# Trailering an inflated raft



## Hold my Beer

*Trailer*

1) You will never need a spare tire until you leave home without one.
2) It's easy to get carried away with strapping down. One on the nose going forward and a good one aft over the top side-to-side is good 99% of the time.
3)ANYTHING touching aluminum (or other metal) will rub itself into a messy worn out crap fest. ie Don't let your oars ride on your frame or the road vibration will make you sad.
4)Unplug your lights before backing into the water.
5)If you're having problems with your trailer lights the problem is with your ground.
6)If your lights don't work see #5.
7)Having a spare tire isn't much good if you don't have the right lug wrench.
8)If it can blow out of your raft it will. (And you won't see it when it does)
9)The raft is a great carry all for equipment until you have to carry your now heavy monster down to the river. PPPPPPP
proper prior preparation prevents piss poor performance
10)99% of all blown out raft floors and other damage from over inflation come from a raft taken out of a cool river and put on a trailer (usually black) and left in the sun to double its psi while the owner is tooling down the road. If you don't clean and maintain your floor relief valve they probably aren't working.
11)Note #10 should be #1.

Cheers


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## mattman

Service or get serviced once a year, your bearings, it is no fun beating and cutting heat welded parts on the side of the road. Don't trust the grease zerk, take them apart and clean/ replace/grease. ( ask me how I know).

Watch your pressure also going from high to low elevation, Pump it tight when dropping, bleed it kinda soft going low to high. Ratchet straps bounce off if a boat gets mushy.

Trailers generally kick as inspite of the problems.


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## Paul7

Trailer tires are about as reliable as a politician (pick your color). Always run recommend pressure and inspect with every stop. I like to put my hand on the tires and hub with every stop checking for heat. 

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## spencerhenry

checking bearings is good. but, a properly greased bearing should last a long time.
i just changed mine this year, after 13 seasons! And I regularly back into the water. jack it up and spin them once a year, make sure it is smooth and there is no looseness in the bearings. pop the cap off and look at the grease, any water in the cap or on the grease and you will need to repack or replace.

a raft at low pressure at 7000 feet will be way over pressure going over a high pass. a boat at low pressure at 7000 feet taken to 5000 feet will be darn near flat.


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## shoenfeld13

I always travel with my boat inflated. Many trips over many miles. Never a problem.


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## grumper13

The feedback in this thread could just be put into a trailering how-to manual, without editing. Valuable, experience-based info! 
Note: Experience = dirty knees, bloody knuckles and cussing.....been there - done that


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## elkhaven

Hold my beer pretty much nailed it...Just remember it's not rocket science - it's trailering a boat. Use your common sense, double and triple check everything and maintain your bearings and all will be well. If you put on a lot of miles it's always a good idea to have a spare hub and bearing assembly. If you do have a problem with a bearing it'll happen at 10:30 on sunday night in a rain storm. Simplifying the repair is key. I carry two spares tires on long trips.

Always check the air in your boat (rule #10 should be rule #1)and never use open hooked ratchet straps on an inflatable (pressure changes will leave them on the side of the road). I strap mine on at the 4 corners, easy enough and I've seen boats move around alot when only strapped at the bow and across the stern with one strap. They probably wouldn't have fallen off but it distracts the driver as he starts watching the boat more than the road. 

I'd add not to let your boat rest on your roller - I've seen a lot of wear happen when they are together.

and

Bigger tires = less problems. I'm not saying to stuff 36's under your trailer but 14-15" wheels significantly out perform 12" which outperform the little snowmobile trailer wheels... Get the biggest wheel and tire package that works with your rig.

I too touch my tires and hubs at stops - that'll tell you a lot about impending failure.


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## yesimapirate

Many good things said here. One I haven't seen mentioned yet - be conscious of where you strap, its cam, and the excess strap are placed. On my setup they are constantly in a high speed flapping/vibrating motion. I try to always keep the cam from touching boat, frame, or even other straps. 
I recall one trip traveling back East from Moab where I failed miserably with this because I secured the excess strap poorly, and the it ate 2/3 of the way thru the strap by Silverthorne. Was glad I caught it before it went further.

