Oar Length & Snowpack Update | Gear Garage Live Show

Episode Summary

Zach kicks off the episode by highlighting Clackfest, the Northwest's premier annual whitewater gathering. He notes that the festival has expanded its schedule with vendor booths, gear demos, and live music kicking off early, followed by a full schedule of multi-category river races on Saturday.

The core technical discussion addresses a viewer planning a trip down Hell's Canyon who is expanding their setup with a 16-foot AIRE raft. The viewer asks about stretching an NRS Bighorn frame out to a 69-inch width, creating a 78-inch gap between the oar locks. Zach uses his standard sizing formula to calculate that this configuration requires a 10.5-foot oar. He strongly advises against mounting oar towers to the inner frame rails as a shortcut to use shorter oars, recommending instead that the viewer use temporary oar extensions on their existing 9.5-foot oars until they can purchase dedicated 10.5-foot oars.

The episode wraps up with a discussion on the ultimate boats for tackling big, technical class V whitewater like the North Fork Payette. Zach names the 12.5-foot Sotar Legend as his absolute top choice due to its perfected design, placing the AIRE Wave Destroyer as a close second, while warning that models with excessive rocker tend to feel too twitchy in heavy water.

Topics and links that Zach talked about in this episode

• Events: Clackfest Whitewater Festival.
• Frame Gear: Configuring an NRS Bighorn frame for wide beam rafts.
• Oar Customization: Sizing formulas and using Sawyer MXG extensions.
• Cataraft Equipment: Heavy whitewater tubes from Sotar and AIRE.

Key Questions and Discussion Points

• Topic: Event Schedule. How has the layout and timeline for Clackfest changed this year?
• Topic: Frame Geometry. Is it safe or effective to mount oar towers on an inner rail to use shorter shafts?
• Topic: Oar Modifications. What are the primary drawbacks of using mechanical oar extensions in high-consequence rapids?
• Topic: Technical Boats. Why does Zach prefer the Sotar Legend over highly-rockered alternatives for big drops?

Connect with Zach

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Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.