# Newbie Budget First Raft Buildout



## PDX Duck (Mar 17, 2015)

Get the spare oar - more than peace of mind / probably more likely to lose one than break one early on but would completely ruin a trip if you only have one oar.

I think NRS cooler straps are a waste of money - can rig loop straps / have something made custom (cargo straps) / many other options.

Need oar sleeves or rope wrap.

Should be able to save a few $’s by purchasing NRS frame parts separately

With a 16ft boat you should go with four bay set-up which then means add’l drybox or drop bag and table
If your plan is to build as you go the modular NRS frame will work great as you learn what you want over time and change
Check to see if you can cheaper with speed rail instead of NRS
Should decide now if you want double rail or not; cutting all crossbars down at later date is slight PIA and will be a waste of money
Max fit / size side rails for the boat otherwise you’ll buy again
I would not get a NRS footbar - for ~$50 more I’d go with a DRL foot bar (100% personal preference)
Get raft first / inflate / measure for frame dimensions or get input from Buzzards
I would recommend oar tethers.

I would highly recommend a table.

You’ll need way more than $50 in straps - I would at least triple that number.


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

Agree with PDX Duck, always need more straps! Do shop around for PFDs and dry bags, lots of sites with deeply discounted, last years models, etc.
Good for you with guiding school; big adventures are the bomb...equates with big (detailed and informed) planning, as I'm sure you know from your
other outdoor pursuits. Love your enthusiasm, be open to information, pay it forward when you can and welcome to boating!


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## cnalder (Jul 7, 2016)

Another option is to look for a used setup. I’ve kept my eye out this summer for a friend and have seen some nice 16’ setups anywhere from $5500-7500. Typically they come mostly complete with only a few things missing. Recently saw two separate 156Rs with all, one was a 2018 and the guy was asking $6500. If you buy new don’t skimp on the rubber. Mine is 12 years old but I’m always getting comments on how good it looks. If you take care of it it will outlast your river career.


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## Spintowin (May 23, 2018)

BITCHIN!


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## T.O.Mac (Jun 6, 2015)

While dry boxes are nice, I would get a table with a drop bag underneath it before I got a dry box. You can row from the cooler, and can run plywood decks over drop bags or some 20mm ammo cans in a bay as well. Instead of buying a dedicated pad for your cooler, you could run a paco pad over the top of it, or get a cooler cover made by someone like Wet Dreams out of Flag and GJ...

If you want to make sure that you buy once, cry once, I would recommend Sawyer or Cataract oars. This is personal preference, and Carlisle oars make great spares...

Regardless, have fun!


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## dsrtrat (May 29, 2011)

Tuff River stuff for straps and drop bags, everything bags soft goods. Buy it once, have it for life. Quality products last forever. I still use Craftsman sockets that I bought in 1963 when they still made quality tools.


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## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

You still need throw bag (or cushion), first aid, and patch kit... I've got at least $500 in the last two items... Groover?
(You can get away with WAG bags in Labyrinth). Fire pan is required. You need a (free, self-issued) permit and don't underestimate the Mineral Bottom road if taking out there (really your only option).
It's a great float to sort things out (and one of the last places dogs are allowed!). You will have sandbars to camp on and should be pretty mild temps in October. BUT you may have really low water: Cat is at 3760 today and the Green @ Mineral 1760. That's already low, if we don't get some precip soon the monsoon season will be a total bust for southern Utah/Green River drainage. And chance of La Nina is 50% from what I read, which means dry fall and winter...
If you have less than 1500 when you launch you will need to get up and get going to make the 68 miles from Green River to Mineral in a comfortable 4 days/3 nights. I'd add a night. Yes, you can launch at the Geyser (cuts 4 miles) or Ruby (cuts 15 I think). 
Oh, and you need that 3rd oar - read the permit stipulations. You might be able to get away with a paddle but if you somehow lose/break/bend an oar and don't have a spare, you're going Volga boatman style (drag) and it won't be pretty.
Lots to do on this float if you have time, but don't count on much company. So need to have your stuff figured out before embarking... Great place to learn to row, but don't count on current. With no wind and staying on the sticks steadily figure 3 mph... 4 if you make no mistakes!


