Want to rent a dory for Grand Canyon
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I looked into this before purchasing a Dory and found a friend that was willing but basically wanted a signed document saying I'd be responsible for any repairs needed done by a reputable Dory builder. At the end of the day, I decided to find my own since I just didn't want the responsibility of taking someone elses pride and joy down the river. I put in for a February GC trip for next year but didn't win but if I go, I wanna row my Dory. I've definitely let a bunch of other people row it, but usually for an hour or two on the easy stuff. The previous owner has asked to rent it from me for a trip but at the end of the day it just hasn't worked out and I think ultimately I'd be unwilling to let someone else take it out unsupervised.... especially a stranger.... so it just doesn't work really.
I don't know of any companies that rent them either. I think its just too much risk of high levels of damage and on river repairs take some knowledge and skill. There is probably someone willing... but I don't know anyone.
Plenty of time to build/buy one though. I'd consider one that has been well used so you don't wanna drown yourself when you hit a rock the first time. I ended up getting a beat up old Aluminum commercial Grand Canyon dory and its been a lot of fun. Boat seems huge on land but once you get it on the water it feels like its half the size. Definitely a pretty amazing way to go down the canyon.
I don't know of any companies that rent them either. I think its just too much risk of high levels of damage and on river repairs take some knowledge and skill. There is probably someone willing... but I don't know anyone.
Plenty of time to build/buy one though. I'd consider one that has been well used so you don't wanna drown yourself when you hit a rock the first time. I ended up getting a beat up old Aluminum commercial Grand Canyon dory and its been a lot of fun. Boat seems huge on land but once you get it on the water it feels like its half the size. Definitely a pretty amazing way to go down the canyon.
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Facecrack has a whitewater dories page, you might post in the dories section of this site. I can't imagine anyone letting you row theirs down there at what will be low water, but you might find someone willing to let you row theirs on flat water in exchange for a invite..
My 2 cents, YMMV
My 2 cents, YMMV
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Thanks. I understand the problem.
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thanks. I will take a look.
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Just buy a used one and take it down. Afterwards, patch it up, give it a new paint job and sell it. The $$$ difference, if any, after some minimal sweat equity will likely be not much more than a raft rental.
The real financial risk will be if you love it and can’t give it up.
The real financial risk will be if you love it and can’t give it up.
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Jerry, be careful what you wish for! 😀😀
As has been said above, Buy one or build one then resell it if you want.
The experience of rowing it down the Grand Canyon will be worth any money lost in the transactions. If you're lucky, you might make some on the deal.....
There's a few available here in the classifieds. That Ouzel for less than 4k would be a hoot!
The experience of rowing it down the Grand Canyon will be worth any money lost in the transactions. If you're lucky, you might make some on the deal.....
There's a few available here in the classifieds. That Ouzel for less than 4k would be a hoot!
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@hooligan shmulligan is selling a dory for a great price.
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In all seriousness be careful what you wish for I know a handful of people who rowed a dory for the first time down the grand and had to have a helicopter carrying it out!!!!
A dory is a whole different monster! You better know what you are doing or get really lucky you had a perfect run!!
A dory is a whole different monster! You better know what you are doing or get really lucky you had a perfect run!!
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Sinking someone else’s boat is much better than sinking your own 😂
No it’s not!! I’ve got 15 years of building and braking dories it’s no joke!! when things go wrong!!!
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I sank a guy’s sailboat and it costs a lot less than buying it lol. But yeah , it was a joke. Sinking boats cost us all…lol. Seems like you can’t sink one there anyway cause you gotta fly it out. So maybe get sunk boat insurance on your loaner. Build a cheap one with Home Depot plywood and cheap glass? Don’t even paint it just go run it. Why not? Lot of hullabaloo with the painted eggshells anyway Like thurston Howell the III just different. There’s a guy here that builds these terrible little boats and he’s done the grand a couple times so you can too! And if it goes bad dude up above told ya so. I just thought the whole thread was a joke really. Unless you could rent one from a big outfitters no one’s gonna let you “borrow “ one. Maybe your dad or brother but even that’s a long shot. There’s a guy in Colorado who’s selling cnc cut parts . That would be fast?
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I think fast is relative. IMHO, and this is backed up by other Dory people, half assing a boat is only gonna save you a minimal amount of time and you'll regret no just doing it right with the right stuff. If you are just gonna toss something together, go buy a cheap beat up old boat.
Everyone I talk to says, at least your first boat, will be 300+ hours of work. Over 75% of that will be after it looks like a boat but needs all the fiddley stuff like hatch rims and such. This also assumes you have the space and tools and willingness to buy more. Definitely time for the OP to build one, but needs to start now. I know for many, like me, its just not in the cards to complete one so buying is gonna be the way to go.
The outfittes who have Dories don't really rent boats and they make their guides jump through a bunch of hoops to even get some time rowing one... no way they are gonna rent one out to a private boater.
So that basically leaves buying one.
Honestly, while I agree that there are differences between rafts and dories in how they do down the river... as long as you are proficient with a raft and can make it go where you want to you'll be fine in a Dory. You need to be much more vigilant and always be on the lookout for obstacles, but in most ways a Dory is pretty similar to a raft and you'll figure it out pretty quick.
I still haven't had a perfect run down the Grand in a Dory...always hit something down there. Luckily I have a pretty bomproof aluminum Dory that has seen it all before. I highly recommend one if you are sorta prone to hitting stuff. It shrugs off the little stuff and tends to dent instead of break for the medium to large hits.Some you can pound out, others you just deal with. Pretty sure I've take a few hits that would have been a really bad day in a wood or foam core boat.
When my Dory journey started.... I just asked on the Whitewater Dory page and ended up finding a great deal on my Dory. I can definitely sell it for what I bought it, but not sure that will ever happen. Good ole' Wesley will be sticking by my side for a while I think...even if it eventually gets a little brother.
![Water Sky Water resources Mountain Boat]()
Everyone I talk to says, at least your first boat, will be 300+ hours of work. Over 75% of that will be after it looks like a boat but needs all the fiddley stuff like hatch rims and such. This also assumes you have the space and tools and willingness to buy more. Definitely time for the OP to build one, but needs to start now. I know for many, like me, its just not in the cards to complete one so buying is gonna be the way to go.
The outfittes who have Dories don't really rent boats and they make their guides jump through a bunch of hoops to even get some time rowing one... no way they are gonna rent one out to a private boater.
So that basically leaves buying one.
Honestly, while I agree that there are differences between rafts and dories in how they do down the river... as long as you are proficient with a raft and can make it go where you want to you'll be fine in a Dory. You need to be much more vigilant and always be on the lookout for obstacles, but in most ways a Dory is pretty similar to a raft and you'll figure it out pretty quick.
I still haven't had a perfect run down the Grand in a Dory...always hit something down there. Luckily I have a pretty bomproof aluminum Dory that has seen it all before. I highly recommend one if you are sorta prone to hitting stuff. It shrugs off the little stuff and tends to dent instead of break for the medium to large hits.Some you can pound out, others you just deal with. Pretty sure I've take a few hits that would have been a really bad day in a wood or foam core boat.
When my Dory journey started.... I just asked on the Whitewater Dory page and ended up finding a great deal on my Dory. I can definitely sell it for what I bought it, but not sure that will ever happen. Good ole' Wesley will be sticking by my side for a while I think...even if it eventually gets a little brother.
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My wife can handle herself. I do worry more about the dory.
She'd have to be in on the negotiation, and the price would probably be steep.
X2 to everything E-M said.
There's a reason not everyone has dories. They take a bunch of time or a bunch of cash, and take a bunch of care. But they're pretty rad.
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