C-Forum

PAC,

You requested a trip report from my runs down the Upper Yough in the Wheelboy, well, here it is.

Just a few notes about me (and the level):

• I’m 6’ 2” tall and 150lbs, which makes the wheelboy the highest volume boat I’ve paddle since the RMP seven years ago.
  
  I’m basically a play boater who likes to run rivers. So, I spend most of my time on easier rivers playing as much as possible, as a result I don’t always have a feel for what my river running capabilities are.
  
  I’ve previously run the UY 4 times last time being 4 years ago before switching to C1
  
  River Level was 1.8’ on Friday and 1.7’ on Sunday (Low), so it was not very pushy, but still pretty technical.

Friday morning started off with me a bit on the nervous side. I haven’t paddled many difficult rivers (class IV) since I started paddling C1, but I’ve been paddling fairly often this season (at least for someone who lives in Indiana) and I’ve been feeling pretty good on the water. So, I pushed my nerves aside and put on with the group. Eight paddlers in all: 6 kayaker (2 play boats) 1 strider (inflatable kayak with the paddler standing) and me the “token C-Boater”. All in all the run went really well. In fact, it went much better than my previous run in a kayak. I took all the conservative lines and only had one screw up where I caught an edge and ended up rolling directly into the eddy. Sorry, but I can’t remember which rapid that was in (too many rapids for me to remember right now), but it was pretty close to the beginning. At the take out I was ecstatic. I ran it without a problem, I hit all the eddies I aimed for, nail the boofs (something I’m not particularly good at), and even got a few splat wheels in.

Friday night the discussion tuned to the boof line at national falls. We watched a lot of paddlers run that line on Friday and every playboat who took that line ended up in the hole. Five of us (both play boaters, the strider, and on creak boater) were really thinking that we could do it. We mulled it over and over, I knew that it was going to be a difficult line for me as we were watching the video of the days runs at national when it was said that the key was that last left hand stroke off the lip, which would put you in the river right eddy. Well when the discussion was over all of us said we would make up our mind when the time came.

Saturday, morning came to soon. The place was a nut house so many boat and rafts, way too many for a river like this. But, I put on feeling good, nerviness gone. Again we were talking about the boof, and we still were putting off the decision. Everything was going fine until I got to “Bastard” and tried to boof right into the eddy behind the pyramid rock (I’m not sure if that is the commonly used name for that rock or not). Well the boof worked pretty well, but I ended up landing on the left in the current not in the eddy on the right. Now I’m stuck paddling against the current in a pretty bad spot. The current was piling up and over a rock right behind me, and trying to push me either into the rock sieve on the left or nasty hole on the right. After struggling for a while, and waiting for traffic (not fun considering my predicament), I got enough adrenaline going to paddle upstream against the current just enough so I could ferry over and reach a small wave to help me make it to the green tongue through the hole. I made it though, but my heart was leaping out of my chest when it was all said and done.

Everything after that went fine, then I was sitting it the eddy above National. “Do we do it or not?” was the question going around. Then one of the guys got out his video camera, and the decision was made. I watch the others go. The striders clears the hole and dumps in the squirrelly water (he started celebrating too soon!), the first play boater makes it clean, the second play boater comes through with only an momentary side surf. So I pull out get lined up and start digging in for some speed. I’m on line, my angle is good and I take that last stroke off the lip. Feels great… slam! I hit the water and I’m immediately upside down in the hole. I side surfed the thing upside down for what seems like an eternity. I tried to roll a few times, and only got a breath of air. I was about the bail when the tossing subsided and I was finally out of the hole. I rolled up and took a deep breath to the sound of the cheering crowd. That Sucked! Ego shaken, I finished the run without incident. It’s funny how the river keeps us all in check.

After watching the video, its clear what happened. I was setup just fine, but when I threw the boof stroke it pushed me to the left and I landed flat, half way across the seam of the hole and dumped right in. It’s the same problem I had at “Bastard”. I know that I must now learn that crossbow boof if I want to run those lines next time.

