[James C]

Anyone have any experience with either of these boats? The Watermaster website states that the Kodiak is rated for Class IV whitewater. I find that tough to believe, but Class III sounds reasonable.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Puyallup Spey]

Watermaster

I have not used either of these boats, but you should also compare the WaterStrider and the Scadden NFO Assault. I have the Waterstrider's twin and it is bulletproof and handles white water with ease. I have also had the Assault and loved it.

 

[salmo_g]

I can believe that my WM Kodiak is suited for Class IV water, but I get faint of heart at heavy Class III. So the WM is well suited for any water I'm comfortable floating on. I've done a couple week-long wilderness float trips with it and numerous day trips for fishing. I'm very happy with it and glad I got it.

A friend has a Commander. It has smaller tubes, less floatation and load capacity, but is otherwise suited for similar applications.

Sg

 

[Phil Fravel]

My vote would also go to the Waterstrider. Dave the owner of "waterstrider" I believe he is the guy who developed/designed the WM

 

[wrx_canoe]

Whitewater class ratings are somewhat silly IMHO. Yes, boat size and design can help but ultimately it will boil down to the whitewater skills of the boat handler.

There are Class III rapids that have large standing waves and rollers that, if hit incorrectly, would easily flip a WM, WS or Scadden (choose your model). The Ottawa River comes to mind with some huge "friendly" Class III rapids that will flip a 9' raft.

We own WM Kodiaks and Assualt XXs. The Kodiak is shorter and has no rocker when compared to the XX. It is much more prone to flipping. More concerning is that it handles terribly since it doesn't have rocker. I would only take a WM Kodia/Waterstrider on easy Class III. Even then better make sure you take the correct line.

For the Assault XX I would take it on heavier Class III. But again better take the right line. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking it on Class IV.

All these pontoons have the integrated oar locks and small, flexy paddles.

If you want to run serious whitewater I'd get a real whitewater raft (Aire, Sotar, etc), real oars and real oarlocks.

 

[SLSS]

I haven't rowed either a Scadden or a Watermaster, but I've run a lot of white water up to class V in a kayak, and I completely agree with wrx. If you are scouting rivers to run/fish, be sure of what the rating is, and what to expect. If the rating is coming from whitewater paddlers, as opposed to fisherman, pay close attention- I wouldn't consider taking either boat in anything above a solid class III, particularly if you have exposed gear/rods.

 

[wrx_canoe]

Very good point SLSS. I always view and talk about rapid class ratings from my canoe playboating days' perspective. As a playboater a solid Class III is likely a scary Class IV to a fisherman.

I haven't rowed either a Scadden or a Watermaster, but I've run a lot of white water up to class V in a kayak, and I completely agree with wrx. If you are scouting rivers to run/fish, be sure of what the rating is, and what to expect. If the rating is coming from whitewater paddlers, as opposed to fisherman, pay close attention- I wouldn't consider taking either boat in anything above a solid class III, particularly if you have exposed gear/rods.

 

[Matt16]

The Water Master Kodiak feels very well built and I like it much better than any pontoon I've used. Works well for up to two people + gear. The portability is very good. The stock foot pump is slow and that is my only complaint.

 

[Rickbjr]

I have a Watermaster Grizzly and my buddy has Dave Inks' Waterstrider. The Watermaster Kodiak is a bit larger than the Grizzly. The Waterstrider is the same exact size as the Watermaster Grizzly. Both are very high quality boats. The Outcast OSG Commander looks good but one thing to keep in mind is that it has internal bladders. The Watermaster & Waterstrider are just a rubber raft which makes it much easier to maintain and dry off and put away etc., etc. I think all these boats claim Class IV but I don't think I would want to try it, Class III yes.

We travel with them on planes and the Waterstrider wins the award for lightest and smallest packed up.

If my Watermaster died I would go out and another in an instant without any hesitation.

 

[wrx_canoe]

Get a K-Pump. Best investment I've made in a long time (besides a Blast Pump). Way faster, way more portable, and built to last a lifetime.

The Water Master Kodiak feels very well built and I like it much better than any pontoon I've used. Works well for up to two people + gear. The portability is very good. The stock foot pump is slow and that is my only complaint.

 

[xgolfman]

I wonder what the life cycle of these posts are? seems to be every six months or less....

search functions on here are amazing...

 

[James C]

I wonder what the life cycle of these posts are? seems to be every six months or less....

search functions on here are amazing...

Did the search. Didn't find exactly what I was looking for. If I had done a search for useless, pretentious or sardonic, would your User Name have popped up Golfy?

 

[fishmhard]

Glad you posted this, some good new info, I'm in the market recently and I have some new products to look at.
Golfdoode, you need to go fish Been there man, get on the water

 

[rphelps]

really depends

As stated earlier, a lot depends on the person on the oars.

A few years back someone drowned in one of these boats (won't name which one but it is one mentioned in several posts) and not even class four rapid but a small class three hole that even good guides avoid in larger rafts and hard boats. Person went into the hole and the boat collasped over him and trapped him in the boat as it went upside down. This would most likely happened with any of the small frame less boats due to the amount of water pressure on the front part of the tube.

This occurred in one of our coastal rivers and these are not known for really big white water but some have some suck holes that should always be avoided in such boats; they do great going over normal whitewater waves, but I would not take one in any major suck hole.

Rphelps

 

[stlfirehouse]

I have not rowed the Outcast or the Waterstrider so I can't comment there. But I have rowed the Watermaster and now own a Scadden Assault XX. I chose to go with the Scadden because of the rockered designed. It seemed to have better handling and to ride over the waves easier than the Watermaster.

While i appreciate the convenience of the frameless boats, the pinned oars just plain out suck...especially the standard oars. I broke a standard oar the 2nd day that I had it out by just back rowing into a tail out of a small rapid...I barely clipped a submerged rock and the stupid thing folded in half. I had to hike out of a canyon dragging the boat and my gear up with me. I replaced them with the Sawyer SST's which I drilled them for the pins myself. I still am not a big fan of the pinned oars because there is absolutely no give if you touch the bottom with you down stream oar. Their is very little time to react when it happens. I busted a Sawyer oar blade just pulling over to a gravel bar...it was almost pea gravel, my oar hit bottom and before I could correct it dug in and snapped...I was shocked. I've hit that downstream oar on rocks several times when rowing thru white water...I've been lucky not to flip when that oar didn't give because of it being pinned to the boat rather than being able to slide in a standard oar lock.

I've experimented with engineering some pin/clip stuff and modified standard oar locks to fit in the pinned mounts but I was never comfortable with how they worked. In the end, if I decided not to sell my single man pontoon. I use that for rivers that I'm not familiar with, low water/rocky conditions, or rivers with white water that can't be avoided.

Not sure if this helps with your decision.

Christian