# Creeking



## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

You don't have to run gnar to be able to enjoy creeking. There are a wide variety of III-IV creek runs that can be enjoyed by the intermediate paddler. Just make sure you are up to speed on swiftwater rescue, have a pin/repair kit and know how to use both, and try and find some other solid paddlers to round out your crew.... basically build up to the bigger stuff.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

I stumbled on a forum/thread a couple years back where a northeast guidebook author had just finished another CL V 1st D in a high performance inflatable. It had some rocker and pointed tip and tail... boofable. Basically he paddled a hard kayak sometimes but felt the inflatable was a better choice on some pieces of whitewater. This guy caused quite a stir and I'm sure some of the older guys here know who he is.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Sounds like the boat was a Thrillseeker, Glenn.The Snyder bros run V plus creeks in them, checkout 'A Token of My Extreme '" if you can find it.Don 't know if they authored any guidebooks though.'Creekin 'USA '(also hard to find) has duckiers running IV -V in Maine in Thrillseekers.For something you can find search 'Rio Almandro Slideshow ' it is from Rocky Contos' Sierra Rios site but could not find it there.Great photos of an older guy running tough drops in a very committing canyon in a Lynx.Even if you could not care less about duckies checkout the 'Rio Almandro Izantun Canyon Slideshow "for a super bad ass canyon.
.gotta be in Mexico 's top ten runs and not far from many other good runs


Slickhorn on this forum had some impressive ducky creeking photos if someone can link to that thread


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

Look up "Fowl Play" on YouTube. Its has Jeff Snyder running big drops in an Aire Force. Of course he's standing up, or striding. Jeff's claim is that sitting results in spinal injuries so he stands up in an IK.

I paddle Class III and IV in my IK (also an Aire Force) but think it would take a bomber roll to step into most Class V especially steep creeks. I flip my boat and climb back in - which kind of limits what I'm willing to swim.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

I don 't think too many people are getting combat rolls in duckies..have seen exactly one person, Favre of this forum, combat roll a Force and that was playspot not creeking and he is a skilled hardshell boater....my hardshell combat roll sucks but flipping on purpose can roll 99% of the time, just tried rolling my Force at the res and was not having success...came very close to rolling it in the Caribbean a long time ago and tweaked my shoulder trying...even the best IK 'ere are reentering the boat not rolling...that is a skill you should work on if you want to ducky. creeks along with catching small tough eddies...ivhave noticed most ordinary duckiers are pathetic at catching eddies in pushy water..this could be disasterous -flushing into difficult /dangerous water /hazzards...work easier rivers toughest moves trying to catch difficult eddies...go to a playspot and get flipped and reenter a bunch of times..do it fast enough to make the eddy and play the same spot again...it is technique and a quick burst of upper body strength...rig a flip strap across the bottom of boat, keep it cinched tight, practice until reaching for the strap the splitsecond your head surfaces you are grabbing it instinctually...turn the boat perpendicular to the current to slowit down and make a more stable platform (look downstream for slots you might bridge on first) put your palms on the near tube and thrust your torso across the cockpit then swing your legs on board get your butt centered then take a stroke, you should have held onto your paddle then put on thigh straps one at a time between strokes..catch an eddy if you can and regroup. 

BA[/QUOTE]

ckpit


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## InflatableSteve (Jun 12, 2013)

Sorry guys, I guess I should have clarified. I am an IK kind of guy, but if I ever get to try out creeking it will be in a hardshell. Thanks for the replies and I will have to check those vids out. I always enjoy watching IKs in big water.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Get Jeff Bennett 's book the'Complete Inflatable Kayaker '


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Cayo, you're right it was a thrillseeker. The author I'm thinking of is Dennis Squires under the handle "whitewateroutlaw" on the Northeast Paddlers Message Board.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

kind of an interesting article on Thrillseekers and ducky creekin ' in general.. www.ozarkpages.com/whitewater/tales /thrillseekerhtml. ..a couple sweet photos of ducky hucks on Custom Inflatables website...


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