Wooden Boat People

By McKenzieDriftBoat.com

Down the Grand Canyon

Sept 28 - Oct 15 2010

We ran on constant 8,000 until the rain came and pumped it up to 11k. It was really cool to see the river running red.

The Zizumara was perfect for the Grand. It tracks well in the big water, doesn't get surfed easily and even stays upright when going sideways though Hermit!

Crystal gave her a high impact test. I ran her into the left wall but luckily hit where a thwart met the hull. Came away with just a duct tape fix. All the passengers stayed in the boat too!

Then in 205 I ran too far left and fell down the rabbit hole. Had a huge hit in the bottom of the steepest hole I've ever ran. After bailing the boat out we found a big compression buckle. The hit was in the stern passenger floor. On the outside was just a barely visible crack but on the inside the wood and glass were blown. Then the thwart for the stern hatch had a big compression buckle that went all the way through. We gave it a quick epoxy paste patch during lunch.

I'm looking forward to grinding off the patch and looking at what the boat really looks like. I'm beginning to see the advantages of foam... That being said, I learned a lot by taking the wrong lines... Hoping experience will help to preserve my wooden boat in the future.

I think when I patch her up, I'll put a little memento in place to remind me of Crystal and 205 mile.

Can't wait to do it all again.

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Comment by Randy Dersham on October 28, 2010 at 4:42pm: Wow, well this is what boats are for. The best news is she took the hit and kept everyone safe. Great job.

I would be fun to do the math of the impact. # of pounds of the boat + gear and passengers x MPH of the rapid hitting an unmoving wall or rock. That's a lot more than your normal parking lot fender bender, yet look no really big deal.

Comment by Kelly Neu on October 28, 2010 at 3:33pm: easy to do in the month of rocktober