Catching Eddies in an Oar Boat

Catching Eddies in an Oar Boat | Ep. 133

Рет қаралды 7,626

Күн бұрын

In this episode of Gear Garage, Zach talks about techniques for catching eddies in an oar raft or cataraft.
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📽️ RELATED VIDEOS:
• Gear Garage Series- • Gear Garage Episodes
• Oar Management When Catching Eddies-- • Oar Management When Ca...
• Catching Eddies in an Oar Boat by Pulling Upstream-- • Catching Eddies in an ...
• Techniques for Catching Eddies in an Oar Raft-- • Techniques for Catchin...

Пікірлер: 42

@orlurker 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great video Zach! Your explanation of what the raft is doing in the currents, and how to use that, gave me an "aha" moment. Eager to get out and practice the snap into eddy technique.

@petebenson5030 Жыл бұрын

For really big eddies I follow the eddy line downstream, using it to slow myself down if possible or needed, when the eddy line gets less defined pull gently in. The most extreme case is the eddy in front of red wall cavern. Pull in well below the beach and let the eddy carry you back. In tighter spots your techniques are great and really important to get good at.

@reidcross9051 3 жыл бұрын

Great, thanks.

@calebteneyck3489 4 жыл бұрын

I think your comment about learning about eddylines in a hardshell kayak is so true. I learned so much more about river features when I was kayaking. Since then I have always wanted everyone I teach to row, to kayak as well so they have a better understanding of what the water is doing to their boat. You can learn so much even on flat water with current. I really like these videos. Thank you for doing this!

@dwardconsult 2 жыл бұрын

Zack, excellent vid and info!

@wwrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome show. The lego thing is great. When determining whether to push or pull downstream into an eddy, especially in a loaded boat, I pay particular attention to where the most weight is. Putting the weight in the eddy will snap you in a lot better, because leaving the weight outside the eddy will tend to pull you out of the eddy. The weighted end has more water affecting it (because it's deeper in the water), so it also changes your pivot point. Along that same line, when I know I'm going to get stuck (like in Rock Garden on the T), I usually will add momentum and put the heavy end first. The momentum has a tendency to get the weight downstream of the rock. Then it's just a matter of getting the lighter end over. Otherwise, the light end slows me down enough to get the heavy end perfectly centered on the rock :-)

@SuperGoober64 4 жыл бұрын

Another great video! The best way to be a smooth public speaker/teacher is to know your subject well, and you do. As another commenter said, spending time in a kayak can make you a much better rafter. I know people who have rafted for 20 years and they still just bobble down the river, never understanding how river features can make your life so much easier. If you're new to rafting, buy an IK and do tons of ferrying and eddy catching and I guarantee you will become a better oars-person.

@GearGarageTV 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I 100% agree that more time in an IK will make anyone better at rowing.

@matthewmillis5141 4 жыл бұрын

Very helpful information. Great presentation and content Lego boat is a great visual

@zacharywinters1841 4 жыл бұрын

Great information is always!

@iproject1850 4 жыл бұрын

This was great!

@randybenwright 3 жыл бұрын

Great Information, keep up the good work!

@taraweglarz1648 4 жыл бұрын

that was great. You made it easy to understand!

@GearGarageTV 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks. That's good to hear.

@cheddarchezz 4 жыл бұрын

You did a great job explaining 👍

@GearGarageTV 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@andrewwatkins6109 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid.

@onlyinasheville 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome video Zack. This reminds me of a lecture at my 8AM structures class in college years ago. It involved a boat in the water working with and against the current. It was my introduction to force diagrams. Thanks for not going there. It gives me nightmares.

@598victor 4 жыл бұрын

I'm relatively new to boating. I bought a 14' NRS a few years ago, and one of the first things I did was take a Swift Water Rescue class put on by Montana River Guides. Since then, I've ran a couple mild rivers. the Main Salmon, Deso-Grey. I'm always trying to learn and get better. One day, if I am lucky enough to get a permit, I want to run the Middle Fork. So, thank you for putting on these videos. Would like to take one of your rowing classes as well.

@GearGarageTV 4 жыл бұрын

We'd love to have you join us!

