[brfarley]

So I am fairly new to rafting and recently went on my first trip with my raft and frame down the Yampa. unfortunately when I got home I noticed the frame wore gouges into my rubber. I have a 13' RMR with a DRE Gunnison Frame. There are no burrs on the frame fittings. could it be that I stapped the frame on too tight, or not tight enough? Could it be that stacking the rafts on the trailer could have caused this? Either way my plan is to add patches to the worn areas, but I would like to know how to avoid this in the future. Thanks.

 

[markhusbands]

Im going to guess trailer vibration is the likely culprit, not any on river use.

 

[seantana]

Looks like you had a little play in your straps, I'd wager it happened during trailering if you had boats stacked, I've seen similar from just half an hour of bouncing multiples on a trailer.

 

[caverdan]

I too think it happened during trailering. From personal experience I put something between the boat and anything metal during transport. Duct tape on the fittings that rub on the boat would suffice.

 

[almortal]

Plus one for trailering. I usually stuff rags between possible wear points during transit.

 

[brfarley]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll take better care trailering in the future.

Do you guys strap frame to trailer or raft (D rings) to trailer?

 

[[email protected]]

Straps frame to trailer IMHO. If stacking I go frame to trailer than frame to frame for stacked boats

 

[lncoop]

Straps frame to trailer IMHO. If stacking I go frame to trailer than frame to frame for stacked boats

Same here. I've towed a stack of four (mine on the bottom) hundreds of miles including over kidney jarring roads with no issues using this method. I once inflicted similar wear (albeit in a different spot) when I strapped a kayak onto the frame too close to the raft's bow.

 

[seantana]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll take better care trailering in the future.

Do you guys strap frame to trailer or raft (D rings) to trailer?

Always frame to trailer, and don't use hook straps!

 

[[email protected]]

Either way my plan is to add patches to the worn areas, but I would like to know how to avoid this in the future. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

Just wondering were your boats loaded with gear or empty. When I travel with inflated boats, I like to fully rig the bottom boat and just frame on top boat. I have never had a problem even on 1500 mile trips (knock on wood).
I do check my straps for high mtn. passes, cold mornings, hot afternoons. I get a little anxious, so check boats and trailer bearing at every stop.

 

[[email protected]]

Always frame to trailer, and don't use hook straps!

I forgot about that until you reminded me (thanks seantana). Always use carabineer straps if using ratcheting straps. I prefer plan old cam buckle loop straps (you can leave the loop strap on the boat frame). They can come in handy on the river

 

[jonseim]

Always frame to trailer, and don't use hook straps!

Why don’t you use hook straps? I run hook from trailer with strap over frame and to other d ring on trailer with the cam strap hook end?

 

[elkhaven]

because when your boat deflates with temp or altitude and the hook rattles out, you run the risk of pissing off the car behind with a cam strap to the windshield and if your really unlucky a boat to the hood....that's probably mellow dramatic, but really, hooks come off when boat pressure drops.

 

[yesimapirate]

I do trailer thru boat back to trailer with cam strap.

No hook straps if boat is going to expand and shrink(aka driving up and down in elevation). You'll have no hooks attached the second the boat starts shrinking.

 

[panicman]

so my question on inflation and trailering for long distances. How soft does the boat need to be when going over a big pass?

 

[Osprey]

I’d inspect everything, seems like you have a bigger problem. You didn’t say what kind of frame it is but something is wrong. I’ve trailered all over the place over the last 10 years and don’t have anything close to that kind of wear. That looks really bad. Definitely a problem that shouldn’t happen regardless of on the river or on the trailer. It shouldn't matter if straps are loose, when the boat goes soft it's going to be that way every trip for some part of it.

You kind of get a feel for how soft to start the boat at, depending on where you live and are going up or down. From Denver sometimes I’ll stop at the chain up areas and pop a little air. By Eagle it will be half flat. Coming home sometimes the boat will look pathetically low by the time I hit the driveway after coming back down. I keep my LVM with a motorcycle battery handy if I want to reinflate on the way.

 

[matt man]

Good god man! That should never happen, I’ve trailered my boat to Oregon and back, with my gear frame rigged with stuff, and never had that. Been trailering boats for almost 20 years without that problem. Looks like something was in there rubbing, like a burr, or a piece of stone, or something sharp. Tight straps are better then loose ones, like folks said.

I know RMR is a lower cost boat, but that should not happen!

 

[matt man]

Hey what part of the frame was it? Could a part of your oar lock been rubbing? Just noticed you said that there were no burrs.

 

[brfarley]

the wear was only at the cross bar fittings and on one side (two spots). Luckily there is extra material where the frame sits and the boat still holds air.

 

[[email protected]]

Could have you got some sand/gravel/dirt on the frame before you put it on the boat and not noticed?