BoatSmith Whitewater Gathering

02/16/2026

BoatSmith 2026 Downriver Class IV race.

Located in Del Norte County on the Smith riverFeb 14th 2026Music is by DJ Taz Rashid

02/13/2026

Remember to be easy and chill while you are here friends.

02/13/2026

BoatSmith Whitewater Festival 2026 – Event Site Info - Last minute change

BoatSmith 2026 will be BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverages) at the event site.

There will be no alcohol sales on-site this year, so please plan accordingly if you’d like to enjoy a beverage during the weekend.

Please drink responsibly and help us keep the campground, lodge, and river clean and respectful.

See you on the Smith. 🌊🔥

02/11/2026

🔥🏁 BoatSmith Whitewater Festival 2026 – Race Schedule is LIVE! 🏁🔥
February 14–15 | Smith River, CA

It’s almost time to line up at the river bank! Whether you’re racing, cheering, or just soaking in the energy, here’s what the weekend looks like:

🗓 Saturday – February 14

Class I–III Downriver (Stairs → Craig’s Beach)
🕙 10:00 AM – Kayak, Canoe, Packraft, IK
🕚 11:00 AM – 2-Person Raft
🕦 11:30 AM – Oar Boat (Solo), SUP, River Board, Shredder
🕛 12:00 PM – Oar Boat w/ Assist (up to 4), Experimental

Class IV+ Downriver (Craig’s Beach → Gorge)
🕐 1:00 PM – Kayak, Canoe, SUP, River Board, IK
🕑 2:00 PM – 2-Person Raft
🕒 3:00 PM – 4-Person Raft, Oar Boat (Solo & Assist), Shredder
🕞 3:30 PM – Experimental
⏰ 5:00 PM – Course Closed

🗓 Sunday – February 15

Sprint & Head-to-Head Racing – Short Course
📍 Panther Flat
🕘 9:00 AM – Captains Meeting
🕙 10:00 AM – Heats Begin (Kayak, IK, Packraft, 2-Person Raft)
Racing expected to continue through ~2:00 PM

BoatSmith is open to all crafts and all styles — from elite competitors to first-time racers. This is fast, fun, and pure Smith River energy.

Come race. Come cheer. Come be part of it. 🌊💙

02/09/2026

We’re fired up to recognize Sotar on the Water for their incredible support of BoatSmith Whitewater Festival 2026.

SOTAR has donated a Merlin Series raft as the Grand Prize for this year’s raffle — a serious whitewater boat and an unreal opportunity for one lucky winner.

🎟️ Raffle tickets available at the venue only
💵 $1 = 1 chance
❤️ All proceeds support getting our youth out on the water!

Huge thanks to SOTAR for backing BoatSmith, the Smith River, and the next generation of boaters.

02/07/2026

🚐🛶 Free BoatSmith shuttle Saturday & Sunday — sponsored by American Whitewater.

Look for the American Whitewater Boater Shuttle van running laps on Saturday and Sunday wherever the boating is happening. Rides are free for everyone, and kayakers can load boats on the trailer.

If you love the Smith River, please support American Whitewater’s work to protect the North Fork headwaters and improve the trail at Craigs Beach River Access.

👉 americanwhitewater.org/support

02/04/2026

It’s been sunny and calm in Gasquet for a while, but it feels like Bearfoot Brad might be starting to shake his rain stick just in time for BoatSmith. We’re always happy to see high flows on the Smith, but the good news is that even without much more rain, the river is already in great shape.

This watershed responds fast, and any additional storms would just sweeten the deal. Whether the rain shows up or not, we’re heading into BoatSmith with solid, healthy flows and a river that’s ready to go.

The Smith River is a magical world, and BoatSmith is an attempt to bring that world to more people.

02/01/2026

🌊💚 TILL FLOOD DO US PART 💚🌊
Love should survive Class V

BoatSmith isn’t just racing this year…
we’re throwing a Spooky Valentine Dance Party in the middle of a whitewater festival.

🖤 Saturday, February 14, 2026
📍 Patrick’s Creek Lodge
🌧 Outside • Dark • Rain or Shine

Expect:
🔥 Food & beverages
🎶 Music & dancing
🎟 Raffle + prizes
🧛 Costumes encouraged (highly)
💦 Romance under questionable river conditions

This is all part of BoatSmith 2026 — a full weekend of whitewater racing, films, community, and river chaos on the Smith River.

👉 Event details & full schedule:
https://boatsmith.yolasite.com/

👉 Get the latest updates (newsletter):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQi2apX01InSFWBba6sxVuLuv6aC3mB7JzRqvS-cXHES3BeNrycet-MzGIVFXEeHPo36Eg-yX__nZJf/pub

Bring your paddling partner.
Bring your heartbreak.
Bring a costume that can survive Class V love.

01/30/2026

🛶 At BoatSmith, volunteering comes with titles. And badges.

We still have several legendary volunteer roles open — and yes, these come with custom BoatSmith badges and serious river karma:

🔹 Booth Boss 3000 – Keeper of the Flow
🔹 Admiral of Split Seconds – Race timing hero
🔹 Commander of the Van Clan – Shuttle wrangler
🔹 Time’s Up Tyrant – Race registration cutoff enforcement
🔹 Raffle Master – Hustler of hope, seller of dreams
🔹 BoatSmith Wrangler – Guiding lost humans (setup & parking)
🔹 Parking / People Master – Flow control specialist
🔹 Campground Secret Service Patroller – Keepin’ it smooth
🔹 Zen Master – Calm in the chaos

Help keep the festival running, claim your title, and walk away with BoatSmith volunteer swag — plus free access to all the weekend fun.

👉 Sign up here: https://volunteersignup.org/PFMT8

Good people. Good vibes. Good river karma. 🌊

01/18/2026

🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨

Crazy Bill is officially your MC for Awards Night at BoatSmith.

You raced hard.
You survived the Smith.
Now you get to hear your name yelled into a microphone by a legend.

Crazy Bill will be on the mic for Awards Night at the BoatSmith Whitewater Festival, bringing maximum hype, questionable commentary, and absolutely zero chill.

If you thought the racing was chaotic… just wait for the awards.

You do not want to miss this.

02/18/2025

Did anyone by chance pick up a pair of gray Astrals? They might’ve been left by the campground entrance sign. The owner is trying to track them down.

02/16/2025

BoatSmith Race Results are in. Congrats to our racers. It was a great day to be on the water!