Thanks for your question Bill!

The name of the boat is a cataraft - and unfortunately, we do not have any trips where passengers can ride in one. The “cats” are used as safety boats on the Futaleufu River in Chile, and we have one here in California for use as a safety boat on high-water Tuolumne River trips.

On a personal note: I have a little 13-ft cataraft that I use for my own trips, and I love its mobility. I feel like a water bug because the boat maneuvers so easily. It does get a little lonely at times, but then I can row over to a friend’s boat when I need the company.

Debbie Howard, our mega-experienced O.A.R.S. Adventure Consultant, recommends the Green River, the Gorges of the Lower Salmon or the Rogue River, because they are all great rivers for grandparents and kids aged 11 & 14. We bring along inflatable kayaks on all three of these river trips. Even the Main Salmon or Hells Canyon of the Snake River in Idaho would be good if you plan to go in July or August. If you prefer a lodge-based vacation, Debbie recommends our Kootenay Multi-Sport that includes lake kayaking as well as whitewater rafting, mountain biking and hiking.

If you would like specific trip information or would like more detailed information about each of these trips, I would encourage you to email our Adventure Consultants directly at info@oars.com or call our office at 1-800-346-6277.

Thank you for your great question JoAnn! I forwarded it to O.A.R.S.’ 13-year veteran, Debbie Howard. Simply put, Deb has encyclopedic knowledge of all our trips. (She has experienced 13 of them herself.) Here’s her reply:

“Our Main Salmon adventure in Idaho is a great place to be if you plan to travel in June or July. Our Middle Fork of the Salmon River adventure would be a great option if you plan to travel late July through August.  Both trips include a variety of boat options (oar rafts, paddle rafts, duckies/inflatable kayaks), wonderful side hikes, opportunities to soak in natural hot springs and outstanding wildlife viewing! If you plan to travel in May or June, I would recommend our Yampa River or Green River adventures through Dinosaur National Park, in Utah and Colorado. These trips also include a variety of boat options and abundant hiking opportunities to pictographs, petroglyphs and waterfalls. Each of these adventures generally draws many families with teens.”

According to a (newly-engaged) senior staff member:  “With the U.S. dollar so weak these days, we can’t afford to pay Canadians… Our last Canadian hire checked our IT manager in the hallway and scared him off (hockey’s a silly sport)… Where’s Canada again?”

Well Matt, I’ve asked two very reliable sources here at O.A.R.S. how often our rafts and dories puncture.

A reply from our resident chicken aficionado and Idaho Adventure Consultant, AZZ:

As seldom as possible! Very experienced and skilled, our guides make every effort to maintain the integrity of our craft. But remember, river trips take place in uncontrolled environments and anything can happen . . . which is one of the reasons so many folks take them. Should a rock or other unavoidable obstacle have the temerity to pierce our boats, rest assured that we carry plenty of materiel (sic!) and tools for repairs.

Another opinion, this time from our award-winning Reservations Manager, MINDY:

Although it can happen – it is unusual for a raft to be punctured by a rock – the raft, being flexible (literally ), can withstand more abuse than a rigid dory. Most times it bounces or slides off the rock and even when wrapped (stuck) it doesn’t usually result in a tear.

Dories can be dented or scraped if they hit a rock, but a hit doesn’t always result in a ‘puncture’ - the material the boat is built of (aluminum, fiberglass or wood) will affect its durability.

Our guides are very good at what they do, hence the infrequent boat damage. Our guests have commented on how easy our guides make it look, when it really isn’t…