Soar canoes

[anchorrivercrowds]

Anyone use either of the two regular Soar canoes for moos hunting? I recently bought a 14 foot Soar canoe. Capacity 875(I realize these are estimates... the Aire traveler rated at 750 packs more..

Seems the 14 might work for one guy, staying light. My other option is to take my PR-49 as well, and make due on the way out if fortunate enough to get a moose. It's mostly a shallow water extraction... no real water. A bit towards the bottom, all linable.

[BlueMoose]

Sorta - Kinda a loaded question concerning same subject and a moose. Hopefully someone has accomplished it with a Soar and can comment. The Cata Canoe mentioned i.e. two travelers is still used little wide but works fine. I have known people to harvest a moose on flat water i.e. lakes and get the entire thing out with them in one trip however I know of no one who has accomplished the same with the Soar. Just between you me and the fence post I am not a huge fan of a skinny boat and a tow behind it could spell (BAD) times at best depending on ones experience and water conditions IMO iffy at best but then again I am always leaning on the safe side.

Best of luck!

[anchorrivercrowds]

Yea, things are slow, and we've beat this topic to death, but fact remains no perfect boat has been built for one man, one camp, and one moose.

There is a guy that uses the twin Travelers and hunts down river from me... man that looked cumbersome. He ran his dad under a sweeper, that yanked him out of the boat... no way he could turn quick enough. I made it in my hard shell.. same sweeper got my son in his hard shell.

The old pioneer seems more than capable, but I heard the bottom is "grabby"... and to be honest that is actually more boat than I need. I've also been told the Traveler and the third tube sticking down causes issues in shallow water. The new Pioneer has had a few issues with durability..

Hopefully here soon I can load 600 pounds of rocks and sand bags in the Soar and see how it acts.

[Blacktail135]

Partner and I took a 16' Soar inflatable canoe (each) on a 12 day float hunt down a smaller river. We both harvested a moose and a caribou apiece. Had to really pay attention to picking the best line and staying on top of the oars at times due to the sheer weight making things a bit sluggish

[Alaskan Woodsman]

Partner and I took a 16' Soar inflatable canoe (each) on a 12 day float hunt down a smaller river. We both harvested a moose and a caribou apiece. Had to really pay attention to picking the best line and staying on top of the oars at times due to the sheer weight making things a bit sluggish

Was that the generic Soar 16' canoe or a version of the Pro-Pioneer?

How did you like the oar set up on the 16' Soar? What kind of seat do you use for rowing?

Does this thing have 4-wheel drive? :-) Thanks!


I have the older model 16' Soar I purchased at AR&K in 2001.

It has worked really well. Once camping on a lake and hauling a moose across it. It responds well to paddling.

Also used it hiking 2.5 miles into a side creek from the main fork of a river in gmu 17B. Two of us took a moose and lined it about 8 miles down to the main fork where we were met by the rest of our party. Took 24 hours and a chilly night along the side creek. Lots of beaver dams and sharp sticks to avoid. Bones on the 52" moose and the boat floated like a cork with 2 of us floating one on either end and canoe paddling it to the meeting spot. Not a mark on the bottom. Seemed to float pretty high and respond OK but we didn't have the rest of our gear in it either.

Seemed to me the 16' regular Soar canoe would be good for a single hunter with a light camp and a moose. Maxing out the weight is never a good idea. I'd find a pal to paddle it just with gear in it and freight out the meat in the larger raft. Just IMO based on my limited experience.

Interesting comments about Pro-Pio durability.... I'd like one.

I love rowing but the 14' Achilles is getting a mite heavy for wife and I to drag back up to the trailer at the take out....

I have a 14' Achilles, non-self bailing, river raft: with 3-oars, rowing frame, oar-locks, cooler seats, one rowing seat, 1-hand pump. For Sale
set up and in Willow this weekend. $1,500.00.

Great condition. Durable. (907) 799-6649

[anchorrivercrowds]

I am sure the regular 16 foot Soar is very good for a single hunter/moose/light camp.. when I see the Pro Pioneer my thoughts are it's larger than necessary... but better a bit large than a bit small.

I'd love to hear more about the side trip to 17B... love that kind of hunt.

I am going to try the 14 foot Soar next Fall.. may take my PR-49 as insurance...but think it will be fine.

[Alaskan Woodsman]

I am sure the regular 16 foot Soar is very good for a single hunter/moose/light camp.. when I see the Pro Pioneer my thoughts are it's larger than necessary... but better a bit large than a bit small.

I'd love to hear more about the side trip to 17B... love that kind of hunt.

I am going to try the 14 foot Soar next Fall.. may take my PR-49 as insurance...but think it will be fine.

PM to you...

[Larry Bartlett]

Hey guys, I wanted to chime in on this topic for a couple of points:

1. Before I designed the Pro Pioneer for SOAR, I used the S16 (standard 16' model) for moose hunting. This boat was just marginal for one guy and a moose plus gear, and it lacked lashing points and solid rowing platform. I adapted the SOAR design to provide larger tubes and a deeper floor for maximizing flotation under loads, then added d-rings all around the boat with extra handles for dragging ergonomics. The Pro Pioneer has been widely successful, but two drawbacks to the SOAR design are the floor design where the side tubes are constructed on top of the floor base, which forces about 4" of the floor to sit below the side tubes. This makes it problematic with stability with light loads, as it becomes more stable once the side tubes touch the water surface. Users find the Pro a little tippy feeling until 800 to 1000 lbs is on board. The second issue with SOAR floors is the neoprene construction, which makes it sticky on shallow rocky substrate.

