Come hell or high water, 73-year-old Bruce McGonigal and his pal Rob Goodine intend to float a homemade catamaran 30 kilometres down the Bulkley River from Quick to Smithers in northern B.C. in August.

Their plan sparks a notable question: what would inspire someone to undertake such an endeavour?

含羞草研究社淚 never thought I would live to experience a pandemic and I含羞草研究社檓 going crazy,含羞草研究社� McGonigal said. 含羞草研究社淚 was outside thinking of something to do and I saw the two kayaks under a tarp and had this epiphany; it just kind of flashed and then it kind of just morphed.含羞草研究社�

It morphed into a craft, dubbed the HMCV Cat 1, with two boat seats and a cooler bolted onto a wooden superstructure attached to the two kayaks with an oar for a rudder.

含羞草研究社淲hen you think about it, it含羞草研究社檚 quite a stupid thing that we are about to do,含羞草研究社� McGonigal said.

含羞草研究社淪tructurally, those two kayaks含羞草研究社� they含羞草研究社檙e not designed to take that kind of force as a catamaran,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淧oints of contact, that含羞草研究社檚 going to be the issue.含羞草研究社�

To resolve that issue, McGonigal initially bolted the superstructure onto the kayaks含羞草研究社� bow and stern with GRK RSS screws, a rugged structural screw with high tensile, torque and shear strength. But looking at craft afterward, he recognized while the screws themselves might hold up, there was another potential problem.

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含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 going to be all kinds of force and the only thing [holding the platform on] is the fibreglass thickness of the kayak at the bow and stern,含羞草研究社� he explained. 含羞草研究社淚t became readily apparent that the four RSS screws were not adequate.含羞草研究社�

So, he added four cinching belts.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 now putting all my faith in the four cinching belts that bind the superstructure to the mid-frame of the kayaks in addition to the four GRKs,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 going to be a test by fire.含羞草研究社�

McGonigal 含羞草研究社� who has been on the river many times in other kinds of crafts and who worked in water management in Smithers for 35 years 含羞草研究社� figures by mid-August the river will be into its lower flow phase and most of the 30-or-so kilometres will be a fairly casual float.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a coastal, sort of fairly high-velocity river on the west coast,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淵ou just have to be attentive, there are some log jams, so you just pick the best channel.含羞草研究社�

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However, there are three critical points where hydraulic conditions could be a major factor.

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e not to be ignored or taken casually,含羞草研究社� he said.

The first is just above the Telkwa Bridge.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 some fast heavy water in there,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 think I含羞草研究社檓 only talking Class 1, no more than Class 2 [rapids] for sure, but in this contraption we含羞草研究社檒l have to pick the best line.含羞草研究社�

The next one is at Eddy Park, where they will have to avoid heavy water in the eddy, but McGonigal believes there is a side channel they can use to get around it.

Finally, the big test, the standing wave at Tatlow Falls, a favourite play area for kayakers, canoeists, riverboarders and even motorboaters, but has unlikely ever seen the likes of McGonigal含羞草研究社檚 latest invention.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e been over, around, Tatlow Falls many times so you just do river right,含羞草研究社� he said.

What含羞草研究社檚 the worst that could happen?

含羞草研究社淭he worst-case scenario is we go under and we don含羞草研究社檛 come up,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淎 more realistic scenario is the boat breaks up and either a) we salvage the kayaks and paddle down or b) if the whole thing floats away on us, we paddle to shore and start walking to a road.含羞草研究社�

In any case, he said he has the best partner for the task. Goodine, a local contractor, is a big, strong guy, he said.

含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 cannon-proof, he含羞草研究社檚 rock solid,含羞草研究社� McGonigal said. 含羞草研究社淲hen things go sideways, he含羞草研究社檚 the kind of guy you want at your side.含羞草研究社�

They are not picking a date for the adventure, simply waiting for the first calm, sunny, 20 C degree day in August.

They are also not planning to test the boat or have anybody monitoring the float.

含羞草研究社淚 just want to put it in and see what happens,含羞草研究社� McGonigal said.

editor@interior-news.com
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