Hi Andy! Good to see you on here! You should put up some more pictures of the dories you build!

Drop me a mail sometime in the near future!

Hey Andy, here's a photo (sort of) of the Briggs Dory you supplied the plans for about 7 years ago or so. Keep thinking I'll run into you on the Colorado somewhere but have only stumbled upon folks who knew you. Maybe this summer, I'll launch again on July 7. I'll get some more photos up here soon. talk soon, Jim

Yeah, would be fun to hook up somewhere. Will you be guiding for GCE again this next year?

Andy

I posted a blog on this site asking about the fleets of commercial dories. Members suggested I ask you.

Basically, how many companies? How many dorys in each company and what are the boat names? I've seen Loper, Zoroaster,Vishu which I am familiar with the name, but don't know which company owns which?

Den in New Hampshire

Andy, thanks a ton.

Den in New Hampshire.

I was out in Moab and took pictures of Little North Fork (fiberglass) and Ootsa Lake (aluminum) to give me ideas for my boat.

Little North Fork of what? It had nice lines-high sweeping bow, but low graceful stern. Is that one of your creations? or do you work in wood?

I'm considering naming mine "Ripogenus" after the whitewater gorge here in Northern Maine. But I may leave it unnamed. It will be green with ash rails and a hardwood(cherry) transom.

Hey Andy, was able to jump on an Oct. Grand launch this year and wanted to pick your brain on some low water runs on a few of the rapids. Let me know if you're available to chat here or some other means.

Hope you're having a great summer, Jim

Well why don't you just come with us, we're looking for a couple more boatmen. Sure love to have you along, but maybe you get kinda tired of that place after guiding all summer.....?

I pretty well understand the runs in the rapids you mentioned, was looking for some low-water info on some not so talked about like 24 mile, and where do you scout the right run for Hance, low water entry for Unkar, and any others sleepers you might think mentionable. We're doing a 21 day float to Diamond, so we'll avoid the monster at Pearce and all that braiding down below, that's getting to be pretty wild down there.

So come along if you can, that'd be incredible. Jim

Howdy Andy, another question on Deso......my brother has a Sept. 25th Deso permit, water levels running around 2200 projected average from the Dam to hold thru Sept. What do you think about wooden hulls in there at that flow?

thanks, Jim

Hi Andy,

 I bought the Briggs boat on Sunday. Here are some pics.She seems sound thru-out,but the rail is dried and cracked a bit, and the chine rail needs to be replaced. Any suggestions on the type of wood Jerry would of used originally, and a good source for buying rails and such? Also,is sandblasting a possibility to knock a few coats of paint off.... or am I better off just doing it by hand? HalBriggs%20Dory%20009.JPGBriggs%20Dory%20012.JPGBriggs%20Dory%20013.JPGBriggs%20Dory%20010.JPG

Andy, Thanks for the reply. Yea, I think I got a keeper! (and for less than 800 w/ the trailer,and 2 spares!) The interior is the most in need of sanding down to the first coat. The hull exterior I'll knock down a little and treat it like a primer coat like you suggested. The glass is all in good shape except where it has de-laminated in places at the top of the hull (along the rail). Can I put some epoxy in there and clamp it down, or should I take a strip of fiberglass and "cap"off the top edge of the hull when I have the rail off for replacement? It seems to me ,the way it was built allows moisture to penetrate the top edge of the plywood, and should at least get a good epoxy coat, if not the full glass treatment before painting.

  I'd definitely be down with getting the info on ordering the materials for both the rails and the chine.

  You really have some beautiful boat pics....esp. Ol Woody! As you can see, I'm partial to the fair boat!14%27%20Wood%20duck%20...

Hi Andy:  was getting ready for another July run this summer, looks like we'll have steady flows of 24,000 or so, was wondering if you had any advice for wood boats at that flow - all my dory runs there have been at much lower water.

 

any info much appreciated, best, Jim

Hey Andy:  thanks for the info, kind of remember a far left sneak at Specter at about these flows back in the mid '90's, wondered if you noticed that.  Is the entry in Granite still just off the right wall or are you entering closer to the middle of the river?

 

best, Jim

thanks, great stuff Andy.  Brad also mentioned that Upset was a "minor" rapid at this level - are you running left there?

 

best, Jim

Hey Andy:  back from the grand trip, great fun on big water, Lava nearly did me in but we managed.  Thanks for the great heads up on the others.

 

Had a question on the hatches designed on the GC Exp. boats you're rowing now - they look like a definite upgrade over the old briggs hatch design I've got from 10 years ago.  Would you have any close-up schematics where I could get a better look?

 

best, Jim

Great info.  I may just have to look at a photo sometime though, not sure I can get it from the description, although the idea of alum channel with a door type weatherstripping is pretty descriptive.  Got more trips yet this year?

Outstanding.  Hope the rest of your summer goes well, looks like eventually they'll shut the water down, bet you'll be missing the big flow.

 

be safe, Jim

Hey Andy: another quick question, I have a Deso launch on Sept. 8, you're welcome to come but I think you'll be on the Grand then.  But how low could the water go before you'd jettison the wood for rubber in your opinion?

 

any info appreciated, best, Jim