04-09-2013, 04:14 AM
[quote EricM]I wreck waders like nobodies business. Haha. Usually leaving a spot and crawling up and onto the banks and finding a few sticks and thorns. I am very familiar with my locations and know where snags and depth changes are. Flows are very low and no boat traffic exists because these streams are so small and remote.
PON: Yep, nature sounds/quiet and low boat traffic are the best parts.
My only real concern is crossing riffle areas. They are pretty shallow and have some large rocks. The current is really strong there and I have a tough time wading them at certain times of the years when the flows are up. I could just walk around them, but does anyone have any experience drifting through them? It seems doable without being insanely dangerous... Have looked at some pack rafts more suitable for this appilcation, but those prices are just ridiculous for a glorified pool toy.
PON: When the bank is walkable, I will use a rope to slowly guide the boat and equipment through the riffle areas, but you must be careful how you tie up. I use a similar technique to go upstream against the current by "sailing" the boat/equipment like a kite around rocks and through some rapids. Another way is by dragging your feet pointing upstream to slow down the rate of drift and guide between rocks and slow areas, but you need turn your feet with heels up so the midsole to toe area takes the hits to give you steering control. All the lightweight packable boats I have seen are very thin material and won't hold up more than a few times if scraped across rocks, regardless of cost. Maybe the NFO lightweight escape material would hold up to the scraping better?
Thanks again all.[/quote]
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Pon
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PON: Yep, nature sounds/quiet and low boat traffic are the best parts.
My only real concern is crossing riffle areas. They are pretty shallow and have some large rocks. The current is really strong there and I have a tough time wading them at certain times of the years when the flows are up. I could just walk around them, but does anyone have any experience drifting through them? It seems doable without being insanely dangerous... Have looked at some pack rafts more suitable for this appilcation, but those prices are just ridiculous for a glorified pool toy.
PON: When the bank is walkable, I will use a rope to slowly guide the boat and equipment through the riffle areas, but you must be careful how you tie up. I use a similar technique to go upstream against the current by "sailing" the boat/equipment like a kite around rocks and through some rapids. Another way is by dragging your feet pointing upstream to slow down the rate of drift and guide between rocks and slow areas, but you need turn your feet with heels up so the midsole to toe area takes the hits to give you steering control. All the lightweight packable boats I have seen are very thin material and won't hold up more than a few times if scraped across rocks, regardless of cost. Maybe the NFO lightweight escape material would hold up to the scraping better?
Thanks again all.[/quote]
Comments above.
Pon
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