• Happy Weed Appreciation Day! 🌱🌿🌻

Sawyer Summersong on Green River?

Joined
Oct 7, 2013
Messages
65
Reaction score
61
Location
Northern, NJ
A few of us are heading to the Green river in Utah next May. This will be a 10 day trip. My question is, can the Summersong hold the load I need to bring?
 
I doubt it. The Summersong has a maximum efficient capacity of only about 200 lbs. With a center depth of only 12 inches, if you put much more than that in it you are going to have very little freeboard.

I own a Summersong but would never use it for a 10 day trip.
 
A few of us are heading to the Green river in Utah next May. This will be a 10 day trip. My question is, can the Summersong hold the load I need to bring?
I think that it depends on several factors, including your weight and what you will do for water. I assume that you are planning on the Green River to the confluence with the Colorado section-(Labyrinth/Stillwater Canyons)not Desolation Canyon with its many Class 2-3 rapids. I would never take my Summersong on the latter, but have done it in my Mad River ME with raft support. The Summersong has run the 3 day 68 mile Green River to Mineral Bottom section carrying water and a 170 pound paddler with gear. There are only very minor wave trains so substantial freeboard isn’t that important. 10 days is a long time for this trip unless you prefer to float rather than paddle, or are planning a lot of side hikes. We did Green River to Mineral Bottom in 2 days once in 17’ sea kayaks at a relatively leisurely pace. It is more fun for me paddling the Green in an efficient craft like the Summersong than something like a rental Grumman or OT. I am now a quasi local (split my time between Park City and Moab, UT) and would be happy to answer any questions. I last ran Stillwater 3 years ago. Do you have a reservation yet for the jet boat shuttle? They are getting harder to get.
 
Yes, to your first. All flat water and a leisurely float. I expect to be around 170 next May. 180 now. Up early and look for shade around 10 AM. We plan on doing some hiking. I plan on doing a dry run with the Summersong loaded. With roughly the weight I plan on taking on a local lake.
 
I think that it depends on several factors, including your weight and what you will do for water. I assume that you are planning on the Green River to the confluence with the Colorado section-(Labyrinth/Stillwater Canyons)not Desolation Canyon with its many Class 2-3 rapids. I would never take my Summersong on the latter, but have done it in my Mad River ME with raft support. The Summersong has run the 3 day 68 mile Green River to Mineral Bottom section carrying water and a 170 pound paddler with gear. There are only very minor wave trains so substantial freeboard isn’t that important. 10 days is a long time for this trip unless you prefer to float rather than paddle, or are planning a lot of side hikes. We did Green River to Mineral Bottom in 2 days once in 17’ sea kayaks at a relatively leisurely pace. It is more fun for me paddling the Green in an efficient craft like the Summersong than something like a rental Grumman or OT. I am now a quasi local (split my time between Park City and Moab, UT) and would be happy to answer any questions. I last ran Stillwater 3 years ago. Do you have a reservation yet for the jet boat shuttle? They are getting harder to get.
Yes, have jet boat reservation
 
I think that it depends on several factors, including your weight and what you will do for water. I assume that you are planning on the Green River to the confluence with the Colorado section-(Labyrinth/Stillwater Canyons)not Desolation Canyon with its many Class 2-3 rapids. I would never take my Summersong on the latter, but have done it in my Mad River ME with raft support. The Summersong has run the 3 day 68 mile Green River to Mineral Bottom section carrying water and a 170 pound paddler with gear. There are only very minor wave trains so substantial freeboard isn’t that important. 10 days is a long time for this trip unless you prefer to float rather than paddle, or are planning a lot of side hikes. We did Green River to Mineral Bottom in 2 days once in 17’ sea kayaks at a relatively leisurely pace. It is more fun for me paddling the Green in an efficient craft like the Summersong than something like a rental Grumman or OT. I am now a quasi local (split my time between Park City and Moab, UT) and would be happy to answer any questions. I last ran Stillwater 3 years ago. Do you have a reservation yet for the jet boat shuttle? They are getting harder to get.
Yes, have j
 
A friend of mine is going to loan me an Old Town Columbia!
That should be a more comfortable boat for your trip and allow you to carry 10 days worth of fresh water rather than having to settle and filter the silty river water. The last time that I paddled this section of the Green I soloed in my Kevlar Explorer and enjoyed the room vs the Summersong. I also took along an SUP paddle and liked stand up paddling quite a bit, which I couldn’t have done with the Song. Hope you have a great trip and good water flow.
 
That should be a more comfortable boat for your trip and allow you to carry 10 days worth of fresh water rather than having to settle and filter the silty river water. The last time that I paddled this section of the Green I soloed in my Kevlar Explorer and enjoyed the room vs the Summersong. I also took along an SUP paddle and liked stand up paddling quite a bit, which I couldn’t have done with the Song. Hope you have a great trip and good water flow.
The Columbia has a center seat. Allows me to trim easier.
 
Well, you won't have any trouble fitting 10 days worth of gear in an Old Town Columbia. It is a big, long boat at almost 18' but still respectively sleek with a gunwale width of 33 1/2" and a pretty decent waterline width of 31 3/8" so it should move along pretty well for a tandem.
 
Back
Top