My first boat was an Aire Puma, back in the day they did ship with glue. ( It expired ) As I was new to rafting ( Kayaking was the world I came from ) I kind of enjoyed putting my boat together, kind of a bonding experience I guess. The boat I've taken down the Grand is also an Aire Cat. I've never know of a company so eager to help with any problems, always excellent service and great people 🕉️☮️
I have owned an aire 156R for 21 years. I take good care of it and it takes good care of me. It still has many years of use left. The amount of water in the floor is highly exaggerated. It doesn't hold hundreds of pounds or gallons of water. There is not that much room in the floor. Except for when the boat is swamped 90% of the floor envelope is on top of the water. I have watched the water poor out of the floor when the boat is pulled out of the water on my trailer. I would guesstimate it to be 5 gallons. The Teflon tape in the repair kit is for the threads on valves.
Another cool feature is the flaps in the bow that cover the lacing. When you punch a wave (the diminished tubes tend to punch through waves rather than ride over them) the bow fills with water and the flaps hold the water longer in the bow giving you more mass to smash the next wave.
im also questioning your choice of diminished tubes based on previous videos? any particular reason? anyways i appreciate you puttin yourself out there and sharing your experience and knowledge. lookin to pull the trigger on a 14 ft boat, eying wing and aire real hard..
I thought the 130D had non-diminishing tubes when I bought it. I've paddled that boat a few times and liked it and didn't know the tubes diminished. It turns out the tubes diminish by 2 inches which isn't super noticeable like some of the other boats I'm not a fan of. In retrospect I should have bought the 130R but now I have opportunity to learn more about how a small amount of diminish performs. I designed the Wing 14' raft and I think that boat is perfect.
@@GearGarageTV awesome, Thanks for a prompt honest response! good on ya for lookin at it as an opportunity to expand your skill set! i did notice the tubes only slightly diminished, as well as had less kick than other deminished tube designs. sweet boat, hope ya love it! i assume the wing would be a hard boat to beat, she looks beautiful!
@@ksuellentrop1 This is a great R-2 boat although I still wish I had the 130R. We paddled it on the Wind yesterday and had a great time. The 14' Wing makes a good small gear boat or paddle boat.
I stand corrected, thought it was the new Cub in the last video. I agree on the seating position, I can only kneel in Super Pumas and Sabertooths. I have turned down some generous offers for some R2 trips in the Gorge because I don’t feel confident in a reliable re-entry, especially in someone else’s boat.
I Love aire boats. 10 years guiding and they are my favorite. Only thing that sucks is they are HEAVY. This is good for on water; not great for a portage or loading/unloading to the trailer/on top of the van.
Yeah it's a sweet boat. Have you seen this video from the Wind River Race: ua-cam.com/video/LeAPTXlGENY/v-deo.html We have it out on one of our rowing schools right now. For racing I'd want a sealed floor and for harder rapids I'd want a ballast floor.
Any updates on how you like the boat after using it a few months? How has this raft done in your rowing schools? Would your recommend it to use for rowing in class 4 or short multi days?
Not a fan of pushing around hundreds of pounds of extra water being caried in the floor and tubes or the webbing on webbing attachment of the thwarts. which will rip out sooner than later. How is that the "best class V boat out there" has diminishing tubes, thought you felt diminishing tubes were totally useless for anyone beyond fishing guides on class II who want more room..
The thing is you’re not pushing around that extra water. It’s neutral weight because it’s below the waterline. It only comes into play if the bottom of the raft lifts off the water, it which case it becomes ballast at the lowest point, adding stability. I feel like with a 13 foot Aire you get the maneuverability of a 13 with the stability of a 14.
Correction: 130D boats DO have diminishing tubes. This boat has 19" tubes that diminish to 17" at the bow and stern.
That makes more sense.
Did that make you like the boat less once you were on the water? Would of preferred the RR?
My first boat was an Aire Puma, back in the day they did ship with glue. ( It expired ) As I was new to rafting ( Kayaking was the world I came from ) I kind of enjoyed putting my boat together, kind of a bonding experience I guess. The boat I've taken down the Grand is also an Aire Cat. I've never know of a company so eager to help with any problems, always excellent service and great people 🕉️☮️
Recently bought a 2002 pac 1300 with the original repair kit with the Original glue…
@@johnhoyle1647 Awesome 👍 Enjoy
I have owned an aire 156R for 21 years. I take good care of it and it takes good care of me. It still has many years of use left. The amount of water in the floor is highly exaggerated. It doesn't hold hundreds of pounds or gallons of water. There is not that much room in the floor. Except for when the boat is swamped 90% of the floor envelope is on top of the water. I have watched the water poor out of the floor when the boat is pulled out of the water on my trailer. I would guesstimate it to be 5 gallons. The Teflon tape in the repair kit is for the threads on valves.