Also, ditto ElkHaven


elkhaven said:


> I too touch my tires and hubs at stops - that'll tell you a lot about impending failure.


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## Andy H.

I like to keep my boat tight on the trailer and against the straps. When I see the boat squishy and bouncing, I can just imagine that it's stressing the straps much more than when the boat's inflated and everything's tight. Remember to let some air out on the way up a high pass, top off when you get back down, and be aware to let air out when you take it out of the cold water and drive off into the hot desert. 

Have fun!

-AH


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## NWO Whiewater

Thanks for all the feedback so far guys


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## kwagunt2001

*A trailer question*

Related to the O.P but not precisely-

My trailer is not fully decked but I use 3- 2x10s running across the width of my trailer to support my raft. Also have a roller on the back. Seems to work well. That being said, I have seen many trailers with 2- 3 x 10s running the length of the trailer along the top of each side rail. I need to replace my boards so was wondering what people prefer. Am I missing advantages/disadvantages of each setup? Seems to be alot of both types on the trailer porn thread Thanks-
MC


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## Paul7

My last trailer had 2x12 planks running under the tubes. Worked well for local runs but gusts in Montana would push it around making multiple stops necessary. Also I'd have to nanny the pressure more because if allowed to get extra soft the straps would loosen up and it would really want to move around. I now have a full deck and can use my windshield more than my side mirrors. 

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## 90Duck

Lots of good advice here, several of which I wished I'd read first rather than experienced directly. Just a couple of things to add:

1. I use neoprene sleeves wrapped over the cam part of the strap to protect the boat. The worst damage I have on my 13 year old boat is from a cam rubbing while on the trailer.

2. If you are using open hooks, make sure to run the strap through whatever you are hooking to so that the hook is hanging, not pulling up. They will loosen when the boat gets softer and it usually seems like it will work down until the tire runs over it.


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## Paul7

There is no such thing as an American made radial trailer tire. Even the name brands Goodyear maxis... Are all overseas tires. In the RV world many are converting to LT tires. 

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## the_dude

Be mindful of pressure on the tubes and the floor, especially if you're going over high passes.


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## nastysauce

I stopped rafting all together for fear of damaging my raft when trailering. It sucks cuz i want to go paddle, but its a jungle out there.


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## curtis catman

Put one half twist in any long spans of straps and they will not sing in the wind. I used to be a flatbed truck driver before I became a full time boater.


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## bucketboater

elkhaven said:


> Bigger tires = less problems. I'm not saying to stuff 36's under your trailer but 14-15" wheels significantly out perform 12" which outperform the little snowmobile trailer wheels... Get the biggest wheel and tire package that works with your rig.
> 
> I too touch my tires and hubs at stops - that'll tell you a lot about impending failure.


Get out of here with that nonsense. Snowmobile trailers are designed to be dragged by a lifted dodge diesel towing two 600 pound sleds going 80mph. Raft trailers are made for old lady's towing two hundred pound rafts in a forester going 55. Love blowing by these things twerking down the highway with the raft 5' over the roofline.


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## Buddha09

*It's for threads like these....*

That I read mountain buzz regularly 😀. Informative and Entertaining!


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## heavyswimmer

Trailers, pfft...


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## Buddha09

*Whoa!*



heavyswimmer said:


> Trailers, pfft...


Careful! I think if u drive too much the raft my wear through the roof rack material. Think how much a new roof rack might cost... Those yakimamakima thingies ain't cheap!


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## Lebowski

heavyswimmer said:


> Trailers, pfft...












Trailers, pfft...


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## fishingraft

Well. I just realized I do not have a lug wrench for my trailer tires. Don't know what I was thinking, but will go buy one right now. Thanks for the list!


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## Osseous

90% of trailer tires are underinflated. People can't be bothered to read the sidewall- where it likely says 55 or 65lbs. They're not kidding about those pressures!

