New River Boat

I tried the nucanoe thinking it would be a plastic drift boat, and it kinda was. Even though it looks like it has lots of bow and stern rocker, it really doesn't...it really is designed for flatwater.

And really, it's not the boat, it's the person driving it. you can get away with allot of silly boats in rivers if the river skills are there.

The Dagger Torrent is actually pretty sweet in WW for a SOT, but the capacity is only like 180lbs.

We have a liquid logic coupe at the shop. I saw the rep rock class 3+ in it.

Thanks for the vid on the Coupe, Zee.  I like the looks of that thang! Might even be able to surf ocean waves in it without catching the bow. I like that pop-down skeg, too.
I was looking at the Cobra Strikes for surfing, though.
I see surf yakkers show up here all the time in the summer with interesting looking yaks, some custom one-of-a-kind designs, too.

I would have had a blast yesterday evening on one. I paddled my 7'2" stick out into some 1' to 3' onshore mush just to get out and get a good paddling workout, and that I did. I fell off on all my takeoffs in the crumbly featureless slop! A yak would have been more fun!

Got my paddling workouts in, though!
I had gone fishing in the morning, paddling my U-12 up a tidal creek, and found only a few small cutts, the biggest a 10" searun. Had fun getting into a huffing contest with a family of otters, though. We faced off, and made wheezy huffing sounds at each other. They were fishing for peamouth chubs in the tailout of a slow hole just above a riffle section, and probably worried that I'd low-hole 'em.   I always have fun shuckin' and jivin' with the otters!

Really these are your best option for fishing/running whitewater:

http://shop.aldercreek.com/Rafts-Inflatable-Kayaks/Inflatable-Kayaks/Tomcat-Solo-C44-i25122.html

If you're an especially big fella, or your loading it up for a week long trip, you can use the tandem as a solo, or get the one with bigger tubes:

http://shop.aldercreek.com/Rafts-Inflatable-Kayaks/Inflatable-Kayaks/Outfitter-1-C44-i436351.html

Scotty makes tube mounts for rod holders fish finders etc.

Where can I win one of those coupes?   

That's the video of the rep Ted Keyes I was talking about.

I gotta push my brand and my river runner the i9s. I've taken this through some very tough terrain and came through no sweat. Officially it weighs 40#'s, but feels way lighter, getting into any spot to fish is a snap. Pull and leash the drive through shallow spots and drop it back in to back troll moderate water when its deeper.



The stability is nuts:


And so is weight capacity:

My inflatable river kayak has a ~3 foot rubber 'keel' in the bottom center of the boat.  It's supposed to help with tracking, but in practice it doesn't.  I wonder if I should remove that so it doesn't spin as much in the river. 

That inflatable hobie looks cool.  What's the price on it?

Zee that looks pretty cool. The one advantage the Aire inflatables have is the totally flat bottom and planning bow entry....it goes over waves and manuevers super easy like a WW hardshell. The Aire's are what you will find at every WW rental company, because you can put someone on to class 3 with no experience and they'll do fine.

but again, it's not really the boat. Some are just easier to deal with than others.

That inflatable hobie looks cool.  What's the price on it?

The i9s runs $1500 retail.

Zee that looks pretty cool. The one advantage the Aire inflatables have is the totally flat bottom and planning bow entry....it goes over waves and manuevers super easy like a WW hardshell.

Same w/ the i9s. I think they're really similar in a few ways. One difference is obviously the mirage drive but unseen is the structure of the inflatable floor. It's difficult to explain but essentially it has thousands of cords that run from the floor to the bottom of the yak. What that means is there's no hammock effect when you sit in it. So if you push your hand down on the inside of the yak and you look at the bottom, you can see one pressure point but the whole bottom doesn't sag. Also the i9s has scuppers.

Z

I have fished several times out of a friends pair of Aire Lynx.  Nice boats, we used them to jump from hole to hole, and then fish off the bank.  Didn't really like fishing directly out of them as you are sitting so close to the water (as you are in all yaks) which I find an awkward position for traditional drift/float fishing techniques (I like to stand up).  They are great due to the fact that if you can walk to the water you could get the boat there which make them perfect for the upper stretches of small coastal rivers.

we used them to jump from hole to hole, and then fish off the bank.  Didn't really like fishing directly out of them as you are sitting so close to the water (as you are in all yaks) which I found an awkward position for traditional drift/float fishing techniques (I like to stand up).\

I totally agree. Last winter kykfshr and I did the same and really felt the best way. We even found some small islands we fished off which got us into holes that most most passed by.

Z

unseen is the structure of the inflatable floor. It's difficult to explain but essentially it has thousands of cords that run from the floor to the bottom of the yak. What that means is there's no hammock effect when you sit in it. So if you push your hand down on the inside of the yak and you look at the bottom, you can see one pressure point but the whole bottom doesn't sag. Also the i9s has scuppers.

Mine is the exact same as that, the rigid floor and scuppers.  When I bought it, it was advertised as being built with the same design as a whitewater raft -  BUT, it does NOT stay dry at all.  The floor fills with water even with scuppers plugged.  This year I'm gonna have to get a dry suit, because waders just don't cut it.  I guess I could layer more but sitting in water sucks.  (also came with an extra floor, and that MIGHT keep me a bit dryer)

Actually, I guess a drysuit isn't going to help much either without proper insulation. 

I think the best thing about those is the stability.  They are SO wide so primary stability is awesome, and with the flotation being the side walls, secondary is nearly impossible to get to.  You can't flip it unless you try to, or end up sideways against a rock!

I'm going to see if I can safely remove the keel.  It gets in the way of storage too.

That inflatable hobie looks cool.  What's the price on it?

The i9s runs $1500 retail.

Zee that looks pretty cool. The one advantage the Aire inflatables have is the totally flat bottom and planning bow entry....it goes over waves and manuevers super easy like a WW hardshell.

Same w/ the i9s. I think they're really similar in a few ways. One difference is obviously the mirage drive but unseen is the structure of the inflatable floor. It's difficult to explain but essentially it has thousands of cords that run from the floor to the bottom of the yak. What that means is there's no hammock effect when you sit in it. So if you push your hand down on the inside of the yak and you look at the bottom, you can see one pressure point but the whole bottom doesn't sag. Also the i9s has scuppers.

Z

I have seen that structural support in some of the Airis inflatable boards. It is damn stiff for an inflatable fo sho.

Zee,
Thanx for the video. sorry so late in answering. 90+ hour work weeks just friggin kill me.