PA Creeks & the boats that can navigate

Liopleurodon

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Jun 18, 2011
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Tried searching on this and couldn't find anything, so here goes...

I like creeks, with most of my creek experience being in canoes & kayaks. I'm gradually becoming aware of the powered craft that are designed for shallow water, though I haven't seen too many of them around here.

Begging the question, is legal in PA to take a power boat up a stream? Or is it effectively illegal because of no-wake rules within 100ft of shore? Or is it actually legitimate, and there just aren't too many creek boaters out there?

The smallest creek I've seen any power boats in is French Creek. When the water was high, I spotted an I/O in a spot where it would have had to cross a rapid or two. Of course French Creek is pretty big. I've seen pontoon boats in a dammed section of the Slippery Rock Creek but suspect they were owned by those with riverfront property. I also saw a power boat pulling a tuber up Redbank Creek at pool level.

Eligible locations would be creeks that flow into the Allegheny River, or the inlets of dammed lakes without hp limits. But only if it's legal.

I've seen videos on youtube of people running much smaller creeks than I'm used to, but I suspect they were in a different state. I've seen videos of running the Susquehena, but that's notoriously wide.

The conclusion I'm trying to reach is whether an aluma-jet or PWC will ever be in my future.
 

GA_Boater

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May 24, 2011
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Re: PA Creeks & the boats that can navigate

How about Turtle Creek or Lyons Run (we called that one Sulphur Crick when I was a kid) - I doubt is either one is fit for a boat other than a kayak or canoe. It will be interesting to hear feedback on this one.
 

V4 Johnson

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Jan 30, 2010
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Re: PA Creeks & the boats that can navigate

Mahoning Creek is comfortably navigable for a mile or so in my 17 foot 4-Winns and probably even bigger craft. Not sure how much farther you could get in a smaller boat or a PWC.
 

Liopleurodon

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Jun 18, 2011
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Re: PA Creeks & the boats that can navigate

I've been there in a kayak, very nice creek when there's enough water. The grade in that particular creek is on the steep side, so the water flow required to navigate would be pretty high and fast (relatively speaking). For reference, the grade of the Mahoning in that section is 7ft/mi on average, compared to 6ft/mi for the lower end of French Creek and 2ft/mi for the Shenango starting at the lake, and 3ft/mi for the lower Kiskiminetus. Crooked Creek from the lake is 9ft/mi and Loyalhanna is 3.
 
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