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## Gremlin

Osseous said:


> 90% of trailer tires are underinflated. People can't be bothered to read the sidewall- where it likely says 55 or 65lbs. They're not kidding about those pressures!
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Mountain Buzz mobile app



I have been inflating mine to 55 but just looked and it actually says, "max load 1045 lbs. at 80psi"! I guess I've been under inflated too!


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## elkhaven

bucketboater said:


> Get out of here with that nonsense. Snowmobile trailers are designed to be dragged by a lifted dodge diesel towing two 600 pound sleds going 80mph. Raft trailers are made for old lady's towing two hundred pound rafts in a forester going 55. Love blowing by these things twerking down the highway with the raft 5' over the roofline.


Good point - the forester will notice when the tires are flat but with the diesel you can just keep going on the rims. Hell you might not even notice the tire fire over the black smoke.


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## lncoop

Gremlin said:


> I have been inflating mine to 55 but just looked and it actually says, "max load 1045 lbs. at 80psi"! I guess I've been under inflated too!
> 
> 
> Sent from this thingy using Mountain Buzz


I've been inflating my raft to 55 and my tires to 2.5. Is that wrong?


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## yesimapirate

lncoop said:


> I've been inflating my raft to 55 and my tires to 2.5. Is that wrong?


Aren't all rafts in Arkansas just old inner tubes anyway?


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## lncoop

yesimapirate said:


> Aren't all rafts in Arkansas just old inner tubes anyway?


Now see, that's how stereotypes are made. But in answer to your question, yes! Still haven't figgered out how I'm gonna get past that pesky ranger on the San Juan this summer, especially when he sees my oars are really just livery paddles Gorilla taped to EMT.


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## curtis catman

Who needs a trailer.


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## curtis catman

I guess I should be glad you all are picking on R Kan saas and not West Virginy

16.9 x38 Tractor tubes do make a mean multi day rig. probably tougher than those zeeflers every body is always bragging up.


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## jimr

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## curtis catman

Now that is bad when your boat is worth three times the car's value.


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## SLVCampo

jimr said:


> View attachment 11612
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz



Hell, the rubber and frame are worth more than the ride! 

Priorities win! 


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## LochsaIdaho

Learn how to back the trailer before you get to the ramp.


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## Roguelawyer

Speaking of backing.

When backing if you hold the bottom of the steering wheel, the trailer will go in the same direction that you move your hand.


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## spencerhenry

just because a tire lists a maximum pressure, that does not mean that that is what it should be inflated to. 

most raft trailers are very lightly loaded, you do not need to run the tires at max pressure. a pressure suited to the load will give better tire wear, and also keep the trailer from bouncing around on the tires.


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## lncoop

spencerhenry said:


> just because a tire lists a maximum pressure, that does not mean that that is what it should be inflated to.
> 
> most raft trailers are very lightly loaded, you do not need to run the tires at max pressure. a pressure suited to the load will give better tire wear, and also keep the trailer from bouncing around on the tires.


This has proven true in my experience, especially when the trailer is loaded front heavy, which my raft trailer always is.


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## Gremlin

spencerhenry said:


> just because a tire lists a maximum pressure, that does not mean that that is what it should be inflated to.
> 
> most raft trailers are very lightly loaded, you do not need to run the tires at max pressure. a pressure suited to the load will give better tire wear, and also keep the trailer from bouncing around on the tires.



Good point. Now that my wife's cat is built I am stacking boats this weekend for a five hour drive. I will pay attention to the ride and how it might feel different.


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## Osseous

Heat is the enemy of trailer tires. Sidewall flex generates heat. One hard hit on a pothole and an under inflated tire sidewall can be penetrated by its own rim. Plenty of reasons not to underinflate your tires because you have a light load.

