It was Spring low flows but this Grand Canyon dory lives to tell another tale.  Check out the Zizumara's run of Lava Falls. April 2012, 7-11,000 cfs. Enjoy!

 http://vimeo.com/kneu/2012lava

-Kelly

My goal has been to build as quickly and cheaply as possible.  Its really fun just ripping angles into this warped and knotty drift wood and not worrying about the details.  Close enough is the name of the game.

The beach had plenty of pieces of 3/4" and…

After the driftwood for the frames were found I went in search of plywood.  It turns out the only plywood that survives the ocean and ends up on the beach is 3/4" or thicker.  However,  I didn't find that out until I had hauled about 400Lbs of the stuff home and measured it.  WaWaah.  At least I provided entertainment for the residents of sunlight beach as I rowed back and forth with a steadily sinking boat loaded with way too much drift plywood.  I imagined people were making bets on when…

So... After constructing the beautiful Zizumara, a boat I love a little too much, I thought a new direction in boatbuilding was in order.  Hence, the McDrift boat was born.  Attributes: cheap, disposable, made of wood and nails and a little oil to help it last 5 days on the Salmon River.  What happens on day 5? -Bonfire, Dam clogger, a return to drift wood or perhaps a free boat for the next river runner, who knows but it doesn't have to come back home.  This is a oneway trip boat.  (That…

Crystal Rapid in Grand Canyon gave the Ziz her first big hit.  We went flying into the 2nd fang on the left side of Crystal with visions of exploding dories.  Turns out the Ziz can take one on the chin and keep on grinning. Actually this pic looks like more of a frownie face.

The boat hit directly on the gunwale but the force rippled through the hull.  As luck would…

I've had a blast tearing apart the damaged areas of the boat.  Looking at the shattered wood, figurin' and fussing. Here are some pics of the process.

Round one of peeling out the damaged wood.  The hit was about 1/4 inch in front of the sternmost thwart.  Good thing too! Otherwise this would be a picture of me sticking my head through the hole.…

Still waiting to get the wooden boat on the river but here are some spring rubber trips in the meanwhile...

Owyhee River, OR: Early May, massive winds, a bit of snow, low water...gorgeous.

Copper River, AK: Early June, sun and rain, record low water, lingering snow, bears just…