The Earliest McKenzies

An Overview

  
 

See the Kaarhus boats      See the McKenzie double enders      See the Rogue River drivers       See the Rogue River dory

  
 

 

From heavily timbered "old scows" to the first light McKenzie River drift boat

 
       
    Oregon's McKenzie River is named after the Hudson Bay Fur trapper who explored the river in 1811. The gentle drainage allowed very early trail and road development to occur. Goods and supplies could therefore be moved overland and also made access to the McKenzie easier. Sports fisherman at the turn of the 20th century braved the cold mountain water on foot but to get to the tantalizing holes just out of reach they would haul their boats by horse and wagon to river launching sites. These boats were heavy-duty, flat bottom skiffs of limited freeboard. They offered reasonable stability in calm water but in the riffles and white water of the McKenzie they could be troublesome. It was customary for the fly fisher to stand on the aft deck.  

1917 photo of the "old scow", courtesy of Leroy Pruitt
 
    Men like Carey Thompson, Bill Price and Rube Montgomery began guiding clients by 1910. In fact, one historian reports that Thompson started it all when he began to guide for hire in 1909. Soon guides were adapting their boats to fit their particular needs. John and Roy West may have been the first to build a board and batten boat shorter than the tradition 18 to 22 foot scows of the day. The West boat was shorter (about 16') and had some rocker to it that allowed for greater maneuverability. Milo Thompson, and early guide, jokingly called the West boat a "bathtub with oarlocks." This was a curious yet effective change from the heavier, clumsy scows.  

'Ric' Richards standing "old scow" fishing platform. Courtesy Leroy Pruitt
 
    In 1925 Preacher and guide Veltie Pruitt built the very first light board and batten riverboat for use on the McKenzie. Measuring only 13' from stem to stern and made from 12" spruce boards and cedar frames the boat proved to be light. "It could "skitter like a bug across the water." The boat could also be car topped, thereby making most of Oregon's wild rivers accessible to the guide. Indeed, Veltie and his good friend Prince Helfrich used this boat to be the first to run such rivers as the upper Rogue (Prospect to Shady Cove), the Metolius, Deschutes from top to bottom and the John Day. In fact, there is story about Veltie and Prince hand carrying this boat about three miles through old growth timber to run and fish the Smith, a McKenzie tributary.  

Leroy Pruitt fishing from his first light board and batten on the McKenzie. Courtesy of Leroy Pruitt.
   
  To the left is the author's modeled re-creation of that first light board and batten drift boat. The board's were milled from spruce and the frames, as Leroy Pruitt remembers, were constructed of Port Orford cedar. For reasons unknown Veltie bore a 1" hole in his oar blades, perhaps to reduce pressure on the blade as he and Prince navigated Oregon's wild rivers. The practice would have actually weakened the oars.