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## lncoop

Osseous said:


> Heat is the enemy of trailer tires. Sidewall flex generates heat. One hard hit on a pothole and an under inflated tire sidewall can be penetrated by its own rim. Plenty of reasons not to underinflate your tires because you have a light load.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Mountain Buzz mobile app


That's a valid opinion for sure. This has been an ongoing debate for quite some time, but trailer tires have much beefier side walls to account for squirrely road manners, so I personally believe in some cases not inflating to full PSI is a good approach. I never did it with my party barge trailer or any other trailer with a load, but it's working very well on my lightly loaded raft trailer. YMMV


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## LSB

I use ropes instead of straps to tie down. I get a new 10mil rope every year or so from Harbor Freight and cut it in half and run over the front and back with a half truckers hitch. I use the old rope for a bow line. Been doing it ever since we had an empty Sotar pop all 4 straps and fly off the top of a van in Glenwood Canyon.


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## lncoop

I've been contemplating that very thing. You run it all the way over the boat, not just through the D rings? I've never liked the idea of using the D rings for tie downs. Just seems a little sketchy to me. I've been doing bow and stern straps through D rings but running straps over the boat front and back. Thing is though, I have to double those up to get enough length, so rope is sounding better and better.


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## Osseous

Use the frame! That spreads the load evenly. The weak point is where the strap goes around the trailer- that's where I see wear occur on the strap. 

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## LSB

lncoop said:


> I've been contemplating that very thing. You run it all the way over the boat, not just through the D rings?


Yeah
I have an eye bolt on either side of the trailer. Run the rope through the handles or under the chicken line, over the whole rig, through the other eye bolt then back up to a trucker hitch and crank the hell out of it. So far So good.


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## lncoop

Good info guys. Thanks. Osseous, I have recently started using the frame instead of the D rings. Glad to know I'm not the only one. Kinda new to this (not towing trailers, just trailering a raft). Sure beats the heck out of blowing it up at the put in!


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## Osseous

DRings are not meant to be sole points of contact. They're just attached with adhesive. When you spread the load among many Drings, you get the necessary strength. By using the frame- you are pushing it down against the entire raft- and effectively eliminating the relatively weak Drings from the equation. 

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## SKeen

Straps over the top sound better than the d-ring for sure. Has anyone had issues with the straps wearing the rubber on the raft? I get the issue with keeping the metal buckles off the rubber, but what about the webbing? I like the ease of using cam straps but it seems like rope may be less abrasive.


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## Wadeinthewater

SKeen;434334Has anyone had issues with the straps wearing the rubber on the raft? I get the issue with keeping the metal buckles off the rubber said:


> Lots of years of straps over the raft - no problems.


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## elkhaven

Assuming you are strapping a raft with a frame to the trailer, I have no idea why you wouldn't attach straps to the frame and trailer. Multiple straps (I use 4) each work independently of one another so if one fails you don't loose more points of contact as you would with any system going over the boat. 

I've never had any problems with wear on the boat. I have had several straps break of the years (probably from over tightening when the boat was low on air and cold). Years ago I used ratchet straps over the boat and one one trip had one break and the other get loose and fall off - the only thing holding the boat on was the winch strap. Since that time I strap 4 straps at the corners, under the frame over the oars and back to the trailer. Holds everything snugly in-place. The oars have their own pair holding them to the boat, but wrapping over them with the tie down straps help spread the load even more and it's another level of security for the oars. 

Too me the 4 straps is the easiest, no going back and forth, throwing ropes or straps over, just a simple single strap attachment; takes maybe 30 seconds per strap and there is plenty of redundancy. other than a few friends that still use ratchet straps (whom I think are crazy anyways), I honestly figured everyone did it this way (again assuming you have a frame on the boat), I see no advantage to any other method outlined so far.


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## curtis catman

SKeen said:


> Straps over the top sound better than the d-ring for sure. Has anyone had issues with the straps wearing the rubber on the raft? I get the issue with keeping the metal buckles off the rubber, but what about the webbing? I like the ease of using cam straps but it seems like rope may be less abrasive.


Catarafts are strapped together all the time and the only problem is if they are loose and that lets them saw on the fabric. Strap em or rope em tight. Loose straps or ropes hurt boats not tight ones. I also put one strap on each corner like Elkhaven said. And they are on the frame. 

