New member here and as stated in my intro - trying to get back into rafting after a long haitus.
1: Family: 2 adults and a toddler.
2: Location: Western Slope, CO
3: Rivers: Gunnison and Colorado
Not looking to do any Class III, IV and V with the toddler and likely not even with myself/friends for a few seasons until I get some muscle memory built back up. Would be slow long floats on Class I/II from Delta, CO to Whitewater, CO or through Grand Junction to Loma, CO area.
Looking for a self bailer, and looking to have a frame and camp, as well as fish so ability to be configurable from two guys fishing (work buddies), to two adults (wife and I) and a toddler spending all day or overnight.
Also don't have a huge budget. It's in the $5k or less range so I need to buy used.
What's for sale right now in my area are the following:
1: Dave Scadden Dragonfly XT2 Signature, NIB, never used. (oars, seats, storage) $1500. I've read a lot of these and wouldn't consider if I was doing heavy rafting but that's really not what's in store for us for the next 3-5 years. This is the cheapest and comes with everything we need.
2: No Name 18'x8' with 24" tubes, self bailer, frame, box, cook box, cooler and 10' Carlisle oars. Looks to be much older (frame is galvanized) and I think 18' is way, way too big to handle for just us, let alone just me if I go out without the family...but it's $2200
3: 16' Saturn self bailer w/trailer. Frame, Oars, Baskets paddles, $3000. I have read some reviews on Saturn and know they're not "the best" but I'm not even an amateur rafter at this point anymore.
4: Aire Super Duty Puma fully rigged 14': diamond plate floors, sawyer oars, frame, everything but the trailer $5500.
5: 14' NRS with frame, dry box, oars, small mouse chewed damage with patch $5500.
There are others that without frames/gear I'd have to build as they don't come with frames, etc, so I'm really hoping to find something with a frame to get me/us in the water. We moved here last year and since the baby was a....baby....didn't do any water, but now that she can walk, listen, sit, and wear a PFD we're wanting to do at least some day trips of floating and fishing and I need to do some overnight camping trips to regain my sanity.
My wife has never done any rafting at all.
Thoughts?
I usually go two routes: Rush and buy the first thing I see, or endlessly obsess over every nuance, making comparisons, trying to get something for $5 less, etc, etc and miss out on everything as a result.
Thanks
1: Family: 2 adults and a toddler.
2: Location: Western Slope, CO
3: Rivers: Gunnison and Colorado
Not looking to do any Class III, IV and V with the toddler and likely not even with myself/friends for a few seasons until I get some muscle memory built back up. Would be slow long floats on Class I/II from Delta, CO to Whitewater, CO or through Grand Junction to Loma, CO area.
Looking for a self bailer, and looking to have a frame and camp, as well as fish so ability to be configurable from two guys fishing (work buddies), to two adults (wife and I) and a toddler spending all day or overnight.
Also don't have a huge budget. It's in the $5k or less range so I need to buy used.
What's for sale right now in my area are the following:
1: Dave Scadden Dragonfly XT2 Signature, NIB, never used. (oars, seats, storage) $1500. I've read a lot of these and wouldn't consider if I was doing heavy rafting but that's really not what's in store for us for the next 3-5 years. This is the cheapest and comes with everything we need.
2: No Name 18'x8' with 24" tubes, self bailer, frame, box, cook box, cooler and 10' Carlisle oars. Looks to be much older (frame is galvanized) and I think 18' is way, way too big to handle for just us, let alone just me if I go out without the family...but it's $2200
3: 16' Saturn self bailer w/trailer. Frame, Oars, Baskets paddles, $3000. I have read some reviews on Saturn and know they're not "the best" but I'm not even an amateur rafter at this point anymore.
4: Aire Super Duty Puma fully rigged 14': diamond plate floors, sawyer oars, frame, everything but the trailer $5500.
5: 14' NRS with frame, dry box, oars, small mouse chewed damage with patch $5500.
There are others that without frames/gear I'd have to build as they don't come with frames, etc, so I'm really hoping to find something with a frame to get me/us in the water. We moved here last year and since the baby was a....baby....didn't do any water, but now that she can walk, listen, sit, and wear a PFD we're wanting to do at least some day trips of floating and fishing and I need to do some overnight camping trips to regain my sanity.
My wife has never done any rafting at all.
Thoughts?
I usually go two routes: Rush and buy the first thing I see, or endlessly obsess over every nuance, making comparisons, trying to get something for $5 less, etc, etc and miss out on everything as a result.
Thanks