Drift Boat Almost Crashes in Rapid

His run was picture perfect. Not sure why this was titled the way it was. Naturally, do to the size of the river, the boat will come close to the rock. His angles were good and I saw at no point in time why there would be any panic.

Perfect run. It is normal to come within 6 inches of a rock!

Looks like the rower did a great job.

Terrible title. Perfect run. Thumbs down.

The rower did a really good job actually.

I tweaked my lower back in a kayak on this rapid years ago trying to miss a raft that was stuck on the rocks.

I have to give a thumbs down. While the dynamics of parts of this set of rapids may be complicated, the choice of where to take your drift boat wouldn't be. It'd be plainly obvious to anyone, whether a professional fishing guide such as myself, or a relative beginner. Stick to the slack water and take your time. Perfect run, was never in danger at any point.

Fine job running that rapid

perfect run

Textbook, perfect line for a drift boat. The far side rapid would be a bit more fun though and less technical.

In general, you always take the inside when you can. I'd have gone the same route except I would have put my bow toward the danger. A little skip and a bump is no big deal. Not even close to crashing.

That was done well.

Looks like a good shoot to me

I’m going long setting up in the slow water in the top of the “y” line up and go...

This guy has never been in a drift boat and knows nothing about reading current.

That is much of my life I will never get back whoever is speaking and analyzing this video should probably go back to eating crayons

anyone else end up here after searching about Naya ?

I’m gonna go further after watching the rower, I don’t know if the tower is really super experienced, not poking fun, but the whole line leading to where you said he hits a rock, in my opinion his rearend is pointing the wrong way. If I went the short way, I’d have my rear pointed towards river right bank and hover in that slow water tight to the bank, as tight as depth dictates, and just glide through. No point in going in to fast water in a difficult situation. I don’t think that spot looks bad at all, but that’s not really fair for me to say, having never rubbed noses with the water.

My dad has been rafting the Pacific Northwest for 45+ years, I have enjoyed several float trips with him. I'm now a jet boater, and these aerial views of rapids and rivers are quite interesting to me. In fact dad and I just ran my power boat from Pittsburg Landing to the Lower Salmon confluence a couple of weeks ago (lower Hells Canyon). Reading the water going upstream, downstream, is a skill that takes time. The drone / aerial view is great. I appreciate this video and don't know what everyone below is bitching about.

I would not say he did this wrong. But people saying perfect run dont understand the situation or rowing boats. The "perfect run" or "right choice" would be to take the far route. The far route requires no switching of the boat. Simply point the boat towards the the rock in the middle of the river and back pull to prevent the boat from getting sucked down the first route. Once your boat hits the confluence of waters between the two rivers it would be funneled nicely through the gap. When rowing, you always keep your feet (front of the boat) facing danger. The second route allows you to keep the same boat position and danger is always on the left because of the flow of the river. The first route requires a switch of the boat because initially the rock in the middle is the danger and once past the first turn then the rocks on the opposite side are the danger. You see him make this switch. It was generally effortless in this instance but it was by far not the best way and provided the most risk. I assume this is his first time and the white caps and inability to see what was on the other side of the rock stopped him from taking route two. Sometimes you take the first options when you see a clear path because option two could be worse and theres no going back when rowing a boat with no motor.