Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 31
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944

    Trigger pulled...

    Just bought a raft. Think I got a pretty good deal. Stoked for sure. Ended up not sharing the raft. The wife kind of wanted our own anyhow, so no matter what we can use it whenever we want. I am sure my buddy will be in one of the seats most of the time anyhow.

    13' Hyside and DRE Fishing Frame and a trailer for $3500. No patches and no leaks. Figured the shorter raft would be better for fishing in CO, and since we are not sharing the raft, less pressure to take 4 people all the time. He is throwing in 3 Carlisle oars, the drop bags, etc. Boat is 10 years old and was owned by a guy working for DRE the first 5 or 6 years. Now I just need to learn how to row...

    Was gonna read Drift Boat Strategies: Rowing and Fishing Skills for the Western Angler.

    http://www.amazon.com/Drift-Boat-Str...rds=drift+boat

    Any other suggestions? Underoo, maybe we could get out on my boat and you could give me a crash course in some low water conditions.

    Here is the frame and trailer, which needs a new deck:



    Going Sunday to pick her up!
    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    San Juans
    Posts
    561
    Congrats, enjoy!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944
    Thank you sir. In the end, a Hypalon boat sounded more favorable to my situation and easily being able to roll it and store inside this trailer. Hoping it easily locks with a pad lock and I feel secure leaving it parked at a storage rental. I don't have a garage space for it, and it is going to take fence mods to get a spot in the friends yard. Public storage is like $34 a month for a spot. We will see. Wouldn't mind being able to leave it all set up, but having it all ready and under the trailer is a step closer! I bet I can get it insured with my other offsite stuff on my home owners policy. That is pretty cheap.
    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Behind the Potato Curtain
    Posts
    4,042
    Congrats man, dial in your crab stroke and it will make life a lot more enjoyable when fishing folks.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    8,715
    Nice dude! That a pretty standard rig, much like mine. I think in CO, a 13-14' raft gets in the water most and that is all that matters. Don't worry about "learning to row". It ain't a big deal for most fisherman 'cause they can read water. Now you are to apply for at minimum Yampa and Lodore permits. Pencil in Gunny Gorge for Salmon Flys. Keep your eye out for some paddles and figure out your whitewater paddle crew. It's almost a tradition for new owners of rafts to go trash in Browns Canyon. And most important, don't other think it and be all about the gear. Get a good PDF and get after it!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Evergreen
    Posts
    298
    Congrats. As someone looking to make the same horrible purchase, I've been following your other thread closely. If you ever need someone to pitch bugs off your boat, I come with great taste in beer and beer. Have fun with it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    A LSD Steakhouse somewhere in the Wasatch
    Posts
    13,234
    congrats
    i'd really reccomend learning to row
    i can sit on shore and read water
    don't do much good if the boats not being operated in a manner condusive to good presnitations

    thats like sayin don't worry about learning to drive
    the passenger can read the signs.
    if youre gonna float yampa or ladore
    rowing skills will definately come in handy
    "When the child was a child it waited patiently for the first snow and it still does"- Van "The Man" Morrison
    "I find I have already had my reward, in the doing of the thing" - Buzz Holmstrom
    "THIS IS WHAT WE DO"-AML -ski on in eternal peace
    "I have posted in here but haven't read it carefully with my trusty PoliAsshat antenna on."-DipshitDanno

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Greater Drictor Wydaho
    Posts
    5,380
    Quote Originally Posted by gretch6364 View Post
    Now I just need to learn how to row...

    Was gonna read Drift Boat Strategies: Rowing and Fishing Skills for the Western Angler.

    [!
    This is a good book, worth purchasing. I also strongly recommend the American Canoe Association's book "River Safety Anthology". It covers kayak and rafts, too. This book is a compendium of fatal and near fatal river boating accidents, usually including first hand witness reports, making for a harrowing read. Each incident is given a post-mortem analysis and a critique on where things went sour. Gives a new paddler a more rounded sense of the dangers and helps with risk management.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    crown of the continent
    Posts
    13,947
    Congrats! Best way to store the raft is partially inflated, worst is a tight roll. imho even just flopping the raft into the trailer, or folded in half, would be better than rolling...
    Something about the wrinkle in your forehead tells me there's a fit about to get thrown
    And I never hear a single word you say when you tell me not to have my fun
    It's the same old shit that I ain't gonna take off anyone.
    and I never had a shortage of people tryin' to warn me about the dangers I pose to myself.

    Patterson Hood of the DBT's

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Cape Cod
    Posts
    759
    Congrats, can't offer any rowing advice, but have a blast.

    Merry Christmas to you!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944
    Thanks...wife says it is all I am getting for Christmas, which is certainly cool with me. Got the raft and trailer back to town last night. Tried to wash off the road dirt, but will have to hit again once we get above freezing.

    I need to replace the top deck of the trailer this spring. It is just 4 seperate squares of plywood on hinges, that each open to access the underneith of the trailer and then have pad locks on the sides. What should I use that will last? I am plannning on the storing the boat on top inflated. The plywood he had on it before rotted. Should I do marine grade and paint it? Any suggestions on paint/sealer that will be nice and slick and not rub on the bottom of the boat?

    He had her blown up and ready when I got there. Pretty standard. Laced I-beam floor, no patches, but will need to re-glue 2 d-rings that he gave me, and the decorative rub rail has a couple cracks and is brittle. Military style valves, and the pressure release valve on the floor needs a new cover. Everything else it look good to me.

