Sotar cataraft

[tabriz]

Ok, still looking at catarafts. Someone responded to my last quest for knowledge that Sotar makes good rafts. Anybody have/recommend/not recommend the SL Sotar 14 foot cataraft?

Thanks for any information
Lee

[Randaddy]

Check out the Aire Wave Destroyer. It's a pretty bad mofo.

[tabriz]

Originally Posted by Randaddy

Check out the Aire Wave Destroyer. It's a pretty bad mofo.

Does this have the bladder system like the Ocelot?

Lee

[Randaddy]

AIRE | Wave Destroyer 14 Cataraft

[ENDOMADNESS]

wow..that Aire Destroyer is Fugly. I'm sure it works (via design) but i would never be seen on the river in that !! (like a wave hopper or skinsuit when skiing)

looks like something from the viking era.

[Chip]

Diameter? Recommend it for what? Play trips? One week for two? Mini beer barge? Give us data, mon. Dis de modern time. Big Science, all like dat.

SOTAR has a good rep with the bad-boy big water types. (Maybe Aire is okay, but the zippers make me nervous— like, what if your tube gets caught?)

I'm a Jack's Plastic Welding partisan, but the cat tubes from NRS, Maravia, and Hyside seem to work pretty well.

The key is the sort of load you'll mostly be taking, and the capacity (and waterline) of the tubes. If you sink a cat tube more than about 1/3 of the diameter, then it goes doggo. Hard to row and manuever. So (with a 14-footer) if you plan light loads and/or few days you can get by with a 19-22 inch diameter. More days/weight, better go to 24-inch. If that won't float high enough (look for load/draft tables like the ones on the Jack's website, <www.jpwinc.com>) then you need a longer tube, like a 16 footer.

There are quite a few good brands, but you'd better get the physics worked out first.

Chip

[hullflyer]

We used Sotars on the Futa in Chile. Great boats. You can pump these up to incredibly high psi (for a raft). They run big water very well. The cats we had were 18's and used only as safety support for picking up dumped passengers and rafts. Have to say you get what you pay for. I ran Aire cats commercially on the upper Animas for a dozen years and never had a zipper blow but witnessed others blow right in front of me. The 16' Aire Jagarundi was my personal favorite cat. Also had a 16' Hyside cat that was a little less manuevarble but could carry a lot more gear.If you want to buy a Jacks cat that's your deal. I had three and always sold them because of the weird nose cone always failing to hold air after a couple of years. If you are going to be in the desert a lot running multi-day trips I would not recommend the Aire just because sand gets in the zippers and it's tough to make the repairs with all the grit that gets in the zipper car. There's a lot of choices out there. Everyone's got an opinion.
Cheers!

[tabriz]

Data, yes, sorry about that. We already have the barge boat for carrying gear, I want something lighter and smaller that I can have fun in. Although it's looking like I'm going to have to fight my hubby for the cat, he's already thinking I should row the barge and he'll get to play in the cat. I plan on day trips for two, or multi day trips, carrying a light load (the rest in the bucket boat), like maybe the cooler and a couple of dry bags. I don't drink beer, he gets to carry it if he wants it, which of course he does. I'll carry the margaritas!!

We run up to class III-IV.

Any opinions on the Predator frames Sotar sells?

Thanks
Lee

[DanRauer]

This is a question that goes through my mind each season as I search for the "perfect cat". I have had several cats and have a few friends that have them. One buddy has a Sotar, I think it is an awesome cat! The material is lexatron and seems really really tough. It has a bladder system, but without the zippers. The bladders run lengthwise (as opposed to Aire). They have a sale page and the prices seem good.

Personally I have had an Aire Jag, Hyside 13'er and a Jacks big boat. The Aire Jag was the most agile boat I have ever paddled. I got rid of it because it had a hard time withstanding the amount of boat in I was doing on it. (I generally put in a few hundred miles each season. The design is awesoem on the new ones and I had no problems with the zippers.

I still have the Hyside and I would never consider selling it ever. The boat is from 1995 and still looks great. I have paddled it and bashed it into the sharpest of rocks at low water. It has 25" tubes which allows it to carry a good bit of weight, and has a low drift for when the water gets low. Hyside are sweet boats and my number one choice for small cats.

If you are looking for a med/bid cat, get a Jacks! They are bomber despite what anyone thinks. They are welded PVC and can be made custom. If you are looking for an inexpensive day-type cat, they have a single chambered 12'x19" set of tubes for around $700 (last time I looked). I have never seen a set of small Jacks tubes, but if you are built like the shredders they have to be bomber.

Sorry for the rampant post..hope it helps.

Later,
Dan

[Chip]

Right— If you'll be trading off on the playcat (which I recommend for marriage maintenance) make sure that the frame you get is simple to adjust for leg-length and reach (i.e. of the seat, footbar, and oarstands, at least two of the three components need to be adjustable without major effort). Using NRS or Clavey oarstands rather than the rainbow type or welded ones lets you adjust the height as well. I've not looked at the SOTAR frames.

Heard nothing but good about SOTAR tubes. I've got a Jack's Cutthroat (13.5 ft. x 16-inch) that's really fun in Class IV without a load: handles like a Mini-Cooper. Got 4 d-rings per side rather than 3. Good move. Also used it as a support boat for 2-4 day trips with my varmint on the D-deck and my mate in a Pack Cat.

PorcoRosso.jpg

P6190094.jpg

My other favorite boat is a Jack's Flyer Cat (usually 14-ft. but I got him to build a 15-ft. x 19-inch version, with top chafes and double bottoms). It has a stable big-cat feel while still being easy to row, dodge rocks, etc. With a light load it's a play-cat. But it's gone down Deso and Lodore with two and a full load including ice-chest. So it can go either way: play or moderate support.

My oldest Jack's boat (a 2-seater Pack Cat) does have a slow leak on the end cone, as described. The three newer ones are airtight. In fact, the Flyer Cat tubes have been inflated for three months without losing air (except when I deflate them in the sun). They're hanging up under our deck and I just went out and thumped 'em. Tight.

Anyhow, shop around. As long as you stick with quality makes, the rule is AGSB (All Good, Some Better).

Chip