Flavell II: The Replica

After rowing the Susie R replica (built by Ian Elliot) on the 2012 Grand Canyon historic wooden boat trip (seen at left), I had such a fun experience that I decided to build a wood boat for myself. Upon hearing the news, Dave Mortenson suggested to me that instead of replicating an existing boat, I should try to build Brick Mortenson’s (Dave’s father) boat, the Flavell II. This posed a real challenge: Blueprints of the Flavell II had been lost to time and the actual boat was destroyed by fire ages ago. What was available were basic external dimensions, a few notes from Brick Mortenson, several photographs, two of the original aluminum storage boxes, and a scale model.

After drawing up blueprints based on precise measurements of the scale model and original storage boxes, I set about building the Flavell II replica in my garage. Due to the storage boxes requiring an exact fit, this build was unique in that it was built from the inside out, the opposite of how most boats are fabricated. Unlike the original Flavell II, the replica’s fore, aft, and side water-tight compartments were not filled with foam, which makes for additional gear stowage. The splashguard on the replica has been made of wood instead of metal, due to cost. The self-bailing system was left out (but may be added in at a later date). Rather than sitting against hard wood for the upcoming 280 miles of rowing, I Velcro’d a padded kayak seat (wife's suggestion) to the Flavell II‘s seat, which fit perfectly, on top of an additional two inches of closed-cell foam to raise up the rowing position. Finally, the self-rescue device at the rear was replicated for aesthetics only. Once fully completed, the four new replicated storage boxes, which Dave Mortenson had built, fit with very little room to spare; in other words, the calculated boat measurements were nearly spot-on.

Much like the original, the Flavell II replica was completed just in the nick of time, with the last major detail, the cockpit tonneau cover, getting finished on launch day by my wife, Pam. On March 5, 2014, the Flavell II replica was launched for the first time ever at Lee’s Ferry, Arizona to rousing fanfare… and no leaks!

While the original Flavell II was lined through most of the wild Colorado’s major rapids on 52,000 cfs in 1962, the replica ran every rapid on the long-tamed Colorado on just 8,000 (average) cfs in 2014. The replica enjoyed a successful first river run: no flips, no swimmers. It did obtain some war wounds, however: From the Susie Too replica, which left a number of paint marks, and from Horn Creek Rapid’s hydraulics, which snapped the right oar in two and cracked the fiberglass on the starboard oar stand, and a small "bruise" on the front left after hitting a rock in Mile 231 rapid.   Aside from that, the boat held up very well; love the way it handles!  It was the hit of the river… all that hard work and sleepless nights paid off! 

Granite Rapid (courtesy John Schroeder)

The original Flavell II garnered “The Sub” nickname due to the way it dove through waves. It appears the replica is not following in the same footsteps, as its nickname has become “The Speedboat”, due to the way it looks in the water compared to the Dories and the way it speeds down the river.