Rower's seat oarlock pins and foot brace concepts

I noticed this photo on an NRS flier I got this morning. It's a picture of their "inflatable" drift boat.
I haven't looked at one of those up close. But it seems like a raft with tight narrow floors and walls--stretched
over an aluminum frame. So far so good.



What struck me is how similar the aluminum frame is to a raft frame. But seeing it an drift boat like context made me think about having the rower's seat and oarlock pins AND FOOTREST all fixed. As a unit. The rower can put his feet down when he's taking it easy, but when the rowing gets tough there is a foot rest up high, so you can start to row with your legs as much or more than your arms.

You could do that in an open boat. Nobody does but you could. You could also do it for a decked boat. The ideal design (somehow, someway) would be having the rower's seat oarlock pins AND footbrace all work as a fixed unit, that could slide forward or back as needed to trim different weight loads, with the relative positioning of all three somewhat adjustable within the unit, so a long legged rower could increase the distance between foot brace and seat. And then move the whole unit forward or back as needed.

All of the above, with the rower's seat that slides forward and back on a track--like the rower's seat in a racing shell--would be the ultimate setup. Perhaps a guy could put ball bearing wheels, from a pair of roller blades, underneath a seat somehow.

I need to get my ass in gear.

But, you miss the most important issue of all.

That is the most beautiful boat I have ever seen.

Made in China? Available also special order from both Walmart and Cabelas?

I'm going to order 2 of them.

Well maybe just 1. Since once again I got no hit in the Deso lottery, I won't be sinking one in Joe Hutch. I wonder if the oar lock extension arms which hang out over the sides use sheer bolts for when you run up against the wall at Granite in the Grand Canyon?

But don't worry tomorrow I will be getting that email saying I'v got a Yampa permit. Might need 2 of them after all.

Yes it is yugly. I like the concept of rower's seat and oarlock pins and footbrace moving back and forth as a unit. But an inflatable drift boat will never cross my driveway.

I missed on Deso too. Haven't heard about the Yampa or the Hell's Half Mile stretch of the Green yet. I applied for those too. At high water time.

Two facts about this boat that have slipped by this conversation so far....

1) you can fly this in on a plane

2) it is self bailing

woop woop!

This will go as baggage on a standard flight?

That is interesting. My buddy Patrick and I took inflatable kayaks to the Bahamas last winter. Spent six days camping out on the West side of Andros. A drift boat would be....interesting.

The flats are amazing. On that trip we caught lots of bonefish. But we caught Mangrove, Cubera and Mutton snapper too. Barracuda and Spanish Mackerel. Ate mackerel sushi. With soy sauce and wasabi. And caught various Jacks. Hooked and lost one Jack (don't really know which kind) I thought was 30 pounds. That was like snagging the bumper on a diesel pickup truck. Spooled me and then popped off. Patrick hooked and caught and (with long pliers) released a nurse shark. Snagged a 3 foot turtle accidentally. Took almost an hour to get it in, and then to pop the hook off his foot. We tried to catch tarpon but never actually hooked one. Schoolmaster snapper too. Even a few Red Snapper, but that was bottom fishing in deep water. After the camping trip.

I gotta go back.

That boat would not fly as standard baggage. I was referring to back country flying to get into the Selway or Middle Fork of the Salmon.

Oh OK. I am as dumb as I look

So, Sandy, it's been a few days. Will you be taking one of these boats down the Yampa or Deso?

Once again no permits for me. I have a 20 year 100 percent zero success rate on river lotteries.

I made three Memorial Day applications: Deso LaDore and Yampa. Came up shit out of luck. I'll do this every year now......now that I know how. I suppose it might make sense to shift those dates a week. Memorial Day is usually at peak high water. And the hardest permit to get. Maybe ten days later wouldn't be so hard.

If somebody we know does get a permit--and if I do get invited--I'll bring my little one man Dayak. It has hatches now, for dry enough storage below. And oars the right length now. I could ferry left or right around that big rock at Warm Springs no sweat. Two years ago when I brought it to your Green River drift below the dam that was more or less its maiden voyage. I'm 100 times more confident with it now. I've hit chest shot waves with that little boat that nearly knocked me off the seat.

At Memorial Day a year and three months from now I'll have my new 17' foot Plascore whale. 63" inches wide below the oar locks. Rounded transom. Wide flare. Relatively flat bottom in the middle with sharp rocker squeezed all the way out to near the ends. Beer on tap. Hi Def TV Stereo and coin operated hot dog dispenser. I might try to rig a suspension hammock on top of the boat. So I don't have to pitch a damned tent.

How do June permits work on Deso? Is it now too late for June this year? I'll have to look.

I can and will do the beer on tap for you.
-Mike

So far everyone I had been in contact with has struck out. No permits at all. The Deso lottery is also over.

So all we have now it to check for cancelations but that means being ready to go on short notice which doesn't work for most people.