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would I be a fool to buy this?

4K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  Colgador con Rojo 
#1 ·
I posted on here a week or so ago, asking about a good raft for my wife and I moving out to CO in June. I came upon this deal for sale locally and would just like some opinions. Thanks!


Comprehensive raft package for sale. This kit was carefully and meticulously assembled for floating the big western rivers in Colorado, Utah, and Idaho. This DRE pro series raft is made for outfitters with larger tubes, reinforced wear areas, and additional d-rings - features not included on the lower-end recreational models. The raft has been inflated, checked, and treated with 303 protectant annually. The raft has been stored in a cool, dry, indoor room. The raft and kit are in very good condition - only cosmetic stuff from normal use. While the raft is clean from treatments, the components still show some orange Utah silt. This silt is included free of charge.

The raft comes kitted out for multi-day camping trips or you can install the thwarts and use it for paddling whitewater with a 6 person team (paddles included). The oar frame and oars are balanced and a joy to pilot. This thing is dialed.

This kit was a big investment and it pains us deeply to sell it. We moved to St. Paul Minnesota from Denver and we now pursue different recreational opportunities. This raft package should not sit in storage. Located in Eagan, MN near the MN Zoo.

The details:

14’ DRE Self Bailing Raft - Pro Series - Orange
22” Tubes (great! makes a big difference)
Urethane double bottom Layer
Extra d-rings for gear security
Two removable thwarts

DRE Colorado 4-bay Frame
High back mesh captains chair
Captains bay foot kick bar
Custom made wood side decking

Sawyer Polecat 9’ Oars with Blades (x3)
Counterbalanced
Rope wrap with stops
Oar rights on two primary oars
DRE Deluxe Oar leashes with buckles
Extra oar hanging kit

Accessories:
NRS Flips lines (2ea)
NRS Hanging Cooler Mount
DRE Rocket Box Slings (2ea)
Throw Bag (100’?)
DRE Drop Bag for 2nd Bay
DRE 4” Barrel Pump
DRE Mesh Cup Holder
Small Ammo Can
Magic Air inflator (using car battery)
Repair kit in Ammo can (needs new adhesive and toulene < $10)
Qwik Check Guage
DRE Firepan Large
Rocket double box toilet system with gloves, sanitizer, cleanout hoses, etc…
Big white marine cooler

Straps:
2’ NRS Straps (x6)
4’ NRS Straps (x4)
6’ Straps (x5)
10’ Straps (x5)
12’ Straps (x3)


Paddles:
60” Paddles (x4)
66” Guide paddle (x1)
72” Guide paddle (x1)


They are asking $4k for the whole deal and we are planning on taking a look at it tomorrow or Wednesday. What questions should I ask?

Any advice, opinions, thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
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#5 ·
Thanks, I did actually read through that before I posted this. There was another too. There were some lengthy positive posts and some others that weren't.

Primarily I am a kayaker, but this is something my wife and I want to get into together. I don't ever really see us taking on V in it, but I do see IV and multi days and we want to be able to bring friends and family when they visit.

Edit: I should clarify that I did guide for a few seasons and am comfortable in a raft, so I am not a total newbie, but it does pale in comparison to what I know in kayaks. Looking to learn, and I appreciate the feedback.
 
#7 ·
Hey Brian, yeah this is that post from RR. I am really interested in it since it's the whole shebang, I'm just a little leery as I have found a bunch of negatives, and some positives, I just don't have a lot of knowledge with a purchase this big!

Did you get out again after we paddled on Friday?
 
#6 ·
Have them have the boat inflated tight when you get there and have a bucket of soapy water ready. Take 10 minutes and go over the entire boat looking for leaks - also a great way to inspect every inch of the boat. If you spend an hour checking out the other gear and chatting the boat should still be rock hard (use the qwik check gauge it comes with before and after). Then deflate it and inflate one chamber at a time to insure all baffles are intact. Look closely at the floor I-beams and make sure they aren't separated at all. If you buy it I would immediately replace the Pressure Relief Valve with a lower release pressure - a good idea on a used boat that you don't know the history of.

Has the boat been used commercially? Subtract $400 if yes, another $200 if it has a big logo on it that you need to remove.

Has it ever been repaired? I'd subtract $100 for any air-holding patches, $200 for patches on the floor.

What is the serial #? (Call DRE and make sure it's not a stolen boat)

Is it less than 10 years old? I'd subtract $100 for each year beyond that.

My two cents. It sounds like a good deal if none of the items mentioned above are concerns and it's in good cosmetic shape.
 
#8 ·
Awesome! Thanks for all the great info. I just got off the phone with him. It's 8 years old. Never commercially used. The original owner paddled it for 30 days and he and his family bought the frame and stuff when they got it and did 6-7 multi day Idaho trips. There are no patches and he said he'll have it inflated when we go to look at it.
 
#11 ·
I think Randaddys advice is solid and it sounds like a good deal to me as well. Last two digits of serial number are the year it was made. I have some experience with DRE rafts, a good friend has one and it is a solid boat. I have a DRE frame and it is heavy. But so many are. There is a lot of gear you are getting with this package that IMO makes it worthwhile If you like the set up.


Jim
 
#14 ·
that looks like a solid setup. It seemed to me from the start that the seller knew what he/she was selling and that it was well thought out and quite dialed in. Hence the premium price but well worth it for someone who will appreciate it. All the advice you got here was helpful to make a confident purchase. I think you did well and found a nice, quality boat that you will enjoy for many years. And, the seller can be happy to have found a loving new home.
 
#17 ·
Looks pretty sweet. A fully setup, time tested rig is super nice for someone wanting to get on the river with as little headache as possible. Enjoy it. Love it. Care for it. And get ready to start buying wild accessories like nesting pans that cost more than your home kitchen set.
 
#18 ·
Looks like a good deal you got yourself there. Make sure you don't forget the thwarts and you've got a perfect Colorado boat - small enough for the headwaters rivers, big enough for the Grand Canyon and just right for all the stuff in between! Nice to have the full rig with one-stop shopping!

Give a shout when y'all get out here,

-AH
 
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