# 146DD great family oar setup or not fun?



## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

I'm personally not a fan of bladder boats with floors that hold water to keep them from being overly flippy. In MY opinion, and not dissing AIRE at all, any hypalon boat would be a longer lasting better handling purchase. Again, MY opinion formed over 40 years of boating, rowing or paddling most every brand made at some point. 



Remember, the warranty doesn't cover shipping, so like some that send their boats in yearly for warranty work, you're still paying a couple hundred to ship it. 

Non bladder boats also require a lot less maintenance than boats that hold air on their own. 



Many families such as yours purchase 14 foot Hysides, 14 foot NRS's and I'm seeing a bunch of 14 foot RMR's out there, folks seem to be happy with them and the way they handle. 



My 2¢, your mileage may vary..


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## Whitewater Worthy Equip (Dec 11, 2013)

You will want more than a 14' boat sooner or later.


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## kokoroltd (Apr 12, 2015)

Totally agree with the two previous posters. I too, have paddled and rowed all manner of boats both commercially and private over the last 35 years. Another angle to take is get a boat on our buzzard classifieds or craigslist. There are a ton of 14 footers. You could get into the sport cheaper. For me (us), 1 size boat just doesn't fit all. Therefore we have a 16, 14, 12, and iks. Most are nrs. Hypolon is easy to work with. 1 ik is an aire; the outfitter ll. On the water I would love an 18 but on land it's too heavy to deal with for my wife and I.
I built an adjustable take down frame that'll fit the 16 and 14 ftr. 
Also, since rafting is contagious your kids will want to row their own boat at some point, which will mean you'll need more boats anyway!! Haha.

Even the 16ft nrs totally loaded with 3 weeks worth of gear handles great. But you are also talking about big water where a bigger boat is nicer anyway. I have used 16 ftrs commercially for years, lots of paddlers, and yes, that is barge-like.
I have rigged a 14 with a stern mount rowing frame and a cooler frame mounted the long ways and took 6 kids as a week long paddle boat trip. There were 3 other boats but we certainly hauled our share of gear. Needless to say it was a blast!


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## Denray (Sep 14, 2010)

Having a raft you can roll up for storage is nice if you can't provide a stall for it.
Hypalon works well for this. 
My first Sotar was left rolled when home for 25 years before the glue started to give it up, which had nothing to do with being rolled. A few years back I wanted to get a second smaller raft that was easier to get to and from the river. Due to some warranty issues with Sotar on my second boat I went with a Hyside. Excellent boat as well and the material is less slick which makes for staying in it and walking around on top of it
easier.
If you are going with one size I'd go with a 15-16 because it is so much fun to bring friends along, who can also help you carry it. Give them paddles to help with rowing assist, especially when the wind comes up. Way back in 78 I guided with a 20 ft Havasu bucket boat and could maneuver class 3 on S fork American no problem. We called them Havapigs, ha.


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## Buddy333 (Aug 25, 2019)

Sounds like I need a bigger boat! Originally I was thinking the 156D but the specs on the 146DD are slightly wider and heard from a couple of places I spoke to that the 156D was much better suited as a paddle raft and to look at 146DD. Might have to take a look at some other larger options.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I have a 146DD. I love it and I'll be keeping it for a long time. When people ask, its basically like having a 15 foot boat in a 14 foot package. A little narrower and the diminished tubes give you the space of a 15 foot boat but it the outside is like a 14' boat. 

I definitely wouldn't call it sporty or nimble compared to some other boats...but its hardly a tanker. It moves just fine... definitely more nimble then my Avon Pro (16'er). I would say its a nice stable yet maneuverable boat. If the 156D is a sports car... the 146DD is a nice sporty station wagon (and the Avon is a 1-ton pickup truck). I've taken mine down the Grand and the Middle Fork Salmon...and it can definitely make a move.

That said...I've used it with one passenger up front...and that feels like the limit for me. Maybe it would be fine for the first couple years of family rafting trips...but I think it would get crowded and overloaded fast.

One of my best boating buddies has the 160DD...and I think that would be better suited to family trips. Fits plenty of gear, has lots of room inside. He has two young kids and he seems to be pretty happy.

One thing to note...the DD series are great and have tons of floor space for their size...but compared to other boats their size they also tend to be shallower from a "top of the tube to the floor" standpoint. Dry Boxes will stick up a bit above the tubes. It will also be a wetter ride then a comparable non-diminishing tubed boat of similar size. These aren't really bad things...they are just something to note. I know that once kids get cold...they get cranky...and getting splashed more could make that worse. It could also make it a lot of fun if they embrace the splash (like I do).

