A couple of my close fishing buds have been interested in trying to row my driftboat while plugging lately. Of course, both me and my shoulders encourage this enthusiasm on their part. I am finding, however, that this rowing business that seems so natural to me is quite difficult for the both of them. I have been rowing for 20 years but don't remember it being that difficult to learn. They have had about 3 trips each now and neither of them can hold the boat in one place in a gentle current. Is it that difficult? It's driving me crazy, you know, up early, water's perfect, and we are going everywhere, no exageration.........left right, into the brush, over rocks, yikes!!! Any thoughts, suggestions? Happy angling, and even happier rowing.

jed

"Pull both".."Now your left".. "Your left!!".." NO.. your other left!!" I'm with ya on that one... I have found that it can help if you sit behind the rower for a while. It seems like they absorb directions better from the back of their head than from the back of your head..

Looks likewe might have the same partners. Last year we went backwards though a little set of rapids and almost smacked the rip rap and it wasn't intentional. Think it is a problem all driftboats face with there buddies. I've just come to face the fact that I'll be on the oars for a long time to come.

Tight lines

Kevin

Smacked the rip-rap Kev

That's the oldest trick in the book.Don't fall for it.The next time out all you will hear is "...gee I would really like to help you out on the sticks but you saw how bad I am.I'll just keep standing up here blocking the heater and eating all your snacks while I'm fishing.Thanks buddy.Hey Row over there.That looks like good water...."

" I have rowed rafts all my life let me take over the oars for you and you can fish" " OK" Smash right in to the rocks. Yes I have been there also. The rowing thing came quite natural to me also. I have my son (11yrs) behind the sticks now. The only thing holding him back now is the fact that he is not strong enough yet. Soon will come the day when I fish and he rows. I hope this is soon. The stand behind the rowed seems to work best that is how I taught my son.

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dank
Keep The Rivers Clean!

Kevin and Timberman,
Nice to meet you guys on the river yesterday and pick your brains for a minute! I broke in the ole chines a bit yesterday. I don't feel so bad about the put in now. But, the worst part was my wife lets me enjoy a nice dinner and after I'm done eating says "I have some bad news". Well the good news is she's not pregnant, the bad news was that she vacuumed up my fly rod, busting off the tip!

Yeah, I know what you mean.
Since I got my boat, I've done nearly all the rowing. And I'm still learning. My partner has offered to take the sticks on occasion, but he doesnt get the difference between left & right. So we go in circles a lot.
Either patience or dont care attitude seems to help.

Great question! I have taught several people to row with great frustration. It seems so natural after rowing for years and sometimes it’s hard to remember what the beginner needs to know.

Most people start out with their hands too far apart. With a wide stance the mechanics are all wrong. Start them off with their hands almost touching when they have the oars out of the water. This will force them to take short strokes and give a feeling of control. The next thing is to make sure they pay attention to the position of the oar blade. By changing the angle of blade (feathering) you can really fine-tune your drift.

The most difficult thing for the beginner to learn is how to anticipate the water and how the boat will react. This is where I experience the most frustration. I use the chess analogy that you need to be a couple moves ahead of the game to really place the boat in the position you want.

Once they have these instructions time is what’s needed. If you’re in a spot that you have a lot of confidence in you row. If you’re in a stretch of water that is not so productive let them go at it! Hope this helps.

Hmmm, this all sounds so familiar.

Riverman pick about 4-6 days where the fishing will be iffy at best and have your buddies pull plugs all day even in the not so fishy parts until their arms are cramping by the time they get to the takeout. 1) By the 2nd or 3rd day they should have that boat running pretty darn straight because they will have so many reps in that they will not be concetrating on rowing anymore but on where to put the boat. 2) They will also figure out water hydraulics pretty fast once they realise they dont have to work as hard if the work with it.
3) takes a lot of oar strokes to get your arms balance and untrain the instinct to pull hard all the time which cause new rowers to do circles because one arm is stronger than the other.
4) This is just a theory since my usual partner still sits in the front of the boat saying "Hey, That looks like good water" and I never think a day will be iffy so I will row just because I would hate to waste a lot of trips again like when I learned.

