WTB Whitewater raft

[Irrelevant]

If anyone hears or sees a deal on a used self-bailer, 12.5-15' I'd appreciate a heads up. I'm finally forced to give up on the canoe idea. There just aren't enough rivers around here that you can swing with a canoe, and none of my family care for the simplicity of the canoe. Plus all my friends bought rafts...

 

[Elktrack]

Welcome to the club!!
You will not regret switching from a canoe.
I’d definitely recommend not going less than a 14’ raft.
I’m a huge fan of Aire boats but there’s a lot of good ones out there. For the money, Aire is hard to beat. The Tributary is a solid all around boat. I run mine on everything from the Lochsa to the Grand Ronde and Salmon and everything in between, day trips or multi day trips, it’s been fantastic.

I know you said you were looking for used but you should check out the Star outlaw boats. NRS has them new for around $2500. I’m super impressed with them.
Anyway, you didn’t post asking for my opinion, I’ll keep my ears open for a good deal and talk with some of my rafting buddies.
Good luck and congratulations!

 

[44hunter45]

University of Idaho Rec rents watercraft. We've rented them for running the Salmon. They often come up on the UofI surplus listings.

 

[Irrelevant]

Welcome to the club!!
You will not regret switching from a canoe.
I’d definitely recommend not going less than a 14’ raft.
I’m a huge fan of Aire boats but there’s a lot of good ones out there. For the money, Aire is hard to beat. The Tributary is a solid all around boat. I run mine on everything from the Lochsa to the Grand Ronde and Salmon and everything in between, day trips or multi day trips, it’s been fantastic.

I know you said you were looking for used but you should check out the Star outlaw boats. NRS has them new for around $2500. I’m super impressed with them.
Anyway, you didn’t post asking for my opinion, I’ll keep my ears open for a good deal and talk with some of my rafting buddies.
Good luck and congratulations!

yeah I saw those. But you don't realize just quite how cheap I am...

 

[sclancy27]

yeah I saw those. But you don't realize just quite how cheap I am...

I don't know how to break this to you, but cheap and "rafting" or "whitewater" are irreconcilable.

 

[El Jason]

I don't know how to break this to you, but cheap and "rafting" or "whitewater" are irreconcilable.

Truth. I’ve been window shopping as well.

 

[Irrelevant]

I don't know how to break this to you, but cheap and "rafting" or "whitewater" are irreconcilable.

Not if you want to 30 yr old belly boat!

 

[Elktrack]

Not if you want to 30 yr old belly boat!

Don’t do it!

 

[Irrelevant]

Don’t do it!

I won't... But I've been tempted.

Missed out on a great deal the other day when I was ghosted by a Seattlite. FB marketplace is terrible. CL has been WAY better, actual humans that communicate

 

[westbranch]

I keep looking at fishing rafts on FB and CL. Storage is currently limited. I would probably be better off with a kick boat for what I like to do.

I have always said that it is better if you have friends with fishing boats, rafts, drift boats, etc. But I still get tired of being subject to their schedules.

 

[Irrelevant]

I keep looking at fishing rafts on FB and CL. Storage is currently limited. I would probably be better off with a kick boat for what I like to do.

I have always said that it is better if you have friends with fishing boats, rafts, drift boats, etc. But I still get tired of being subject to their schedules.

Boats, yes, but rafts, I don't know hard to bum room for a family of 4 on a 5 day float in your buddy's raft.

 

[westbranch]

Boats, yes, but rafts, I don't know hard to bum room for a family of 4 on a 5 day float in your buddy's raft.

Definitely! I am either solo or sometimes as a couple so easier to get on some trips. But still much harder to fit a rafting trip in the schedule, even short trips.

 

[trb]

Screaming deal for you in Vernal, UT. You can’t afford not to! You and the family could enjoy dozens of minutes of lifetime memories on the water! Dozens!!!

 

[trb]

This is where you should be looking:

Rafts & Accessories

www.mountainbuzz.com

 

[Irrelevant]

This is where you should be looking:

Rafts & Accessories

www.mountainbuzz.com

Mostly CO stuff, and 50% higher than CL prices.

 

[trb]

Mostly CO stuff, and 50% higher than CL prices.

I’d recommend keeping an eye on it. There’s stuff from the NW all the time, and I’ve bought complete packages at very good value on there before. What’s your budget?

 

[cedahm]

I keep looking at fishing rafts on FB and CL. Storage is currently limited. I would probably be better off with a kick boat for what I like to do.

My brother in law has started a side hustle over the years on basically assembling rafts from parts he gets on FB/CL and whatever the guys at the shop have laying around the back.

If you know what you’re doing and are handy (it’s the last one precludes me), you can put a nice rig together for a few hundred bucks. E.g. He got a 2020-ish 14’ Aire with a couple small tears in it from the pissed off owner that was going to throw it away - 50 bucks, patched the holes for another 50 in goop, got a bunch of frame parts, etc. separately for another 200. Think he bought new straps and stripping baskets, but Bang, $2500 boat for 400 and a couple days work.

He’s restored a couple of wood Mack boats that he picked up for a song, also, but that’s a whole other world.

I have always said that it is better if you have friends with fishing boats, rafts, drift boats, etc. But I still get tired of being subject to their schedules.

As the former owner of both a hard and soft boat…

 

[Irrelevant]

I’d recommend keeping an eye on it. There’s stuff from the NW all the time, and I’ve bought complete packages at very good value on there before. What’s your budget?

IDK... Think small, then go smaller.

 

[Potsie]

I keep looking at fishing rafts on FB and CL. Storage is currently limited. I would probably be better off with a kick boat for what I like to do.

I have always said that it is better if you have friends with fishing boats, rafts, drift boats, etc. But I still get tired of being subject to their schedules.

I agree, it’s better to have a friend with a drift boat.

You should get one.

 

[westbranch]

I agree, it’s better to have a friend with a drift boat.

You should get one.

It would probably be a fishing raft since I have a trailer that could haul it already. And easier to store. I'll keep looking, maybe 2026.