[BDD]

Delivered a new raft to a guide in BC and so I took the opportunity to try out the new Freestone Deluxe. Boat handled well though the fishing was tough. I fished behind the guide and two clients to give them first water. At the end, I was able to try a new Sage two-hand rod with a Hatch reel. Very nice setup. Didn't catch anything; the gear guys had it tough too, only hooking one fish on a pink worm during our drift but it came off after about 5 seconds. I was watching the float when it went down...that is always an exciting moment.

Guide liked his raft, I liked the Freestone, had decent water and weather...could have been worse.

 

[SpeyFitter]

Awesome - I love the modified frame!

 

[SpeyFitter]

How do the mini mags handle that I'm assuming is the 9.5' trib? Do they have enough jam to put the jones loaded with 2 on board if crap hits the fan?

 

[SpeyFitter]

Hey Dave,

AS I said above, I love the frame. It's PURRFFECT for this boat. Not too much and not too little. A good number of cross members for strength, nice and simple, and will really let you take advantage of what the boat and the oars can do. A few thoughts:

I like the kicked out oar towers. Good for stacking boats as well as changes the pivot point of the oars further out which helps make them feel a little more "balanced" and will be easier on the shoulders. Mind you they are just mini-mags, and not full size oar shafts, but over repeated strokes this little detail will make a big difference especially if you're on the oars a lot.

Since the seat position appears to be adjustable this will obviously accommodate different rower heights (leg lengths) by adjusting the seat forward or back and IMHO is sturdier feeling with a fixed leg brace over having adjustable leg braces like on the Bucks frames. The only thing I'm wondering about is the single position oar lock retainer. You may want to consider offering 2 positions on the oar towers for the oar lock retainer to better work with the range of motion of the seat and rower position. Outcast offers this on their single man PAC Pontoon boats as an example. The reason why I think this is important is you are offering a frame as a superior rowing platform for safety & performance. Having 2 oar lock retainer positions will better suit the variety of rower sizes & positions in having optimal rowing geometry to maximize this safety & performance (IMHO).

 

[skitterbug]

Great modification from the original.

Most frames have fixed oar position, and it's not a problem. I'm sure Dave set it up for the average height. If you're a taller person you have longer arm, shorter person you have shorter arms. Therefore the oars can be in a fixed position.

Dave, I don't know if your frame moves back and forth when you're rowing, if it does, have the back straps attached to the back seatbar and the middle straps attached to the front seatbar. The straps will be angled and prevent movement.

 

[BDD]

How do the mini mags handle that I'm assuming is the 9.5' trib? Do they have enough jam to put the jones loaded with 2 on board if crap hits the fan?

I offered him SGG shafts but he wanted to try the mini mags. I ask him at the end of the day what he wanted and he was going to stick with them. Of course he had a spare.

 

[BDD]

Hey Dave,

Since the seat position appears to be adjustable this will obviously accommodate different rower heights (leg lengths) by adjusting the seat forward or back and IMHO is sturdier feeling with a fixed leg brace over having adjustable leg braces like on the Bucks frames. The only thing I'm wondering about is the single position oar lock retainer. You may want to consider offering 2 positions on the oar towers for the oar lock retainer to better work with the range of motion of the seat and rower position. Having 2 oar lock retainer positions will better suit the variety of rower sizes & positions in having optimal rowing geometry to maximize this safety & performance (IMHO).

A couple of things you can't tell from the first photo; one is the heel bar. The other is that the heel bar is adjustable with three different settings. I happen to have it on the shortest setting but does extend out to two more positions. I think with the adjustable seat and heel bar, a vast majority of the anglers will find a comfortable position. Of course Ken adds a second or even a third oar tower position in many cases upon the customer's request and/or upon asking the owner's height, Ken sometimes does it regardless.

 

[BDD]

Great modification from the original.

Most frames have fixed oar position, and it's not a problem. I'm sure Dave set it up for the average height. If you're a taller person you have longer arm, shorter person you have shorter arms. Therefore the oars can be in a fixed position.

Dave, I don't know if your frame moves back and forth when you're rowing, if it does, have the back straps attached to the back seatbar and the middle straps attached to the front seatbar. The straps will be angled and prevent movement.

I didn't notice much movement but then we were on a very mellow section of the river but that is a good tip. I think two changes I'd make if it were my frame is I'd get it powder coated and make the rod holders permanently attached to the frame. Both of those are mostly cosmetics. I like the cleaner look of riveted rod holders rather than the straps.

 

[SpeyFitter]

Or make a rod holder mini platform and use 2 u bolts to hold it onto the frame so it's removeable and not sure if this is a word but relocateable!

 

[SpeyFitter]

A couple of things you can't tell from the first photo; one is the heel bar. The other is that the heel bar is adjustable with three different settings. I happen to have it on the shortest setting but does extend out to two more positions. I think with the adjustable seat and heel bar, a vast majority of the anglers will find a comfortable position. Of course Ken adds a second or even a third oar tower position in many cases upon the customer's request and/or upon asking the owner's height, Ken sometimes does it regardless.

View attachment 137962

With an adjustable seat and heel bar position that should definitely work with one oar tower position to find that good oar stroke range. Right on!

 

[Sportsman]

I offered him SGG shafts but he wanted to try the mini mags. I ask him at the end of the day what he wanted and he was going to stick with them. Of course he had a spare.

Dave, That is an awesome set-up! One size fits all is no compromise, it looks like the perfect Class 12 (pun certainly intended ) one man framed raft. Speyfitter made some, as always, good observations. I think you have a great base model, everything else is for custom orders. One of my 'custom' orders would be a high back seat, because once you shove off in that raft, you would certainly want to make it a very long day! I would also have a nice grab handle installed fore & aft. Side saddle bags would be, for me, a necessity. Questions: how many air chambers and as it sits, what does it weigh? Looks like you have another winner!

 

[BDD]

Dave, That is an awesome set-up! One size fits all is no compromise, it looks like the perfect Class 12 (pun certainly intended ) one man framed raft. Speyfitter made some, as always, good observations. I think you have a great base model, everything else is for custom orders. One of my 'custom' orders would be a high back seat, because once you shove off in that raft, you would certainly want to make it a very long day! I would also have a nice grab handle installed fore & aft. Side saddle bags would be, for me, a necessity. Questions: how many air chambers and as it sits, what does it weigh? Looks like you have another winner!

The very first boat I had Ken make, I put on the high back tractor seat. But after using it, I found I was not using the extra height the high back afforded. Plus it made it harder to stack boats on top of each other so I personally quit using them. But we still get the request. Just Friday I sent a high back seat to a customer who is replacing the front seat of his SRB with it.

This boat has a single air chamber; they can add a second but the cost really goes up. I think the Green River in Utah has a requirement of having flotation devices of at least two chambers. Personally I'd rather have one quality boat with a single air chamber than a piece of crap boat with multiple chambers. But I agree, bow and stern handles would make transport a little easier. Not sure on the weight but must be near the 40 lb range. I'll have to try our saddle bags on it...not sure how the lower oar tower will affect the effectiveness of our saddle bags?

 

[SpeyFitter]

Dave - what kinda cost are you talking about for an extra chamber out of curiosity?

 

[BDD]

Dave - what kinda cost are you talking about for an extra chamber out of curiosity?

Not sure I ever got an exact quote but I recall it was north of several hundred dollars more for the extra air chamber. Would definitely be worth it for some for sure. Problem is most people are looking for the cheapest way to get into a boat, not every really considering that a little extra something that costs a little more might be something that makes a big difference...quality products like a life jacket, oars, an extra oar, a throw bag, etc.