Drift Boat Posture

[birdhunter]

Alright, so working on the sticks for a day isn't going to kill me, but you do it for 3-4 days in a row with lots of "larger than the average bear" guys up front, it starts to work away at my back and arms. So the question is: Is there a correct posture/method for rowing a drift boat. You know, something better for the back, etc. I'm sure some of the guides must know. Should you be using your arms more, or pulling with your back? For somebody that spends most of the day backtrolling, what is the correct technique?

Ya know I've been doing this for years but never really had any problems till this past winter. Just something I've noticed. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm just a 20 year old buck and quite clearly still invincible. Could it be the multiple days in a row of little sleep, long drives, and hard exercise combined with a diet of coffee, doughtnuts and elk pepperoni? Nah, gotta be the posture.


PS. Anything you can do about sore arms? :grin: :tongue: (From pumping in fish Roy, don't get any ideas.)

[Applegate]

Rowing requires the use of most of your muscles, from you legs on up. I like to use my Mercury for back trolling if possible. If those bears are not clients, they need to row once in awhile.

Try trading off once each hour, or each fish landed if fishing is real good.

It is very enjoyable to take newbies out and have some good times, but if the water is difficult to row, or it's springer time my motto is If you don't row, you don't go.

[D Money]

Birdhunter
I agree with Clowncorkie about trading off, but if you have a passenger that hasn't rowed much and you're backtrolling I usually like to have one under the belt before going there. We all know its not as easy as it looks. If I'm stuck yanking plugs all day I definately change it up... you know mostly arms for awhile, then long strokes with more back, a period of short choppies. If you think about it you can really distribute the abuse throughout the day. Just a thought... but now that I think about it I can't remember ever getting to go four days in a row, might be hard to avoid. Try mixin' in other techniques with your backtrolling to get a rest. I din't know which is harder, finding a fishin' buddy that can row or being patient enough to teach someone who doesn't.
DM

[Gus Orviston]

clearly the best posture is sitting up front, and not looking at the person rowing :wink:

I am just getting started and still building new muscles for rowing, but my goal is to use all muscles spreading out the load. I rely on my legs for my base, your back just can't handle the leverage required. So far all I have felt is minor fatigue rowing from Barton-Carver. The Wilson and Tucker really don't have the flow to bother me, maybe if I ran those drifts 2 times in one weekend, but once is now issue.

gus

[cosmo]

You're absolutely right about posture. But I'd also add your oar stroke. To get the best performance (ease) out of your drift boat, begin with positioning of your foot brace (if your seat is where you like it). Your knees should not be in your throat, ut your legs should be slightly bent to take advantage of your leg muscles through your stroke.
The biggest problem I struggled with for years was the positioning of my hands. It may seem that your want them spread about shoulder width. Better yet though, keep them close through the stroke, almost touching as you come to your chest. This gives you the best leverage on the oar blades, instead of a wide spread that lets the blades leverage you. It also helps bring your body in the mix instead of complete arms. It took a lot of contentration to make this second nature. Thanks to Rauly for offering this advice to me years ago.
Finally, how deep you dip the oars makes a big diference. First couple of strokes in a hole should be big deep ones. This stops the boat. Beyond that, short, feathered strokes are for fishing. If the boat is swinging on you (and it is a good tracking boat) it could be you are overpowering these oar strokes-lighten up and slow the pace.
These things helped me a lot. Now I can row my 17' boat a full day on long floats without it crippling me in the slightest. Always remember, rowing is more form than strength.
Hope that helps.l

[cosmo]

Sorry about the bad typing. I didn't proof my post.

[fishing is life]

i dont do this but you might check out a cheap back brace from Home Depot. i also have used on my drift boat a back rest. the kind people strap on to a canoe seat. they work great and when you dont need they fold down and they make a great padding over the rope seats.

[Fish Hunter]

Ben,
Have you ever taken the time to set up your seat and foot rest positions? Hopefully they are adjustable. Your legs are more important than you might realize to support your back. Make sure the foot rest is close enough. You might also try to find the oar lock adjustments to keep your back from being hunched over. Chin up, chest out is good. Gym rats know the importance of maintaining this posture when doing bent rows, squats or deadlifts.
FWF1 you out there? Bet he would have some good ideas. Thanks again for the Siletz trip last week. Had a great time. I devoured all of that big bag of elk pepperoni you gave me. already. Yum.
You really could'a let me row! :tongue:

[ 01-28-2003, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: Fish Hunter ]

[Artwo]

Ben,
As you know, when the springers are in the Sandy I'm there every weekend for both days and sometimes two drifts per day. A couple things I found that help me with the fatigue are:

Take breaks throughout the day; lunch, beach for pee break and to stretch the legs a little.

