# New Cat decision time...



## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

JPW big red with the blunt snouts
go anywhere you want to go


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## WillYates (Aug 3, 2007)

I have an Aire lion 16' with a dre frame. Ark, eagle, blue, Colorado, green, Dolores, etc. It's a blast. I would recommend at least 44" internal width to allow for larger coolers.


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## BullSCit (Nov 12, 2003)

I had an Aire Jag. It was nice and sporty, but got loaded down way too quick. Now I am in the process of building up an Aire Leopard. It is 18', but the tubes are 26.5" instead of 24", and the load capacity is almost 50% more. So hopefully it will still be somewhat sporty, since it still is decently rockered. Was also looking at the Aire Lions, but they and the JPWs just seem to flat.


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## Gumbydamnit (Apr 2, 2008)

I'm not opposed to the lion but it seems like a bit over kill. Maybe it's the 27.5" tubes? I don't really like heights. HA!


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## slamkal (Apr 8, 2009)

I've got a lion. You have to duck when going under bridges ...

You can go with a 24" tube and it will sink another two inches draft than the lion if overloaded. Maybe that's why the lion seems so much higher ...


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## davecosnowboarder (Apr 25, 2007)

I have a fourteen foot lion and it handles great. I have run Gore and won't hesitate to take it on the grand. I think its a great all around boat. I am now looking into a smaller cat, but I'll always keep the lion.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

I know more than a few people that have run Jag's on the Grand Canyon, and use them as day boats also. If you are solo on your boat, the Jag should have plenty of gear hauling for the Grand. I'd say the next step up, to maintain optimal performance, is the Leopard. The Lion is more of a barge, and while people enjoy them (all cats are great!) you're going to have more fun on a Leopard on a day to day basis. The Leopard is part of the performance line, which is geared towards fun.

I'm considering a new cat for the Grand also. I will only consider a Leopard if I carry a passenger, otherwise it may be a Jag.

Then again, I recently saw a 15.5' Legend (cut more like the 11' than 12.5', less snubby) with 27" tubes. It looked sweet. Really, the guy was running it on the Wind river in Washington, IV+/V- and he rocked! The bigger tubes made it much more symmetrical than their stock Legend in those lengths, and he got it for gear hauling. He even used his frame for his 11' legend, which kept it skinnier and maneuverable.


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## BmfnL (May 23, 2009)

I popped for the royal flush last year. Love it. The tubes have some early rise at each end, but I would not say they are "rockered". It's fun to have the cargo capacity of a 16' yet, with a 34" frame (tube to tube), being able to squeeze her into places a small cat goes. It is a very versatile boat. The 10 year warranty doesn't hurt either. Made in the USA!


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

I had a Aire 18 ft Leopard cat boat. Sold it for reasons other than the boat as it never let me down on performance what ever the run.

Took it down the GC, Middle Fork, Yampa, San Juan, WW and a bunch of other rivers.

For me it was a very good cat either loaded or unloaded.

It does seem a bit big, but I took it down several smaller Arkansas creeks unloaded and it did just great. Cannot say anything but good about the boat's quality and performance. If there is a do it all cat, Leopard has to be in the top level.

I have several buds with the Aire Jags and they all speak well of the Jag, but for me on bigger water those big Leopard tubes are nice.


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## MountainMedic (Apr 24, 2010)

BmfnL said:


> I popped for the royal flush last year. Love it. The tubes have some early rise at each end, but I would not say they are "rockered". It's fun to have the cargo capacity of a 16' yet, with a 34" frame (tube to tube), being able to squeeze her into places a small cat goes. It is a very versatile boat. The 10 year warranty doesn't hurt either. Made in the USA!


i ordered my royal flush a few weeks ago, for all the same reasons listed above.

gets here in a few weeks, can't wait to stare at it!


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## Gumbydamnit (Apr 2, 2008)

Sotar's Legend looks like an awesome boat. I couldn't find any load specs on it though. I'm sure with it being 15 1/2' with 27" tubes it can probably carry some weight.


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## jrice345 (Jan 11, 2011)

I'm borrowing a friend's two year old Maravia 14x24. It can pack on the weight and still performs well. We'll be taking it on the GC this fall.


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## Gumbydamnit (Apr 2, 2008)

So it's between the 15'6" that I'll stretch to a 16' sotar legend with the normal 25" tubes not the 27" and the JPW Royal Flush!! What to do?


