Zach kicks off the show addressing the flood of anxious questions about low water levels on the Middle Fork of the Salmon and the Rogue River. His take? It's not actually that low:

Zach introduces his new website, submarinehole.com. It is designed as a professional discussion board for river rescue instructors, rowing/raft instructors, and professional guides to share ideas and keep a lasting log of information. While there is a small section for private boaters, the primary focus is to serve as a resource for river pros.

Answering a listener question about dialing in oar towers on a used frame setup where the rower sits on a dry box four inches above the frame, Zach shares his setup guidelines:

When it comes to tuning your oar clips to your pins, skip the rubber mallet. Zach recommends using a dead blow mallet, a steel hammer, or even a heavy river rock to bend them.

You want the clip tuned tight enough that it takes a very hard, deliberate jerk to pull the oar off the pin, but loose enough that it stays on securely when you're just holding and leaning on it. He also notes his dislike for PVC sleeves over pins, as they wear unevenly and constantly change your tuning.

Zach reminisces about his guiding career on the Tuolumne River, which is completely unpermitted this year. He breaks down his favorite flows:

Zach is actively printing and testing custom, purpose-built gear cases. Up first is a dedicated Tear-Aid container. While you can use cheap M&M Mini tubes or gelato containers, they don't clearly signal to other guides what's inside, and they tend to crack after a few years.

His custom containers hold 2 to 3 rolls of Tear-Aid, feature a rugged texture for easy gripping, and take 8 hours to print. He plans to sell them for around $25, styled in a "repair color" scheme of light and dark blue. Zach is also prototyping a bucket-mounted bracket to hold Mrs. Meyer's soap containers off the ground at camp.

When asked if the American Whitewater accident database misses many deaths, Zach praises Charlie Walbridge's thoroughness. He notes that while commercial companies sometimes attempt to minimize press surrounding fatalities, Charlie is incredibly diligent at documenting both commercial and private river deaths in the US. Zach admits he cannot think of a single US river fatality he's known of that didn't ultimately end up in the database.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage live show, where Zach covers whitewater rafting, river safety, gear, and everything else whitewater. In this episode, Zach shares details about booking standards for commercial trips, critiques common rowing styles, and evaluates field repair solutions.

The primary discussion segment serves as a major public service announcement regarding the eternal debate of pushing versus pulling when navigating technical rapids. Reacting to a social media clip shared by fellow boater Brody, Zach strongly emphasizes that a lack of pulling skills leads many private boaters and newer guides to blow standard moves and miss vital eddies. He highlights that pushing places a raft traveling faster than the river current, significantly heightening a boater's vulnerability. To illustrate his point, Zach conducts a video review of a rafter attempting to push through Horn Rapid on the Grand Canyon, demonstrating how a poor approach angle and reliance on pushing funneled the boat straight into a massive wall and hydraulic, forcing a dramatic high side to avoid a full wrap.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage live show, where Zach breaks down technical rafting questions, reviews custom gear, and answers viewer-submitted questions. In this episode, Zach dives into custom raft design specifications, managing first-time rafters on multi-day river trips, and the utility of high-end throw bags.

Zach kicks off the episode by introducing a brand-new prototype throw bag from Sockdolager Equipment, designed specifically with thoughtful modifications for packrafters and rafters alike. He highlights how active community involvement and viewer subscriptions help him collaborate with gear manufacturers to test and refine specialized safety equipment before it hits the open market.

The core discussion centers around a detailed question from a viewer planning a multi-day raft setup for themselves, their spouse, and two dogs. The viewer asks for a critique of a custom 15-foot Sotar ST raft featuring 22-inch oversized tubes. Zach breaks down the geometric tradeoffs of this configuration, explaining that while larger tubes significantly increase stability and reduce wrap or flip risks, they sacrifice critical interior cargo space. He ultimately advises the viewer to look at the 16-foot Wing Surge or a standard 16-foot Sotar design, sharing his long-held belief that 16-foot boats are the ideal sweet spot for private multi-day boaters to prevent getting hung up in low-water rock gardens.

