Tips for running drops dry in an open boat?

[Jeffrey Ward]

I took my Mokawk Viper 12 to ASCI last weekend. It was my second time paddling OC1 on the ASCI course. I feel like I handled the top of the course well, but I was unable to run the first and second drops after the top of the course with a dry line. I tried the center, the right, and the left sides, but my boat consistently took on too much water. I found that I could run the very first drop from the top pond into the top part of the course dry with a variety of lines. I also could run the very last drop into the bottom pond dry if I stayed far right. Does anyone have any tips for running the other drops at ASCI dry, or running big drops in general dry? Thanks.

[FullGnarlzOC]

Some of the drops you speak of are steep...so they would be hard to dryout in a viper12... try pinching the corner of the drops and boofing right before your nose hits... this should lift you up enough to dry it out some.

The last option...do a rail slide on those PVC pipes that they have on the outsides of the drop...that will dry you out

Remember Viper 12 isn't exactly know for how dry it is on steep drops.

[yarnellboat]

I don't know what kind of drops you're talking about, but compared to Viper 11s, Ocoees and many other popular boats, I think of the Viper 12 as a pretty dry-running boat.

I think the answer is probably just trial & error with how you tilt your boat and where you're putting your weight. The tough part is that timing plays a big part, and even when you think you're doing what you can to block waves etc., even a slight miss on timing or weigthing can give you a big lap full.

Pat.

[sbroam]

Don't run them straight on - try going in at an angle (even sideways) and wave blocking (momentary tilt away from the breaking wave). Aim for the shoulders.

I always thought my Viper 12 was pretty dry, but it was all I paddled for a couple of years there. I don't want to start another debate here, but I think the Zephyr is fairly similar and I kept it pretty dry on the ASCI course, though it was more of a challenge at 3 pumps than the 2 we raced on.

[phreon]

Don't run them straight on - try going in at an angle (even sideways) and wave blocking (momentary tilt away from the breaking wave). Aim for the shoulders.

Just to clarify, so you're saying tilt upstream just a bit as your broadside reaches/starts climbing to the peak of the wave?

My "blast through everything" ( AKA, "if you suck, paddle hard") technique tends to be to set timing and powerstroke like I'm trying to get air off of every sizable wave. Is this stupid, wrong or *very* wrong? All three?

Doug

[driftwood]

Boof it

Boof late, boof often.

Diagonal boofs are a good idea in long boats, clears the stern.

Oh, and don't forget to cross-bow-smash

[ian123]

Not wrong/stupid. Different circumstances require different strategies.
Typically you can run a little drier if you take the waves at an angle rather than straight on. It's usually a little drier still if you can momentarily tilt the boat away from the wave.

[Shep]

Don't run them straight on - try going in at an angle (even sideways) and wave blocking (momentary tilt away from the breaking wave). Aim for the shoulders.

Just to clarify, so you're saying tilt upstream just a bit as your broadside reaches/starts climbing to the peak of the wave?

My "blast through everything" ( AKA, "if you suck, paddle hard") technique tends to be to set timing and powerstroke like I'm trying to get air off of every sizable wave. Is this stupid, wrong or *very* wrong? All three?

Doug

If you can boof off a wave to keep from filling with water, that seems pretty helpful, not wrong. I would think it a valuable tool, but like anything it's only one tool in your kit. Power strokes at the top of a wave help me a lot more in my Taureau, because the short hull has less swing weight, but there isn't much hull there or the right angles to lean away from the wave to stay dry. Angling to the wave and tilting upstream helps me more in the Ovation because there is a lot more swing weight I would have to be boofing, but also more hull to block the wave.

Shep

[ohioboater]

set timing and powerstroke like I'm trying to get air off of every sizable wave.

That will get you over one big wave/feature ok, but if you're in a long wave train, depending on the spacing of the waves, the same momentum that lifted you up over the first wave works against you as you crash down the back side and spear through the second...

Try the blocking technique a couple of folks described. 45 or more degrees offset to the wave, and tilt your boat upstream as you hit. You're basically using the bottom of your boat as a shield to deflect water. Works really well. It helps to do a sweep on the upstream side just as you hit - keeps you more stable and helps bring the boat back on course if the wave wants to deflect you off to the side. Make sure you're tilting and not leaning - IE, keep your weight well centered. If you lean your body upstream, you'll either bobble or windowshade...

I've only been on ASCI one time, If I remember right, that first wave shaper makes two converging diagonals that pile up into some big, squirrelly breaking waves. I don't think I got through there with less than a 6 inches of water at both 2 and 3 pumps. Dryest line involved catching one of the eddies, but then I tended to pick up water peeling out into the feature...

[PAC]

Same as above - try in smaller waves / drops first.

Gently roll the hips to boat tilt upstream, center square and shoulders more downstream (over the downstream gunwales) - a "J" lean not a “bell buoy” lean. try different angles of entry as well as you figure it out.

Also one’s paddle should be "actively engaged" in the water (or ya swim). With cab forward usually best. Definitely no paddle dragging!

A bit of speed helps... going too slow and the river gods take over.

Just try to uUse all of the boat ...length, rails / chine(s), tumblehome, gunwales, depth, rocker, etc. in relation to the primary / secondary stability. Think of it as a physics problem in relation to the boat’s motions - forward energy, push of the water (currents) in relation to center mass (u & boat) along with yaw, pitch and roll axis(es).

If that makes sense?

[Jeffrey Ward]

Thanks for the responses.

I will try hitting the waves at the bottom of the drop with more boat angle next time. Last time, I was trying to hit different parts of the wave, but I think my boat was pretty straight in line with the current each time.

[Walsh]

I agree with the comments about quartering to the waves, using the shoulders, and timing a boof here and there.

I recently spent a week in a Viper 12 (a boat in which I had little previous experience) running big western water (also a new experience). Initially, it seemed like everything was breaking over my bow. I think this was a result of the "when in doubt, paddle like hades" philosophy mentioned by some above.

As I calmed down, relaxed my hips, and didn't paddle quite as hard (it's a tough balance!!) into the waves, the hull was freer to conform to the wave and the bow would float/surf itself to a drier line. Sometimes this meant being a foot or five to either side of my original line, but in a wide-open rapid this was fine.

I guess my point is to also try relaxing a bit and letting the boat do its job. Charging hard is an important tool, but not a cure-all, especially for finding dry lines.

[philcanoe]

embrace it...

It's really such a good facility to work-it out on... practice practice practice. I'm thinking having the same feature, which reacts in the same manner each time is indeed fortunate. It really gives you a chance to objectively see how even minute changes affect things.

Really like that relaxation tip, because for me there is no static position. Your boat must roll with the punches, and without complete freedom static body movements will not allow this to happen.

As for comments that it's the boat, just seems there's too many people performing well in it - for that to be true. However it could be, that it's not the right boat for you (or the other poster).

[sbroam]

I remember my first couple of attempts at wave blocking (in the Viper 12, IIRC) - bloop! I "leaned" and too far at that... It really is about relaxing and staying loose in the hips. One of the sublime pleasures of paddling for me is to float sideways through a long wave train...

[cmnypny]

gee ... after reading all this and my new boat being a viper 12 in a couple of weeks

the only thing that is going thru my mind is what Jeff Richards said to me on the Ocoee a few weeks back after running Power House

Colin ... your going to want to re-consider running that line in your Viper 12