01-27-2011, 07:04 PM
[quote WVDrifter] I've never tubed so I am going to start in small impoundments with either no boats or a hp limit. I'll get some experience under my belt and a feel for both my and the equipment's capabilities before I venture to even larger still water let alone rivers.
GOOD PLAN!
I'm in WV and I can only think of a couple of local rivers where a tube would be considered by even an experienced tuber. Most have steep gradients, strong flows, rapids, rocks and shallows.
I DID A CREEK/RIVER LIKE WHAT YOU DESCRIBE ABOVE, THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE 2 YEARS AGO IN CO., IN A TUBE WITH A FOOTBAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET FOR ACCESS POINTS AND SATELITE MAPS. THE TOUGHEST PART WAS THE STRONG FLOWS WITH BOULDERS STICKING OUT OF THE WATER, SOMETIMES BLOCKING MOST OF THE MAIN BODY. CHECKED IT OUT BY WALKING WITH TUBE STRAPPED TO MY BACK, PUSHING, FLOATING, CLIMBING, ETC. UPSTREAM AS DESCRIBED IN OTHER POST ABOVE. DISCOVERED SOME SIZEABLE, SECLUDED POOLS THAT YIELDED NICE TROUT THAT WAY! KEPT GOING UNTIL I GOT TO PUBLIC ACCESS UPSTREAM WHERE MY WIFE PICKED ME UP. NEXT DAY DID THE WHOLE THING AGAIN COMFORTABLY, FLOATING AND PORTAGING DOWNSTREAM, SINCE I KNEW WHERE THE HAZARDS, HIGH BANKS, ROCKS, RAPIDS, PRIVATE PROPERTY, ETC. WAS. IT WAS GLORIOUS!
Most of the ones that don't are large waters with considerable commercial traffic not to mention pleasure boats piloted by people I wouldn't trust. It'd be like riding a bicycle on the interstate.
YES, I STAY AWAY FROM LARGE WATERS, EXCEPT WHEN I KNOW TRAFFIC WILL BE VERY LOW OR NON-EXISTANT....
[/quote]
Hope my comments above help.
Pon
[signature]
GOOD PLAN!
I'm in WV and I can only think of a couple of local rivers where a tube would be considered by even an experienced tuber. Most have steep gradients, strong flows, rapids, rocks and shallows.
I DID A CREEK/RIVER LIKE WHAT YOU DESCRIBE ABOVE, THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE 2 YEARS AGO IN CO., IN A TUBE WITH A FOOTBAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET FOR ACCESS POINTS AND SATELITE MAPS. THE TOUGHEST PART WAS THE STRONG FLOWS WITH BOULDERS STICKING OUT OF THE WATER, SOMETIMES BLOCKING MOST OF THE MAIN BODY. CHECKED IT OUT BY WALKING WITH TUBE STRAPPED TO MY BACK, PUSHING, FLOATING, CLIMBING, ETC. UPSTREAM AS DESCRIBED IN OTHER POST ABOVE. DISCOVERED SOME SIZEABLE, SECLUDED POOLS THAT YIELDED NICE TROUT THAT WAY! KEPT GOING UNTIL I GOT TO PUBLIC ACCESS UPSTREAM WHERE MY WIFE PICKED ME UP. NEXT DAY DID THE WHOLE THING AGAIN COMFORTABLY, FLOATING AND PORTAGING DOWNSTREAM, SINCE I KNEW WHERE THE HAZARDS, HIGH BANKS, ROCKS, RAPIDS, PRIVATE PROPERTY, ETC. WAS. IT WAS GLORIOUS!
Most of the ones that don't are large waters with considerable commercial traffic not to mention pleasure boats piloted by people I wouldn't trust. It'd be like riding a bicycle on the interstate.
YES, I STAY AWAY FROM LARGE WATERS, EXCEPT WHEN I KNOW TRAFFIC WILL BE VERY LOW OR NON-EXISTANT....
[/quote]
Hope my comments above help.
Pon
[signature]