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

DUDE!!! First -AWSOME!
Second-you can get all this stuff for WAY LESS!!
Iam just sayn cause I've been you for a few years now and you can get 2 boats and airfare and new shoes and a lot of gear if you just buy used. Outfitters are a gold mine for this stuff at the high end of used. Example I got a 2015 156r with thwarts for 2800 bucks in excellent condition and that's the high end of used! You can score boats that are awsome for way less that are just a bit ugly or older. All the other gears the same except cheaper used. Craigslist sucks but good prices. Facebook market place is better but fuck Facebook lol. Example of rich people on Facebook- I got a never used kokatat dry suit for 100 bucks!!! Got square top oars for 300 new cause dude bought wrong size and didnt care. Drybox for 75 bucks. I got an old play cat off here for 1200 bucks ready to float. You gotta do the do with searches but it pays off. Example-search boats for brand names, then raft, then whitewater, then hardly used. Yes it sucks and yes its dumb and takes time but it works and you get a 10k dollar rig for 4 k and can pay for trailer or travel!! My boats badass and a baddass guy could do the Grand Canyon on it easy and it's less than 4k total with trailer! Trailer needs work you haul!! I bought a fishing raft for 2k, sold it to a dude who wouldnt leave me alone about it for 3k and iam gonna buy a minimax or phat cat with the money and feel good about the whole thing. Just saw a phat cat on c.l. for 800!! Just sayn its more fun when you dont feel like jeez you gotta be rich to do this stuff. Mountain buzz classifieds are awsome!! Cool if your rich. Silly if your not. And you can get old school gear that's bomber which is better sometimes than chinese stuff. Truth is that you NEED 4 boats anyway!!!


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## powrider686 (Aug 12, 2009)

Get a spare oar


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## Boyscout (Feb 26, 2020)

Look into canyon cooler prospector 103.


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## cowboy907 (May 3, 2017)

you can do it for less money...

add 
spare oar-most trips require a spare. 
table
barrel pump
1st aide


minus-
passenger paddles, not necessary 
cooler straps-you can make cooler straps with regular straps that you are already purchasing
drybox-if you really want to cut cost, you can always make a "semi-dry box" I have rocked a plywood drybox for years. 
footbar-
cooler pad-get one of those blue camp/sleep pads from walmart

if you can find aluminum tubing you could build a frame that could save money-speed rails are easily purchased online


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## craven_morhead (Feb 20, 2007)

Good advice here. Buy at least one spare oar, and consider getting good oars (Sawyer, Cataract) out of the gate.
A big table to cover one of your bays (and its drop bag) is a really nice setup for passengers, secure storage, and camp cooking.
You can rig oar tethers with just about any solid cord if you know how to tie a bowline. If you don't, learn how to tie a bowline.

October is coming up, but it's worth keeping an eye out for someone getting out of the game and selling a full kit. It's helpful if someone who knows what they're doing can come with and help evaluate the rubber. The rest of the gear lasts for a long time. But that could get you all of the stuff you need (or nearly) for the same money, including drop bags, straps, etc. It's often the death-by-a-thousand-cuts issue that can get you, rather than the big things like frame and rubber.


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## almortal (Jun 22, 2014)

Not sure what you and your fiancee do for a living but if it is at all related to the outdoor industry or emergency services you can get an NRS prodeal easy and they give very generous discounts - if you are buying stuff new.


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

I second the "look into the Canyon Cooler Prospector 103". I have this cooler and it is a bombproof platform and seat. Retails for $370, so cheaper than the RTIC.

In my opinion, September/October is the best time to buy on the used market (I bought an Aire 143R that had only 10 river days for $2500 and it came with 4 thwarts). If not, watch for online sales on new gear through November.


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## mtn_viking (May 8, 2020)

You'll need a tool kit, ammo boxes to keep it in. Boat repair kit. Tool kit should have have extra frame & oarlock parts. sockets for any size nut/bolt on your rig. I keep a little tape measure to keep my frame even if I need to make changes on the river. I also keep gear tape, 4 way screw driver, pliers & channel locks in the onboard tool kit.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

There are some great deals to be had this time of year. New is nice....but....









Raft for Sale - sporting goods - by owner - sale


16' Sotar self-bailing raft w/American White Water Frame, dry box and kitchen box. 3-10' Carlisle...



boise.craigslist.org













Aire 143R Raft for sale - boats - by owner - marine sale


Fully rigged Aire 143R, complete and ready to go. Cambridge frame with side boxes, seat box, drop...



twinfalls.craigslist.org





Facebook has some gems sometimes too. 






Войдите на Facebook


Войдите на Facebook, чтобы общаться с друзьями, родственниками и знакомыми.




