Boats & Rows

Rigging up a new raft.

"Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it." —David Lee Roth

Congratulations, you’ve just purchased your first raft! But as much as you’d like to toss it in the river and take it for a spin, there are a few things you’re going to need, and a lot more that you’ll want to have. Here’s a rundown on the basics—both the essentials, and the bells & whistles.

Basics
Start with safety. You’ll need a life vest for every person on the boat, plus a throw-rope and first-aid kit. A throwable cushion is also required for rafts longer than 16 feet in Montana.

Oar or paddle? If your raft is still just a bag of air, it’s technically ready for the river as long as you have paddles for everyone on board. However, throwing in some bones in the form of a frame and oars will turn your boat into a rig ready for the entire gamut: river trips, fishing trips, and lots of whitewater.

Pump & patches. Keeping air in the raft is pretty important, to say the least. Having a patch kit and pump at the ready is crucial in case things get a little saggy or you happen to spring a leak.

Extras
Cooler. A cooler is the third-most-important piece of rafting gear behind the safety equipment and the raft itself. And not just for the beverages, but also for keeping food cool and safe to eat for the duration of a river trip.

Boxes. Most rigs have at least one large dry box and a couple smaller ones to keep electronics and other supplies out of the elements.

Bags & slings. These accessories are used to consolidate gear and keep it suspended off the floor. There are tons of different options and variations to fit any and all needs.

Additional straps. You can never have enough straps on a boat, whether they be for tying down gear or linking up for a party barge.

Landing pads & seats. Make your raft accommodating for guests with some pads and seats on the cooler and boxes. Plus, the pads can double as floatation devices or sleeping pads.

Dos & Don’ts
Do: Buy all the proper safety equipment.
Don’t: Skimp on life-saving gear.

Do: Buy used items or try a DIY project to save some cash.
Don’t: Assume you need to buy everything shiny and new.

Do: Have an extra oar or paddle, just in case.
Don’t: Get stuck on the water with only one good oar after an incident.

Do: Use straps to keep gear suspended off the floor.
Don’t: Ruin your raft by scraping every rock in the river.

Do: Tie everything down before going through rough water… remember Murphy’s Law?
Don’t: Leave it up to chance whether you’ll be swimming after your gear.

DIY Opportunities
There are lots of ways to cut corners and save money. Plus, DIY projects allow you to get exactly what you’re looking for instead of some one-size-fits-all option with a premium pricetag.

Drop bags. If you’re good with a needle or sewing machine, stitching together your own drop bags and slings will surely save some cash.

Dry boxes. These are some of the bigger-ticket items. To kick that can further down the road, a few sturdy plastic tote boxes will do, or even old coolers (you many need to modify the lids).

Painted oars. Don’t be afraid of some dinged-up and splintered fiberglass oars. It’s not hard to sand ’em down and paint on your own flair. Just be sure to seal them with a clear gloss finish to keep the water out and your sweet new paint job in.

Seats. Fancy, padded swivel seats are nice and all, but not the only way to take a load off on deck. A couple Crazy Creek chairs will have you lounging in style.

Rod holders. The only thing worse than shelling out a few hundred dollars for a fly-rod holder is sending in your rod for repair after it’s stepped on. Avoid both by cutting out a PVC pipe to hold a rod or two.

Cup holders. Don’t spill your precious cargo! Use a Koozie with a piece of Velcro stitched on for a removable drink holder.

Turns out, money can buy happiness—in the form of summer days on the water. With some DIY prowess and strategic used-gear purchases, you can outfit a river-ready raft for a relatively reasonable price. Just don’t skimp on safety gear—and practice with those throw-ropes.