# Running my spider with oar frame on the lochsa



## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Just looking for input on set up. Any one run a boat that size up there? Am I just going to swim? It would be a lot cheaper and easier than hauling my big boat up there. Giant diesel w/huge boat and trailer vs jeep w/soft top and rolled and packed boat. Can't find any weekday folks around here so rolling solo in the small boat makes sense to me. Id have a fair chance at self rescue. I guess I'd just move my ass more forward in the boat and go for it but I don't want to bring a knife to a gun fight.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Not at this flow. Go for it. Do you have a relatively low seat?

June will get a lot bigger...it might be frustrating then, but with a couple lower flow days first you could be ready.

18' would be overkill at this flow, and feel comfy at 18k 

Are you going this weekend or not until Monday? I just saw on FB that one of my rafter friends headed down with a bunch if local kayakers.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

I found someone to head up and split fuel costs. I've been out working on my wind game and tweaking the big boat on the YS. Headed to the west boulder cabin this weekend in the jeeps, we're going to r2 the spider boat on west boulder. I'll be heAded to lochsa may 4 and on the river the 5th and 6th.


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## slamkal (Apr 8, 2009)

spider said:


> I found someone to head up and split fuel costs. I've been out working on my wind game and tweaking the big boat on the YS. Headed to the west boulder cabin this weekend in the jeeps, we're going to r2 the spider boat on west boulder. I'll be heAded to lochsa may 4 and on the river the 5th and 6th.


Hey is the Lochsa River Madness held over Memorial Day?


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Never been but I think LRM is on MDW.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

slamkal said:


> Hey is the Lochsa River Madness held over Memorial Day?


x2--haven't been, but I'm 99.9% certain it's Memorial weekend.

That's when Rapid Action Photo produces all of their videos.
LOCHSA.INFO
IdahoLocal - YouTube
Lochsa River Madness 2012 LOCHSA.INFO - YouTube
Lochsa River Madness 2011 LOCHSA.INFO - YouTube
Memorial Madness 2010 LOCHSA.INFO - YouTube
Lochsa River Madness 2009 LOCHSA.INFO - YouTube
Lochsa River Madness 2008 - YouTube


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## cupido76 (May 22, 2009)

Off topic, but I watched about 4 minutes of the second video and was surprised to see the Cat's get worked more than the rafts. I thought Cat's were supposed to punch waves better than rafts, but most Cat's flipped, and almost no rafts flipped.

????


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## Pinned (Apr 19, 2012)

Cats are trying to pull back and surf in the falls. The rafters are pushing through to survive. Its a fun place to flip a cat.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

I just bought a dry top for the lochsa and am taking the spider out for a run today on the mighty Yellowstone. I took off all the extra fishing frame parts and have the thwarts in for floatation. I moved the frame up as far as I could for more a weight forward approach. We'll see what she can do in bigger water. I think the dry top will help. I forgot how much easier the little boat is. Two guys can throw it on top the suburban with the frame on. I need to fix its little trailer eventually.


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## Pinned (Apr 19, 2012)

I would suggest that you wear a wetsuit or dry bottoms as well, that water is cold. A swim at these temps would be hard.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

10-4 pinned I'm on it.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

I ran it down bear trap at 1700 and it handled well. Looks like lochsa will be in the 8k range by this weekend. Hopefully she can hang in those flows.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Something is messed up with the bear trap gauge. Typically the dry-erase board at putin cannot be trusted. However there was way more than 1350 in the river as the online gauge indicated. We had 2 spillways wide open and a 3rd at least halfway open. Just an FYI.

Also lochsa at 8K is so much bigger than anything on bear trap at this past weekends flows. Have fun, and remember it's bigger than it looks from the road.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

I was wondering about that board. I read 1340cfs from usgs but I figured the power people would know better. Yeah beartrap was cake. With me being more centered in the boat it handled a lot better solo. Much more stable, as long as you hit everything straight on.


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## Fash (Jul 21, 2010)

glenn said:


> Something is messed up with the bear trap gauge. Typically the dry-erase board at putin cannot be trusted. However there was way more than 1350 in the river as the online gauge indicated. We had 2 spillways wide open and a 3rd at least halfway open. Just an FYI.


Hey Glenn, it's Michael. Do you remember what the dry-erase board said the flow was?


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

The dry erase said 1700 which is about what it felt like. In the past I've found the online gauge to be accurate and I'm quite puzzled why it's under reporting. The days I was out earlier this month is read 1500 on the online gauge and we easily had 200-300 more this weekend.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Lochsa was sick. I'm spoiled. We met lots of cool cats and ran the upper and lower on day 1 then did 4 more days of lower. Started at 4800cfs ended at 11000+. Swam 5 times, flipped three times. Did the lochsa falls in shorts. Won't do that twice. Pulled the floor out of my boat and made it into the "Spider Cat". Wish I had brought the big boat too, I'd probly still be there. Thanks Todd for showing us the ropes. I'm going for a nice Yellowstone float this Saturday just to relax and ponder over a beer and the wonderful river. SYOTR


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## Pinned (Apr 19, 2012)

Glad you had fun, it is a beautiful place.


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