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Yeah and you are going to need three oars.


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## xileff (May 27, 2009)

PDX Duck said:


> Get the spare oar - more than peace of mind / probably more likely to lose one than break one early on but would completely ruin a trip if you only have one oar.


Most Class IV-V stretches in the western US require permits and a mandatory list of gear, including a spare oar. Check out some of those lists to see what else you are missing, i.e. hand & dishwash systems, groover requirements, spare PFD, firepan, first-aid & repair kits, etc.

Get the third oar now and get used to rigging it.

Sawyer oars are light years ahead of Carlyle’s. They are especially nice for the miles of flat water on the Colorado River system, including the Labrynth/Stillwater stretch you are aiming for, but also Deso, Westwater (where you are very likely to break an oar at some levels), Cataract, the Grand, etc. 

Get them wrapped, but you probably don’t need counterweights for a boat that size.


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## SixPek (Jul 19, 2016)

Lots of good info and suggestions here - including buying used (or a full setup). I've 'creeched' together a bunch of stuff over the years, it's an ebb/flow thing that will constantly change. Borrowing some items to then figure out what works/doesn't work for your setup is great too if you have access to other people's stuff.

I second advice on the oars, spending $$ on these is a good investment. Many to choose from, I use counterweighted cataract SGG oars. Carried 2 spares on our most recent Middle Fork Salmon trip and 2 boats needed to dip into their spares.

One other thought that really got me going after a couple of initial trips (depending on your comfort/experience) to look into is a rowing clinic put on by professionals. Several years ago after we started boating I took a 5 day advanced rowing clinic put on by Oars on the South Fork American early spring (big water on the SFA was about 7600 CFS all week). I had two super knowledgeable guys take me and 3 other clients through some serious shizz for those days and I learned a bunch in that time. These are out there in various places depending on where you live. Other people on that week including a private oregon boater and a aspiring Middle Fork Salmon gear boat guide. Here is an example: OARS LAUNCHES NEW WHITEWATER ROWING CLINICS FOR 2020 SEASON | OARS

A couple of other things off the top of my head if you're starting from scratch (not buying a setup from someone):

Rope/Longline (need bow/stern lines for tying off to shore). I don't own a sand stake but a member of our group has one for heavily sanded beaches. Longline/pin kit nice to have for bigger river trips, someone in your 'group' should consider when you get to bigger water.
Tubular webbing/rope for chicken line on the boat.
Gear Pile Sling/Strap: If you skip out on the 'everything bag' all you need is the gear sling (suspends your stern gear pile) and a 15/20 ft cam strap to secure all your stuff down. 
Boat Repair / Tool Kit (as mentioned by others): don't leave home without this
Lightweight/packable chairs: Bigger deal than you think for chilling around camp/fire/etc. Sounds like you would have them from your backpacking setups.
Wing/Easy Up (camp shade): This is where you start to question how much you'll need on your trips, and when having 2 boats (other friends matter) for gear distribution.
Blaster/propane bomb/propane hose splitters: Heats up water fast in chicky pails, etc...probably only needed for larger groups.
Food Cooking: Our group has a Johnny Partner 4 burner stove - but initially you may want to meal-plan with backpacking/freeze dry + Jet Boils (?). Think about dishes, washing dishes, meal prep/cleanup. This is where a solid dry box can hold lots of gear for kitchen duty + dry food.
River Table (for food/cooking/kitchen as per above.
Groover: Think about how you want to handle. Our group has a permanent 'groover boy' who deals with this because he doesn't want to cook. But we roll 20 people, 5 rafts. So it gets distributed.
River Shade (?): Probably not needed for initial trip (Phase 2 purhcase) - longterm thought would be a bimini (I hate umbrella setups) which I converted to years ago. Of course I built decking for my frame but you can also find bimini mounts for a pretty penny.
Cooler Straps: Ditch the metal holders and just go with loop straps for top/bottom. They'll keep your cooler/dry box off the floor just fine. Setup your frame without too much gap on the width so you won't get rotation on whatever you're sitting on, but still high enough off the floor to get into it. 
Sitting: Personally I've setup a stadium seat on a non-slip rubber pad on my Engel 125 and sit on the stadium chair. I like the backing on it so I can lean back and row when I want to.