Loose straps let boat vibrate in the wind. Vibration equals abrasion.


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## PhilipJFry

I have always done exactly as Elkhaven describes above. and I've NEVER had a problem with it.


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## Riverman4utoday

Hold my Beer said:


> 1) You will never need a spare tire until you leave home without one.
> 2) It's easy to get carried away with strapping down. One on the nose going forward and a good one aft over the top side-to-side is good 99% of the time.
> 3)ANYTHING touching aluminum (or other metal) will rub itself into a messy worn out crap fest. ie Don't let your oars ride on your frame or the road vibration will make you sad.
> 4)Unplug your lights before backing into the water.
> 5)If you're having problems with your trailer lights the problem is with your ground.
> 6)If your lights don't work see #5.
> 7)Having a spare tire isn't much good if you don't have the right lug wrench.
> 8)If it can blow out of your raft it will. (And you won't see it when it does)
> 9)The raft is a great carry all for equipment until you have to carry your now heavy monster down to the river. PPPPPPP
> proper prior preparation prevents piss poor performance
> 10)99% of all blown out raft floors and other damage from over inflation come from a raft taken out of a cool river and put on a trailer (usually black) and left in the sun to double its psi while the owner is tooling down the road. If you don't clean and maintain your floor relief valve they probably aren't working.
> 11)Note #10 should be #1.
> 
> Cheers


Sage advice....great reading!!! Thank you!!!!!


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## jpbay

PhilipJFry said:


> I have always done exactly as Elkhaven describes above. and I've NEVER had a problem with it.


Here too. Frame to frame only even with 2 rafts. we also cam strap the front of the rafts too.


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## pinemnky13

It's not the water that will fuck up the bearings, it's the sand and grit that gets in there. Use marine grease when repacking your bearings.


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## Schutzie

As usual, Schutzie is late to the party and all the good stuff has already been taken.
However;
You have a repair kit for your boats, and a tool box for your cars; you need one for your trailer. From painful and expensive experience, a repair kit for your trailer is as important as beer. Include stuff like spare bulbs, electrical repair clips, duct tape (duh) bearing grease and spare bearings. The bulbs are especially important if you have Colorado tags and are traveling to Utah or Wyoming; a burned out $1 bulb should not be the basis for an expensive and time consuming search of your entire world. Spare lug nuts, whatever you can think of. An old no longer waterproof ammo can works nicely, can be welded to the trailer, and locked if you modify it slightly.
Second; bearing buddies. 
Third, clean and repack bearings at least annually.
Fourth, check those lugs, the hitch and the connection regularly, like every time you stop for gas. Or when you cross the Colorado border.
Fifth, practice backing and parking the trailer before you head out. Better to embarrass yourself in the local school parking lot than at the ramp when you're trying to impress everyone with your equipment and skills. 
Sixth, yes, disconnect your trailer lights before you back into the water. You won't electrocute yourself if you forget, but hot glass bulbs do not mix with cold river water well.
Seventh, do not overload your trailer.


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## James River Stables

Hold my Beer said:


> *Trailer*
> 
> 1) You will never need a spare tire until you leave home without one.
> 2) It's easy to get carried away with strapping down. One on the nose going forward and a good one aft over the top side-to-side is good 99% of the time.
> 3)ANYTHING touching aluminum (or other metal) will rub itself into a messy worn out crap fest. ie Don't let your oars ride on your frame or the road vibration will make you sad.
> 4)Unplug your lights before backing into the water.
> 5)If you're having problems with your trailer lights the problem is with your ground.
> 6)If your lights don't work see #5.
> 7)Having a spare tire isn't much good if you don't have the right lug wrench.
> 8)If it can blow out of your raft it will. (And you won't see it when it does)
> 9)The raft is a great carry all for equipment until you have to carry your now heavy monster down to the river. PPPPPPP
> proper prior preparation prevents piss poor performance
> 10)99% of all blown out raft floors and other damage from over inflation come from a raft taken out of a cool river and put on a trailer (usually black) and left in the sun to double its psi while the owner is tooling down the road. If you don't clean and maintain your floor relief valve they probably aren't working.
> 11)Note #10 should be #1.
> 
> Cheers


I’ll assume by “ANYTHING” you also mean a raft frame????


