wordplay by Brian Kenney
images by Larry Davis
Creature Craft: Curing Dehydration One Trip at a Time
Summer: Sunday softball, barbeque, an early evening Corona. The sun setting over Red Rocks, the mountain peaks in the distance. Maybe even a Rockies game as they continue their recent success. The summers in Colorado wake us up to why we choose to live in the Centennial State and the Mile High City.
Yet, summer also brings a sense of dehydration. Certainly there are the various reservoirs to boat in and ski in and kayak in. And certainly there are the creeks and streams to wade in and tube on. And certainly the occasional camping trip or weekend getaway brings us closer to Lake Granby or Lake Estes.
So why such a statewide sense of dehydration? Transplants from east and left coast have been spoiled from unlimited access to rural beaches and back woods surf breaks. Yet their migratory water dependency leaves them parched. And Minnesotan Lakers have grown accustomed to having upwards of 10,000 lakes within earshot at all times; without those lakes, those golden gophers dry up like raisins during hot spells. Even Chicago evacuees had a chance to stylistically surf longboards on Lake Michigan. And they come to the Rockies expecting the same adventure.
East coast, west coast, Michigan, Minnesotan transients have no fear. Your water displacement will recover. And Colorado hydrophobics: we have found your cure to your fear of water.
Enter Creature Craft.
Dubbed the "Ultimate Inflatable Raft," this high adventure seaworthy vessel morphs the usual class III-V rapids rafts with an inflatable cage of sorts with the outcome looking more like a carnival ride than the usual predictable whitewater craft of yesteryear's rafting.
Born out of shear necessity for safety as well as a love for rafting, founder Darren Vancil, a veracious H2O enthusiast (and one of the most creative entrepreneurs in outdoors since the inventor of the carabineer) recalled on his website the origin of the Creature Craft species: "In September of 1997, while practicing for the Gore Canyon Race on the Upper Colorado River, I was in a conventional raft that overturned. The ensuing swim resulted in humility with one dislocated shoulder, numerous bruises, abrasions, a damaged ego and eventually two shoulder surgeries."
Subsequent months passed and a seed was planted. Vancil brainstormed, (possibly during the healing period of the aforementioned surgeries) and while studying clips of a Siberian-styled raft called a "Bublik" which could be combined and upgraded with a popular "cataraft," he conceived the result: a hybrid raft of sorts; invented, patented, and dubbed "Creature Craft."
In short, Creature Craft ultimately is your standard whitewater raft with unique wide inflatable overhead roll bars for both safety and buoyancy. And when the raft is floating through quieter patches those roll bars (or peaks) can be deflated and stored in the forward and aft of the raft. Such is the case when the river is flowing less than 750 cubic feet per second.
Now considering that anything involving water and the word "creature" scares the screaming bejesus out of some (read: Creature from the Black Lagoon) the resulting Craft of Vancil's invention prioritizes safety above all else. "We feel," he states, "[that] we have succeeded in creating a fun and safer alternative in the world of whitewater rafting. With this technology, Class III to Class V rapids have now the edge taken off, allowing you to enjoy them more."
Safety was the mother of this invention. And Creature Craft tries to hinder those age-old dilemmas that have plagued rafters for year: getting cycled in a hole and getting rag-dolled. Until you've found yourself in a Class IV rapid being tossed around like a (yep, you guessed it) rag doll, you've never known gravity to hate you so much. So Creature Craft instills 3" Velcro straps to glue you to your seat and re-orientate your kinetic energy and time with the craft so as to insure your equilibrium (and your lunch) will not be lost overboard. The inflatable ballasts above your head act to balance your raft as well as act as protection. And while Vancil acknowledges that rafting with inflatable roll bars looks like "walking around at a party with a lampshade on your head" vertigo and g-force capabilities will be put to the test, but your safety will not.
Said one rafting blogger last summer: "We ran Gore Canyon yesterday at 1090cfs on a four man Creature Craft. Most intense experience I've ever had and NO SWIMMING! The huge rapid named Toilet Bowl trapped us for 2 very exhilarating minutes, but the craft kept us alive through it all."
Creature Craft is not only relegated to high intensity (Class III-V) rafting, because the Creature is also comfortable in slower water runs. Whitewater classes depend on water level (more rapid in spring, less rapid in summer,) age of river, recent rain/snow fall, etc. Class 1: no rapids, smooth flowing water, roughly 250-500 cfs. Class 2: some rough water, 500-1000 cfs Class 3: whitewater but very safe for larger rafts; H2O enthusiasts should have good rolling or self-rescue skills 1000-2000 cfs Class 4: whitewater for experienced paddlers only; the route through the rapids may require quick maneuvering 1500-3000 cfs Class 5: whitewater for advanced H2O enthusiasts; hidden hazards require precise maneuvering. 2500+ cfs.
But Creature Craft, as an invention, thrives between Class III and Class V rapids with an uncompromising approach to fun, thrills, adventure, but most importantly, safety. The Crafts have been street-tested for durability and with a variety of crafts available for direct purchase; many rafting companies in Colorado, Utah, and Idaho have added a slew of Creature Crafts to their fleets.
Creature Craft cures hydrophobia by adding, what Vancil calls a "new approach to rafting class III+ waters, adding surfing and rolling to the sport of rafting."
Have fun! Get wet! And re-hydrate!
www.CreatureCraft.com