It's funny to read the experiences you guys have had with this; I can relate to EVERY ONE OF THEM!!! It's comforting to know that I am not the only one, misery loves company you know. Over the rocks and through the brush, to who knows where we'll go.......

jed

Depends on not just the rower, but the boat as well. I used to have a Willie Boat and it tracked straight as an arrow, I now have a Thor Built and it tracks even better. My first drift boat was a 14' Lavro and it slid around all over the place compared to the alumininum drift boats. You can get fiberglass boats to track pretty well but they require a little different technique to keep them straight. What kind of boat do you have, Jed?

I have a few buddies who are still learning to row and I usually let them pull plugs in slower water, then some medium, then a little bit of faster water. The oarsman needs to get the feel of not just how the boat reacts, but how to keep the oars straight and/or feathered if necessary, and the reflex of what oar to pull to go left and vice versa. I practiced rowing in a small lake before I hit the river and it really gave me a good sense of the push, pull, left, right thing. A good "feel" for how to hold the oars, how the oar enters the water, and grabbing them in a hurry needs to be met before you can concentrate on steering. Have a good one, Riverman, and keep those plugs running straight.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. You have to make sure you got somebody with some muscle and endurance behind the sticks if they are going to be pulling plugs and navigating throughout the day. If you have somebody that can't hang, then they will burn out soon and not only get discouraged, but they will not be able to pull off of that log jam or rip rap because they're energy reserves are shot!

Justin
CEO, Sauk River Steelhead Ranch


[This message has been edited by SAUKit2em (edited 01-15-2001).]

Justin;
I like that idea about rowing in the Lake for a little practice. I think I'll have my boat slave troll me around Mercer Island!

That is a really good idea. Your new rower could get a real feel for the boat.

GutZ

I have a 1992 16' Alumaweld Sauk. I am guessing that the boat is a real slug compared to some, how it tracks I have no idea. It's the only boat I have rowed so really not able to give a good comparison. I do know, however, that I have no problem holding the boat anywhere I want to...particularly when it's still on the trailer.

jed

Riverman, that boat should track just fine. Now all you have to do is train your rowers. As previously stated by earlier posts, it's easier said than done.

I'd also like to note that it is important to balance the weight of the rower, passengers, and gear to make it easier on the rower. Move the passenger seat back/forward to compensate for heavier/lighter guys and make sure that the passenger(s) in the front seat are not weighted down to one side or the other as the newbie may not realize that one oar is dipping more or less than the other. Coach your guys in the front by telling them not to be looking over the side and moving around or standing up while pluggin'. They will understand what you mean about keeping still when it's their turn on the oars.

Justin




[This message has been edited by SAUKit2em (edited 01-15-2001).]

Many beginning oarspersons try to pull a drift boat like a rowboat and it doesn't work. Water in a moving river is going all over the place and the oar tips are about 20 feet apart. Thus, pulling equally on both oars will cause the boat to slew all over the place because the oars are usually in water of different speed. Try to teach them to put the radiator cap in the slot and pull each oar so that the boat goes straight. Mostly, I just give up and row all day.

Here's the quick learning method. My bud Coho taught me in no time (not that I did'nt make him fill his shorts a time or two!). It does'nt teach you hydraulics, only experience will do that. You (owner of the boat) sit in front and use an exagerated rowing motion with the arm that you would use if you were rowing. Just tell the guy rowing to watch your arms as well as the water. I fish with a couple inexperienced guys that I'll let row through most stuff with this method. It's nice to get a break every now and then.

hey SRBC brah was talkin to Coho and we were wondering how you hit a rock when ya passed me RALPH. heheheh I didnt know that there was a rock even there?


Tight lines

Kevin

Monty-Nice to meet you to. sorry to hear about your fly rod hope it wasn't a Sage.TM

The "LAST" time I let my partner row my boat he put us right into a wishbone log hanging two feet above the water on the outside bend in swift water.Dang near killed us!!! I do ALL the rowing now.lester