Talking About Boats

Back when I was fleshing out what I wanted in a boat for a planned expedition, I ran afoul of a bunch of know-it-alls. Big on advice they wouldn’t never put in to practice personally and generally useless in any regard. There are two kinds of people, pointy boat crowd and the square boat crowd. Pointy boats are extremely limited. Especially with what I had in mind. I’m launching at Confluence Pa. The first leg is Confluence ( class 1-2 rapids) to  Ohiopyle take out above the falls. A portage to below the falls to a launching to be announced. Truthfully they might not let me launch where I want to there. ( class 3-4 rapids) It’s an 18 foot scow I’ll be launching. So, It’s Ohiopyle ( below the falls) to Connelsville and another portage around a low head damn with no locks. If the boat survives to that point then it will be worth using for the rest of the trip. The boat really ain’t gonna cost a lot, so if it ends up trashed then it’s back to the drawing board. This drives my choice here. With all respect to the Bolger, Payson, and Michalak fans. The only boat with a chance on leg 1-2 is a triloboat. Leg 3 day 3 The only boats with a chance would be a duck or a goose or a triloboat again. This is a SHTF type trip, Run what ya brung. This is all extreme shoal depth. Then there are the deceptive deep places and then there is rocks, always rocks, Little ones to big as your house rocks. Just when you get used to a condition the river changes and Bam! Where the “F” did that rock come from. I figure if the boat takes all of that then it’s a cinch for the rest of the trip. You gotta figure this boat as a minimal appointments type. I would have loved to keep it a stock T-16×4, But, I have to use it for the rest of a very long trip and the T-16×4 is a mite crowded. I figure a T-18×6 will help some with the all gear I’ll be packing with this adventure. This isn’t just a single handed camp sailor, It’s intended to be a live aboard too. Well, there’s loads of ground to cover before this boat sees water, but it getting closer all the time. This little boats gonna have some attitude.