I was wondering who's got them, how well they perform and what's the best for the money?
I know that Skookum sells a nice steelheader model. But I bet it's really expensive.
I want to buy one soon, but I'm not sure where to go to get the best buy.
Any information would really help.
Tightlines

Well, I've owned quite a few pontoon boats/catarafts. I have a 9 ft Steelheader and a 16ft Aire cataraft. I'm afraid to burst your bubble but you won't find a better boat for less then the Steelheader. You move up to longer tubes and you're really talking money. Just the tubes alone for my 16ft cost about $500 more then the whole package from Skookum. You want top of the line tubes, go with Wing. There are plenty of other quality tube makers. You have Sotar, Aire, Wing, Maravia, and NRS. Then you have to have a frame built (which Os on here builds awesome frames). You're looking at dropping a good $2800 for a quality frame setup if you know how to cut your costs. You can spend upwards to $3500+ easily if you don't watch where you buy.

As I've said before and Os will back me up on this, you get what you pay for in a cat. If you pay $800 for a boat you get an $800 boat (unless you buy one used, that's where you get the deals if the cats are well maintained). Buy what you can afford, but if you can spend the money at least go with a decent set of tubes (the ones listed above). My Aire is over 10 years old and is in great shape and is holding up well. It's not as pretty as the newer continous curved boats, but holds it's own on the rivers. Send me an email and I'll help you out all I can and also contact Os, I'm sure he'll be posting on here. BTW, are you in University Place in Tacoma or up in Seattle? If you're in UP Tacoma I can arrange for you to see my 2 cats.

Jerry

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you haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

Ya what he said
more and more cats on the market,once you go there you're hooked,for 1 man I wouldn't go smaller than a 10' for 2 go 12',3 14 or 16.for a quality 1 man boat you're gonna spend between 1700 and 2000 or more depending on you're frame ,don't be cheap on the tubes you won't regret it,trust me,any more hepl drop me a line....Os

Got my 9ft. Steelheader out of the classifieds on this board. Honestly, probably the best $900 dollars i've ever spent(10x42 Swarovskis a close second ). O's says 10 ft. minimum, can't argue, he has more experience on these than I do. But, I've run a class IV in my 9 ft. and it did fine. I think I was pretty lucky finding it for this price, keep looking, ya never know....

That 9'steelheader is the best boat for money (around a grand)....Bill builds good stuffjust my.02...Os

Hey Backlash, Steelheaders are great boats. What Os meant by at least going up to a 10 ft is the pure water coverage with one. I've run class 4's with my Steelheader also, but you hit a big hydraulic and you'll be tossed around like a cork. The bigger boat you have the easier and safer you'll run rapids. I won't ever sell my steelheader, it's a great boat and so far everyone I've let use it has fell in love with it.

Good luck and I'll agree with Os, if you can afford it, buy top of the line. It's easier to have too much then want to upgrade later.

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you haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

I live in the U.P around Tacoma, also the Lacey area. Thanks I'll do that.