I am a newbie. I have spent some money/time getting professional instruction, but my TIB (Time In Boat) and skill levels are minimal. I am about to purchase my first boat. In all probablility it will be a used Diesel 65. Initially, I will take it to a local lake to develop my roll not far from the boat launch area, and I will put it on a local creek to get used to handling it in moving water.
Since the creek will probably be the majority of use for most of this season, I need to know if this is advisable. Will I be wasting my time and/or potentially causing irreparable harm to the boat? This is a “decent” creek with some rocks and boiling water, but also with some deeper areas that house the trout that the local fishermen prize so much.
I paddle the Diesel 75
in the kind of creeks you’re talking about and the boat loves it. I consider the Diesel 65 or 75 to be the ideal first boat for anyone. Easy to start out in and you’ll never outgrow it until you get to where you want to start with the playboating stuff. I wish the Diesel had been available when I started out, things would have been a lot easier for me.
Different Definitions of "Creek…"
here in the northeast and some other areas as well, when you say “creeking” if means going down narrow, steep, run-off descents with drops and waterfalls. Purely, class V skills and up. I don’t think the diesel is optimally designed for this type of “creek.”
Then I hear others describe any flowing stream, even mild ones, as a “creek.” Sounds like you talking about the latter and nothing more than class I/II. The diesel is perfectly fine for that and go up to class V river run, depending on the individual paddler’s skills.
I think fishing from a white water boat would suck though. No real place to store fishing gear and fish.
sing
Not a fishing boat
Not talking about fishing; just the depth of the water.
Diesel, water, fishing
I had a Diesel 75 and thought it was great in moving water. For paddling. For fishing, not so great. Fishing is my primary reason for paddling, so I sold my Diesel to buy a less serious but more suitable boat to my needs. Not too good for fishing because the boat likes to be paddled, not drifted. And if you get one on and have your hands occupied, things get real interesting if the fish pulls you out of your eddy. You'll just have to take my word for it because for once when I did stupid things, no one had a camera handy in the instance that's coming to mind. Suffice to say I got to test how well I can control the boat with my rear end while going backwards through a chute and heading straight for a big ledge. Pretty well it turns out.
Diesels are not big fans of still water. Just slow. Easy enough to control. But in moving water, they really shine. You'll have a good time in the creek.
If you can, take someone with you until you're comfortable controlling the boat. The buddy system works.
- Big D