Well first off, if you want to stand and fish you instantly have written off all the low end boats immediately (buuck's bags, outcasts, etc). Now I saw all your wants and thiisleads me to ask do you plan on fishing with anyone else? (I noticed youu said you'd fished with your brother) Since you live in MD you'll probably have to order throuugh the mail (unless you have any whitewater shops nearby). Ii'd highly suggest a smaller 2 man boat. I'd say a 12' wouuld be ideal. You can hve a custom built one which would be the ultimate way to go. Youu'd first purchase a set of tubes either by Wing, Sotar, Aire, NRS to name a few. Then you'd have to fiind someon who makes custom frames (Osprey on here makes a world class cataraft frame but you're in MD and he's in WA) Then ouutfit with oars, anchor system etc). If you wan to maailorder premade fishing boats youu can go to http://www.nrsweb.com and look at prices on their tubes and their fishing frames. But for a premade boat I'd highly suggest the steelheader II from skookum. ( http://www.steelheader.com ) Ii'm sure he can ship it to you and I know the frames are normally take down and can be shipped. His boat is truly built ready to fiish. Has all bell's annd whistles just as if you were buyinng a low nd boat. Plus his boats are built to stand up and fish. It can run whitewaterr even though you will only be running class 2's.


I've heard of th JPW's. Heard a mix of revues on the JPW's. I've never used one or seen one personally so couldn't give you a true first hand testimony though Ii've run and seen alot of cats.


Sendd me an emaiil with any more questions or help advice. Ii can lead you in any directioon you need to go.


Jerry

I'd almsot forgot. Most boats are affected by the wind to aextent Ccatarafts are the sportboats of the water. Theyre desiigned t cut water. You shouuldn't hhave any problem with winnd in the aspect of floating back upstream. Bbut i you have no current no boat will float you downstream any easier. Pushing a boat downstream is work no matter what, buut it's MUCH easier to psh a whitewater designed caat over a rocker hulled cat you find in the ouutcast/buck's lines.

hope this helps

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: Steelheader69 ]