What is the highest waterfall run in an open boat?

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:48 pm

yarnellboat wrote:Funny photo - that's one way to measure the height of drop!!

I know Jan could probaly suggest some around the PNW, but there doesn't seem to be many around here, at least not anything without continuous class IV approaches and exits.

PY.

This one?... http://www.americanwhitewater.org/conte ... hotoid_178_

That's exactly how I don't want to be on a bigger drop and exactly the reason I like the boats I creek with... a long boat will/would either piton the bottom of the river or bridge... where-as a short OC like a Fly or Taureau will start resurfacing immediately upon entry into the pool.

I wish Eli would weigh in on this thread... he has some great techniques for torso position on drops that he has shared with us over the years. Here's a good example of him boofing left off Sunshine on the Green in a Taureau... http://www.blueridgenow.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 8/SPORTS08

edit... link to larger pic... http://www.blueridgenow.com/apps/pbcs.d ... ofile=1168

Al Greve · Post by **Al Greve** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:12 pm

How about the yungest OC1 boater..... Aliesha did Baby Falls while running the ledge section of the Telico last spring.... she was 12, but her younger sister Emily plans to out do her big sister, she''l be 11 this spring.

MikeOC1 · Post by **MikeOC1** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:34 pm

speaking of waterfalls, just curious, any open boaters been down this one, Abrams Falls in the smokeys? Surely Louie's crew have been here, Dooley? just wondering since this ones in my neck of the woods.

http://www.americanwhitewater.org/conte ... toid_13282_

beereddy · Post by **beereddy** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:07 pm

I'm sorry but this looks like 'how big dick I have!"
I dont know what is the best foll from third floor window or from the fourth

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:26 pm

beereddy wrote:I'm sorry but this looks like 'how big dick I have!"
I dont know what is the best foll from third floor window or from the fourth

Well... you'd be wrong then. Sorry... and have a nice day!

You must have the guys with the southern accents confused with this guy... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUfMgc-b9zw

beereddy · Post by **beereddy** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:39 pm

Just dont kill me!
Maybe I'm too old to understand.
I like slalom between rocks and dont like sitauation when I foling down somewhere without any contol

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:14 am

beereddy wrote:Just dont kill me!
Maybe I'm too old to understand.
I like slalom between rocks and dont like sitauation when I foling down somewhere without any contol

Nothing wrong with that either... creeking is like slalom with bigger penalties on touched poles and near death experiences for missed gates.

Most of the good creekers I know all have a slalom background.

Open Gate · Post by **Open Gate** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:33 am

Any c-boating is good. As long as it gives you what you need

Running Open gates is great

Here's a link to an album of Hog's back Falls, pics of the main drop and double drop at different levels. The constraint caused by the canyon downstream of the falls really changes the height of the drops at different water levels c/w chaos or not in the canyon...

http://picasaweb.google.com/canotouvert/RideauHogSBack

I like this stuff. Just safe fun 15 minutes from home !

Roger · Post by **Roger** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:49 am

Funny where this thread started and where it is now. And I think my wife has a signed postcard that Eli carries of that shot (Smerda linked of the Green) with a shot of a run at Seven-Foot Falls on the Chatooga.

Anyway, here is a drop that Eli did down in NZ.

http://home.rica.net/phelbert/eli.jpg

I think Eli said this was like a 25-footer +/-.

Wendy · Post by **Wendy** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 2:19 am

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:33 am

Roger wrote:Funny where this thread started and where it is now.

I know... I have a bad habit of doing that

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:45 am

Craig Smerda wrote:
beereddy wrote:Just dont kill me!
Maybe I'm too old to understand.
I like slalom between rocks and dont like sitauation when I foling down somewhere without any contol
Nothing wrong with that either... creeking is like slalom with bigger penalties on touched poles and near death experiences for missed gates. Most of the good creekers I know all have a slalom background.

I like that analogy...

kx250guy · Post by **kx250guy** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:05 pm

Beereddy , you are correct. Smerda, your the one that's wrong and here's the proof of it.

A person that has no boating expreience AT ALL can strap themselves in a boat and survive a big drop. This cannot be said of running the Green, Gauley, or other difficult runs. So What does it prove? Nothing.

Im one of the first people to run the Meadow in a fiberglass kayak in the 70's.. WOW I must be a real man! not at all. It was just something we did back then. The memories of it and others like the meadow are in my heart , and that is enough. Many people have done a better job of this run than than I have.

Heres my point:.. Taking a momentary risk of ones life regaurdless of the sport proves nothing. Running drops like this is exactly that, a 5 sec. risk of life and limb. An illusion of skill that doesn't exist. Nothing more.

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 2:56 pm

still waiting on that proof...

sure someone can just fall off... that's not what was being discussed...someone even jumped off (and survived) Desoto Falls last year, the topic that started this post... the fact that you can run a drop and be devoid of paddling skills, is not mutually exclusive of being equally devoid of paddling skills and jumping on a raging whitewater run... in both many, many, survive..much more, than not

seen plenty of people running the Green, Gauley, and other difficult runs that weren't worth a crap.... that operated in the 'water goes in - water goes out' mentality...sure any neophyte can jump in and fall off a big drop ... there's just as many if not more neophytes, that jump in and run big rapids way above their heads ...we've all seen them

what's glass got to do...to my knowledge I'm the only canoe'r to paddle a glass OC1 down the Green...SoWhatDoes that have to do with the price of tea in China

to run a big drop correctly in a canoe (or any boat)- upright - dry as possible -back intact...is not falling out of control... it takes proper body mechanics (which change from top to bottom, and differ with the drop), boat placement, angle, proper stroke selection, speed (or lack of).... it takes maneuvering if you're going to keep doing them for the long haul ... AND it is not falling out of control... only someone that's operating in such a manner would think so

not knocking or belittleing kx250guy's ability or knowledge...just stating his argument ignored the fact that people with no skills also survive class 5's... it was sort of like saying anyone can drop Niagara, they do it in barrels

Open Gate · Post by **Open Gate** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:21 pm

Ouch...you guys are tough !

Yes this thread did slip a bit...but we're still talking about running drops in an OC right ?

kx 250 guy your right in a way. Yes any one can strap themselfs in an OC and drop 25' and survive no problem...especially on an easy run like Hog's back falls(main drop).

BUT THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT, pleasure doing what you like in an OC with good friends, not braging on who's got the biggest balls or watsoever...just pure fun that we can relive in our minds for the rest of our lives

I admire OC running hard creeks, big water and technical stuff and free falling for ,5 seconds... So beautiful to watch technical paddlers running slalom courses, IT'S ALL GOOD !
Also admire experts taking the time to teach the new paddlers the How to's of our sport.

We need pioneers pushing the envelop of OC's and selling the OC idea to kids so our sport keeps evolving(that's what yakers do !).

Before I knew this forum I wasn't even aware of most runs people talk about on this board and the awesome paddlers(and builders) that post here. Threads like this is again teaching more about runs I didn't know existed and what can be done in an OC. Please keep feeding my OC brain with all this good stuff !

If running small water falls is not your thing, please no disrespect for those who do, we're all in the same boats

As long as your smilling at the end of your paddling day...that's all that matters

Voilà...SYTOR

Gaétan

C-Forum