The episode wraps up with a robust safety segment handling swiftwater rescue protocols. Zach discusses how to prepare first-time rafters for high-consequence river environments by analyzing proper safety talks, managing PFD flotation, and remembering structural rescue frameworks like the LUDA and SLUDA acronyms (Leadership, Stabilize, Upstream safety, Downstream safety, After/Assessment). He also outlines practical field techniques for getting un-pinned or out of a sticky hole, such as utilizing a 5-gallon bucket on a downstream rope to create hydraulic leverage.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage live show, where Zach breaks down technical rafting questions, reviews custom gear, and answers viewer-submitted questions. In this episode, Zach dives into custom raft design specifications, managing first-time rafters on multi-day river trips, and the utility of high-end throw bags.

Zach kicks off the episode by introducing a brand-new prototype throw bag from Sockdolager Equipment, designed specifically with thoughtful modifications for packrafters and rafters alike. He highlights how active community involvement and viewer subscriptions help him collaborate with gear manufacturers to test and refine specialized safety equipment before it hits the open market.

The core discussion centers around a detailed question from a viewer planning a multi-day raft setup for themselves, their spouse, and two dogs. The viewer asks for a critique of a custom 15-foot Sotar ST raft featuring 22-inch oversized tubes. Zach breaks down the geometric tradeoffs of this configuration, explaining that while larger tubes significantly increase stability and reduce wrap or flip risks, they sacrifice critical interior cargo space. He ultimately advises the viewer to look at the 16-foot Wing Surge or a standard 16-foot Sotar design, sharing his long-held belief that 16-foot boats are the ideal sweet spot for private multi-day boaters to prevent getting hung up in low-water rock gardens.

The episode wraps up with a robust safety segment handling swiftwater rescue protocols. Zach discusses how to prepare first-time rafters for high-consequence river environments by analyzing proper safety talks, managing PFD flotation, and remembering structural rescue frameworks like the LUDA and SLUDA acronyms (Leadership, Stabilize, Upstream safety, Downstream safety, After/Assessment). He also outlines practical field techniques for getting un-pinned or out of a sticky hole, such as utilizing a 5-gallon bucket on a downstream rope to create hydraulic leverage.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage live show, where Zach covers whitewater rafting, river safety, gear, and answers viewer questions. In this episode, Zach discusses the dangers of undercut rocks and addresses a question about a 14-foot Star raft and calculating oar length.

Zach begins the show by highlighting that this episode will focus on answering user questions and revisiting a video from Bedrock on the Grand Canyon. The main technical segment covers a question regarding undercut rocks and what happens when a swimmer encounters them. He notes that hazards like nasty ledge holes, weirs, trees, and sieves are also major concerns. To look at specific statistics, Zach pulls up the American Whitewater accident database to review trends regarding fatalities, highlighting that "flush drowning" represents about 19% of recorded fatalities.

The second user question comes from a viewer who purchased a 14-foot PVC Star raft from NRS for $600 and wants to know if they wasted their money, alongside asking for the best oar length for a 66-inch wide boat. Zach reassures the viewer that $600 is an incredible price for a raft, making it a very smart financial choice even though PVC boats might not have the absolute best performance or last forever. Regarding oar length, Zach reiterates his standard formula: measure the exact distance between the oar locks and multiply by 1.63. Boaters can then add or subtract half a foot depending on personal preferences like tube size, height, or shoulder width.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage live show, where Zach answers submitted questions and talks all things whitewater. In this episode, Zach recaps his recent experiences at Clackfest and shares advice for boaters exploring the technical coastal streams of Oregon.

Zach kicks off the show with an enthusiastic review of the newly updated Clackfest, noting its recent shifts to a Friday start complete with product demos, educational classes, and a community gathering under a large event tent. Despite some heavy rain and unexpected weekend hailing, he highlights the exceptional participation across numerous multi-category river races. Zach expresses immense appreciation for the core team of volunteer planners, shuttle drivers, and gate judges who keep the historic whitewater festival running smoothly year after year.

The main technical segment addresses a question from a boater who recently relocated to Port Orford. The viewer is looking to transition from a 14-foot Sotar down to a narrower 58-inch high-side paddle cataraft to navigate local coastal streams like the Elk River. Reviewing a blog post he wrote on the run, Zach confirms that a paddle cat is an exciting option, though he cautions boaters to watch out for meaty drops and unexpected river wood. He notes that the Elk River is completely rain-fed—meaning it is typically only runnable between November and April during select windows that might total around ten days a year.

The episode wraps up with a look at historic Grand Canyon river footage, where Zach analyzes historical rowing techniques and compares modern high-performance setups with the traditional styles used in early western river running expeditions.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

Zach kicks off the episode by highlighting Clackfest, the Northwest's premier annual whitewater gathering. He notes that the festival has expanded its schedule with vendor booths, gear demos, and live music kicking off early, followed by a full schedule of multi-category river races on Saturday.

