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lubes
Rock Bumper
Joined: 09 Oct 2010
Location: United States
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Posts: 28
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 Topic: Grand Canyon boat Posted: 06 Apr 2013 at 12:16pm |
Play boat (blistic rad) or river runner (burn)? Still can't decide... Need to ship one or the other on Monday. 21 day trip. First time down the canyon. 5 other kayakers are going, apparently all now in playboats. Been in the burn all winter and feeling good. Not much or a playboater. But hey, maybe this would be a good chance to dial in some play boating skills. Shipping and airports at this point doesn't really make a difference. Thanks for the advice!
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Chris Lubenow
206-788-5630
Lube it or lose it!
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Jed Hawkes
Rio Banditos
Joined: 24 Aug 2008
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 Posted: 06 Apr 2013 at 7:40pm |
I would consider how much time you actually plan to play boat vs how much time you want to send in the kayak exploring. If your not a playboater and you aren't going to be Pistol McFlipping Burgers on every wave I'd say comfortable boat that your comfortable in.
Also there are lots of green waves out there that you could rip in the burn.
Also consider how comfortable you'll be running lava in the playboat.
Plus the flatwater, granted you'll probably be shotgunning brewskis in the raft in the flats.
But I'm not a playboater, so there's that.
Have fun.
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phil
Super Looper
Joined: 19 Aug 2009
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 Posted: 06 Apr 2013 at 8:54pm |
You should just take whichever you're more comfortable in.
Jed's point about flatwater is worth thinking over -- it's like 99% flatwater down there. Even if you're hanging off the side of a raft in all the pools, you'll want to be comfortable.
The other 1% of the time, yeah there are tons of green waves to surf, but there are also breaking waves and holes (if you dare). And there are tons of wavetrains you could wheel over, etc -- it's not an obvious win either way.
Don't forget to surf the hole in crystal! Either boat will work the same for this...
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brownft
Rock Bumper
Joined: 24 May 2011
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 Posted: 07 Apr 2013 at 8:21am |
Bring the Burn! do not succumb to playboat peer pressure. the only playboats I've seen on the grad canyon have been put up on rafts for the whole trip. they could be fun in a few places, but a huge pain in the ass in the swirly washout from the rapids, and paddling against upstream winds for 15 miles...which happens.
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Ellingferd
McNasty
Joined: 21 Jun 2005
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Posts: 418
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 Posted: 07 Apr 2013 at 9:49am |
I love playboating and creeking/river running and I have done my fair share of long river trips with raft support (Selway, All salmon trips, Deschutes, Rogue, Illinios, etc. etc.). Once or twice I have taken a playboat and always regretted it because: quality play spots worth sessioning are hard to find and if they exist, they have already been found. How many people go to any popular multi day run purely for the playboating (none that I have heard of). All the greatest playspots are destinations in and of themselves. Sure there are probably a few places on the grand that are good, but what are the chances you are going to find a perfect breaking wave with eddy service? And, if you do, are you going to hang out there for a couple hours and then get on with all the flat water miles you will have to do? No, you are more likely going to find a bunch of killer green waves surfable in a longer boat. I have way more fun in a long boat on river trips because there are so many more waves that are surfable. You essentially increase the amount of surfing you will do tenfold. Of course they will all be front surf soul sessions, but if you are doing things right you will have a buzz which really only allows for this kind of surfing, if you catch my drift. Bring the long boat and then laugh at all the playboaters sitting on rafts because they cant take sitting in their boats anymore. Playboat = wrong tool for the job at hand.
Edited by Ellingferd - 07 Apr 2013 at 9:50am
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lubes
Rock Bumper
Joined: 09 Oct 2010
Location: United States
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 Posted: 07 Apr 2013 at 5:12pm |
Thanks guys! Burn it is!
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Chris Lubenow
206-788-5630
Lube it or lose it!
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mokelumnekid
McNasty
Joined: 09 Aug 2010
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Posts: 304
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 Posted: 09 Apr 2013 at 9:17am |
Looks like you have all the info you need, but I know this issue has been discussed a LOT over at the mountainbuzz and boatertalk boards.Just pointing that out if you wanted to sample a larger footprint of opinions.
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