09-22-2011, 01:05 AM
Floated the Green below the Gorge today in the new NFO Assault. All went well except for one little hitch. It compares very similar to the Renegade, as expected.
The most noticeable difference on the water was the lower profile of the pontoons. With the bags in place, I had more room to cast without needing to elevate my elbows as I often did in the Renegade. I just had more casting freedom. The 5-foot standard oars seemed to "fit" and work fine on the Assault, presumably because the boat is narrower and lower than the Renegade.
The maneuverability in current was pretty amazing. I put that little thing behind every rock and in every eddy on my track on the A section. I parked it behind boulders in the middle of some of the rapids. It was like a little inflatable kayak. I ran right down the center of all the rapids and stayed mostly dry, drier than in the Renegade. River was up (around 2600 cfs), so the current was strong nearly everywhere. However, I had little trouble slowing the boat down a little to cast hoppers to the bank and into eddies all the way down. It was A LOT more maneuverable with the fins than the Renegade. Straight-line speed-wise though, it seemed about equal, both with the oars, and with the fins.
It's definitely a smaller boat though. I found this out the hard way a little ways down the river when I had the bright idea to "test" out how fast of water I could anchor in.[:/] It hung on in some pretty fast current, but on one drop right down the center of the channel, the anchor got stuck between a rock and a rock, and it was not coming back. I did try to pull it, but I could only pull the stern down just inches from water coming over the top! I could not paddle the boat upstream of the anchor due to current speed (Rippin') I finally stopped trying, cut the rope as short as I could, and donated to the bottom structure of the river. It was either that, or swamp the thing.
I've had this happen a few times with the Renegade, but was always able to pull hard enough to free the anchor. The larger pontoons on the Renegade allowed for that because they are much harder to pull under. Not the Assault. Now I know![laugh] Prior to losing the thing, I did anchor in some respectable current without any problems. Just gotta know its limits, and thats one where the Renegade still wins.
NOTE: It is general river-wise knowledge not to anchor in very fast current. But sometimes I just need my boat in a certain spot to get a certain presentation to a certain fish I gotta have!
I also ended up liking the closed bow. It made the rapids a bit drier. It also gave me a place to lay down the rod straight in front of me, with the reel/handle in my lap. I found myself doing that without worrying about the tip dipping in the water like I did on the Renegade.
I also had concerns about landing fish with the closed bow. On the Renegade, I often led them right up to the foot rest in front of me. Not a problem on the Assault though. It was actually easier to get to the fish due to the smaller pontoons. I could net the larger ones, and just reach over with the hemostats on the regular "Green River wagglers."
Finally, I did not have any problems with getting in and out of the closed bow. In very shallow water or on the shore, it was easier because the step over the Assault pontoon is lower than the Renegade. In deeper water, I just picked up the bow, and moved the boat over my head instead of stepping over anything. Either way, it was as easy, or easier, than stepping over the Renegade. I did not miss being able to remove the foot brace on the Renegade to just walk out of it. Maybe I will, but not today.
So overall, I was most impressed with maneuverability. It danced anywhere I wanted it to go in the river with little effort. I liked the extra elbow room above the gear bags. The 5-foot oars worked pretty well. The closed front bow turns out to be a nice little luxury. And finally, and probably the biggest change for me over the Renegade--It fits nicely in the back of the truck fully inflated!
What could be better? It needs more D-rings like the Renegade has. The gear bags would ideally be back another 6-8 inches, like can be done with the Renegade. It also seems to ride a little stern-heavy, even after I lost the anchor. There is much more of the stern in the water, while the nose barely touches. I would move the seat and oars forward a little on the whole boat to even out the ride, but that's not how its built. I'm short, with short legs. Dave (the designer) is tall, and needs more front leg room. Other than that, It's a keeper!
And the fishing? Yes, it was fine. Foam hoppers and ants mostly. Size 12's, tan, for both. There were fish eating midges and small mayflies in most of the slower water, and along the banks in the afternoon. Caught some of those with a #18 para. adams. They all ate it. It was pretty easy fishing. Fish were 12-20 inches, mostly on the smaller side of that range. I only fished dries, and never went long between takes.
I'd still be down there if I hadn't lost that damn anchor![blush]
Toon and a tad of porn attached.
