Aire taking orders on Cougars again, limited offer...

Michael Strahan

Michael Strahan

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Two words: "Do It"

Two words: "Do It"

Jomama said:
FYI:

Just came across this by happenstance, no affiliation.. Due to popular demand Aire is going to produce a limited run of twin tube Cougars... Taking orders until the end of March 2011...

http://www.aire.com/aire/products/default.aspx?id=232
Click to expand...

The AIRE Cougar is probably one of the best large-load float hunting rigs ever made. Ever. Low profile for excellent performance in headwinds, simple flat frame weighs less and loads right in the airplane, and tremendous lift. You really can't beat it for medium to larger rivers. It's one of the few boats I'd feel comfortable putting two hunters, two moose and all the gear for an extended expedition. I don't recommend the frame pictured though. NRS or Alaska Raft and Kayak have much better options, including transoms and passenger seating options. I've run Cougars with 25-horse outboards on the back, and I know you could go bigger if you thought you needed to. Of course as with allcats you need a floor with a spray shield, and with all the twin tube boats (Cougar and Super Leopard) you need something between each set of tubes to control the spray that squirts up through where the tubes are laced together.

Get one while you still can; they've been out of production a while.

Now... if they'd only bring that Panther back... Alan Hamilton, are you out there?

:)

-Mike
 
Brian Richardson

Brian Richardson

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Main frame Cougar and Leopard row-frames are not compatible as is.

However, ya do not need to run out and purchase a whole new frame. It's possible to get by having the inner side rail in addition (if you want) seat and cross-bar modifications made.

I have a few twin tubed boats modified like this I've kept around. Good rafts - yet I'll relate the fact that these are the least popular rafts that I rent, hate them for guided trips, they handle sluggishly, are heavier for a plane load or long carry, and more to deal with than a good self-bailer. They end up overly expensive on tubes and components. I do not like rowing them, and I'm not a fan. I also think AIRE has the wrong approach as to how they connected the twin-tube set-up upon reintroduction. Maybe ol'school serves a few purposes, yet surely lacking in others.
 
Michael Strahan

Michael Strahan

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Daveintheburbs said:
Mike, will an AR&K Lepoard frame fit those tubes?
Click to expand...

Almost. The Leopard takes a drop frame (the inner rails are a foot or so lower than the top of the frame). The Cougar frames we used to run were different. The inner rails were bent at about a 45 degree angle in the lastfoot or so oceach end, just enough to allow the seat bar to run over the top of them. It actually uses less material (less pipe and 4 less lopro fittings) than a Leopard frame. So the frame is lighter and should be cheaper to make.

Brian, one of the issues you may be having with those legacy Cougars you have is that hard miter on the bow and stern. AIRE went to a gradual and fairly shallow curve on the new ones and there will be a significant performance boost as a result. I have hundreds of river miles rowing the old Cougars and Panthers though, and never noticed a real issue. Jay Massey used Panthers for his last few years on the Moose-John, and found them close to perfect as a two-man hunting rig. And that was a skinnier river than I'd want to run in one. Course he was running custom narrow frames too...

Mike
 
Brian Richardson

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Hey Mike... Hope all is well in your camp. Couple good float hunter/fisher guys came by the shop said they had gotten your book.

Yes - I remember the mitered barges --- in some respects actually think it worked to an advantage over continuous curve that revolutionized and greatly enhances handling in single tube cats.

My 16' twin-tube cats are from back in the day, yet are not mitered, have a continuous curve, and manufactured by SOTAR.

I'm aware of the more updated pattern by AIRE, and wish I liked the design. They are stable, draft little water, don't catch the wind, do look cool, and I see why there is a certain following.

Agreed, these are niche rafts for some. For me -- I found them to be barges, slugs on maneuvers and acceleration, too wet by being too low, the inability to straddle over structure, heavy and more complex than necessary.

I will say I'd have one way over any inflatable cat-a-canoe contraption.
 
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