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[Speyfitter]

One of things about drifting rivers is sometimes it's hard to find people to go with. Quite honestly I'll drift/fish with just about anyone as long as they are reasonably equipped and/or experienced enough for the section at hand and I ended up drifting with 2 new people last year off of flybc and both experiences were fun and positive including I got to drift the Skagit for the first time which was one of the most beautiful drifts I have ever done (if you think the river is scenic just walk and wade, try drifting it!).  Also, sometimes the main guys I drift with are tough to hook up with depending on time of year. It's always nice to also have someone to go with to help with shuttle logistics. So if you drift rivers and are open to potentially drifting with others, please post here! Please fill out this form on this thread and we can create a sort of list that anyone can use to solicit or see if others are available to drift on a particular day. Also, if you're new at this, sometimes hooking up with a more experienced person can really accelerate your learning curve:

First Name
Email Address
Boat Type/Make/Model you own
City/Town you live in


I'll Start

First name - Scott
Email - Speyfitter@gmail.com
Boat - Outcast Pac 1100 11' Pontoon Boat
City - Coquitlam

My boat:
 


Me going through the Microwave Rapid on the Chilliwack River during a Pontoon Course int Sept 2013

[Speyfitter]

A buddy and I are tentatively planning to hit a class 1 flow in the valley tomorrow fly fishing for Cutthroats. Yes, we know it will be snowing, apparently (we both own Tacoma 4x4's). If anyone is interested in joining us send me an email - speyfitter@gmail.com - a great drift for beginners. We can accommodate picking you up if you can get to one of our houses. I also have an electric air pump that runs off of my Trucks inverter if you want to blow up your boat that way.

[Speyfitter]

Wow, I guess it really is tough to find someone to go with!

[armytruck]

Maybe there boats are to small  .

[Humpy]

Or too big. 

[GordJ]

Or maybe they wouldn't pass the pre-inspection.

[Tenz85]

I have an 8ft Creek Company Sport XR1, but I don't believe I'm properly geared up for drifting yet. I have been out on some local lakes and would think class I rapids wouldn't be an issue but anything higher may be risky with my 8ft pontoon and lack of experience.

Tenz

[Speyfitter]

If you are looking for someone to drift with you will obviously have the section in mind you want to do and will probably have drifted it before, so you can give those you are soliciting to come out via email an idea of what to expect if they were to come out and drift with you, and of course you can always say no?  Most guys who have done some drifting previously are probably capable up to most class 2 water. When you are ready to start going on rivers with more continuous rapids and some class 3-3+ then you might be limited and have a more difficult time finding persons to drift with - persons who are comfortable in that type of water, properly prepared, etc.  The Coquihalla at 2.5 meters that I did this past July 1st (found on my youtube page) was easily the most continuous class 2-3+ whitewater I've ever drifted. A lot of fun but you gotta be on your game on this river at that level! It was fairly continuous! 

Here is a short video of myself hitting a Class 3 rapid on the Chilliwack, just to give you an idea - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Befcwvtfao

Coquihalla Part #1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UgN6U8cc9M
Coquihalla Part #2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhMRAKApXME


Just a note on boat size - a Drifting buddy has a 9 foot Scadden Madison River. He is a fairly competant guy on the oars and he can take his boat wherever my 11 footer can go. A lot of it is skill.  I would say 8 foot is the bare minimum for drifting rivers - a competent guy can do a fair amount of class 3 stuff in an 8 footer. A 9 footer is a decent length. Over 9 feet and your stability increases and your rides aren't AS exciting/bouncy in most rapids. I floated on a 10 foot version of my boat, a Pac 1000, this past Summer and there was a slight but noticeable loss in stability compared to my 11 footer which I am quite used to.

[Tenz85]

Thanks for the info and great vids.

Although it looks like a good time, I'm not in a rush to start river drifting. Mostly will be steelheading from the banks this winter. I'll likely be more interested once the weather and more specifically water warm up. One of those drift boating courses would have been awesome unfortunely it wasn't good timing. Anyway, just adding to the thread in the event an opportunity arises.

[Howlongsyourleader]

I've got a packraft and am keen to do try some new waters.  Been down the Chilliwack twice

Gareth
garethjtwells@gmail.com
Kokopelli Renegade packraft
Langley

Thats not me below, same raft though

[Bently]

I've never done any kind of drifts before but I'm sure I could get away with the class 1 stuff.

8 ft Water Skeeter