As for the Wheelboy, it handled great. I think if I put on more weight that I would be in serious trouble, but at my weight it did fine. Also, it may not do as well if the level was around say 2.4~2.8’. Only time will tell there.


Take It Easy,

David

David,

Your narrative made me think of my first time down the U Yough. My first time down, years ago, I was paddling an Atom out of that river rightish eddy below Bastard. i attempted an offside ferry - totally blew it, thinking I could do excactly what a kayaker before me had just done, and then , I was plastered against that big downstream rock. My hull was pasted against the rock, and the boat wasn't budging. I kept my boat from rolling upstream long enough that a person with a rope, from below, got on the rock. I then knew then that if I was broached upside down against the rock that a rope was directly above me. As my strength disappeard,I flipped upside down to the upstream, which thankfully freed the boat. I took a good beatin travelling down river right through the rocks upside to the river right eddy.

i felt like a deer in head lights after that. My trip leader asked if I was ready to continue on and I said"Yes." i fgiured if the trip leader didn't suggest I walk off the river, and he had led hundreds of first timers down the U Yough, then at least I thought I had a reasonable chance of getting down the river. The rest of the day went Ok.

And- I use to attempt the boof at National. I kept ending up in the hole - got run over by lots of boats, and once, had my hand on the grab loop, ready to bail, when the hydraulic finally let me go. that,to my thinking,is a hard boof to master. It certainly "owns" me.

Anyhow, enjoyed your story. i was out there on the front of the bubble Friday. I would have liked to have seen you and the boat.

Eric

Thanks David! Sounds like you had a great run, and provided a great review / report! Sorry for not responding earlier to your post but I was out on vacation. Based on your posting and my weight I’m thinking I’m not going to be taking my WB down the UY for a while! I paddle the UY on Sat via one of the un-announced “heat” releases (in a Shredder with Big AL – 1st time for him down it – pretty much aced!) and I have to get on the section more often during non-peak periods. One very small raft trip, a couple inflatables and few hard boats made the run super enjoyable! Had a chance to really enjoy the great scenery without having to worry about the room available in an eddy or hung up rubber!
Based on your comment on weigh and have a better chance to review the run I’m going to hold off taking my WB on the Upper (I’m 5’8” #185 and out of shape )!
Sounds from your description you pretty much hit the lines and had fun even at National on day two! I’m sure the crowd loved the combat roll and it’s less embarrassing than swimming or being stuck in the eddy with no place to go with a steady stream of others heading your way! Hope you got some photos too!
Thanks for the update and hope to see you at the Falls Race! Take care - Paul C.

Eric wrote:David,

Your narrative made me think of my first time down the U Yough. My first time down, years ago, I was paddling an Atom out of that river rightish eddy below Bastard. i attempted an offside ferry - totally blew it, thinking I could do excactly what a kayaker before me had just done, and then , I was plastered against that big downstream rock. My hull was pasted against the rock, and the boat wasn't budging. I kept my boat from rolling upstream long enough that a person with a rope, from below, got on the rock. I then knew then that if I was broached upside down against the rock that a rope was directly above me. As my strength disappeard,I flipped upside down to the upstream, which thankfully freed the boat. I took a good beatin travelling down river right through the rocks upside to the river right eddy.

i felt like a deer in head lights after that. My trip leader asked if I was ready to continue on and I said"Yes." i fgiured if the trip leader didn't suggest I walk off the river, and he had led hundreds of first timers down the U Yough, then at least I thought I had a reasonable chance of getting down the river. The rest of the day went Ok.

And- I use to attempt the boof at National. I kept ending up in the hole - got run over by lots of boats, and once, had my hand on the grab loop, ready to bail, when the hydraulic finally let me go. that,to my thinking,is a hard boof to master. It certainly "owns" me.

Anyhow, enjoyed your story. i was out there on the front of the bubble Friday. I would have liked to have seen you and the boat.

Eric

Nice to hear your experience. DO you have more good stories to share?

SPAMBOT!

Very nice narrative.


Big Al

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