Another cool feature is the flaps in the bow that cover the lacing. When you punch a wave (the diminished tubes tend to punch through waves rather than ride over them) the bow fills with water and the flaps hold the water longer in the bow giving you more mass to smash the next wave.
Can’t wait for my 130E
im also questioning your choice of diminished tubes based on previous videos? any particular reason?
anyways i appreciate you puttin yourself out there and sharing your experience and knowledge.
lookin to pull the trigger on a 14 ft boat, eying wing and aire real hard..
I thought the 130D had non-diminishing tubes when I bought it. I've paddled that boat a few times and liked it and didn't know the tubes diminished. It turns out the tubes diminish by 2 inches which isn't super noticeable like some of the other boats I'm not a fan of. In retrospect I should have bought the 130R but now I have opportunity to learn more about how a small amount of diminish performs.
I designed the Wing 14' raft and I think that boat is perfect.
@@GearGarageTV awesome, Thanks for a prompt honest response! good on ya for lookin at it as an opportunity to expand your skill set! i did notice the tubes only slightly diminished, as well as had less kick than other deminished tube designs. sweet boat, hope ya love it!
i assume the wing would be a hard boat to beat, she looks beautiful!
@@ksuellentrop1 This is a great R-2 boat although I still wish I had the 130R. We paddled it on the Wind yesterday and had a great time. The 14' Wing makes a good small gear boat or paddle boat.
I stand corrected, thought it was the new Cub in the last video. I agree on the seating position, I can only kneel in Super Pumas and Sabertooths. I have turned down some generous offers for some R2 trips in the Gorge because I don’t feel confident in a reliable re-entry, especially in someone else’s boat.
I Love aire boats. 10 years guiding and they are my favorite. Only thing that sucks is they are HEAVY. This is good for on water; not great for a portage or loading/unloading to the trailer/on top of the van.
It's great to hear your love for AIRE. Thanks for the comment!
Any updated opinion of the 130D? Have you used with a frame? Would you go for sealed floor or ballast floor (assuming no cost difference)
Yeah it's a sweet boat. Have you seen this video from the Wind River Race: ua-cam.com/video/LeAPTXlGENY/v-deo.html We have it out on one of our rowing schools right now. For racing I'd want a sealed floor and for harder rapids I'd want a ballast floor.
Any updates on how you like the boat after using it a few months? How has this raft done in your rowing schools? Would your recommend it to use for rowing in class 4 or short multi days?
Its a fun boat that I'd mostly recommend as an R-2. It's fine for rowing but probably too small for multi-days.
You going to the Upper Wind Race?
Yep
Northwest Rafting Company Sweet... you running that Aire Boat?
@@crazybilltv5220 Probably not. If there are enough cat boaters I'll probably do the cat race. If I R-2 I'll probably use my new Wing raft.
Is that a baseball stitch?
D series are diminshing. R & E are not with same tube diameter all the way around.
Actually that refers to the shape right?
Wow I did not know that. Thanks for catching it!
Came here to say this. The tubes diminish from 21-17 I believe on that boat
@@CollinJones1 Thanks for the comment. They diminish from 19 to 17.
@@HenryOg946 What up James! Looking forward to the Salt Brother! In the 160DD (double diminished) none the less.
Not a fan of pushing around hundreds of pounds of extra water being caried in the floor and tubes or the webbing on webbing attachment of the thwarts. which will rip out sooner than later. How is that the "best class V boat out there" has diminishing tubes, thought you felt diminishing tubes were totally useless for anyone beyond fishing guides on class II who want more room..
Cool. I'll just leave this here as a demonstration of AIRE's abilities on hard water vimeo.com/165741479.
Definitely not hundreds of pounds of water...Mabey 20-30. Aire boats are the best in the biz IMO.
The thing is you’re not pushing around that extra water. It’s neutral weight because it’s below the waterline. It only comes into play if the bottom of the raft lifts off the water, it which case it becomes ballast at the lowest point, adding stability. I feel like with a 13 foot Aire you get the maneuverability of a 13 with the stability of a 14.
@@GearGarageTV Awesome review Zach, and the video is too 👍✨