I'm not the original poster but I've seriously been thinking about a steelheader or guide double. If I could get a used late model in good condition, all the better!
Looking for 10ft single with all the gear if availbale.... and I have the trailer. If you have a double, I might be interested.
I can't, the NRS I'm thinking of isn't mine to trade. *grin* Although it's a great river work horse, it belongs to our fire department as the swift-water rescue raft. I associate that with work and Skookum with fun.
Might I add that the same pontoons that Skookum and Badcat uses can be aquired at the Maxxon dealer in Kent, WA for $385 (for a pair of 12' long 20.5" diameter) grey tubes. google maxxon.us and give them a call. I just got some a month ago directly from their, great price. J
I just bought Spslpet's 10' Steelheader, due to cfs/clarity on my home waters haven't taken it out for a spin yet... but I have a very groovy feeling coming on.... heh heh Bob
thats why i have a xstream 10 footer jerry, steel frame, bad ass and i can beat the hell out of it and she still loves me before i go to bed glad i didnt sell it....
I use a custom whitewater frame on my steelheader Bhudda. Gives me a wider stance, and the guy who built it 20 years ago was a welder and whitewater guide. So had the best of both worlds when he built it. Now, if I'd only thought about fishing catarafts back then. I'd had him build it with my anchor mounts. LOL. It's my rowers frame for my old guide boat. Works great on the 10' tubes and setup with pin/clips so can run it as a true play boat when I feel like it.
I visited the Sportsman show today (wow, it was crowded) and saw Skookum had a rep with some nice cats. I had this thread on my mind so I asked. I was assured the pontoons are not maxxons. They might look similar. I do remember when I spoke to Bob 5 years ago, seeing the patterns he used to cut the pontoons when he R&D the design. BTW, Bob was expected to show up later in the day, I was sorry I missed a chance to say hi to him.
Jerry, Why is there a difference between the width of a whitewater cataraft frame and a frame on a pontoon boat ( one that is at least 10 ft.) specfically for fishing? Sho
Sho, you rarely find a whitewater boat in the 10' range. I know when I hardcore whitewatered, a "play boat" was a 12'. Most of our whitewater cats were in the 14-18' range. There is a formula that you are supposed to use. That dictates it. It's something to do with length vs diameter of tubes, etc equals frame width. I like a wider footprint, why I like custom frames. I know when I had my custom frame built for my 16' boat (had a whitewater frame, but then wanted a custom fishing frame) the welder called it a dancefloor. 4' wide. I use a frame that a good 2 1/2 to 3' wide on my 10' Guide tubes. But I haven't seen a whitewater frame for a 10' boat before. Unheard of when I did it all the time. Who has one? Sotar has an 11' Coho, that's about the closest I could think of as a true "whitewater" company that built put a fishing frame on a boat. But even then, their frame is just a whitewater frame. Do you have a boat you're thinking of? I do know when some of the whitewater grade fishing boats came out, some guys started buying up tubes and making smaller play boats. But in big rollers, those small boats feel like corks. Fun, but gets the adrenaline pumping.
Jerry, I have a 8" Outcast pontoon boat that I use to fish. I have started floating more rivers. (McKenzie, Rogue, the Deschutes this summer) I float the Rogue (not the wild & scenic section, but the section above it) with friends who have a 14' and a 12' Aire cataraft. I only want to float Class I & II (possibly low Class III) water. I would like to get a high quality reasonable priced 10' pontoon boat for more stability. I like that one sits higher up in a cataraft frame to see further down the river. I am limited by my vehicle which is a Subaru Outback - the pontoon boat either goes on top of the car or is deflated and put in the trunk. Thanks for your information and knowledge. I enjoy your opinions as they are based on many years of experience. Sho