[signature]
The most noticeable difference on the water was the lower profile of the pontoons. With the bags in place, I had more room to cast without needing to elevate my elbows as I often did in the Renegade. I just had more casting freedom. The 5-foot standard oars seemed to "fit" and work fine on the Assault, presumably because the boat is narrower and lower than the Renegade.
The maneuverability in current was pretty amazing. I put that little thing behind every rock and in every eddy on my track on the A section. I parked it behind boulders in the middle of some of the rapids. It was like a little inflatable kayak. I ran right down the center of all the rapids and stayed mostly dry, drier than in the Renegade. River was up (around 2600 cfs), so the current was strong nearly everywhere. However, I had little trouble slowing the boat down a little to cast hoppers to the bank and into eddies all the way down. It was A LOT more maneuverable with the fins than the Renegade. Straight-line speed-wise though, it seemed about equal, both with the oars, and with the fins.
It's definitely a smaller boat though. I found this out the hard way a little ways down the river when I had the bright idea to "test" out how fast of water I could anchor in.[:/] It hung on in some pretty fast current, but on one drop right down the center of the channel, the anchor got stuck between a rock and a rock, and it was not coming back. I did try to pull it, but I could only pull the stern down just inches from water coming over the top! I could not paddle the boat upstream of the anchor due to current speed (Rippin') I finally stopped trying, cut the rope as short as I could, and donated to the bottom structure of the river. It was either that, or swamp the thing.
I've had this happen a few times with the Renegade, but was always able to pull hard enough to free the anchor. The larger pontoons on the Renegade allowed for that because they are much harder to pull under. Not the Assault. Now I know![laugh] Prior to losing the thing, I did anchor in some respectable current without any problems. Just gotta know its limits, and thats one where the Renegade still wins.
NOTE: It is general river-wise knowledge not to anchor in very fast current. But sometimes I just need my boat in a certain spot to get a certain presentation to a certain fish I gotta have!
I also ended up liking the closed bow. It made the rapids a bit drier. It also gave me a place to lay down the rod straight in front of me, with the reel/handle in my lap. I found myself doing that without worrying about the tip dipping in the water like I did on the Renegade.
I also had concerns about landing fish with the closed bow. On the Renegade, I often led them right up to the foot rest in front of me. Not a problem on the Assault though. It was actually easier to get to the fish due to the smaller pontoons. I could net the larger ones, and just reach over with the hemostats on the regular "Green River wagglers."
Finally, I did not have any problems with getting in and out of the closed bow. In very shallow water or on the shore, it was easier because the step over the Assault pontoon is lower than the Renegade. In deeper water, I just picked up the bow, and moved the boat over my head instead of stepping over anything. Either way, it was as easy, or easier, than stepping over the Renegade. I did not miss being able to remove the foot brace on the Renegade to just walk out of it. Maybe I will, but not today.
So overall, I was most impressed with maneuverability. It danced anywhere I wanted it to go in the river with little effort. I liked the extra elbow room above the gear bags. The 5-foot oars worked pretty well. The closed front bow turns out to be a nice little luxury. And finally, and probably the biggest change for me over the Renegade--It fits nicely in the back of the truck fully inflated!
What could be better? It needs more D-rings like the Renegade has. The gear bags would ideally be back another 6-8 inches, like can be done with the Renegade. It also seems to ride a little stern-heavy, even after I lost the anchor. There is much more of the stern in the water, while the nose barely touches. I would move the seat and oars forward a little on the whole boat to even out the ride, but that's not how its built. I'm short, with short legs. Dave (the designer) is tall, and needs more front leg room. Other than that, It's a keeper!
And the fishing? Yes, it was fine. Foam hoppers and ants mostly. Size 12's, tan, for both. There were fish eating midges and small mayflies in most of the slower water, and along the banks in the afternoon. Caught some of those with a #18 para. adams. They all ate it. It was pretty easy fishing. Fish were 12-20 inches, mostly on the smaller side of that range. I only fished dries, and never went long between takes.
I'd still be down there if I hadn't lost that damn anchor![blush]
Toon and a tad of porn attached.
[signature]
![[Image: IMG_3874.jpg]](http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/FlyGoddess/Assault%20XX/IMG_3874.jpg)