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## jrice345 (Jan 11, 2011)

Sotar: a bit more sporty and easier on the eye (i.e. much more sexy, if that matters...)....


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## SNCrafter (Dec 11, 2007)

i have a 15.5 Wave destroyer prototype with frame and cargo space that i have used on several cataract canyon trips, a grand canyon trip, and several other over nights. Its a great boat for day tripping class V (it did great on the Upper Animus), and does well with gear. i might be willing to sell it for the right price.

also i wouldn't stretch a legend those boats are the length they are for a reason. just learn to carry less gear. (I love the legend as it is so take my words with a grain of salt.)


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## BmfnL (May 23, 2009)

Those Legends are beautiful. There are days when I sometimes wish I was driving a set instead of my tubes from Jack. I think a lot of that is the aesthetic draw the Legends have.

Looking at the blueprints for each:

http://www.jpwinc.com/su.jpg

14' Legend Cats | SOTAR

There are two types of cats - gear haulers and play cats. Each of these models tries to be both. 

I think the Royal Flush has more volume (carries more) and it definitely has a longer length between the outer-most D-rings (accommodates a longer frame and/or trailer frames).

The Legend is a smaller, sportier, sexier ride. 

The Legend/WD packing advice seems to be "learn to go lighter". This of course will make any cat perform better, but do you want it to be a necessity?


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## Gumbydamnit (Apr 2, 2008)

The peeps at Sotar say the 15 1/2 legend has a load capacity of 1500lbs. That adds up to a sleeping bag, tent and a whole lot of beer!!! If that's not enough capacity you can add 6" in length for free and add another 100lbs or so of capacity. I think I'm going to keep it at 15 1/2. What do you think about green/orange with black D rings, black wear strip and black cones. Can you say SEXY!!!


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## BmfnL (May 23, 2009)

Sounds tits to me. What sort of frame will you have again?


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## Gumbydamnit (Apr 2, 2008)

I have no idea. This is my first cat! I want something that I can carry a good amount of stuff, but also one that I can tweek to just do day runs. I had a NRS big horn II on my raft. It was nice for that reason, I could change up the configuration of the frame pretty easily.


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## kaya dog (May 26, 2009)

I would have to call bullshit on that 1500 pound load capacity, your d-rings would be under water or right at the water level. We rock the 15'5'' Legend with an aluminum predator frame, two dry boxes and 120 qt. yetti cooler and she gets over loaded quick. I haul one girl and her dresser. We love the setup and would buy it again. 
That said, I just picked her up an AIRE ocelot with a DRE frame for dirt cheap. She thinks its all her but I am really just trying to lighten up my load. 
last year sotar was like 3 months out to have a boat built


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## Gumbydamnit (Apr 2, 2008)

WOO-HOO, It's a done deal. They did say they were booked until mid June, but I should have my legend on my door step by May 1st!! I haven't smiled this much since the first time I....


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## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

You made up your mind, so I'm not gonna go on about the four Jack's cats I run. Just ordered a fifth pair of Jack's tubes to build a research boat for channel mapping.

To get some exact values on tube diameter, length and draft, check out the Jack's website http://www.jpwinc.com/catdraft.html for a table of the draft for each diameter and length. You can use it to figure out loads and drafts for tubes by other makers. If you care about handling, the max load waterline should be about 1/3 of the diameter (_e.g._ for 24-inch tubes, an 8-inch draft).


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## swiftwater15 (Feb 23, 2009)

*Aire Lion*

People I know that have the 16-foot Aire Lion love it for a gear hauler, extended trip cat. Great low water boat too - big tubes little draft. And you can't beat Aire's warranty.


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## slamkal (Apr 8, 2009)

Letting it "aire" out. What an amazing piece of American craftsmanship!!


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## wildh2onriver (Jul 21, 2009)

BmfnL said:


> I popped for the royal flush last year. Love it. The tubes have some early rise at each end, but I would not say they are "rockered". It's fun to have the cargo capacity of a 16' yet, with a 34" frame (tube to tube), being able to squeeze her into places a small cat goes. It is a very versatile boat. The 10 year warranty doesn't hurt either. Made in the USA!


Looks like your passenger could use a foot bar in front?


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## BmfnL (May 23, 2009)

Ha! I have a new DRE trailer frame on the way! They are adding a footbar as wide as my tubes are apart. It will drop of the front cross of the trailer at a 45. They are charging $60 or so for the customization. I think that's mighty reasonable.


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