Posted: 7/26/2013 3:40:19 PM EDT
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I've got a friend coming to visit in a few weeks, and we're kicking around the idea of a float trip. I'm in KC area, would prefer to keep the drive under 3 hours each way, and a half-day float would be perfect.
What're my best bets? Any recommendations? Tube, raft, or canoe? (Leaning towards raft; stable and plenty of room for a beer lunch cooler.) |
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I've got a friend coming to visit in a few weeks, and we're kicking around the idea of a float trip. I'm in KC area, would prefer to keep the drive under 3 hours each way, and a half-day float would be perfect. What're my best bets? Any recommendations? Tube, raft, or canoe? (Leaning towards raft; stable and plenty of room for a beer lunch cooler.) Don't trespass in Steelville... |
| For the love of everything you value, don't get a raft. In a canoe, you can go as slow or fast as you please. With a raft, you will seriously consider drowning yourself to end the ever crawling malaise with the knowledge that you are never going faster than the river. Also they are way harder to drag when the water gets low, especially when they are stocked up with the extra food, booze, and water you'll need to survive the five extra hours it'll take to finish the float. Ziploc bags are nice, water tight hard cases are best. Good luck. |
Rafts are ssssslllloooooowwwwww... Half day float? A raft is more like a half week float.
But seriously, with a raft you are probably looking at a solid six hours min. Friday floats can be a bit more laid back and more family friendly. Saturday floats debauchery abounds and there WILL be a larger presence of young stupid drunk people. Choose accordingly. Oh and bring a gun in case some whack job comes at you because you are on "his" gravel bar. 
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| After going in a raft this last year, I'll never go in a canoe again. Rafts are more comfortable on your butt, they don't tip over, and it's easy to put large coolers in and move around in. I don't mind them being a little slow, because you don't really have to paddle much and just let the river take you at it's speed. I'd rather not paddle if I don't have to anyways. The only time I paddled last time was when we hit stagnant water in a few places. |
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After going in a raft this last year, I'll never go in a canoe again. Rafts are more comfortable on your butt, they don't tip over, and it's easy to put large coolers in and move around in. I don't mind them being a little slow, because you don't really have to paddle much and just let the river take you at it's speed. I'd rather not paddle if I don't have to anyways. The only time I paddled last time was when we hit stagnant water in a few places. This right here. We have used a raft gor the past 5 years and we go every year. |
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Don't trespass in Steelville... Quoted:
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I've got a friend coming to visit in a few weeks, and we're kicking around the idea of a float trip. I'm in KC area, would prefer to keep the drive under 3 hours each way, and a half-day float would be perfect. What're my best bets? Any recommendations? Tube, raft, or canoe? (Leaning towards raft; stable and plenty of room for a beer lunch cooler.) Don't trespass in Steelville... Should be safe that guy's probably still in jail. |
Just got back from Steelville. Took my two year old son and my girfriend on a six mile float yesterday on the Huzzah river. We camped at and used Huzzah Valley resort for the float. I can say nothing but good things about the campgrounds and float operation. We floated in a canoe - Never again, we will be taking a raft next year. I enjoy a canoe, but because I had my son in there with me, I second guessed myself at every turn where it looked like there was any danger of flipping. We got out and walked the canoe around a LOT of corners. Between that and the constant, cool light rain that started 10 minutes in (had to keep my boy warm and dry as possible), It was the most grueling six miles I,ve ever traveled. But we still had fun and laughed because my girlfriend and I were about to kill each other through the first half hour of the float. If you or the person you are with aren't experienced in a canoe, take a raft. The camping was great. They seperate the party camp ground from the family/quiet camp ground by quite a distance. I did hear one very large and several other small explosions from the party area last night, could also hear a slight amount of bass from that direction. After what happened last weekened in that area, and because I just believe in carrying whenever possible, I did carry my pistol concealed while camping and during the float. The resort prohibits fireams on the premises, but I read that in the rules, not on a displayed sign at the resort.
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"After what happened last weekened in that area,".... I missed he news on that. What happened? I had to go looking too. Landowner murdered floater. |
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We used to go every July for years, mostly to NRO, but it's gotten very crowded and the last time passing through a group of 100 or so gay-pride a-holes with super-soakers, I'd had enough.
Been on canoes, rafts, favorite is 2 man kayaks. You have to ask and book ahead sometimes, but they are by far the easiest to control, especially if you might be the only one doing the paddling at some point. Wanting to take my daughter out before school starts but don't want anything to do with that NRO Saturday crowd. Really don't want to drive 4 hours to the Current either though. Any other recommendations leaving from the KC area? |
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They seperate the party camp ground from the family/quiet camp ground by quite a distance. I did hear one very large and several other small explosions from the party area last night, could also hear a slight amount of bass from that direction. Good point! It's been about 7-8 years, but we had a group stay at the Bass River Resort, and the guy that booked it thought we were 'loud' so he booked our camp sites in the 'loud section'- it should be called the "anything goes section". Our neighbors had generators, stage lights, outdoor speakers stacked on a trailer, it was great until all the underage drinkers couldn't handle their liquor and fights and property damage came next. |
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All kinds of choices to make... but it's looking like a no-go this time around, anyways. 3-4 hours down, 4-6 hours floating, 3-4 hours back (and unquestionably a stop for dinner) would mean a very unhappy dog at home. ah well.
