can I run a 14' lund with a 20hp yamaha in the COW

was curious if I can run a 20hp yamaha on a newer 14' lund on the lower cowlitz if river is running 4000+ fps? Was thinking if i just tilted the motor up two or 3 click?

Thanks!

Heck, if a 24' trophy with twin screws can run blue creek, I'm thinking you'll do just fine.

Don't know the actual answer to your question- good luck.

Peter,

If by lower Cowlitz you mean Castle Rock and downstream, I think there are some spots where any prop drive will strike, even in the thalweg (deepest part of the channel). I heard that getting through the mouth of the Cowlitz to the Columbia is extremely difficult for anything other than jet drive due to the extensive sand bar on one side and wood on the other. Ultimately it depends on just how well you know the thread of the river. And if you knew it, you wouldn't be asking here.

Sg

sorry guys i meant the upper by blue creek

Peter, do not run a prop up by Blue Creek. It is an invitation to disaster.

i wouldnt do it. I've ran our 13' smokercraft with a 15 horse yami on the cow at bluecreek once and wouldnt try it again. Fished out of i5 probably 10 or so times with no issues but i high advise against it. like eddie said your just waiting for a disaster to happen. When i was younger i put the boat in the sop at 101 and ran above the east fork and caught fish. I would never do it again though and was lucky i didnt go for a cold and dangerous swim.

I did it for years in a 12' High laker with a 15 evinrude prop. Thought I was invincable until one april day free drifting hit a stump drifting downriver below the cabin and was ejected from the boat. Went for a little 150 yard swim and was damn lucky to get to the bank where I did. Boat was doing circles above me as it was still in gear. Nobody around and I made the stupid decision to swim back for the boat as it went past, and was damn lucky again to get the boat and crawl into it. Bombed back down to mission cold and miserable where I had launched and realized that during my swim, everything in my pockets was gone, missing, including my truck keys. Jogged up and down the hill at mission to get the blood flowing until I was able to flag someone to call the wife for the spare set of keys. That was all it took to get the OK to buy a sled, lol.

Sounds like "Into the Wild, The Sequel", except for the part where you survived.

I ran a 14' with a 20 hp at Barrier a couple times. Once for springers; once for summer steel. Only ran about a mile below the launch. Fellow I was with knew the river and knew the rocks. We survived, too.

a friend of mine used to run up from blue creek in a 14' gregor with a 15hp outboard, nearly up to baker rock. however this was in the winter during higher water. i think he carried an extra prop.

another friend talks of putting his 14' alaskan in the hump years ago, running up from the dike road launch. said he had to have his sons get in the very front of the boat and tilt the motor up to clear the riffle at the 10 minute hole

contrary to what some people say, you don't need some $20k barge to go fishing. just need to use your head.

No easy answer on this one.......

1st boat was a 14' StarCraft......15 HP Evinrude, prop........thought I could go "anywhere".......Humptulips, Satsop, Wynoochee, North River and of course the Chehalis.......Cost me more than a few props, thank heavens for oars.

Got a old Valco, flat bottom, 14", added new 50 HP Yamaha pump.....was good to go for many years.

Prop driven boats probably should be used on "waters" other than rivers..IMO

Good luck, be safe!!!!!! xhit happens, so fast.....

Peter,

As you can see from the other posts, if you're asking about the Blue Creek area of the Cowlitz, the answer is absolutely "no." At 5,000 cfs you could venture a little ways up and downstream, but if you go very far downstream, there are a couple wide and shallow spots where I don't think a prop drive can get through without striking.

This is coming from a guy who ran a 14' Lund with a 25 hp prop on the Skagit for many years and only had to replace a couple shear pins.

Sg