackle and rods. Although I have done 2 people, 2 dogs and gear for 3, ahem, I mean 2 nights on the gunny gorge, and it wasn't terribly piggish. But, I would recommend a super or sd puma for 3 people. They are definitely narrow boats, so that could be a determining factor if you aren't comfortable running narrow boats on bigger water. I have also run several super pumas, and they are much roomier, although not compared to the otters. If you are getting a good deal and want to do as much or more playboating than fishing, then go for the puma, they are super fun, especially surfing, rowing high water and vertical drops, kind of like rowing a kayak. Somehow the stiffness and narrow design seems more hydro dynamic than anything else I have run, making it surf really well and punch holes more like a dory. If I were to recommend a boat dedicated solely to fishing, something like the 130 r or d would be my choice(it was)


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## cataraftgirl

Thanks for the input so far buzzards. Some additional information that I probably should have put in my first post (My bad)..... I have a 14 ft. Maravia Cat for whitewater/multi-day trips. I love that boat. I also have an Outcast PAC 1000 mini-cat for fishing. It's a great little cat, and I can do overnight or weekends with it going backpacker style. The problem is that I can't bring my dog on that little boat, and I'd like a little bit more room for gear (still conservative though). So my need is for a small (under 12 ft.), light weight, fishing raft to take the place of the PAC 1000 for over night and weekend fishing on class I-II rivers. Just me and the pooch. I want a boat that's easy to load & unload from my trailer by myself. I also want it to be a raft for ease of use with the dog. Right now my top contenders are the Aire Puma, Tributary 9.5, the Hyside Mini-Max, and maybe the NRS Otter 120. The Tributary is the smallest and least $$$, the Otter is the heaviest and most $$$. The Hyside at 10.5 ft. is almost perfect in length, weight, and $$$, but it's the narrowest boat. This boat will be strictly rowed for fishing & fun, no R2 whitewater stuff. If anyone has first hand knowledge of these boats and maybe some pictures of your set-up, I'd love the feedback. Thanks.
KJ


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## matt cook

I have a trib 9.5 too, and it's a hoot with the frame, pretty light, but very tight on gear space. killer r2 and 3, like paddling a bathtub with 4. for your needs and skill level, you will love the the puma, it really is a different beast. you can fit through the lowest water on it (Royal Gorge @220cfs, Nolichucky @300cfs) loaded to camp and fish, or you can run steep and/or BIG V+ in it. Try one out, I'd loan you mine if you were nearby. I may sound like I am preaching, and maybe I am, but I've rowed all the boats you've mentioned except the mini max, which I have paddled and guided out of, and the puma is the best, period.


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## lhowemt

Did you see the partners forum? Hyside is having deals on thur, maybe they'd give you an idea if the boat you are looking at might be included in the near future?


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## Avatard

this looks like a sweet ride
2012 SOTAR Elite ss 13' Raft - Mountain Buzz Gear Swap


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## MT4Runner

matt cook said:


> Somehow the stiffness and narrow design seems more hydro dynamic than anything else I have run, making it surf really well and punch holes more like a dory.


I suspect their dory-like qualities makes them popular with fishermen.

Go for the Puma and a trailer with a winch for solo loading with your pup.


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## Osseous

Maravia Spider? Day frame for the Maravia cat tubes you already own?


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## jennifer

We have a super puma (13') and a tributary (14') and I regularly row both. I know this is bigger than what you are looking at but here we go:

The puma series is better quality. I am the 3rd owner and have no idea how many millions of river miles this thing has done, and it is still in perfect shape. The narrowness makes it faster, but less forgiving in big water than the tributary series, and you really have to distribute your weight evenly (not a problem with a dog and your personal gear but if you have a 300 lb guy moving around it gets annoying). The puma valves are better. If you go with a really narrow boat like a puma you need to look at either super lightweight oars or counterbalanced oars or it is awkward. If I were buying again, I'd look for a puma, but not hesitate at a good deal on a trib.


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## cataraftgirl

Ok folks......throwing another contender into the ring in my hunt for a small fishing raft. Hyside Outfitter 11.8. Similar in length & weight to the Puma, but wider (6'1" vs 5'6"). Looks like it may have more gear space than the Puma. I've never owned a hypalon boat before, but like that it may be easier to roll for storage. Actually, I've never owned a raft before. Always been a Cat person, so the design aspects of rafts is new to me. Anyone with experience with this boat?


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## Osseous

Seen the JPW Fatboy? Riverboat Works has a demo on sale on their website. Pretty cool little boat


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## Spade Hackle

How about a JPW Dragonfly, frame courtesy of Riverboatworks.
It fishes great, floats skinny water great.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t109/Spade_Hackle/IMGP0067.jpg


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## cataraftgirl

The Fatboy is a possibility. Dragonfly is 13 ft. and I want to stay at 12 ft. or under.


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## John the welder

It really depends on your size and what you are going to put in your boat. Are you going to carry your boat into remote rivers or lakes? Do fly in trips like Alaska? Then weight and packabality are big deals. Just like the people in duckies that do multi day trips I have a mini-me that I fish out of and can do week long trips with with all the comforts of the big boats. Get the smallest boat you can fit into.


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## cataraftgirl

John the welder said:


> It really depends on your size and what you are going to put in your boat. Are you going to carry your boat into remote rivers or lakes? Do fly in trips like Alaska? Then weight and packabality are big deals. Just like the people in duckies that do multi day trips I have a mini-me that I fish out of and can do week long trips with with all the comforts of the big boats. Get the smallest boat you can fit into.


Carry in - No. Fly in - not at this point, but who knows. R2/R4 in class II-III - probably not. Casual weekend fishing & camping on class I-II in Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, maybe Oregon or Montana is my main objective. Me, my dog, maybe one passenger from time to time. Comfortable, but still conservative gear. Right now the Hyside 11.8 is standing out. 11'10"long and 6 ft. wide, 87 lb. weight, maybe a hair lighter without the thwarts. I can fit my dry box & cooler that I run on my whitewater cataraft in this boat which is a big plus to save $$$. Based on the specs I think that a 60 inch long/54 inch wide NRS frame will work. Row from the dry box, cooler up front, gear in the back. The NRS fit guide recommends 7.5 ft. oars. Not sure on that? I have a bad habit of getting oars that are too short, and having to get new ones. Right now this is all a work in progress. I always get myself in trouble over the winter. Last winter I resigned my cat set-up. This winter I want a new boat in my fleet. Oh well, it's just so darn fun to mess with boats.


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## John the welder

A mini-me is just over 40lbs and a mini-max just over 50lbs without thwarts. we carry our boats into the Gunny so weight is important. I've done a 11 Alaska trips and every thing has to fit into a small plane. We use 8 foot oars on the mini's so you will need oars at least that long.


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## cataraftgirl

John the welder said:


> A mini-me is just over 40lbs and a mini-max just over 50lbs without thwarts. we carry our boats into the Gunny so weight is important. I've done a 11 Alaska trips and every thing has to fit into a small plane. We use 8 foot oars on the mini's so you will need oars at least that long.


Thanks. I was thinking that 7.5 sounded a bit short. Especially if I'm rowing from a dry box. I'm guessing my 9.5's from my cat would be way too long with a 54 wide frame? I'd love to have multi-use gear to save $$$, but I don't think it will work for the oars?


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## Spade Hackle

cataraftgirl said:


> The Fatboy is a possibility. Dragonfly is 13 ft. and I want to stay at 12 ft. or under.


I've seen the fatboy, and know someone who has fished from it. Let me know if you want to talk with them.

SH


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