Raft too big for low-water West Water?

harbinger5 said:

I've been invited on an overnight West Water, late August. I've rowed West Water a handfull of times, but never in late August. A friend is concerned my raft is too big. It's 15.5' L x 7' W. Anyone know what's too big for a low-water West Water?

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You will be fine.

I think you'll still have enough water to not really worry about it.

I was able to get my 18'X8' cat down the left side of Skull at a historic low flow of 1200 cfs - you will have no issues (providing you have some experience) at normal low flows.


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Totally fine.

Nothing to fear. I mean, low water builds character right?
For what it's worth we ran 18' cargo boats with motors down all the time in low water.

Schutzie said:

Nothing to fear. I mean, low water builds character right?
For what it's worth we ran 18' cargo boats with motors down all the time in low water.

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Same here... we've had our 18' Rikens down it at 2k CFS... just hug the wall on the right at Skull, pull the oars in, and its like crap through a chicken.

DanCan

We did a trip at 2700-2800 in mostly 16's. Plenty of water and room for a 16'. Skull was a tight sneak and a few boats even squeezed/bounced right of the skull hole while rubbing on the sides.

Your raft will be fine, here is my run through skull at <2k in a 16 foot maravia boat. Our 18' monster cataraft took the same line and did get wedged. We had to push it through by hand. The time bookmarked video didn't link right, the Skull run is at 2:00 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QLBQKjZmKw#t=118

Alex probably has video of Betty getting cracked in the head with an oar also? Different trip, same line. Good times....well except for Betty's head.

I certainly wouldn't go right at Skull with a 16', it's too tight and there definitely is a chance of breaking an oar. Go left like in that video or wait to make your move left right before Skull rock. You'll be fine on everything else no problem.

I can confirm that at low water it is possible to get firmly STUCK between the wall and skull rock; in my case, a spare oar wedged into the wall where I couldn't see it. Marvelous experience, sitting on that wall wondering (HUH??!) with boats behind me scrambling for a place to be, other than under my rig.
It also sets you up for a hair raising run out after you get unstuck.

Pick your line as you approach; I've run both sides, and except for once it was obvious which line to take.

The one time was the time I got wedged, and in hindsight I was doing a "I am GOD river guide and will go where I damn well please thing."

River God noted my misplaced confidence and offered a different opinion, along with a lesson in physics.

Size matters

Thanks for all the feedback--really appreciate it.

Skull has taught many lessons or as Schutzie says, it gives the River God the chance to teach many lessons. I learned one at low water in Skull, that you better have real oar tethers that let your oars move all the way in. I tried to go left of Skull rock, didn't make it, got pivoted rather robustly around to the right and when I pulled the oar in it stopped with the blade about 2 feet sticking out.

I quickly found myself behind Skull rock in the eddy, trying to grab my spare oar as the on in my right hand was now a 2 piece unit.

Luckily the guy behind me smacked my raft hard enough to launch me on down river.

The military has a term for that sort of thing... cluster fxxx.

DanCan

We did it last year in late August, and it was still running at 3,500 cfs. Two 14 footers and a 14 ft cat all went right, no problem. Saw some 16 footers come through too.

Kazak, I remember when you first posted that video. Very cool.Can't wait to see the video of your son's first run through there on the oars! I don't have any video, but we took our two kids last year for the first time. We took the Mini_max along, and all four kids took turns guiding it until we got to the rapids. They are getting close!