grand canyon private motor trip

2019 Private Motor trip in the Grand Canyon – A video presentation of a happy tale of boat resurrection, new friends, and just a great time!

The video of how we resurrected a broken RHIB and had took it down the Grand Canyon on its maiden voyage!

Special thanks to Karen Downey who allowed me to be on this trip with her entire family!

Back in the spring of 2017 Greg Williams presented me with a problem. He had a RHIB that needed new tubes. So, the first video in this series is about how we took the tubes off of a RHIB that were toasted by the sun. We modeled now tubes to fit on the fiberglass hull using techniques we have learned over the years. We made some mistakes in the design process because we attempted to copy the patterns by dismantling the Hypalon tubes. That did not work. But we kept at it.

We finally had the tubes on air and on the hull by the spring of 2018.

Naturally when Greg asked me if I wanted to go on this private Grand Canyon Motor trip, I asked him if we were going to take the little blue boat we had worked on. He said it still needed some D rings, and so I said I would come over to Moab and put them on. OK that was what it took. I put some D rings and some grommet strips inside on the hull for gas cans. Then I looked at the little boat, and wondered what I had gotten myself into. I have been told that anything worth doing has a certain component of fear. OK little boat, never having been on a sport boat before, and someone who I had boated with but only 45 years ago. I guess I can run with that! I have run motor rigs in the grand, and perhaps this and patching experience qualifies me. However, this was different. It was fun beyond my wildest dreams! After getting a landing pad built up front out of a dry bag with a pillow and a sleeping bag, the beating I was taking was not nearly so bad.

Perhaps this was the place where all of my career experience would come together. White water rafter, Boat Designer, and mostly lover of the Grand Canyon. How could I refuse.

Here is what I have been working on. it is a video story about our motor trip on the Grand. I think you will like it. because I am in a place where the internet is not great, downloading the videos hasbeen slightly problematic. All audio clips weretaken from You tube un copyrighted material. You are free to share them.

It would be good to look at these in order.

Video 1

The intro and how we fixed up Greg's little Rhib.

This video has us racing down Marble canyon on a beautiful morning, and it explains the reasons for this video adventure. It also talks about how we took a beat up old RHIB, and retrofitted it with new tubes.

Video 2

Introducing all the boats and a trip through House rock rapid.

A boat introduction includes the different boats in this trip including one of Cieba’s motorized snouts with a very nice bimini top.

Video 3

Horn Creek and Granite falls

A spectacular run-down Horn, and a little surprise for Jack. Then a great run-down Granite falls.

Video 4

Hermit. No Music, there is a lot of action, including runs by every boat except the Cieba snout rig that was already at the bottom. There are 2 gusto runs with the Pack rafts that we carried. Our little blue sport boat is there to capture a lot of the action from below. Even though my camera is just a go pro, it is definitely worth watching. Obviously, I am quite excited about what happens.

video 5

Crystal and Tuna Creek- I wanted to inject some personal experience here since I have flipped boats in both of these rapids.

Video 6

Lava Falls and Lava in Slow Motion.

A perfect run through the mystery slot. I have to say we thought we had about a 50% chance of making it, but Greg is really a fantastic boatman.

I will probably string all these videos together at some point when I have better internet connection. Thanks for watching.

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