CR100 Update
"We Only Sank Once"
by Skip Johnson

After having made a first practice run (in the CR100 boat) with my estimable paddling partner, Chuck Lienweber, I’ve got a pretty good idea why I only found one article on covering a boat with shrink-wrap plastic. Any new boat needs some form of trials and this one also needed some motor testing. Questions abound. Will it float? How will the plastic skin hold up? Will it be stable enough? How will it handle? How will it trim out? How will it run in shallow water? How will two paddlers on the far side of their AARP cards survive a marathon length paddle in August in Texas? Six out of seven more or less isn’t too bad.

Any new boat needs some form of trials and this one also needed some motor testing. click to enlarge

Chuck and I had agreed to meet and paddle the first section of the C100 (Bastrop to Smithville) 26.2 miles on Thursday, August 4, 2005. Sandra would come with Chuck and help run shuttle and document our insanity.

I had trial floated the boat the weekend before with son Mike and the boat had floated OK without any creaks, groans or ominous cracks, plus the boat had seemed stable enough. We couldn’t tell anything about handling since the rudder wasn’t installed yet. The boat slid through the water with the greatest of ease but never in a straight line. There was also a little water inside the boat but we didn’t know how much was due to a lot of splashing through the open container wells while I tried to keep us straight or at least off the bank.

I had trial floated the boat the weekend before with son Mike and the boat had floated OK without any creaks, groans or ominous cracks, plus the boat had seemed stable enough.

Thursday just before 10:00 and we are in Bastrop getting setup which takes a while to unload the boat arrange seats, containers (I left one at home but container of Sustained Energy nutrition powder was just the right diameter), water jugs, extra water, snack bars etc. Once we’re setup Chuck and I run down to Smithville to leave my car and back in his to start our little adventure.

How will two paddlers on the far side of their AARP cards survive a marathon length paddle in August in Texas?

It’s close to noon and we are off and in a straight line, the rudder helps. I was conservative in setting the rudder throw so we can’t turn as quickly as I’d hoped but we are still under control and heading down the river. Chuck sets a steady pace and I fall into rhythm and we are cruising down the river at 6 to 6-1/2 mph per the GPS at a steady sustainable pace. We make it through the first couple of riffles easily and I’m pleased that the water is a little deeper than I’d expected (actually less shallow). Some of the next riffles are a little steeper and Chuck is impressed when we hit 10+ mph running through the riffles. I’m more impressed that we’re staying in control and not having any trouble staying upright. It does seem like we’re getting a little sluggish and we decide to stop at the next shoal and check for water in the boat. Pull out the container buckets and yes, there’s water in the boat, a little more than an inch. Fortunately Chuck has a small penknife and I cut a water bottle in two for small bailer and we bail a bit. Then lift the stern and drain balance of water out the opened bottle cap in bow. This gets to be the routine every 20 minutes or so though we refine it a bit after a seam opens up for a few inches on the port gunnell (we had started listing to port). After that we quit bailing through the container holes and just pulled the water bottles and tilted the boat up and drained the water. A little duct tape, the semi clear Scotch brand stuff, seems to stick OK and we soldier on.

It’s close to noon and we are off and in a straight line, the rudder helps. I was conservative in setting the rudder throw so we can’t turn as quickly as I’d hoped but we are still under control and heading down the river.

The only other problem that develops is the rudder hinge starts to come apart. The whole boat is an assembly of the down dirty and cheap and or materials at hand (with the exception of the 1/8” braided Spectra rudder cables). Although I’ve used sewn figure eight hinges before, doing it with waxed Dacron twine wasn’t such a good idea. The epoxy doesn’t hold and the hinge slowly unravels leaving us with no rudder at all, which gives us a chance to practice “paddle left, paddle right, straight” as required. Fortunately the river is slow and easy with no sweepers or strainers to challenge us. It is shallow though. More than once as I misjudge or let my attention wander I hear the telltale wash of our wake as we run into shallow water and feel the attendant drag. Probably doesn’t help that we’re carrying some free surface water ballast most of the time.

The only other problem that develops is the rudder hinge starts to come apart.

Oh yes, the sinking. Just a couple of miles from the takeout at Smithville we encounter our first powerboat, a 16’ or so alum v-hull fishing boat with two guys coming upriver. The powerboat slows down but stays on plane as it passes to starboard some 50 yds away. We turn slightly to take the waves at 45 degrees more or less and paddle on. But there’s a new sloshing gurgling sound on the port side. “Uh Chuck we need to paddle to shore, now.” We don’t make it. Over the side or off the top as the case may be we swim the boat to shore, river right. Slightly muddy but not too bad. Immediately obvious the skin has separated from the frame for the center half of the port side. Duct tape doesn’t stick too well with everything wet and a little muddy. Chuck’s, ahh Sandra’s, hat is the only dry thing in sight. The plastic has come unstuck from all the stringers on the port side and has scalloped up between the stringers and is a 1/2”-3/4” short of the gunnell. We tape things together as best we can but its not too promising.

Immediately obvious the skin has separated from the frame for the center half of the port side. Duct tape doesn’t stick too well with everything wet and a little muddy.

We walk the boat down the bank to the next riffle and gingerly set off again applying a little “cheek right” to keep the left gunnell up. Fortunately its not too far to the bridge and we glide to a stop six plus hours after we set out with a definite sigh of relief, at least on my part.

Fortunately its not too far to the bridge and we glide to a stop six plus hours after we set out with a definite sigh of relief, at least on my part.

Postmortem, plastic skin doesn’t work, there is a definite difference in polyethylene and polyester. I’ve ordered the Dacron fabric for a reskinning and we’ll see how things go from there. New rudder hinge, bigger rudder pedals, more bungee cord and an extra gallon of water on front deck and we should be ready to go. Chuck and I were both challenged a bit physically and mentally but I’m confident we can do the 100 based on this first 26.2mile paddle, we just need a boat that will stay together.