Re: [Paddlewise] Anyone paddled a SOAR Cat?

Hi Paul,

I've never owned a cataraft but several friends used them when I was into
white water kayaking. We always liked to have at least one cataraft along on
a trip for safety purposes; especially if we had a large group with newbies.

My wife came along on a Deschutes River trip (in Oregon) trip once and spent
her time in the second seat of a friend's cataraft. On a stretch where I
swam and where a friend got caught trying to capsize in shallow water she
complained that she got some cold water splashed on her leg in one rapids!!!

The impressions I have of a cataraft are that they are incredibly stable,
pretty maneuverable (I've seen them surf) and fun. I don't think they carry
a substantial load, however. A 14-foot standard cataraft out here would
carry two people and their gear for a week or two with no problem. The SOAR
cat is 12-feet and it looks like the pontoons are somewhat smaller in
diameter than the 14-foot catarafts I'm familiar with. I'd be a bit
suspicious of a 2-person expedition capacity... but I'm certainly no expert.
The S-Cat looks more like a scaled-up fishing cat than a river-runner; at
least to me.

Catarafts make wonderful safety boats for whitewater kayakers. They are
light enough to be pulled over shallow areas pretty easily and I don't think
they draw much more than a kayak. They are less "exciting" than a kayak in
white water (one gal said that she no longer does Class III+ rivers as they
are too boring!!). You can (and we have) strap a white water kayak
athwartships on the back of a 14-foot cat and carry both it and a (perhaps
somewhat disappointed paddler) to a take-out.

The cats I'm used to were all from NRS in Moscow, Idaho and cost around
US$3k new with frames, oars, seats, etc. Everyone carried them on trailers
behind their cars. You might want to see what we think is needed for a
capable white water cataraft by visiting:

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product_list.asp?deptid=1132

If I were to do white water again I'd probably do it with a cat. Either that
or stick to Class II water.


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net

On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 12:54 AM, Paul Ash <AshP_at_sundaytimes.co.za> wrote:

> I'm quite keen on SOAR's S-Cat as it sounds like it might be the right kind
> of boat for a very shallow, rocky desert river I want to paddle in South
> Africa.
>
> I've noted that the SOAR website says the S-Cat is for 1-2 people. If so,
> fantastic, but is this true and has anyone rigged this boat to carry two
> people?
>
> And if you can carry two people, how much gear could you carry?
>
> Finally, I've never paddled any kind of catraft. Is there an appreciable
> difference between catraft and conventional inflatable kayaks 12 in terms of
> draft?
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