to be fair to the Yellowstone, those are some significant drops…
I don’t believe there is any boat good on flatwater and III. We started paddling in an OT Discovery 158, fair on flatwater but it was a handful on the Nantahala… had some exhilarating swims until upgrading to a Caption…
For old school boats on (at least) class III whitewater, you can’t beat the section from Bill Mason’s Waterwalker from 46:00 to about 49:30. The music is great, and the kid that paddles in at around 47:55 is amazing.
It’s got it all - old school boats, ribbed PFD’s, Mowhawk paddles, inner tubes for floatation and CCM hockey helmets. Takes you right back to the 80’s.
The kid who paddles in is probably Bill’s son, Paul. Inheriting skills be hereditary sometimes…
Look at the water splashing up in the boat.
Downstream, tilt wet. Upstream, tilt dry.
Good going. I glad you did this because it makes Bob’s point. It’s not impossible, but who would choose to have to stop and empty his hull so often. The hull design is not meant for those type waters.
I’m going to have the YS out again today on the Covered Bridge section of the Housataonic (class I/II). The gates will be up for the Covered Bridge Slalom, so today’s test is can you run slalom gates in a flatwater solo.
Good luck & enjoy. It looks like a nice set of rapids. Hitting those upstream gates might be the test.
Didn’t do so well - missed 6 of the 22 gates. interestingly they were all set up as downstream gates, but a couple were offset so that you had to eddy out and ferry across to catch the next gate. The Yellowstone Solo doesn’t spin or sideslip like my whitewater boat, but is was a lot more comfortable for the quickwater downstream.
Differential rocker makes the stern of the YS a bit sticky, although less so in my experience than some other solo canoes with differential rocker.
That and the lack of hull depth really limit the YS’ potential as a whitewater canoe, although it is a great river canoe for Class I and straightforward Class II, so long as not too much maneuvering is required and the waves are not too big.
Well, if it were me (and it wasn’t) I’d be pretty happy. Especially it sounds like you finished the course still inside your canoe.
Ancient history I love a canoe and right up to and including Class V Class III are morning fun, and yes, it is a canoe, you get to swim sometimes. It IS a special built canoe, 20’ ballast, water, food, gear, long weeks. Custom layup kevlar and S-glass (A tank) full cover with skirts. Sometimes airborne on a wave train, sometimes submarine mode , always fun.
Much like taking a knife to a gun fight.