    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944
    and the raft is actuall 13'9". I think it is a 2005.
    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944
    Quote Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles View Post
    Now you are to apply for at minimum Yampa and Lodore permits.
    Maybe this is a dumb question, but what all rivers in Colorado would I need a permit to float, when I would want to float them for good fishing? I don't have much desire to white water raft at high water. Is this when most permits would be require? Just curious since it looks like most of the applications are done in January. I need to start getting a list of floats together and the timing of hatches so I can put it on my calendar.
    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    crown of the continent
    Posts
    13,947
    We had a dozen of those at the raft company i managed back in the early 90's. Very tough boats. Floor is sure a pain to relace, iirc we used tubular webbing the second time. The rubrail is inconsequential, don't sweat it cracking. Kickass paddle boat for 4-6 paddlers plus guide...
    Something about the wrinkle in your forehead tells me there's a fit about to get thrown
    And I never hear a single word you say when you tell me not to have my fun
    It's the same old shit that I ain't gonna take off anyone.
    and I never had a shortage of people tryin' to warn me about the dangers I pose to myself.

    Patterson Hood of the DBT's

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    8,715
    Quote Originally Posted by gretch6364 View Post
    Maybe this is a dumb question, but what all rivers in Colorado would I need a permit to float, when I would want to float them for good fishing? I don't have much desire to white water raft at high water. Is this when most permits would be require? Just curious since it looks like most of the applications are done in January. I need to start getting a list of floats together and the timing of hatches so I can put it on my calendar.
    If the question is "what permitted rivers is Colorado offer excellent trout fishing?" I'm pretty sure the answer is none. I mentioned Yampa and Lodore because you talked about overnighters and such. Those two trips are basically beginner whitewater. The way it works is to basically get the permit and figure it out later. It is much easier to find experience trip mates than it is to obtain the permit.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Dillon
    Posts
    57
    PM me I live in summit and still floating the upper c which is going to be your ideal place to boat/overnight and good fishing. Roaring fork seems to float all year.

    Boating is all about reading water and boating while fishing is just being able to put your fishing partner in the right casting distance, seams and what not.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    19,215
    Congrats! I float its big brother on a extremely regular basis. It's a bombproof boat.

    Start easy on the lower upper C learning to read, and work your way up from there.

    State Bridge to 2 bridges or catamount, cottonwood to dotsero, then rancho to state bridge, then pump to radium. A season learning should have you in good shape for some bigger stuff should you so desire.

    I'll keep an eye out for you come spring. I float at least once or twice a week.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSC00585.JPG 
Views:	131 
Size:	91.1 KB 
ID:	146268  
    Is it radix panax notoginseng? - splat
    This is like hanging yourself but the rope breaks. - DTM
    Dude Listen to mtm. He's a marriage counselor at burning man. - subtle plague

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944
    Thanks Ajax. I am heading out of town the rest of this week, but will he down to float any open water over then next couple months. Would love to do a trip on the fork or the Colorado in Glenwood with some snow flakes falling.

    Anyone want to plan a float around the holidays?
    Last edited by gretch6364; 12-10-2013 at 01:05 PM.
    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Dillon
    Posts
    57
    Sounds good!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Flavor Country
    Posts
    2,975
    Quote Originally Posted by gretch6364 View Post
    Thanks Ajax. I am heading out of town the rest of this week, but will he down to float any open water over then next couple months. Would love to do a trip on the fork or the Colorado in Glenwood with some snow flakes falling.

    Anyone want to plan a float around the holidays?
    Nice, I'd say I'd be down if you are headed up Aspen way but we just had baby #2 so this holiday season is spoken for and the snow is too good to to use a hall pass fishing right now. But keep me in mind if you do head this way spring/summer. I can't row(yet) but I know the Fork (and a bit of the CO) pretty well and would love a chance to learn to row since I'll probably be getting a raft in the next year or so. Plus I never go anywhere without a stocked cooler.
    "They don't think it be like it is, but it do."

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    137
    Congrats!! You will have a blast. Getting the right drift for your fishing friends is much more of an art than simply navigating down the river, as others have said. That's why some guides outperform everyone else on the river! Get that buddy of yours on the sticks quick so you can get some fishing in too.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Denver, Co.
    Posts
    1,422
    Nice boat. I am also looking to buy a raft this spring. Does anyone have opinions on this setup:


    http://www.northforkoutdoors.com/201...outfitter-xxx/

    I dont think it would be ideal for float trips, esp with more than 3 people, but looks great for fishing day trips. I am a total raft jong though, other then a bunch of paddle trips down Browns as a kid. He is offering it for $2,900 at this weekends Sportsmans Expo.
    "I almost feel bad for the guy, awakening the veritable Sauron's Eye that is TGR's sense of entitlement to judgement! " - Joe Strummer

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944
    I was also a raft Jong, but I did do a shit ton of reading before I bought. I personally would stay away from the Scadden stuff, and would stay away from steel frames. For $2,900, I think you could do way better. Just my opinion from what I read though...not based on actual rafting experience.
    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Basalt
    Posts
    4,944
    Sucks it is in Texas, but keeping an eye out for stuff like this is what I did...

    http://corpuschristi.craigslist.org/boa/4264243514.html
    "We had nice 3 days in your autonomous mountain realm last weekend." - Tom from Austria (the Rax ski guy)

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Denver, Co.
    Posts
    1,422
    Any reason in particular? I've been watching craigslist for awhile now.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •