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Raft Porn Needed -Let's see them rigs!!!

2M views 2K replies 463 participants last post by  Jeff_D. 
#1 ·
I'm putting together a new boat and need all the ideas for rigging I can get. So, do me a favor and post tons of photos and descriptions of how you roll. Tell me what works, what doesn't, and anything you'd do differently.

Thanks!
 
#499 ·
I can't take any credit for it. I can barely figure out how to use a card reader. We have been fortunate enough to have a a professional photographer named Dan Frisch on both of our GC trips.

He'll run Lava first and the rest of us give him about 10 min. to get set up. He does the rest. Of course, he carries well over $10K equipment with him. He has shot some amazing stuff in the canyon.

We'll be on the same trip together this Sept. in the GC.

BTW, if you click on the image three times , it will enlarge to it's fullest. It could be that it's so small because Dan sent it to us in pretty low resolution.
 
#500 ·
yeah you should have it printed. so cool.
we will be right behind you. we are pushing off the first of October!!!
it will be my first run down the GC and i must say i can't wait!!
at that time of year which rapids do you think are the ones we need to really watch out for?
i think the flow will be around 8-12K..... although who knows.

thanks for any help
 
#501 ·
We're going to ask him to print one and bring it with him. We launch Sept 18th. We have a friend from Park City also launching on 10/1. We would have been on that one, but got 9/18 invite first.

Both of our trips have been in the Spring around that level. It's a fantastic trip. The hikes are as much fun as the river. We were fortunately enough to have very experience folks w/ many GC trips under their belt on our trips. They told or showed us the lines and made it look easy, so we really didn't have any problems. I will say that Bedrock has a certain amount of pucker factor for me. Our '06 trip was the first time I'd oared a raft. If you're in a kayak, it's a piece of cake.

Part of the reason our boat looks like such a chit show is that we wound up carrying an extra cooler due to the amount of food that the group bought. Even with 6 other boats. That was the first trip for us with that rig. We had the small dryboxes from our 16' Sotar cat/frame, so we had quite a bit of stuff strapped else where on the boat. I've got 5 months to better organize this boat. This thread has been pretty informative.
 
#509 ·
Below are the reasons he is having a new frame built, stuff you would never think of by looking at it unless you have owned one.

some of this is true, I owe 1
1. The front corner dude is talking about is not true, mine is filled and rounded out very nice.

2. Dry box lid flex: I have 2 boxes 1 with seat that comes off, and moves 6" front or back and 1 with E foam. Almost 60 trips and they are still like new, no flex, but I'm not a fatty nor do fattys ride. lol, I could see it flexing if your standing in the middle and over 200.

2 1/2. The latches are so so small sticking out it'd be hard to cut the back of your legs.

3. Y,s they drill holes. no big deal, I've never had water inside sloshing around.
and if so then flip the dam thing upside down or drill a pin hole somewhere.

4. shit happens

5. top frame rails: yes this it true if your overloading your rig.

6. adjustable oar towers: he's right, but if you get a seat on the drybox then you can adjust that. It also has an adjustable foot bar. I'm 5'10" wife is 6' and i can make it work fine for most people, unless they are 6'6" 300# + lol they need a raft

7. A bow in frame ? like the sides are higher? they have 2 cross braces running across the top and square not round tubes. The dry boxes fit killer that way, cleaner look than round tubes I think.

I find it funny that canyon boats copied Sotar's predator cat frame design, which has been in use for years, and then bash their design to gain customers. I also didn't notice anything for Sheryl's fundraiser from Canyon inflatables. Such a bummer since they are in the same business and from a small area. I could be wrong and I am possibly highly confused. lol the rogue was killer this past weekend. sun sun and more sun. then a nice rain on the way home to wash off the bullshit....
 
#511 ·
Below are the reasons he is having a new frame built, stuff you would never think of by looking at it unless you have owned one.

some of this is true, I owe 1
1. The front corner dude is talking about is not true, mine is filled and rounded out very nice.

2. Dry box lid flex: I have 2 boxes 1 with seat that comes off, and moves 6" front or back and 1 with E foam. Almost 60 trips and they are still like new, no flex, but I'm not a fatty nor do fattys ride. lol, I could see it flexing if your standing in the middle and over 200.

2 1/2. The latches are so so small sticking out it'd be hard to cut the back of your legs.

3. Y,s they drill holes. no big deal, I've never had water inside sloshing around.
and if so then flip the dam thing upside down or drill a pin hole somewhere.

4. shit happens

5. top frame rails: yes this it true if your overloading your rig.

6. adjustable oar towers: he's right, but if you get a seat on the drybox then you can adjust that. It also has an adjustable foot bar. I'm 5'10" wife is 6' and i can make it work fine for most people, unless they are 6'6" 300# + lol they need a raft

7. A bow in frame ? like the sides are higher? they have 2 cross braces running across the top and square not round tubes. The dry boxes fit killer that way, cleaner look than round tubes I think.

I find it funny that canyon boats copied Sotar's predator cat frame design, which has been in use for years, and then bash their design to gain customers. I also didn't notice anything for Sheryl's fundraiser from Canyon inflatables. Such a bummer since they are in the same business and from a small area. I could be wrong and I am possibly highly confused. lol the rogue was killer this past weekend. sun sun and more sun. then a nice rain on the way home to wash off the bullshit....
You sound like those Sotar boat owners. So pissed you could have bought a Saturn (same darn thing, right?) and saved yourself a lot of money. Lol

I guess the good thing is they truly are made in USA (sorry Frontier Play) and its kinda hard to get into the whitewater arena without copying someone. Well, at least their frames coolers and dryboxes are..

Per canyon website (clackamas ww fest) "we will have a new boat on display at the festival the PRO MODEL - Performance Beyond any Legend. This is Reality"

Welcome to the Real World, Neo!
 
#512 ·
Pictures?? It is a picture thread.
Not quite sure where you get the bashing from, I have ordered stuff from them and never heard them talk badly about any other builder, in fact I bought a raft from another maker and even talked with them about it first. I assume you have never even dealt with them.You probably don't know they don't care what you run they are just a bunch of boaters, hopefully I will get out that way to boat some day.

Any Rogue pictures from past weekend?
 
#514 ·
I totally bash the shit out of my NRS frame that I own. Thing weighs a fricking ton. But I change my config so often that I couldn't deal with having a fixed setup (optimized for weight)!!! lol
 
#517 ·
Sorry SOTAR haters, this is my new toy.
13' Legend, DRL Gypsy frame - Thanks Dusty!
Stitches 'n Stuff Everything Bag - Thanks Jan!
Headed for the Rogue Thursday, then to the Lochsa and Selway first week of June.
Nice bag for gear! Maybe dusty could explain what the bar is for in the back of the frame.
Looks like the oarstands were un knowingly borrowed from madcatr and the foot bars from another builder after a certain festival last year I've heard that story , in the boat building world he is known as mr Xerox.
:)
You should come over for memorial weekend to 3 rivers, like the old school seat!
 
#520 ·
Orto, did you get a boat yet ???


Do you imply a fabricator / business should not be responsive to the customer ?? Are good ideas proprietary ??

The invitation is still open to come out here (west) and boat .... :) its not really about what your rowing, It's about going big and having some fun.

The old school stuff we used to row still got us down the river. We just didn't look as cool and color coordinated ....... If color is a choice (tard)

Nice set-up Jerry, appreciate the way your boat and frame work together.
 
#524 ·
Just got back from Deso last night. Maiden voyage for my new 12 ft. Hyside raft. I'm so glad I decided to take this boat. It was a blast. Boat/frame/oars all worked great. 8.5 ft. oars are the perfect size. Glad I changed up from the 8 footers. When we scouted Joe Hutch/Cow Swim I was a bit worried about the little boat. I thought it might become a "Scooby Snack," but it was super fun with no problem at all. I didn't get many pics of the new boat, but here's one. Bright blue rascal on the far left.
 
#529 ·
" Help me Obi-wan Kenobi, your my only hope"

I take it you speak from experience ??

Avatard , come to the Dark Side .....
Came from the dark side. As a paddle boat it's hard to find a crew. So either gear frame on a s/b raft (flip machine) or a cat. I'll go with the cat
 
#534 ·
Here's a pic of my new little raft on Deso last week. Ain't it cute. I sure had fun with it.
 
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