Gear Garage Live Show | October 24, 2023
This week's podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage Live Show, where we answer submitted questions and talk all things whitewater.
Questions that Zach covered in the Q&A section of this episode
Topic: Floor Valve Placement
Thinking about putting a floor valve along the left side centered in the middle of my new Maravia. Thoughts or advice?
Topic: Accident on the Rogue
Hello. In light of the recent accident on the Rogue that was reported on AW, I'm hoping Zach will discuss ideas on how to mitigate entrapment risks in and out of a boat.
Sorry, I don't have a question and I know there are Gear Garage vids that address this, but I'm just thinking that all of us could probably use some reminders on how to keep safe out there. Thank you, Chris
Topic: Trailer Frame
When adding a trailer frame to an oar rig how do you strap down the trailer frame (mostly inquiring about where the trailer frame abuts the oar frame? In pictures I’ve seen it looks like people use one strap which goes through main frame, trailer frame, and D ring.
Topic: Downstream Oar
Downstream Oar Don’t use your downstream oar, do not use your downstream oar. I have heard this many times but when asked how not to use it I got crickets. So I have been working on it. Below is what I have figured out, I was interested in other options. Feel free to skip my example and just explain your technique. In this example I am floating 90* to the current, in shallow water, with my bow facing river right, and I need to move my boat to the right to avoid some kind of obstacle.
With the water being shallow I don’t want to use my downstream oar. Using my upstream oar (right oar) I slightly pullback causing the stern of the boat to catch the current a little more than the bow. Putting me around 80* to the current. Now I am able to push with my upstream oar to ferry across the river. I have to pay attention that I don’t push so hard that I change the angle of the boat. If I mess up the angle it can always be adjusted using the upstream oar. This works pulling or pushing. Like most moves the earlier you can setup the better. On a side note what do you think the Owyhee will be flowing on May 21st ? Thanks
Topic: Certified
Hey Zach, I’ve been a follower of Gear Garage for a long time. I really enjoy your content, live shows, and all the other stuff. I have a comment or maybe a content idea for discussion. In one of your recent gear garage live question shows, you made a comment within one of the questions about certification. I really liked the idea what you said with regards to the idea of what it means to be “certified”. I believe the person asking the question deemed themselves to be swift-water certified, and your response was detailing that they actually just received a certificate for completing the course. I hope that rings a bell for you.
I’m certainly not an expert or certified in any modality of whitewater, but I definitely do agree with you on this statement. Over the past years I have taken several rowing and swiftwater rescue courses, but I have never actually been part of a real life rescue situation. Hopefully, partially due to the risk evaluation process I learned in these courses. Going back to what stuck out to me from the question in the show, was the person’s inherent or at least seemingly inherent willingness to take risk because they were indeed rescue trained. Certainly there are different degrees of this with regards to each individual and their own experience level.
Where it peaked my interest for discussion, was the part where they were asking the question, if it was ok because they were swiftwater certified. My thoughts were, “ok then, why are you asking the question, if you already know it’s dangerous.” Which leads to believe that there is a possible disconnect between this idea of what it is certified. How potentially just taking a class gives someone a false impression of qualification. Hope this is somewhat clear to you what I’m trying to say. Thanks for taking your time to read this. Ben
Topic: COLD Gates of Lodore
I'm running Gates of Lodore this weekend and the forecast is extremely cold. The average high temp is around 40, the average low is around 20. I have a drysuit, but I'm still worried I'll be miserable even with all my layers. What tips do you have for keeping warm on a cold multiday like this?
Topic: Palm Gear in the US
Hey Zach! I bought my first waist throwbag this past season - a RiverStation Rapid Pack - and sadly I was not super happy with the specs. I've been looking for something with a wider mouth for easier stuffing and a thicker diameter rope to make it a bit nicer to grab for lining boats and rescues. After searching for a while I found what I was looking for in Palm's 20m Pro throwline paired with their Quick Pro Belt.
However, I have had a hard time finding a domestic retailer or an overseas retailer that will ship to me in California. I am wondering how you got your gear from Palm, or any other insights you have on the topic! Thanks! Your channel has been a big part of fueling my passion for whitewater over the past few years! Keep doing what you're doing!
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