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## redrocks25 (May 21, 2020)

hi Robin,

I guess first comment is To get a smaller boat. You can still fit a 4 bay frame on any of the 14’ rafts. I think my 4-bay frame is around 90” long on a 14’ trib.
My second thought on your set up is that the 145 qt cooler is huge. I second the poster who recommended the 103 prospector. I love how it sits on the frame also...no cooler hangers required. Just some 1’ straps for tying to frame. we do weeklongs just fine with the 103qt and then a day cooler to augment. One disadvantage of a large cooler is that they’re not great for day trips. We also have a piece of closed cell foam to fill the extra space on day trips since large coolers need lots of ice...
$50 budget for straps won’t get you there. I’d guess maybe you’ll land closer to $150...

3rd: Oars: as said, you need 3...also though check your prices. I went middle of the road and spent $300 on each for oar and blade... 

4th. buy an aluminum toolbox and have somebody weld on some angle brackets and save a ton on the drybox...

5th. You’re gonna love it!


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## MikeG (Mar 6, 2004)

I would suggest the opposite of what the OP proposed. Rather than investing in the best rubber, frame, oars, etc. first and not worrying about the tangential parts, I suggest the opposite. Everyone will develop their own preferences pretty quickly and I think it makes sense to just get into something used to get a feel for what you like and don't like, boat size, etc. Things like a good groover, paco pads, and a PFD you really like will go along with any raft. Frames, oars, dryboxes, even coolers will not. Since you will be ramping up to Class IV/V, you will have time to dial in exactly what you want in a boat and will probably be able to sell your first used boat for not much less than you pay for it. Better to beat up something that is already a little beat up. I agree that oars are key though even with oars you may end up preferring wood, composite, counterweighted, who knows.


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## TheKrux (May 2, 2013)

I agree with all the previous posters, a couple links and suggestions. There are blem deals out there, fleet sales, and college rec auctions. I'm not sure where you are located but Recreation Outlet has cheap cam straps and cheap dry bags, I wouldn't use them for everything but they are decent, the bags are good for pin kits, etc.. Definitely get a spare oar, it sucks to have one if you lose the other, for whatever reason. I use Cataracts because I don't really care if they slam a wall on the harder stuff,I ran the South Fork of the Salmon a few weeks ago in a Puma I bought 10 years ago for $1200 and would have been bummed if I had fancy/expensive oars, but that's my opinion and it is a different style of river as well. Some links:
Some Demos on here
Sierra Boat Barn
Solgear (a friends company, quality stuff)
River Rafters Anonymous (Facebook group) can have some good stuff, mostly in Idaho


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## barryg (Jun 4, 2009)

This is a pretty nice setup. 









SOLD! - 2017 Aire Tributary 14ft


2017, 14ft Aire Tributary Raft for Sale. Very clean boat, no leaks, used lightly for a 2-3 seasons. NRS Bighorn 2 frame with with flip seat conversion and taller oar towers (12") added. I'm 6'1" and can comfortably row this setup. 4 Bays, room for two coolers, and custom decking with cup...




www.mountainbuzz.com


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## TheKrux (May 2, 2013)

barryg said:


> This is a pretty nice setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah, that gets you there for sure


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## peernisse (Jun 1, 2011)

RaftinRobin said:


> Hello!
> 
> As the title suggests, I am new to both whitewater rafting and these forums. I have found these forums extremely helpful in getting started with my raft buildout and I wanted to get some advice on if I'm headed in the right direction. I have a reasonable amount experience on guided trips (~5 multi-day trips on rapids up to class 5) but neither me nor any of my friends or family has ever owned a raft. Recently my fiancee and I went on a little 1 day trip on the Kern and she got hooked (I already was) and we are planning to go to guiding school in the spring to get some more formal training. We are in to big adventures - we do a lot of alpine climbing, backpacking, canyoneering, etc. and are really excited about the idea of doing big river trips. I am looking to build out our first raft so we can get some experience prior to next season, and I'm looking for some help on what gear I shouldn't skimp on in terms of quality, what I should, and what I may be able to live without for the time being. I give all this lead in to give you an idea of what we're trying to do with this rig, but here are some bullet points:
> 
> ...


Easier to list what not to do.

get a 14 foot boat not 16. This will make more rivers available to you

Do not glue any padding to your dry box just rig your paco pad there.

your rig should be a dry box you row from, a cooler, and a drop basket with a table rigged over it where your passengers will hang out, and two rocket boxes in your cockpit.

don’t pile all your gear in the stern. Rig things to your frame.

have fun


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