Rowing Experience

[Mstein]

I finished my wood db this past July and taking everyone's advice, I spent the first month rowing still water, getting use to turns, etc. I moved up to easy floats such as the Yak, N. F. Lewis and the Pine Tree to Beavertail run on the Deschutes and other then hitting a rock or two I didnt have many problems on these floats.

As I talk to people, I hear a lot of varied advice on decent water to work up to. For example, I hear people say the float between Lewisville and Daybreak as being relatively benign while others urge strong caution on the widow maker rapids just downstream of the bridge. I hear the Washugal has an easy drift start at the steelbridge to Paradise but when I've scouted those waters, I have to say some sections look a little out of my league. So, what say you? Whats the best way to improve? I dont have any close friends that row, so finding people to follow, ride along with and otherwise learn from is a little difficult. Is rowing like anything else and you need a couple crashes to learn? I have a heathy fear of drowning so I'd rather error on the cautious side but on the other hand, I dont want to be confined to 3 floats for the next 10 years.

Anyone here in SW WA willing helping a newb out? Im looking for anything, tips, float suggestions, tag along rides to get a sense of the action or the opportunity to just follow someone through (what I would consider) a sketchy section.

[Jason Decker]

best way is to use a raft on big water and learn the water in a more forgiving boat look into renting one or borrowing one........

[klintd]

Lets see, borrow a boat and run it down a couple sketchy sections of water that you are not quite sure you can get through. Hmmmm, maybe Jason would like to offer up his boat... :thumb:

[Mstein]

Its the chicken or the egg thing again... Sounds like getting a decent toon would be a good place to start, although, my biggest concern is still attempting a section of water that I dont really understand. I can look at it all day and most of the time, I feel I could get through in the hard boat but, and here is the big question, every day you hear of someone who gets themselves in trouble being over confident, attempting a section "that everyone knows is trouble", every one accept the poor guy who just sunk... Im just not willing to take that risk at this point.

Anyway, again Im looking for tips on things that really helped you improve your overall knowledge of the water, was it trial and error (in small, controlled situations, i.e. toon, raft) or was it ridding along with or following someone else through a new section. I can only asssume its most likely a combination of the two but would still be interested in hearing others input.

[Chris Puma]

i started learning how to row last year in preperation for buying a boat at some point this year. the best way i've learned is to go with people who know what they are doing. each person gave me a little more insight into what i was doing wrong, etc...

[kjt111]

It sounds like you're not located in the Seattle metro area but there are some great options here. The Skykomish from Sultan to Monroe is great - nothing in there that's really problematic but enough that you'd need to be able to avoid obstacles. It's a nice intro to easy Class II.

The Snoqualmie also has some good beginner water. From Fall City down to Neal Road is very benign with really nothing that one would call tricky. The section down to Fall City is also good with a few more rapids. One is a long, wide open, usually shallow riffle that has a few boulders exposed depending on the levels. Further down is the only real "rapid" - a chute that you need to stay RR to avoid the rip rap on the bank. Basically it flushes you straight downstream though and it pretty straightforward while actually looking like a real rapid!

Basically I'm in the same boat as you so to speak. I've been trying to stay within my comfort zone while still getting out on the river. I do have the advantage of several years of whitewater kayaking experience so I have some idea how to read a river. Still, I tend to err on the side of caution and thoroughly scout any section that I'm dubious about. I also carry extra rope so I can always line my boat (if that's an option which is not always the case).

[Salmo_g]

Mstein,

If you've floated the Yak, I think you would have no problem with the EF Lewis from Lewisville down to Daybreak. I did that in my canoe years ago. Another good step up in your area is the Kalama River. Neither of these is especially technical, but should help you grow your river boat handling skills.

Good luck.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

[Jason Decker]

Lets see, borrow a boat and run it down a couple sketchy sections of water that you are not quite sure you can get through. Hmmmm, maybe Jason would like to offer up his boat... :thumb:

i said RAFT (they bounce of rocks and don't sink if you flip them)

no way man:p

also, just an idea....... i have insurance on my boat and if I did sink it or lose it, i am covered for 2x the value

hmmmm.........maybe i will let you borrow my boat.......:p naaaaaaaah i like it too much

i know the Evening Hatch rents out a nice raft



jason

[East Fork]

Mark, I'd be happy to take you down any of the local rivers. You can contact me through WFF or my cell number is 360.513.6599. It may be spring before I can go but the offer is open.

I'd rate the Kalama as intermediate between what you have been doing and the East Fork. The only hazard on the Kalama is a rock in the riffle below Prichard's but you can plainly see it from the top of the rapid. The only reason the Kalama is more difficult then say the North Fork is its narrower so the turns are tighter.

You may be getting differing reports on the difficulty of the East Fork and the Washougal because they are different rivers at different flows. Both are relatively small and neither has a dam on it. The water levels go up and down a lot in the winter. The maneuvering required and hazards present on a given trip vary greatly depending on the water level. The water between Lewisville and Daybreak is the perfect example. At 400 CFS, you are picking your way through boulder fields. At 1,000 CFS, it is hard to get into trouble. At 3,000 standing waves are present and hydraulics develop that could cause you grief if you were not ready for them. You could do the East Fork. Even so, you might want to wait until the flows are between 800 and 1,200 for your first trip.

I don't think would have any problem on the Washougal between Hathaway and the bowling alley. I don't know what "the steel bridge to Paradise" describes. If that's from Washougal Merchantville down then unless things have changed, I'd be hesitant to beat up your boat on the launch. Once you lanuch, at the right flows its a float you would not have problems with.

Anyway, good luck and good fishing. See you around.

Don

[Jerry Daschofsky]

I haven't had time to chime in on this. Now I do, so hold on. :)

First off, if you want to learn to row a boat, you need to row a boat like yours. You can get the fundamentals down on any boat, but you won't know the feel of your boat unless you row YOUR BOAT! A raft handles different then a cataraft, cataraft rows different then a glass driftboat, glass vs aluminum, aluminum vs wood, etc etc etc. All have their good and bad points. BUT, taking a raft down a river you plan to fish may get you the basics, but won't get you in touch with what you need to do with your boat when the time comes.

I always suggest a rookie rower (or a boat that's new to you if you don't have alot of time on the sticks) takes the boat to the lake. No, to very little current to deal with. A mistake on the sticks won't affect you like making a run around a corner and putting more power into one stick versus the other. Learn how the boat reacts with one oar stroke vs the other. How the boat tracks, etc. Once you get comfortable on your oar strokes, then find someone knowledgeable (like East Fork as it sounds) to take you down a river that's easy to row (even an easy river can put you into problems, so don't get cocky LOL). Have the person with the knowledge row first, and observe how they row (where it's great to have a rear seat in a driftboat). You can see how they setup before a run, etc. Too much for me to really go into (this will be a novel enough, as my wife likes to say). Taking your boat you'll see how it reacts, and how much time you need to setup for the slot in hand (some boats you have to setup quite aways away if you want to make the run successfully). You may have a slug of a boat, but rowed a sportscar when you learned. So you setup your slot like you did the other boat. Then, when you realize that large wall is sucking you in (have seen this, wasn't pretty) you can't react since you're committed to the track you put your boat into. If you can rent a boat (or borrow) just like yours, then go for it. But a slight modification in your boat (width, length, etc) can make a big difference how it reacts. Why I feel it's best to run your boat. Just my .02, take it for what it's worth.

[Mstein]

Great info guys, thanks...

Don, I'll take you up on that offer. I've been trying to get out most Saterday's so I'lll shoot you a pm a couple days before I head out to see what your up to.