# Looking to buy my first raft



## hand8272 (May 24, 2011)

Uhfch62 said:


> Looking to buy my first boat/raft any suggestions??
> 
> We have a place in Nathrop Co so planing on spending some time on the river but more than a little confused.....been reading about diminished tubes, oversized tubes,extra rockers, pcv, Hypalon,Urethane Bottom Chafers,elliptical shape, round shape,longer waterlines ....and the specs go on and on?
> 
> This is what I want: A raft that I wont out grow in a year or two, one that can handle 6 adults on a weekend trip, Self-Bailing Floor and my best bang for my buck I would rather drive a Chevy than a Cadillac!


6 adults on an overnight trip....your buying two boats.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Or a 20' boat that you wont be able to row on. Unless you are talking car camping somewhere with day floats


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## ccombs (Mar 17, 2004)

If your in nathrop you will probably be paddling on the Ark I'm assuming so get a 13 to 14 ft paddle boat set up and have some fun with your 6 friends. Overnight and multi day rafting is another beast all together and you will either have to shed some friends or get a bigger boat that will not be optimal on the Ark. Check the swap and the outfitters around there to buy a used commercial boat for cheap its a great way to get into the sport and if you want to do overnights/multiday stuff you can support 2 to 3 people depending on trip length.


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

I've done overnighters with 5 adults and one huge dog out of my 14' raft - three sit in front, the rower, then 2 in duckys with all our gear in the back and under the rower. It works but you have to buck up and put some people in IK's.


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## Uhfch62 (Apr 17, 2012)

So your saying 1800-1900# is too much weight for a 16' footer ? my god how much gear do you take?


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Uhfch62 said:


> So your saying 1800-1900# is too much weight for a 16' footer ? my god how much gear do you take?


Weekend trip for 5 is 120qt cooler plus dry food. If you drink thats another smaller cooler for beer. Three tents, 6 sleeping bags, thermarests, 6 chairs, toilet, kichen setup, stove , water, clothing, shovel firepan etc. plus then you need a place for them all to fit

Unless you are into minimalist camping you probably need two boats. I took 5 total on my 18' cat down the Rogue but that was also two duckys so yest it can be done with a 16' boat just not optimal. I wouldnt want to have to row it through anything overly technical


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## mukunig (May 30, 2006)

A 16 foot raft can easily do what you want. Just make sure to get a multi compartment frame with at least 4 bays, so you have lots of places to put stuff. I recommend sitting on your cooler and not a tractor seat as that setup uses space much more effectively. 

It is true that you need nearly as much stuff for an overnight trip as a week trip, so you will want to pack light for 6 adults.


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## whip (Oct 23, 2003)

You wont be happy paddling a 16' on the Ark but you will get good at unwrapping a raft


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

16' is great for day trips for 6 adults. 
14' is tight with an oar frame. 
14' is great for 6 adults paddling.

I don't know your local river, so if 16' is too big, cross it off your list.

As said, 14' will work OK for everyone's gear but not 6 people + gear. Plan to borrow/rent a 2nd boat or a couple of duckies for the overnight weekends.



Are all 6 of you buying this boat together?
If not, buy what's best for you and your SO. Bring your friends on day trips. If they love rafting, they can figure out how to get their own setup. 

I love rafting and taking non-kayaking friends for daytrips on my favorite rivers. I draw the line at overnighters--I'm a boater, not an outfitter. It's enough work to keep the gear assembled and keep my wife and 2 daughters happy! :lol:


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## Uhfch62 (Apr 17, 2012)

Sounds like a 13-14 footer would be a better fit for the area (Nathrop Co) I will be rafting in

So should I look at a new pcv or used Hypalone raft? which one would be more user friendly and trouble free?


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

There's great value in used rafts. I wouldn't shy away from used PVC from a good company. I'm buying my 2nd used Aire.  



...and no, the 2nd isn't a replacement for the first--it's in addition to. :lol:


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## Snowolf (Apr 8, 2012)

My two cents worth with regard to overnighters or mutiday trips with this many people is two smaller boats like a pair of 14`s. Set one up as a passenger boat either as a paddle boat or with a rowing frame; your choice. The second boat is the gear boat with just a boatman, maybe one passenger/helper. 2 boats adds an extra level of safety, makes for a more comfortable trip for the passengers and makes life generally easier on the river. The one "downside" is you will need two competent boatmen preferably with experience on what ever river you intend to run.