Thanks for the advice, and I've bookmarked Huzzah! |
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Float the Missouri River from Rocheport -
http://www.mighty-mo.com/ I'll bet you never thought of that option. Another option is the Niangua River out of Buffalo. |
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"After what happened last weekened in that area,".... I missed he news on that. What happened? I had to go looking too. Landowner Killed Trespasser in Self Defense When Assaulted. I corrected your link title. |
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I corrected your link title. Quoted:
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"After what happened last weekened in that area,".... I missed he news on that. What happened? I had to go looking too. Landowner Killed Trespasser in Self Defense When Assaulted. I corrected your link title. Heh. Whole lotta wtf on both sides, fair 'nuf. |
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My wife and I float a lot. Years ago we used a canoe but someone stole it and we bought two kayaks. She likes to float and I like to fish. With two boats we are free to do what we want. Kayaks (Ours are 9.5' Perception Swifty sit in boats.) allow you to float in very low water and go upstream if you want to fish a stretch again. Our canoe worked just fine for overnight floats though (Not much room for gear in our kayaks.). Rafts are too slow and big for the streams we float. Oh yeah, as far as last weekends shooting on the Meramac, if a gravel bar is posted we avoid it. There are plenty of places to stop without risking a confrontation with a angry land owner. |
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This right here. We have used a raft gor the past 5 years and we go every year. Quoted:
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After going in a raft this last year, I'll never go in a canoe again. Rafts are more comfortable on your butt, they don't tip over, and it's easy to put large coolers in and move around in. I don't mind them being a little slow, because you don't really have to paddle much and just let the river take you at it's speed. I'd rather not paddle if I don't have to anyways. The only time I paddled last time was when we hit stagnant water in a few places. This right here. We have used a raft gor the past 5 years and we go every year. Load up the coolers, throw the paddles somewhere out of the way, watch for bewbies, crack a cold one, rinse, repeat. |
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For the love of everything you value, don't get a raft. In a canoe, you can go as slow or fast as you please. With a raft, you will seriously consider drowning yourself to end the ever crawling malaise with the knowledge that you are never going faster than the river. Also they are way harder to drag when the water gets low, especially when they are stocked up with the extra food, booze, and water you'll need to survive the five extra hours it'll take to finish the float. Ziploc bags are nice, water tight hard cases are best. Good luck. 
This is how I feel on rafts, but can understand why people like them. Also, buy a Gamma Lid for the 5 gallon bucket eric10mm suggested to make it a little more convenient. |
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Load up the coolers, throw the paddles somewhere out of the way, watch for bewbies, crack a cold one, rinse, repeat. Quoted:
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After going in a raft this last year, I'll never go in a canoe again. Rafts are more comfortable on your butt, they don't tip over, and it's easy to put large coolers in and move around in. I don't mind them being a little slow, because you don't really have to paddle much and just let the river take you at it's speed. I'd rather not paddle if I don't have to anyways. The only time I paddled last time was when we hit stagnant water in a few places. This right here. We have used a raft gor the past 5 years and we go every year. Load up the coolers, throw the paddles somewhere out of the way, watch for bewbies, crack a cold one, rinse, repeat. Ed Zachary.
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For fun with beer rafts are the only way to go. A few weeks ago a group of us had three of them tied together and I never noticed us going to slow. For a sober float they do kinda suck though. Was that when we met? Had to drag ours a bit. I didn't notice the slowness either :) |
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I've got a friend coming to visit in a few weeks, and we're kicking around the idea of a float trip. I'm in KC area, would prefer to keep the drive under 3 hours each way, and a half-day float would be perfect. What're my best bets? Any recommendations? Tube, raft, or canoe? (Leaning towards raft; stable and plenty of room for a beer lunch cooler.) Three hours from KC? I'd look at the Elk river near Noel. |
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Float the Missouri River from Rocheport - http://www.mighty-mo.com/ I'll bet you never thought of that option . . . I've done that float. It's fun . . . but pretty short. |
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Was that when we met? Had to drag ours a bit. I didn't notice the slowness either :) Quoted:
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For fun with beer rafts are the only way to go. A few weeks ago a group of us had three of them tied together and I never noticed us going to slow. For a sober float they do kinda suck though. Was that when we met? Had to drag ours a bit. I didn't notice the slowness either :) Yup sure was! |