This Week in Small Craft: June 26th, 2026
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Paddling Life goes inside the AIRE factory, which is catnip for anyone who has ever patched a raft, argued about floors, or wondered why two boats that look almost the same can feel completely different on the water. The piece gets into AIRE’s bladder-and-shell construction, welded seams, PVC-coated fabric, and how those choices affect stiffness, repair, drainage, and boat feel.
Drought.gov posted the draft agenda for its 2026 Western Drought Media Briefings. The Intermountain West and California/Nevada briefing is set for July 8 from 10:30 a.m. to noon Mountain Time. Expect drought, heat, fire outlooks, water supply, agriculture, recreation, and tourism. Light summer reading for anyone who likes rivers and bad news.
The Ohio River Way Challenge covers 488 miles over 23 days from Huntington, West Virginia, to Evansville, Indiana. Paddlers can join one or more week-long legs. The trip uses voyageur canoes and a volunteer-captained houseboat that serves as a floating lab for student interns.
NRS has a short film called hitoláayca, or Going Upriver. It follows Devin Reuben as he trains to become the first certified Nimiipuu whitewater guide of his generation. The film is set on the Snake and Salmon rivers and centers river travel, guide training, and a return to ancestral water.
Paddling Magazine has a smart piece on plan continuation bias. That is the official term for sticking with a bad plan because it was the original plan. Boat people know this one. Check it out. Important stuff.
Don’t forget the WoodenBoat Show this weekend in Mystic, CT June 26 to 28. Three days of wooden boats, tools, varnish, sharp transoms, and people who can say “lapstrake” without blinking. The show includes classic boats, traditional boats, demonstrations, speakers, and the “I Built/Restored It Myself” exhibit.