I try to utilize all of my muscles when I row, take long strokes and don't overrow. I see allot of people out there rowing real fast when they don't need to.

On those really long days or two a days I'll also use one of those elastic type back supports, this helps allot.

As far as those sore muscles go; good meal, hot shower or jaccuzzi tub when you get home and a few cold beers (oh, I forgot, you not old enough yet for those :grin: ).

JK

[andy-ap emerger]

The Canoe seat backrest???? Hmmmmm...Where did you see that or does Fishermans sell that? I am having a hard time w/ the stock "FishRite" foldable seat. I seem to sit up 6 inches too high. This keeps me from having a slight bend in my knees and on back ferry my hands "knock" into my knees. Scarry on fast/ bouldery water. I should think about a rope seat for my bum and simply fastoon sometype of "Canoe back rest thinggy"???
Great topic by the way.

[Tanner]

Originally posted by Clown Corkie:
If those bears are not clients, they need to row once in awhile.
<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Sorry Dude, not in my boat. I have certain ways I like things done and I hate sitting in the front of a drift boat.

Bird Hunter,
I have been rowing for years and I have yet to find a way to not feel fatigued at the end of the day, (Especially when you are fishing days in a row).
1. Your most likely getting up early.
2. Your using several groups of muscles (fairly hard) all day long.
3. Your probably rowing without any back support.
4. If you fish like I do, alot of times you are too busy trying to get into fish to even thinking about stopping to eat a healthy meal.

Add all these things up and I don't care what kind of posture or form you row with or how much you work out&gt; You will be feeling it at the end of the day.

[ 01-28-2003, 01:10 PM: Message edited by: Tanner ]

[fishmore1]

I have an 18x60 willies I guided for a few years. I have a back rest that helped my poor old back quite a bit. It's welded right on the back of the rowers seat and sildes out of the pocket for quick removal

[Kinebra]

MINKOTA! graemlins/icon_argue.gif

[Rubber Robin]

Try mounting your beer holders higher!

That way, you are not bending over as much to lift your beer!!! :cheers: :grin: :grin: :tongue:

[Grantspastor]

Several really good suggestions here. (as I've gotten older I tend to favor Clown Corkie's idea about the 9.8 Merc)

No matter what..you're gonna feel it a little bit especially when it's several days running. The suggestions that Cosmo had will make the most difference IF you aren't already doing them...try bringing your hands closer together. Much better leverage, and more powerful strokes with less effort. You didn't say how long your oars are. Make sure they are long enough for your boat.

Sometimes the problem is simply those "larger than average bears" in the front seat. Put a hole in one of my drift boats a few years ago in Slim Pickens Rapid on the Rogue because I had 600 lbs of "bears" in the front and just couldn't get the sucker stopped before plowing into the ledge outcropping below the chute.

[ 01-28-2003, 10:22 PM: Message edited by: Grantspastor ]

[GutZ]

I started getting cramps in my Biceps on day two Sol Duc trips. I cut down on the Coke and started drinking Gatorade. No more Cramps!

I wish some of my crew was ready to row. Maybe on the Snoqulmie, but not the 'Duc.

Now if I could only stop bashing into those dang boulders! :wink:

"Getting Old Ain't for Wimps"
bd2250

[ampersat]

treat it just like any other exercise. stretch and warm up before you get started and drink lots of water while you're out there. hi carb snacks make a difference as well as a multivitamin on your way out the door in the morning (gotta have all those vitamins to turn that food into energy). and it never hurts to keep a tube of aspercreme handy at the end of the day.

also, take the time to make adjustments to your seat, foot rests and oars. proper adjustment of these things will put you in the proper position for rowing. my seat and foot rests don't adjust but they're in good position for me to begin with. FWF1 adjusted the stops on my oars so that the handles are about an inch or two apart at the closest point of the stroke. leverage is key.

i thought i was going to suffer the day after rowing when i first got my boat. i get a kink in my lower back sometimes but that's really all i have to deal with. on the other hand, i'm not putting in multiple days on the sticks and my boat is probably the lightest on the water.