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## Bigwaterforeveryone

@James River Stables- This thread is from 2016


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## yardsells

An oar left in the spare oar stirrups can bounce loose and drag on the road. Secure your oars.


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## Will Amette

yardsells said:


> An oar left in the spare oar stirrups can bounce loose and drag on the road. Secure your oars.


Finally had that happen. It was user error. I strap two oars on each side of the frame for travel. They do OK. I put the strap inside the rubber stopper so the oar can't slide out. Except this time I guess I didn't. Was bouncing down the road to Mecca Flat and my passenger said I should stop and check my oar. He must have seen it just as it bounced out because I was fortunate to have no damage. 

Totally my own fault.

Yes; secure the oars. And everything.


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## Gchapman

Will Amette said:


> Finally had that happen. It was user error. I strap two oars on each side of the frame for travel. They do OK. I put the strap inside the rubber stopper so the oar can't slide out. Except this time I guess I didn't. Was bouncing down the road to Mecca Flat and my passenger said I should stop and check my oar. He must have seen it just as it bounced out because I was fortunate to have no damage.
> 
> Totally my own fault.
> 
> Yes; secure the oars. And everything.


How was your trip? The Deschutes ain’t the Rogue, but it’s got its own beauty. I’ve got one planned first weekend in October, don’t know yet if I’ll do the Rogue or Deschites.


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## Will Amette

Gchapman said:


> How was your trip? The Deschutes ain’t the Rogue, but it’s got its own beauty. I’ve got one planned first weekend in October, don’t know yet if I’ll do the Rogue or Deschites.


Oddly enough, I had never been on that section of Deschutes. Only one person in our group had, and that was eighteen thousand years ago. I exaggerate. It was only a couple centuries ago. 

The vistas were nice. Water quality was good. I had to struggle to not see the railroad grade the whole way down. It was pretty crowded, but almost every other group and person were friendly. Unlike on the Rogue, people were happy to share their plans on where they wanted to camp. 

The only challenges we had with camps was a misunderstanding among another group. I was slowly catching up to a couple boats and asked if the location to pull out and scout Whitehorse was easy to see. They said they weren't scouting, but yes easy to find. It was. Then one of the oarsman called my name. I knew him from some day trips on the North Umpqua. They were planning to camp a ways down at Davidson; we were aiming for a camp below Whitehorse. We were surprised when they were there. Apparently, their daughters went down first and grabbed the wrong camp. Sad thing was they spread out and took both of the camps there. They invited us to join them, but they had taken every shady spot and left a tiny hot dusty sunny spot. We moved on and found a good camp farther downstream... but our neighbors decided it would be an awesome idea to play amplified music until 03:00. We made sure not to be too quiet when we woke up around 06:00 or 06:30.

Weather was hot. It was near or over 100 three of four days; cooler the other day. After a drive over, four days on the water, and a drive home, I still had ice in my cooler the next morning when I unpacked. People who made meals did a great job on portioning. Everyone had enough to eat, and we really didn't have leftovers except some naan one night that got eaten later in the trip.

Take-out was crowded, but nobody was upset. All the private groups waited patiently and got to know each other. A fellow from Camp Sherman rowed up and was waiting in the eddy; we made space for him to tie off so he could get unloaded. Everyone helped each other if they needed help getting boats up on trailers. Smiles all around.

And no smoke!

If I had to move a Rogue trip again, I might go over to the Lower Salmon instead of the Deschutes, but it's a much longer drive. I actually suggested we just do a four-day on the Willamette, but my group wanted to go farther and see some rapids. 

I am hoping to get down to the Rogue when it's safe to do so and either permits are available or it is no longer control season.


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