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Having Fun in Rubber - A kayakers take on rafting

Having Fun in Rubber - A kayakers take on rafting

Posted by WCK Team Paddler: Ryan Bayes on 2017 Mar 24th

Being a whitewater kayaker for years I always thought of rafts as slow and clumsy - nothing I wanted anything do with. When we brought in some NRS Rafts last year I decided I better take it out at least once so I could competently talk about them to customers.

Much to my surprise, I had an absolute blast. "At least once" quickly turned into 8 or 9 days out after work and a few weekend excursions. While compared to my kayaks, the raft is a little on the big and clumsy side, but what it lacked in kayak-esque performance it more than made up for in smiles and laughs. The element of team work involved to make a line in class 4 rapids was a whole new challenge.

The WCK Demo Raft, fully rigged with casting platforms and rowing frame.

The real highlight for me with my days on the raft were being able to take people out for their first river experience and sharing with them something I have enjoyed for so long. The after work raft trips down the Chilliwack quickly became a staff favourite, the only challenge now was fitting everyone in the raft. We are going to need a bigger raft for next year!

NRS Outlaw Raft

WCK Staff Drew and Megan out for a float trying out the rowing setup.

Another surprise for me was the price of a raft, I always assumed to get out in a proper river raft you needed to drop 4 or 5 grand. With NRS's Outlaw series of rafts that couldn't be further from the truth. The demo raft we had here at WCK was the Outlaw 13'. It was perfect for the technical waters on the Chilliwack River. It also made for a great platform to access the lower stretch of the Vedder River for fishing. This year an NRS 13' Outlaw raft is only $2599.

NRS Outlaw Raft

WCK Staff having a blast after work on the Chilliwack . . . Ok, everyone but Drew maybe?