2. The other drawback to the SOAR design is how the tapered tubes change at the bow and stern, which fades from 14" tube diameter to 4" at the tips of the canoe, which effectively limits your total load allowance when heavy because the bow and stern can't hold as much weight in the sections that taper. It's shaped like a duck bill at each end, so only light loads can be plced where the bow and stern decks are available.

About 3 years I redesigned the Pro Pioneer to provide the new Pioneer X-stream, which allowed me to reverse the taper on each end of the canoe, change the floor design from I-beam construction to drop-stitch and bring the floor inside the side tubes for greater stability, and changed the fabric from Hypalon/neoprene to PVC. These are three reasons why the Pioneer X-stream is an imporved design over the original.

The Pioneer X-stream is now made of 32-oz PVC, has 15" tubes tapered to 19" at the bow and stern, and holds 1800-lbs. It has a convertible self bailing floor design with screw caps that can be closed off under heavy loads to maximize flotation. And the floor can removed for bush travel to distribute weight in small planes (only if necessary). This boat is about 15-lbs lighter than the old Pro Pioneer, easier to repair in the field, and glides better over rocky shallow substrate. Lashing points every square inch on the top surface, and can easily be rowed or paddled. The whole kit with rowing assembly, oars, 3 seat slings, and one cargo sling weighs 90-lbs.

The durability issues someone eluded to is unclear. The first couple of seasons the X-stream was made of 30-oz PVC, so this could have been the concern. I believe Blue Moose had one boat from that production where the handles got pulled off by dragging heavily loaded, but that's the only concern we've heard about with over 125 boats sold in three years.

http://www.pristineventures.com/prod...-x-stream.html

Hope this helps clear up some thoughts about the two models.

Larry

[BlueMoose]

Larry is correct only one issue with over 45 days in the field some of it with two people and over 800 lbs in the Pioneer extreme. One Handle had a glue issue that was it. The boat was on the Class 1-III water and was in my rental fleet. Larry did a couple of small design changes and I really like what he did with the floor. I have a lot of inflatables from 18ft cat / 18ft round boats, to 9ft round boats, Stirkes, Outfitter II's, Travelers, AIRES, Maxxons, NRS, SOTAR, and a couple of more manufacturers.

Mind you Larry and I back in the day had some words and maybe did not get along for a while I might have not been a huge fan of the Pro P. and I am not more of an expert than anyone else BUT I WILL State that I plan on purchasing additional Pioneer X-Streams for my rental fleet they fit into my business plans and the one I have has been exceptional to date.

Sorry I know I kind of punked the thread concerning the SOAR.

[Alaskan Woodsman]

Not sure why one would go from hypalon to PVC... must be cost issues. I've had good luck with hypalon boats, be interesting to hear why is all.
I really appreciate the history part on the various SOAR boats as I am a fan. At 90 pounds in weight though, it does give me pause as to selling my 14' Achilles. That has been one tough boat and rolls up to only 110 # with the non-bailing floor.

[BlueMoose]

I like both but for different reasons I like the fact that the Hyp boats roll easy, have better air retention in cold weather and water however I like the rigidity Plastic brings to the game when in difficult water. That is just me and what I like I am sure Larry's choice was about weight and carrying capacity a little and being that it is a 32 Oz Fabric it solves some of the rolling up issues normally associated with Plastic boats. Just Opinion.

[Larry Bartlett]

Roger that on PVC vs Hyaplon.

Top 8 reasons Why PVC: #1. cost #2. repair ease #3. wet glide improvement in shallow scenarios #4. weight savings #5. hull/tube rigidity #6. drop stitch floor design #7. enhanced design control. #8. UV sensitivity improvement

Larry

[anchorrivercrowds]

OK.. we're almost all Alaskans, and avid hunters... might as well cut to the chase...

I appreciate everyone that contributes here, and converse with many, and again very much appreciate the feedback I get..

Like with anything I do, I do a ton of research...

I am most certainly not attacking anyone, or anything.... just pointing out what many have heard..

Old PP... great boat... works... has carried a LOT of big loads from the bush. A bit grabby... a bit expensive..

Aire Traveler... best warranty on the market, great customer service... excellent boat... center tube presents some problems in shallow water, and with stability..

new extreme... Again just what several folks that deal with rafts are saying... has durability issues(seems it is a work in progress, new thicker floor for instance), and is over priced...

I've watched vids of the extreme, and like how it handles.. with a row frame, it looks like a capable boat.. as does the traveler.

I guess of all the boats being used the old 16 foot Soar I have the least info on.


I have come to the conclusion there is no perfect raft for one man/one moose/one camp... but there are many workable options..

[tboehm]

Yea, things are slow, and we've beat this topic to death, but fact remains no perfect boat has been built for one man, one camp, and one moose.

There is a guy that uses the twin Travelers and hunts down river from me... man that looked cumbersome. He ran his dad under a sweeper, that yanked him out of the boat... no way he could turn quick enough. I made it in my hard shell.. same sweeper got my son in his hard shell.

The old pioneer seems more than capable, but I heard the bottom is "grabby"... and to be honest that is actually more boat than I need. I've also been told the Traveler and the third tube sticking down causes issues in shallow water. The new Pioneer has had a few issues with durability..

Hopefully here soon I can load 600 pounds of rocks and sand bags in the Soar and see how it acts.

Iss your friend a member Here? Would really love to hear from him on his set up and performance as well as seeing some pictures. If he isn't maybe you can get him to join and share his experiences.