? For u raft owners

[gannon311]

What would be the cost for a good used oar rig? One person on the oars and 2 riders. Would be used for the piney , tot, ocoee. What size would I need and estimated cost for the whole set up??

[okieboater]

An Aire Super Puma oar rig would be ideal. If you can find one used. I see them advertised in Mt Buzz for sale this time of year. Check them out for prices.

[Crane]

For those uses, you might look at a Star Lightening Bug... It's a 12' raft with 24" tubes... and is less expensive than a Super Puma and will haul folks and is quite maneuverable, rows almost like a cat
... And, I suggest that even though I sold mine and bought a Super Puma:)

[Yarbrough]

I've bought two used 12' bucket boats for under $500 bucks locally. The first was a 20 year old Riken that I got for 425 and came with four life jackets and paddles. Got a 50 mile western river trip and 40+ river days out of it before I quit her for the next. Then I came across 12' Hyside bucket with a beautiful wood frame and ash oars for 475. She's a good one too, hardly any tattoos and requires less maintenance than a country chicken.

These old bucket boats aren't shiny, don't have a scientific characteristic attribute or nothing like that. They will however go down every river you mentioned, make 6 people scream on a bloated Big Piney, haul a ice chest full of fun and pull up on a gravel bar right next to a 6000 dollar rig just the same. Depending on how rude the water is they will need to get bailed or pumped.

I justified the first one as a starter rig just to see if I was into it or not. The second one was too good of a deal to pass up. Maybe someday I'll splurge on what I really want, which is a 13.5 Star. Rafts are big fun!

[gannon311]

Y'all be on the look out for a good deal! I have a nine yr old and a baby due in feb. so our paddling by our selves is done for a while. The nine yr old does the Buffy in a sot but the baby needs to raised on the creek!!;)

[Deuce]

Check Mountainbuzz, Boatertalk, and Google used rafts for sale. When I wanted something for hauling non-paddler types and tons of gear simultaneously on trips they probably wouldn't otherwise take I found an outfitter on the Deschutes who sold me a fourteen foot Odyssey bucket boat for $400. I just trusted him when he said it was solid, and it was (and is). I rarely use it, but I'm glad I have it when I need it. I spent considerably more building the frame and outfitting the boat than I did on the boat itself. It's a pig, but it easily meets my needs. Something like that or a Star as previously suggested would probably serve you just fine. Also, another member posted recently that his friend in Memphis had a barely used Saturn for sale. He was asking $1k as I recall. Don't know if he still has it.

[adamm]

That one In Memphis is sold. I have some friends that work for NOC, I know they retire boats from time to time. I'll ask them to keep an eye out for one when they do start retiring them.

[okieboater]

Chek the NOC home page. I think their guest appreciation sale is coming up and they usually sell their rental rafts at a reasonable price and from what I have heard the condition is decent and I think they will be self bailers that will make a big difference over a bucket raft.

Fish posted a Team S trip to NOC, you might hook up with them. Even if you don't score a raft, you will have a great time with them.