Above Needles Bridge?

[relaxalot]

I have only been as far as Needles Bridge. How far can I easily go up from there and how shallow is it? I have a 28' deckboat. Can I go 2-3 miles easily or will I run into "proplems"?

 

[monkeyswrench]

About a mile north a bit shallow on Ca side...If you see the palm tree peninsula, that area. At low water times also just north of bridge on Ca side. Once you get through that first bit, clear up to Budweiser Rd/ Willow Valley. Same thing, sketchy on Ca side. As in the warning buoy is usually high and dry.

 

[Meaney77]

We were out 2 weeks ago and went all the way up to the Avi, water is pretty high right now and relatively easy to read.

 

[Bigbore500r]

I’d recommend going up at high water for your first time, and preferably following somebody who knows the route. Early morning or evening when we’re is relatively high.

 

[81Sprint]

Just watch how much water they are releasing from Mohave and when. Should be fine if the waters up and you can read the water on the River. If its Brown go Around!

 

[wishiknew]

It’s up right now

 

[MohavValley]

Your good up to about fenders, it gets shallow on the CA side from fenders up to launch at the RV resort.

Once you get to the palm tree pinch point, go left (ca) and hug the point, stay on the left about 30' feet off the beach until you reach the end of the cliffs on ca side, then head to the middle before the 1st beach. Your good up to the houses on Budweiser then there's a big rock point on the left by the pipe crossing and if you go further north you'll hit the bars before Willow. If you want to be safe I'd stop at or before the gas crossing rock bar, it's a little shallow in that whole area.

 

[Big B Hova]

Don't go past Pirates. The river is closed.

Unless you have a boat full of hot women then come on up river!

 

[Bigbore500r]

Just watch how much water they are releasing from Mohave and when. Should be fine if the waters up and you can read the water on the River. If its Brown go Around!

It takes 6-8 hours for the river level in Needles to reflect how much is being released in Laughlin. You'd think it would be much quicker as water finds it's own level, but it's not.

 

[3queens]

Getting to know that part of the river takes more than just a couple runs at it
Ask BHB
It took me a couple years before I was 100% on it (use to launch a Bullhead rotary) before that sunshine marina and make a run to
sandbar

Best ways to learn

Have a spotter and go slow
go fast and not knowing you could hit rocks bend your prop,get skeg scratched, suck up rocks if your jetbootin
Ride along with those that do or

Go up to old Bullhead walk into Shiver River get some shaved ice and
Rent a SKADOO from Jeepdog

 

[SoCalDave]

Just follow this route...

 

[SJP]

I have soloed all the way to the dam after following BHB multiple times. I still needed GPS as a check and went when the water was high. As for going slow - I am of the opinion of keeping the boat and drive out of the water.

 

[69hondo]

sunshine marina

Now thats a name I havent heard in a long time. Some would know it as Lazy harrys now but back in the day it was Sunshine. I rember going there as a kid and watching the drag boats.

 

[outboardrick]

Now thats a name I havent heard in a long time. Some would know it as Lazy harrys now but back in the day it was Sunshine. I rember going there as a kid and watching the drag boats.

I raced there once in the "Family Boat Drags".... Long time ago!

 

[69hondo]

I raced there once in the "Family Boat Drags".... Long time ago!

Good old days, I think my dad has some old pictures of that back then. I will try to dig them out and see if any are worthy of posting or if they are even visible anymore.LOL

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Now thats a name I havent heard in a long time. Some would know it as Lazy harrys now but back in the day it was Sunshine. I rember going there as a kid and watching the drag boats.

That is too funny i read it and thought nothing of it then read yours and said oh snap that’s right!! My dad and i spent many many a days there, grew up half a block away then about a mile a way.

 

[MohavValley]

Dave's video is starting out right at the pipe crossing. It looks like the video was at medium water and you can see the water churning over the rock bars as he passes them.

Once you reach the rock bank of the Willow valley marina your good for that section, North of that you'll need someone else to guide you.

 

[69hondo]

That is too funny i read it and thought nothing of it then read yours and said oh snap that’s right!! My dad and i spent many many a days there, grew up half a block away then about a mile a way.

Same here. We had a river house (mobile home) within a mile of Sunshine marina.

 

[Don Johnson]

Just follow this route...

Somebody has been on my youtube videos.....

When the water is 3 units or better this is my route favoring the AZ side thru the shallow/ rock bar sections of willow valley and I favor center between WV pumping station and Needles bridge.

When the water is under 3 units then you really need know the river and have some talent driving, when headed down river from WV marina I split the rock bars just below the marina and hug the CA side until the pumping station you see at the beginning of the video at which point I transition to center and remain there to Needles bridge. Do not find yourself on the Calif side just above Needles bridge.

 

[77charger]

Sucks stay south nothing to see north of topock. I ride my stand up up there when we go lot of shallow spots but have ran the boat to the avi to get fireworks

 

[3queens]

Same here. We had a river house (mobile home) within a mile of Sunshine marina.

same here too
we had a place on citrus--off lakeside

 

[69hondo]

same here too
we had a place on citrus--off lakeside

Wow, there was a few of us in good old Bullhead.

 

[River Runnin]

Never had a problem! ... as long as there’s 8 inches of water!

 

[3queens]

Wow, there was a few of us in good old Bullhead.

Still in the BHC just moved up off the parkway about 10yrs ago
we boat on the lake not the river so much anymore
i do a go by our old place after eating at Agaves on Hancock
saddens me to see that the new owners
turned it into the typical Bullhead felony flat mobile -dead cars tarps in windows broken fence laundry hanging outside

 

[rivergames]

This is the whole reason why I created SafeWatersAPP!

I want to launch at Havasu Springs and cruise up to Laughlin for the night!

Boaters like you and I need to mark out waterways to protect our equipment, friends and families!

https://www.safewatersapp.com/

https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/safewatersapp.197591/