[ 01-29-2003, 07:54 AM: Message edited by: ampersat ]

[Applegate]

Grantspastor.
You know how big the bears are I fish with, My Merc is a 15 :grin:

Oar length is critical to good boat handling. I did not think of that one. You do need to change position, stroke type and take breaks on a regular basis.

You will still get tired, But I like fishing tired alot better than work tired.

[buhbuhfish]

A trick I have tried for the sore arms (when pulling plugs for long periods) is to get a couple of ankle weights and wrap them around the end of your oars near the handle. Work the position of them up and down the oar near the handle to help counter balance the weight of the blade end of the oars. It makes a big difference in between strokes (your not holding the weight of the oars). Another little tip would be to hold the magazine in the other hand once in a while - Ha Ha. :laugh:

[AtWorkALot]

Buhbuhfish, LMAO. Never try to switch hands midstroke either.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Quote from Birdhunter

I'm just a 20 year old buck and quite clearly still invincible. <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Ahhhhh... to be young dumb and full of ..... 'em.. never mind on that last part, it sounds like you have resolved that problem on your own :wink:

What was the question??? I got confused when I read you were 20, I hope you start shaving before you turn 21, or you will be showing that ID forever.

[SpinnerMan]

Oar Rights . . .

You can adjust your oars exactly the way you want them, and you don't have to constantly use your wrist and hands to adjust the way your paddles are entering the water when you are rowing.

They have helped me. graemlins/applause.gif

SM

[birdhunter]

Thanks for all the great replies,

Yeah, looking back I'm sure a big part of the problem was the oar length. The rubber stoppers for the oar locks had slid too far up so I was holding the oars up while rowing most of the time. Seems really obvious now....

Jay - Glad you liked the elk. Don't worry, you guys weren't the larger than average bears. Your job was to get into the fish, which you did. Joey was using most of my gear anyways, so it was easier for me to just work the sticks.

Artwo - Send me an e-mail sometime. I only have you aol one and it didn't work last time I tried it. We really should get out this winter on the coast or plan something for later this spring. Maybe by then I'll be old enough to finally find out what beer tastes like. :wink: :rolleyes:

Roy - Ah, you should have seen me. Had the little scruffy beard going for the past couple of weeks. Gotta look the part ya know. Shaved it off a few days ago. What did my friends call it? Faux-grizzled, I think. At any rate, I'll see you down there in March and then we can sit down for a nice long talk. :cheers:

[Flatfish]

It depends.

My boat rows better with 2 folks up front and a dog in the stern than with only 1 front seater.

Drink water til you wanna cry the day before.

Use the river to help you-Hide behind rocks and ride seams and such.

Oar lock height matters.

Location of footbrace matters.

Oarlocks adjustable?

Boat level--is one side digging in? Keep on those front seaters. They are just sitting there. Every little bit counts.

Do not use any large amount of energy in a short period.

Balance those oars.

Is the anchor dragging in the water?

Some folks like a bit of back support. My back is deader than Al Gores Presidential hopes, so I dunno what helps a "Normal" person.

Unless you are in very good shape- beyond workouts at the gym to keep the belly in line- it will wear you out. No matter what. Unless you have a very physical job, or are a professional athlete, you will hurt at days end.

Unless you are crazy or like pain, 2 front seaters max. Unless you have some monster 20' drifter, in which case put an electric on it, throw 4 dudes in it, and guide away.

Oarsman seat height matters a lot.

Longer oars keep the handles close together, and give you a long stroke.

Too long of an oar is worse than too short.Unless you are in a high sided boat.

Sometimes it is too fast to pull plugs thru.

Take a couple breaks a day.You have earned it.

Relax and have a good time. If you are tense, you will wear out a lot quicker than if you are loose.There is more to fishing than fish.

Sleep in and don't fight the crowd. You will be well rested, so will the fish.

Play around with weight distrobution in the boat. Some boats want more in the front than others. Put coolers and propand tanks along with any other heavy stuff where is helps the most.

Eat a couple Advil/ Asprin the morning of.


Mark and the dog who is forgetting some stuff, but can't remember it right now.

[ 01-29-2003, 04:48 PM: Message edited by: Flatfish ]

[Deleted User]

A good back brace would work well. Either a brace from Home Depot or even a good weight belt might work, too.