# Aire River Couch Mods



## Dr.AndyDVM

I bought one of these at Cascade River Supply in Boise last week. 







I'm excited to have a sweet river couch. However, I thought it would be fun to try and turn this into a boat. With a little bit of work I thought this could turn into a fun R2 paddle boat. I have a friend who took one down the Main Payette last summer. He said it was essentially like swimming the whole river. Most of the YouTube videos I've seen show them dumping the boaters out the front. 

https://vimeo.com/85381733

I thought that adding a couple of thwarts to the front might help stabilize it. Like this. 







But, how to attach them? Any other ideas? 

I also thought it might be fun to mount it behind the rowers seat for day trips. 


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## zbaird

I put one thwart in the center instead of two as pictured. It made a huge difference in the stability of the couch. It made it much more useable on the river though it is still a novelty. It still flips fairly easily and isnt the most maneuverable thing though a ton of fun.

I attached the thwart with card system thwart attachments.


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## Dr.AndyDVM

What is a card system?


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## InflatableSteve

Don't know if this will work or not, but if I were trying to do this, I would glue on the NRS BAT thwarts.


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## Dr.AndyDVM

Do you have any pictures?


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## Yarrow

*Back To Back*

What if you get another one and strap them together back to back? That ought to solve the balance issue.


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## Dr.AndyDVM

I thought of buying a second one. I didn't want to spend that much money. However, I'm beginning to wonder if that might not be the least expensive of the many options. 


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## Randaddy

Here's an idea: get a boat.


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## Yarrow

I hear you on the cost. I guess it depends on the river and the riders. Despite the videos, I suspect these are meant for more of a lazy ride. I definitely wouldn't send my kids down anything swift on it as it is. And I personally wouldn't go beyond class II on it without substantial support. But what a crazy fun ride! If you can work it out with just one, I'd love to see it.


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## Yarrow

Clarification: I meant to say that because of the design and even with the thwarts, I personally wouldn't feel stable enough for more than a float (kids) or class II (me). Cost issue aside, back to back would be a little less crazy but still great fun. 

And better than a boat, imo. Unless you're trying to stay dry.


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## almortal

Are those things self bailing?


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## PhilipJFry

almortal said:


> Are those things self bailing?


about as self bailing as an innertube... where do you expect water to pool on this? and how much water are you expecting it to hold?


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## Dr.AndyDVM

Yeah, they're self bailing. The tube you sit on has a 2 inch gap between it and the tube behind it. That way the Cheetos don't get caught between the cushions. 

Our favorite day trip rivers are all class III so maybe that's a little to extreme. 

Yarrow, have you ever tried tying them together with front facing front? It seems like that would keep you inside a little better. 


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## bucketboater

They still make these stupid things? My buddy has one in his living room and a leather couch In his front yard fwiw.


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## bucketboater

Sotar and maravia need to step up their game. They have yet to build a custy couch, Chinese poverty boat, a self bailing floor that holds water and a raft covered in zippers.


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## Learch

bucketboater said:


> Sotar and maravia need to step up their game. They have yet to build a custy couch, Chinese poverty boat, a self bailing floor that holds water and a raft covered in zippers.


Oh snap!


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## swimteam101

*Sotor and Maravia*



bucketboater said:


> Sotar and maravia need to step up their game. They have yet to build a custy couch, Chinese poverty boat, a self bailing floor that holds water and a raft covered in zippers.


Don't fret , Sotor and Maravia have led the way with other inventions such as acceptable factory leakage and combining a USA made boat with a POS Asian made floor.


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## mttodd

swimteam101 said:


> Don't fret , Sotor and Maravia have led the way with other inventions such as acceptable factory leakage and combining a USA made boat with a POS Asian made floor.


Sad but true.


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## Yarrow

Dr. Andy, no I haven't tried that, but face to face was actually my first thought when you posted- like parlor seating. I would want to leave a little room between the two so you can still ride a bit loose and get wet, but that could be problematic with kids (I always think in terms of kids- I have 5.) Wouldn't want anyone getting stuck between the couches! Still, if you attached them from the bottom cushions using straps like the photo, you could adjust the slack accordingly- loose for adults and butting up for kids? I think it's worth trying. Have you ever seen these couches for rent?


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## Daryl

Put some 16' cat tubes on each side and a modified frame (with ottoman) for a row couch.