Like I said, just my personal feelings and I might be out to lunch here.....


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## mukunig (May 30, 2006)

Two smaller boats is definitely the way to go. My previous post was just to say you can do overnighters with 6 adults in a 16' raft. I am a big proponent of multiple boats on trips. Much safer and more fun. I also prefer smaller boats as they are more fun on smaller, tighter rivers. I have a 14' Sotar that I use for multiday trips with my family of 4 and we often take others along on day trips. I would prefer a 16 footer if all I did was long multiday trips. 

As for PVC vs hypalon, both are good. There are strong proponents of both, but as someone who has a lot of miles in both, they really both can be just fine. There are lots of threads on this subject. I prefer pvc boats for hard, technical rivers, but both can be work just fine. Badly made PVC boats fall apart faster than hypalon boats, so beware of cheap PVC.


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## openboat (Jul 13, 2004)

You don't say how you might store the raft in the off season. I don't have a pvc, but understand they don't really roll up well. Kept partially inflated on a trailer, I hear they are fine. Hypalon will certainly roll up for storage in your garage


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

I have owned three PVC boats & one Urethane over the past 15 years and I've never had any trouble rolling them up or storing them rolled up.
Just keep checking for good deals on boats & frames on Mountain Buzz, NRS gear swap, etc. and I'll bet you'll find a good boat. Best if it's close to where you live so you can check it out in person. Sounds like a 14 footer will fit your needs.
Good luck & have fun.
KJ


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## Pro Leisure (Sep 19, 2011)

I was in your shoes this time last year and decided that the rivers I'd be running would need a boat small enough to run them (like the Ark & Eagle) and a boat big enough to handle the long trips & big water (Deso, Cataract, GC...). 14"er was the answer for me. For the PVC vs Hypalon debate, Hypalon (or Urathane for that matter) seems to be the stronger more durable product, but thats just me. I got lucky through the buzz and found a slightly aged NRS-E140 that was in great shape for the right price. You can easily fit 6 buddies for day floats, but will be tight for multidays (more than 3 is pushing it). You will probably need to convince some of those buddies to get a boat. A bit of advice if your buying a used boat, see it inflated. Good luck in your search!


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## [email protected] (Jun 1, 2010)

Uhfch62 said:


> So your saying 1800-1900# is too much weight for a 16' footer ? my god how much gear do you take?


 Here is a sample of what gear you might take on a 5 day trip.

http://www.stupidguidetricks.com/pdfs/gearlist.pdf


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## Uhfch62 (Apr 17, 2012)

Here's some pcv rafts I'm looking at and it seems like the RMR has the best advertised features, anybody know any thing about these? 

14' Self Bailing Whitewater Rocky Mountain Raft $2399

14' Otter Livery 140 raft $2850
14' Adventure 140 raft $3395

someone asked how I was going to store the raft?I have room for the raft inside my garage in the bag or inflated


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## greg d (Jul 17, 2007)

So I'm biased, as I rep Rocky Mountain rafts........but I've spent over 20 years playing and guiding in whitewater & do believe they are the best product for the money currently available. All welded with lap seams & they have a 5 year consumer warranty and are cheaper new than most used boats out there.

-Greg D.


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## catwoman (Jun 22, 2009)

I would go with a used 14' self bailer, but a brand that has a great warranty, like Aire or NRS (both 10 years). I money isn't _really _of concern get a new raft with a cadillac of a warranty. I had a small cataraft that I sold for just a little less than I paid for it new (frame and rubber). It was a high quality boat (Aire) with not a hole on it despite having run rocky, shallow western rivers, for 12 years. If you are thinking of running over-nighters, which is probably the easiest way to outgrow a boat, think long and hard about the frame set up and how you'd carry all that stuff. Check out other people's rigs. I LOVE the way my hubby's 14' NRS packs for overnight trips, but my SD Puma is better for hauling people, and can be run as a paddle boat.


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## fourtyfloater (Aug 26, 2011)

*If you want.*

I have a 13 ft Rocky Mtn raft that I bought last year if you wanted to come and look at it and float the lower section of the Gunnison with me sometime. It is not the Ark but might give you an idea of which way to go. It has a NRS fishing frame set up on it. Have not used it as a paddle boat yet.


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