@biodan 4 жыл бұрын

Great video and thanks for putting together these videos. I’ve been kayaking for 25 years but bought a raft for tripping with my young family. I know lots about rivers but not rafting and your videos are great. A video which would be really helpful is rigging and packing a typical 3 bay raft for a week long trip. I’ve searched and found very little KZfaq info on packing rafts for tripping. Thanks again

@GearGarageTV 4 жыл бұрын

@@biodan I've been asked by a few people to do a "rigging and packing" video but since there are so many different types of rafts, frames, and other gear it's really hard to do just one video that works. If you could let me know some specific topics that are not related to your exact set up I can work on covering those things.

@biodan 4 жыл бұрын

Northwest Rafting Company thanks. Agree it’s a big topic to unpack. Maybe just share your multi-day personal trip do share your set up and interview some of your friends on same trip about how they have raft rig. Having very little rafting experience I find your videos great. I probably just need to put on some river raft miles and learn along the way. I do like the learning and the are likely so,e fundamentals you could share with multi day set ups. All the best, Dan from Nelson BC

@GearGarageTV 3 жыл бұрын

@@biodan Is this what you had in mind?

@thedirtdad4915 4 жыл бұрын

At first I thought you were calling the maneuver a "Dance Dream Fairy" and I said to myself "You have a lot to learn..." =D Great video Zach and I think the instruction is spot on!

@richardservatius5405 3 жыл бұрын

best lecture i've seen by you so far. one more technique is to ferry backwards at an angle aiming for just upstream of the eddy point, then spin the raft so the back is pointing 90 degrees or even more downstream just before you hit the eddy point...then pull on the right oar hard.

@GearGarageTV 3 жыл бұрын

Are you referring to a “ downstream ferry?”

@richardservatius5405 3 жыл бұрын

@@GearGarageTV hard to describe without a picture or video...facing at a 90 degree angle from the eddy point, back row until the stern almost touches the point; then spin the stern away from the point about 45 degrees so that the raft is 90 degrees from the main current and pull hard on the right oar.. the raft should enter the eddy and spin to face downstream. you can put a lot of muscle into back rowing.

@brianseibert12345 4 жыл бұрын

I’ve been kayaking for over a decade and just bought my first oar powered raft and have been frustrated by not getting that “snap” into an eddy, I appreciate your thoughts and good presentation. I think it’s just a practice game for me now.

@GearGarageTV 4 жыл бұрын

You can get that eddy snap but it needs to be perfect. With your kayaking background you'll figure it out much quicker.

@wwrafter 4 жыл бұрын

It was also be helpful to know what you do with the oars while you're entering. Do you pull on the eddy side more or the current side more? Both?

@GearGarageTV 4 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately the answer is "it depends"

@tonyhunter6397 2 жыл бұрын

Not a pro, but thought you covered that well.

@GearGarageTV 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@jbrentricks3322 3 жыл бұрын

Doesn’t coming in to the Eddy at the top means bringing you into the opposite current within the eddy? Entering below halfway brings you into the Eddy current.

@GearGarageTV 3 жыл бұрын

Maybe some eddies are like that but in general eddies are simple and you want to catch them at the top.

@jbrentricks3322 3 жыл бұрын

@@GearGarageTV For a small Eddy, but on the Grand even the Eddy line can flip a boat!

@GearGarageTV 3 жыл бұрын

@@jbrentricks3322 Yes for eddies that can flip you consider catching them in a place that won't flip you. For every other eddy (the vast majority on whitewater rivers), I would suggest catching them at the top.

@jbrentricks3322 3 жыл бұрын

I’m thinking of the Eddy at Nefertiti Rock on DesoGray, but thanks for the thinking on it. Let’s go boating!

@kiplambel4052 3 жыл бұрын

I'm definitely not an expert, by any stretch of the imagination...mostly self taught in the late 70s and early 80s. But one of my favorite methods for catching an eddy, especially one with a strong fence, is to upstream ferry in the intended direction, then spin into an aggressive downstream ferry once timing has been established. I also like spinning past rocks to get that shot of momentum in another direction, or even combine the spin with bouncing off a rock. My style of rafting is all about managing kinetic energy, both the water's energy, and that of the moving boat.

@GearGarageTV 3 жыл бұрын

Those are both great techniques but I find they are difficult to explain and teach to others. In my opinion people learn to catch eddies as you describe as they gain experience.