The core technical discussion addresses a viewer planning a trip down Hell's Canyon who is expanding their setup with a 16-foot AIRE raft. The viewer asks about stretching an NRS Bighorn frame out to a 69-inch width, creating a 78-inch gap between the oar locks. Zach uses his standard sizing formula to calculate that this configuration requires a 10.5-foot oar. He strongly advises against mounting oar towers to the inner frame rails as a shortcut to use shorter oars, recommending instead that the viewer use temporary oar extensions on their existing 9.5-foot oars until they can purchase dedicated 10.5-foot oars.

The episode wraps up with a discussion on the ultimate boats for tackling big, technical class V whitewater like the North Fork Payette. Zach names the 12.5-foot Sotar Legend as his absolute top choice due to its perfected design, placing the AIRE Wave Destroyer as a close second, while warning that models with excessive rocker tend to feel too twitchy in heavy water.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage live show, where Zach answers submitted questions and talks shop on technical rafting. In this episode, Zach dives into the logistics of camp selection on the Middle Fork, discusses PFD innovations, and shares technical tips for raft maintenance.

Zach starts the episode by highlighting the 40th anniversary of Clackamas River Festival and encouraging boaters to participate in the community races. The main technical discussion focuses on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, specifically how to navigate the camp lottery system and choose sites that accommodate larger groups and diverse frame setups.

The conversation shifts to safety gear, where Zach reviews the new NRS Vector PFD. He provides an honest critique of its flotation profile and comfort for rowers. He also answers a detailed question about raft repair, specifically how to deal with delaminating floors and when it's time to retire a vintage boat versus performing a major patch job.

The episode wraps up with a discussion on the value of subscribers for gear testing, explaining how a larger community allows him to get his hands on the newest equipment—like the NRS Vector—to provide unbiased reviews for the rafting public.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage live show, where Zach answers submitted questions and talks all things whitewater. In this episode, Zach shares his excitement for the upcoming Clackfest and provides expert advice on identifying and maintaining vintage Avon rafts.

Zach kicks off the show with an enthusiastic look at Clackfest, his favorite event of the year. This festival, now in its 40th year, is centered around the whitewater community and features twelve different types of races—ranging from R-II and R-IV rafting to SUP, kayak, and packraft events. Zach emphasizes that the Clackamas River Festival is more about community and fun than being "gnarly," making it a must-attend for boaters of all levels.

The technical heart of the episode addresses a viewer's question about identifying an older Avon raft that is missing its serial number. Zach uses his extensive guiding experience to narrow down the model and age based on physical features. He identifies a 14-foot gray self-baler with two thwarts as likely being the Avon Adventure model. He also provides a guide for dating these Hypalon rafts by their color: darker gray typically indicates the 1980s to early 90s, while lighter gray suggests the mid-to-late 90s and 2000s.

The episode concludes with practical maintenance advice for older rafts, specifically how to safely remove glued-on foot cups using solvents like toluene or mechanical means, and a brief mention of Zach's recent "rope breaking" tests to understand gear limits.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage Live Show, where Zach answers submitted questions and talks all things whitewater. In this episode, Zach dives into the mechanics of counter-weighted oars, trailer organization for long trips, and provides a detailed review of the 16-foot Sotar Serge.

Zach opens the show discussing counter-weighted oars, explaining how adding weight to the handle side can significantly reduce rower fatigue on long multi-day trips. He breaks down the balance point physics and why a slightly "blade-heavy" setup is often preferred over a perfectly neutral one to ensure the blades stay in the water during powerful strokes.

The conversation shifts to logistics with a segment on packing a gear trailer. Zach shares his "Tetris" philosophy for organizing rafts, frames, and dry boxes to prevent shifting during long mountain drives. He emphasizes the importance of weight distribution—keeping the heaviest items over the axle—and using high-quality cam straps instead of ratchets to protect fragile raft tubes.

Finally, Zach reviews the WING Serge, a 16-foot raft known for its aggressive tracking and stability. He compares it to other "big water" boats, noting its unique diminishing tube design which allows it to punch through holes while maintaining the flotation needed for heavy gear hauls on rivers like the Main Salmon or the Grand Canyon.

Connect with Zach

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.