[gretch6364]

I found a decent deal on a 14' foot NRS fishing package.

NRS Otter 142 Fishing Package at nrs.com

Does anyone know if the frame is long enough to turn into a 4 bay with a front deck, similar to the DRE Colorado? I would like to put a delixe rowers chair like DRE, AAA, and Riverboat works make that straddles the dry box, and then have the cooler in front of the rower, and a poly deck in front of the cooler. Just not sure how long the side bars are on the pre-packaged fishing package. The deck would need to be deep enough to sit two small adults/children, and to put a bracket to slide a swivel chair into on the other side for a 3 man fishing setup.

Assuming I would need taller oar towers? Would I also need to replace the stock Carlisle oars? Anyone know if these oars that come with the package are decent?

Thank you for the help!

 

[upshitscreek]

"If you have questions about which boat package would best fit your needs or about substitutions, please call us."


you know, love or hate NRS, the people there are pretty friendly and don't bite. 877.677.4327

 

[elkhaven]

Otter 142

If your buying it directly from NRS for that advertised price, I'm sure they would make the frame whatever length you want. You could have them add cross bars and could definitely make it into a 4 bay frame like you describe.

Not trying take any sales away from them but there is a used 142 in Craig Montana, it was a rental at a fly shop for $3300, it has sawyer polecats (much better than in my opinion than carlisle oars, the photos of the frame make it look pretty long, I'm sure the owner would give you more details. Follow the link:The Sale Room at CrossCurrents- Boats I looked long and hard at the 156 D he is selling but decided against it for several reasons, one of which was that he kept telling me it still had warranty left, but I got the S/N and called Aire and they said it was sold as a commercial boat and had no remaining warranty. He says he boght his 2013 boats for retail sale and then rents them and never registered the paperwork so that when he sells them they are sold as "non-commercial" and still carry the full warranty. I think that's a bit shady but you may be able to get a great boat for less money than a new one from NRS. He is also selling some Trib's as well. I did check out a bunch of the boats when I was up there, and other than the 156D they were all in great shape.

The biggest difference I can see is the frames are simple fishing frames and do not have the casting decks and braces. I can say that I personally don't like all that shit in my boat, it's simply more things for fly line to tangle on. I used to have a raft and a driftboat and used the raft 10:1 over the DB. I actually like fishing out of the raft better, I have an NRS high front seat (just like in the package you mentioned) that I place so that when sitting in the seat my feet can rest on the bow, it is a stable set up and I can quicly spin to either side to hit pocket water or whatever. I think it's better than standing and is far more stable and less tireing. Just my thoughts. I see lots of casting braces and casting decks for sale on Craigslist here in Bozeman so I think other folks feel the same way.

Anyways, I think the otter is a good boat and you could definitely rig it the way you want. I think you would want at least 80" side bars to get 4 useable bays but there has been a lot of discussion on that on another thread over the past few weeks, so search for that to get more opinions on frame length (My New Rig! + Questions).

You would most likely need to get taller towers to go with that style seat. I have the flip over plate type seat bracket on my Sotar with 23" tubes and my 8" NRS towers are not tall enough. I suspect you'd run into the same issue.

Good luck!

 

[elkhaven]

oh yeah, I also have a front deck that I run when the kids are along. I take the bent bar fishing seat off and put a straight bar on and set a plywood deck similar to what your talking about. It's pretty easy to change out depending on who's gonna be in the boat...

Years ago I made a deck that held a pedastal mount that could be quickly taken out and allowed for three seating options, no seat, low seat and high fishing seat. I stopped using this because the mount got sloppy and it was always wobbly but I may revisit this for next year...

 

[gretch6364]

Thank you for the response and the link. I agree about having all the stuff on the boat. I don't mind the front bar that NRS uses, as it is smooth, and having a front casting deck is nice as well. For floating the Blue or Gunni Gorge, anything and everything I could take off would come off anyhow, but on the Colorado, some it can stay I think.


I would probably take out the rear casting deck and brace. Guy in the back should be sitting and fishng anyhow. Upfront, I may not even run a swivel seat....maybe just the deck with a pad. The idea is to be able to put the two wives up front, so gotta have more room.

If I have to buy longer side bars, I can cust down the old ones and use for cross members and not have to buy those, just the fittings.

 

[elkhaven]

All good ideas except two wives, one is more than enough for me

 

[upshitscreek]

. I think you would want at least 80" side bars to get 4 usable bays but there

fwiw, greatch, make sure your side rail length does not extend onto the curved bow/stern part of the boat. nrs side rails ends will wear into the boat fabric pretty quick on a curve. stay on the flat mid section only.

i have a similar size boat specs with my avon ranger and a nrs quasi-edited down,fishing frame as one rigging option. 4 bays are an option with my 72" rails. again, i'd check with nrs for more exact specs but basically, i can do a bench, cooler, cockpit and a second cooler to row off. not much space for between the kicker bar and bow cooler though when rolling like that.... which is pretty rare and i'm pretty tall at 6'3"+ too.

 

[watermonkey]

I started with an NRS fishing frame on a 14" Vanguard - I assume it's the same size at the one that would come with the Otter. I did not have either the front or rear casting platform, or the rear thigh bar to begin. I have since converted it into a 4 bay frame, with some modifications. The front seat and seat bar were replaced with a straight bar, the front bay is now a recretec table over a drop bag. The second bay back is now for milk crates strapped in for day/fishing floats, or for the Yeti 125 on multi-day. The foot bar is the rear bar of the cooler/milk crate bay - I contoured and welded in a bar across the top of the footbar so it would sit flush and so I could have a place attach the cooler hanger straps. The next bay is the rower bay, holds the groover on on the port side in a rocket box bag, a captain's bag on the other. The rower's seat has been ditched, and I now sit on an 18" dry box - requires taller oar locks and longer oars. The front seat riser bar has been repurposed, is now inverted, bracket cut off, and the most rearward bar of the last bay - there's still room to attach the rear seat and anchor system before the bends. I run a beaver board under the dry box and into the rear cargo area - strapped to the inverted, repurposed front riser seat bar and hanging from the rear seat frame stays- its bomber, never moves, great for kids, dogs, piling in gear. I hated the front seat on the NRS setup and greatly prefer having the table. I can stand on it while anchored and use as a casting platform, stretch out, and its perfect for kid floats with multiple rug rats. After all this repurposing, I would have been better off with the NRS compact outfitter frame with 10 inch towers, the right oars, and just added the rear seat separately...but then I would have missed out on 3 years of tinkering. Unless your guiding, I don't find the fishing frame particularly versatile.

 

[gretch6364]

Yeah, I agree on maybe it not being the best thing to start with, but if you find a good deal on one used, it can be a good way to go. Especially since it will be a 90% fishing boat.

 

[garystrome]

Re: Gretch 6364: Only two wives? I know where you can get a good used one.

 

[Billy Goat]

I have a 13' Otter that is set up with a 4 bay for extended trips. Although I have a few different configurations for day trips or light weight duties. I think my longest side rails are 72". I get a 100qt cooler, 17" drybox, captains space and about a 16" deck up front. I had my drybox built to fit the same bay as the cooler so they can switch up if I need to or only carry one for weight reasons. You will most likely want tall oar locks. Smashing the cooler with your knuckles is a bitch. For pure fishing trips, I put the cooler under the rower and the empty bay up front plus the existing bench becomes all deck. I stand a lot when I fish, it feels like fishing from a flats boat. Good Luck...I wish I was tinkering with a new boat this time of year.