35 footer hitting BIG water!

[Drowned Rat]

This was last month in the Grand Canyon, the rapid is Hermit Rapid and the flow was about 16,000 cubic feet per second. The boat is 35 feet and loaded down, weighs about 18 tons. 16 people on board. 30hp Honda is all she's got! Great Fun!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=litZ6FbVPQY

 

[Drowned Rat]

Granite Falls Rapid, >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huV-EFHRaaA

 

[Greg68S]

Looks like a good time to me

 

[25thmustang]

18 tons? Wow that's a lot of weight for a 35'er. Looks like fun though!

 

[H20Rat]

18 tons? Wow that's a lot of weight for a 35'er. Looks like fun though!

Yeah I think that might have been a misprint... Looked up some comparable 35' RIBS, 3000# to 4500#. And 2800# of people on board, and of course that 30hp honda! Can't escape physics, 18 tons in a 35' would require a couple foot draft...

 

[shrew]

18 tons = 36,000 lbs. Even old early fiberglass Hatteras and Viking sportfish in the 34-36 ft. size range with twin diesels aren't that heavy. There is a math or typo mistake there.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Hi guys. . You read that right. 18 tons give or take. Remember this boat is outfitted with gear for 10 days on river completely off the grid. We take everything, even a kitchen sink. The 30 hp is adequate because it's only for maneuvering downriver. Typically only small side to side corrections are needed. Flat out on still water it has a top speed of about 2 to 3 mph. The fisheye Gopro lens makes the boat look smaller than it really is. It's not a RIB. It's a large 35' hypalon DIB donut with two 35' outriggers. The tubes are ridiculously heavy. Within the donut section is an allumum frame which holds all the gear below decks. Two aluminum cars articulate in the middle so the boat flexes over the waves. And yes, the draft is just slightly over 2' fully loaded.

 

[H20Rat]

Yeah the video doesn't do justice for that boat then!

 

[Drowned Rat]

Yeah, and this isn't the biggest boat. They take 41 footers with 3 articulating cars through the Grand Canyon. Still only a 30hp motor!

 

[UncleWillie]

18 tons = 36,000 lbs. Even old early fiberglass Hatteras and Viking sportfish in the 34-36 ft. size range with twin diesels aren't that heavy. There is a math or typo mistake there.

I would guess that 18 tons is not the weight (Normal Displacement) of the boat, but rather the ultimate displacement, total buoyancy.
That is to say, that it would take 18 tons to sink it and hold it on the bottom.