Thread: Whanganui River advice

I’m looking for advice on hunting down the Whanganui, so be harsh on my plan as it’s in its infancy.

I’m wanting to use a 4.2m hypalon inflatable, with 8hp outboard, paddles and fending off poles to travel from Taumarunui to Pipiriki. The idea is to have all gear in watertight containers, use the motor on deep sluggish sections, paddle/pole rapids. Tent and gas cook en route, safety gear, food etc, look for a goat and or fallow. I appreciate it will be cold.

I’ve done a lot of boating, kayaking, and hunting, but never on this river. I’d be travelling with one other capable guy; a son. I’m aware of the need for permits, the hunting ‘season’ etc. Any warnings/advice most appreciated
Cheers,
Ingrid 51

Spend a night at hipango park as usual check seasonal rules etc but plenty of fallow and a good shelter their

you COULD do worse than pay to jet boat it first so you know what getting self in for.... go and talk to the folks who do it all the time,hire kayaks out etc... Ive done top bits in yak no issues... rapids wont be prop friendly...but sounds like youve thought about that.
Taumarunui people are good sorts,pretty sure they wont give you a bum steer about how doable things are.take a epirb/plb with you just incase things go pear shaped and let someone know what you doing and time frame...them commercial folks would be ideal to have plans with too....if you dont ring to say you are out safe,50 quid to knob of goat shit ,it will be them who coppers ask to come looking for you.

Did honeymoon #1 that way. 3.9 inflatable and a 15hp from memory. Very palatial, as we could cart heaps of stuff and was very comfortable to do long hours in.

Taumaranui start off is very boring, as its still a small river at that stage, and its farmland. Each to their own.

Take some very long rope. Some of those flats don't have anything handy to tie the boat up to. And the river can come up 20 foot overnight if you catch it wrong.
Spare prop and shear pins, pus usual of spark plugs, CRC etc

Repair gear suited to your inflatable. Hypalon or PVC makes a difference to the glues and material used.

You will find it safer going through rapids under steam. Even if only under modest steerage power. Beware the dreaded broaching against a log pile, the water will catch the upstream pontoon, flip the boat and she's all over rover

Yes, can be frigid down in those sunless stretches.

Comms and or a PLB. a bad rip in a pontoon can see you needing to dry the boat out before attempting to glue a repair on. There goes a day you hadn't counted on.

Have fun and take some photos! Mine are all box brownie pics

Rgr advice thanks Mickey Duck. I do have a prop guard I could bolt on. Forgot to mention that in original posting.

For more hunting start at Tangagrakau near Tahora ....