Has anyone seen one of these crazy self-righting river rafts? (creature craft)

Josh

Josh

Dead in the water
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These creature craft things are crazy. Self-righting, "roll cage" over your head, they seem to go down anything. I can't tell if it would be fun or terrifying. There's some heavy water in these videos.

They appear to also have a surf rescue version with an outboard on it?

www.creaturecraft.com

Rescue Boats | Inflatable Boats | CREATURE CRAFT

We engineered the safest rescue boat in the world. Our inflatable rescue boat is without limits when it comes to water rescue and recreation. Learn more and schedule a demo!
www.creaturecraft.com www.creaturecraft.com



To keep it local, here's a video from Tumwater canyon. I don't know much about whitewater, but I know Tumwater is class V and fairly famous.

 
Yep seen these first going down Sunset Falls on the SF Skykomish(video) and those Wenatchee videos, scary for sure as one can still fall out!
 
Paige said:
Yep seen these first going down Sunset Falls on the SF Skykomish(video) and those Wenatchee videos, scary for sure as one can still fall out!
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Here's one of the Sunset Falls videos. They have a couple.

 
Josh said:
but I know Tumwater is class V and fairly famous.
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I think Class V is by definition lethal. If you survive a run, it is downgraded to Class IV. At least that was my understanding of the whitewater rating system.
 
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_WW_ said:
Looks like he is belted in at the beginning of the Tumwater vid.
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Yeah. That’s part of the design. But it’s got a quick release if you need to swim. Sort of like the skirt setup whitewater kayakers use.
 
Josh said:
These creature craft things are crazy. Self-righting, "roll cage" over your head, they seem to go down anything. I can't tell if it would be fun or terrifying. There's some heavy water in these videos.

They appear to also have a surf rescue version with an outboard on it?

www.creaturecraft.com

Rescue Boats | Inflatable Boats | CREATURE CRAFT

We engineered the safest rescue boat in the world. Our inflatable rescue boat is without limits when it comes to water rescue and recreation. Learn more and schedule a demo!
www.creaturecraft.com www.creaturecraft.com



To keep it local, here's a video from Tumwater canyon. I don't know much about whitewater, but I know Tumwater is class V and fairly famous.

Click to expand...

Wow, well the "wash cycle" is done... Now, he just needs a rinse cycle and some time in the dryer. Though his shorts might need to go through the wash again... ;)
Steve
 
Josh said:
These creature craft things are crazy. Self-righting, "roll cage" over your head, they seem to go down anything. I can't tell if it would be fun or terrifying. There's some heavy water in these videos.

They appear to also have a surf rescue version with an outboard on it?

www.creaturecraft.com

Rescue Boats | Inflatable Boats | CREATURE CRAFT

We engineered the safest rescue boat in the world. Our inflatable rescue boat is without limits when it comes to water rescue and recreation. Learn more and schedule a demo!
www.creaturecraft.com www.creaturecraft.com



To keep it local, here's a video from Tumwater canyon. I don't know much about whitewater, but I know Tumwater is class V and fairly famous.

Click to expand...

www.wenatcheeworld.com

Tumwater is dangerous and sometimes fatal

LEAVENWORTH — It’s named for the sound of a beating heart, and Tumwater Canyon certainly sets the hearts of extreme river runners racing as they plunge and roll through its
www.wenatcheeworld.com www.wenatcheeworld.com
 
Cabezon said:
Though his shorts might need to go through the wash again... ;)
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I had to change shorts after just watching the vids . . .
 
I would go for a ride. Looks like a thrill.
 
krusty said:
Darwin Dumbass Awards is always looking for new candidates.
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I mean, jokes aside, these things seem to actually have a really good design.

Now, is it a good enough design to get me to ride one down a waterfall? Doubtful.
 
Josh said:
I mean, jokes aside, these things seem to actually have a really good design.

Now, is it a good enough design to get me to ride one down a waterfall? Doubtful.
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It is indeed a very interesting and innovative design, but (from reading their website) still requires training and experience to make full use of its impressive attributes.

If some thrill seeking slack-jawed yahoo thinks this watercraft is an inflatable 'Titanic' that will eliminate intrinsic risk in an extreme whitewater environmment and does something lethal I'm good with that...the world is not running short of people who perhaps shouldn't further contribute to the shallow end of the human gene 'pool'. More power to them!

There's always someone available to comfort grieving spouses.

Natural selection often works in less than mysterious ways.
 
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Salmo_g said:
I think Class V is by definition lethal. If you survive a run, it is downgraded to Class IV. At least that was my understanding of the whitewater rating system.
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Mossback said:

Whitewater Rapid Classification System - Wet Planet Whitewater

A detailed look at the white water rapids class system, the standardized rapids class ratings for river rafting and kayaking.
wetplanetwhitewater.com wetplanetwhitewater.com

You're thinking of Class VI, a not commercially viable set of rapids that may or may not be passable.
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Neither of the above statements are accurate. I will attempt to clarify. Class V is regularly run by expert boaters most often in kayaks. Often raft companies claim the V rating falsely to inflate customer expectations and feelings of accomplishment I know of no companies operating in the state that are actually actively running class V water. For instance nobody is guiding Tumwater to my knowledge when it's flowing well enough to be considered a class V venture or the Cascade. I believe there used to be an outfit guiding the Cascade. That was and is truly class V rafting.

Class VI are rapids rarely run and I would say likely near never in rafts with a few fringe exceptions. Rapids are never downgraded once ran regardless of designation. Just cause a class VI drop is run doesn't mean it's now V or V+. The river isn't changed therefore the rating stands. Sunset is an example of this. It's been creature crafted. It's been kayaked by I believe three individuals and "canoed" in a log by Al Faucet as the pioneering decent. It's still class VI.

As for the creature craft? They are not really well respected in the cadre of whitewater paddlers. Granted kayakers can be purists and often view alternative craft as slow moving impediments in the river piloted by fatter less capable athletes needing a crutch but the sentiment stands. They are kinda the quad of the river. Sure they can take on amazing feats and make them safer but the dirt bikes of the river will never respect them. They lack the utility that breeds respect in every thirsty kayaker needing a cooler of cold ones transported to camp and frankly just too gadgety to have the cool factor a raft and experienced pilot demand in exchange for gear transport.

Personally, I see them as a gadget that is perfect for low head dam rescue or other rescue operations where a pilot isn't caring about a crutch or cool. They have their place but I would lower myself to actually ride in one or even be seen in the same vicinity as one. They are just too goofy looking to mix with kayakers. Like plunking, they can get a job done but there's no asthetic or mastery in it. You just chuck it out there with all that gear and hope.
 
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