As for the rollability and the floor filled with water. My aires have lived rolled for most of their life and will likely continue to. Aire also has the option to upgrade to a fully sealed floor. Still...the tubes will get water and a bit of silt in them. I really like how stiff the Aire boats get and I like that there is a protective layer and an air holding layer. I also have a Hyside Cataraft and a 90's Avon that are both hypalon and they are definitely lighter and easier to roll in comparison to Aire's (and DEFINITELY easier then the other PVC(RMR and other import boats) and Urethane(Sotar) boats). Personally...I'd have a serious look at a 14-16' Hyside as well. Great boats, last forever, lighter and rollable. Aire makes the R series and if you want a more traditional shape from Aire the 156R is a great fit. NRS has a bunch of boats worth looking at too. 

I guess that is a way of saying... lots of great options for you to look at and you'll have a ton of fun in all of them. For people new to the sport or to moving to a multi-day setup...there are lots of great deals on complete packages and not only will you save money...but you can get right out and try it out. You'll figure out what works and what doesn't and you can modify to fit your needs or make notes and build a brand new setup just how you want.


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## Critter70 (Nov 22, 2016)

Remember what you are buying your boat for. I always recommend buying for what you will do most of the time, not what you will do once in awhile. If your a family of 4 and going to use it mainly for day trips, then a 14 footer is the way to go. I almost always tell people to go bigger then they think for multi days, and lots of people on here sound like they are advising you from a multi day perspective. That being said buy for the predominate use not the once in awhile.


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## Buddy333 (Aug 25, 2019)

Great info and insight so far. I really appreciate it. I had not really looked at Hyside but the OUtfitter 14.0XT looks interesting. Nearly identical specs as the 15.0 pro but a little less $$.


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## Hans n Franz (May 2, 2017)

What about the NRS Cheyenne? 

https://www.nrs.com/product/1193/nrs-e-152d-cheyenne-self-bailing-raft

15'2 with diminishing tubes. Could be a middle ground here.


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

I agree that you should buy the raft for what you do the most. Also, some may disagree, but you can get by very nicely with a 14 foot boat for longer trips with a family of 4 if you plan and pack well. My family has 5: me, wife, and 3 kids ages 7-13 and we do well on multi-days with an Aire 143R. My 13 year old wants to ride in a ducky nonstop anyway, leaving plenty of room for the younger boys plus me and my wife and still be able to have someone cast a fly rod without hooking the rest of us. We have a 4 bay frame and it carries a big cooler and everything we need for 4-5 days. We don't carry cots for everyone (backpacking sleeping pads plus 1 paco are plenty for us), but other than that we can carry many of the comforts we want. But if you are the type that loves to hog gear and carry tons and tons of it, I would suggest 15-16 footer. 

The major reason I would not suggest a 15-16 footer if you can only have one boat is it can become a real beast to move. This includes if you decide to paddle it. I've done a ton of paddle captaining and my pet peeve is captaining a big boat with too few paddlers. if you have a 15 foot boat and only 5 paddlers, you better pray that the wind does not pick up or else your paddle crew will get sick of you pleading for them to keep paddling on the flat sections. I would never want to paddle captain a 15-16 footer without at least 8 people (more ideally 9-11), which is often too many. Our 14 foot boat paddles great with 5-8 adult paddlers, which is perfect for inviting friends without having to round up the whole neighborhood, and when we do day trips sometimes paddling instead of oaring is the most fun way. 

When we do oar it for day trips, which is about half of our day trips, it is more fun to have a nimble boat than a huge beast, so again the 14 footer seems better than a 15 or 16. Just my opinion. 

The Aire 146dd is a cool boat. One of my friends just got one and took it down Cataract with his family of 6 (although some kids were dispersed out on duckies). I would say it seems to be a fantastic oar boat that is just the right size for most of what you want to do.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Buddy333 said:


> Great info and insight so far. I really appreciate it. I had not really looked at Hyside but the OUtfitter 14.0XT looks interesting. Nearly identical specs as the 15.0 pro but a little less $$.



Not to mention that rubber (hypalon) boats have 3 times the lifespan of plastic boats, and hold their value longer should you decide to go bigger or smaller.. 

Most of the folks on here that have an Avon (yes, I'm an avon snob) have them in the 80's and 90's vintage, and they are still going strong. My Pro is 1983 vintage and my Adventurer is 1989..