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## Dr.AndyDVM

That's funny! I actually put it up on the back of my raft. The couch got in the way of my rowing motion. So I moved it back until it was balanced on the back tube. That was perfect for me except there is a big hole right under where your feet are with a huge drop from the couch to the floor of the raft. I think if you put a table or board behind the row seat it would get rid of the big hole and give couch sitters a place to rest their feet.


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## zbaird

Here is a pic.

The "card system" is one of the attachment systems used to attach thwarts to boats such as the mentioned BAT system from NRS. 

Stick them on the thwart first, then lay the thwart against the couch, mark and glue them on. Along with making it more stable on the water it makes a great ottoman and additional seat.


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## Yarrow

That really would be a sweet ride with the cat tubes! Makes me laugh just thinking about it. 

zbaird, it looks like you have the couch attached to the back of the raft in that photo. Was that just for transport, or do you ride it like that? That idea kept coming to mind yesterday- like riding in the back of those monster station wagons in the 70s.


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## Dr.AndyDVM

Zbaird,
Where did you get your thwart from? Do they make card batten attachments out of pvc? The NRS ones are hypalon. 


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## zbaird

It was a random off a boat that got trashed. 

I would look to Rocky Mountain Rafts for a thwart. I think they have the most reasonable price on new thwarts. 

The attachments I used were from Down River Equipment. They have PVC and Hypalon available.


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## Sam Arnold IV

*Air couch...*

This is from the Salmon this summer. We strapped it on the back of the cat for a lazy afternoon. Actually, daughter fell asleep in it for a short period...


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## Dr.AndyDVM

Awesome pic Sam. 
Did you strap it down? I can't see any. 
I have to figure out how to rig mine like that on my Diablo!


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## aire

Aire River Couch Raft, Lochsa Falls 2014


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## InflatableSteve

That's gnarly!


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## Dr.AndyDVM

That's Awesome!! I wish there were a couple pics after the falls too, or a video! Did they flip?


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## Dr.AndyDVM

I told Cameron who works at Cascade River Supply (aka Cascade Outfitters) about the thwart idea. He asked Chris Frazee the president of Maravia about it and Chris found me the biggest thwart I've ever seen. It is the exact same size as the seat cushion on the couch. They let me have it for $50. I bought 4 Maravia thwart knuckles, some glue, MEK, and here is the result.











































My thanks to Chris and Cameron. It makes a great ottoman too. Now I just need to wait until the weather gets warm enough to test it on the water. 


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## curtis catman

That is awsome. All it needs now is a frame and some oars and I would say you could take it and leave the raft home


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## Daryl

Suhweet!


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## Jim S

Come on, you don't row a couch! You get a motor you can drive with one hand while the other holds the TV remote.


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## curtis catman

You got me. I wish l could have thought up the motor.


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## Yarrow

I love it! I want one!


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## ColePowered

I bought one of these a last year, and I can still say, by far the best purchase I've made! I give it credit to saving everything after this pop as well.


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## Dr.AndyDVM

I got this on the water today. In case you were wondering if the thwart idea was a success, .... it was awesome!







Here's to a successful maiden voyage. Next stop, the Main Payette!



























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## Dr.AndyDVM

Here's a video showing how stable it is:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt9rv6eruuM


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## Yarrow

Nice! There's no tipping that thing over! Was it hard for your kids to paddle it?


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## Dr.AndyDVM

No, the kids were having difficulty. My kids don't know how to paddle much yet. On our raft, I do almost all the rowing. We are going to put the thwarts into the my old 14' and do some day runs this season as a paddle crew. 

As far as paddling goes, I think it moves better sideways. The best way I found was to straddle the middle tube and lean out over the arm rest and paddle. It wasn't like paddling a SUP but we were able to scoot around.


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## Yarrow

Looks like fun regardless. I'm curious to see what you do on the river. Still going to put it on the back of the raft? Or ride it solo now that it has the thwart?


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## Dr.AndyDVM

After a lot of help and a little work, this project finally reached its culmination. My friend Paul and I R2ed it down the river today. Aire Couch....meet the Payette River. 
https://youtu.be/qmvMEh1Fdis


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## Dr.AndyDVM

The link isn't working. I'll try again


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## Dr.AndyDVM

https://youtu.be/qmvMEh1Fdis


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## FallingH20

The link works for me. Looks like goofy fun.


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## Yarrow

Fun!! So did it tip backwards in the rapids?


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## 90Duck

Good times!


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