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## Buddy333 (Aug 25, 2019)

All of this feedback is great. Hyside 14.0XT, NRS Otter 150 and an Aire 14.6DD and 15.6R are on the short list. Defenitley keeping my eyes out for a used setup or parts and pieces. The only things I see lately are smaller setups.
I would say that we are not big overpackers but I also hate to have to struggle with where to put stuff and like to bring what I want to bring. My 13 year old will spend most of his time paddling something else I think so that clears up some room and weight.


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## Critter70 (Nov 22, 2016)

I’m an a hypalon snob so out of that list you can’t go wrong with the hyside, bigger tubes, and bomber boat. The NRS is another great boat. I have the E150 so the same specs as the otter. One of the potential pluses on the nrs 150 for multi days is 45 inches interior width and a 94 inch straight tube, that’s a lot of frame and area for packing. Build quality I believe the hyside is a beefier boat, the otter is a 3 chamber and less beefy material but still a great boat, have seen alot of commercial otters go down clear creek and they take a beating and keep on going. It’s great to have options, especially on something so much fun, enjoy the process whatever you decide.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Utah78 said:


> I agree that you should buy the raft for what you do the most. Also, some may disagree, but you can get by very nicely with a 14 foot boat for longer trips with a family of 4 if you plan and pack well. My family has 5: me, wife, and 3 kids ages 7-13 and we do well on multi-days with an Aire 143R. My 13 year old wants to ride in a ducky nonstop anyway, leaving plenty of room for the younger boys plus me and my wife and still be able to have someone cast a fly rod without hooking the rest of us. We have a 4 bay frame and it carries a big cooler and everything we need for 4-5 days. We don't carry cots for everyone (backpacking sleeping pads plus 1 paco are plenty for us), but other than that we can carry many of the comforts we want. But if you are the type that loves to hog gear and carry tons and tons of it, I would suggest 15-16 footer.
> 
> The major reason I would not suggest a 15-16 footer if you can only have one boat is it can become a real beast to move. This includes if you decide to paddle it. I've done a ton of paddle captaining and my pet peeve is captaining a big boat with too few paddlers. if you have a 15 foot boat and only 5 paddlers, you better pray that the wind does not pick up or else your paddle crew will get sick of you pleading for them to keep paddling on the flat sections. I would never want to paddle captain a 15-16 footer without at least 8 people (more ideally 9-11), which is often too many. Our 14 foot boat paddles great with 5-8 adult paddlers, which is perfect for inviting friends without having to round up the whole neighborhood, and when we do day trips sometimes paddling instead of oaring is the most fun way.
> 
> When we do oar it for day trips, which is about half of our day trips, it is more fun to have a nimble boat than a huge beast, so again the 14 footer seems better than a 15 or 16. Just my opinion.


I agree with all of this.



Buddy333 said:


> All of this feedback is great. Hyside 14.0XT, NRS Otter 150 and an Aire 14.6DD and 15.6R are on the short list. Defenitley keeping my eyes out for a used setup or parts and pieces. The only things I see lately are smaller setups.
> I would say that we are not big overpackers but I also hate to have to struggle with where to put stuff and like to bring what I want to bring. My 13 year old will spend most of his time paddling something else I think so that clears up some room and weight.


I'd also consider the 143R or Trib 14.0 in a similar size range if you want a good PVC boat.


I have a 156R and a Trib 13.0. The 156R is awesome with 6 or 8 paddlers when the Lochsa is big, and wonderful on multidays, but the 13.0 is way more fun for day trips. We got the 13 footer when the 15.5' boat (and its 16' predecessor) were too big for our family of 4 for day trips and have thoroughly enjoyed it. (but that's our solution with a "quiver of 2" rafts).


Again, everything that Utah78 said rings true. A 14' boat is generally best for a quiver of one boat for a family, especially if 70% of its use is day trips.


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## SherpaDave (Dec 28, 2017)

I have the 156D. Totally happy with it. It’s easy enough to paddle with 2 up to 6+ guide. I have a family of 4 and we’ll use it for week+ trips. It does everything I want.


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## jrice345 (Jan 11, 2011)

I'm seriously looking at the 146DD for our next boat. We have a well maintained '97 Aire 156E (R/V Dubendorf, third owner) that still looks great, doesn't leak, and shine's up real nice with some 303. Two aire cells replaced in 2008. We've taken Dubie on over 1200 miles of river (Colorado, Rogue, MFS, etc.) since 2007 with zero issues. She was used moderately before we bought her, also. I wouldn't worry about longevity in your equation. 

The dimensions of the 146DD should easily support 3-4 folks for day trips rowing, some overnighters, and will paddle just fine. Probably won't be the sportiest paddle boat but may supply a wet ride. Paddle boat questions pending. 

I'd say pull the trigger and load some pictures when the new boat arrives!


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