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So I have had my hdi long enough to be able to see mostly what it's capable of, what it doesn't like, and what to stay the heck away from! I mentioned in another post about how I took it into the edge of a slow moving river and was instantly swept into the current with almost no control over where it went once it started swimming. That event turned out okay as I was able to get it back to the beach without hitting the log jam that was a few more yards downriver. Lesson learned...almost...
The other day I spent time with my mom and took her to a local creek. Now this is VERY different from the river I mentioned. It was only about 3' deep at the deepest and not very wide, maybe 50' at the widest. There were rock bars that stuck out everywhere the water got ankle deep. I first walked the course to make sure the current wasn't strong and decided to try a section for a short distance to the next rock bar then turn around and start back. It made it down fine. Very calm with no issues at all. It turned where I pointed it and responded to throttle all the way.
When I got to the rock bar and decided to turn around, the 'fun' began. With the rock bar being partial sand and completely saturated, the tires started to cut ruts. I couldn't turn at all and could not get pointed back the way I came. The tires were almost 'dry' but just kept digging like I was in mud. I would cut ruts until I got to a point that I had to back up and start over. Each time it would follow the same path. Eventually, I got it turned enough to start back up the shallow stretch. Once it started floating it would move forward, but it kept wanting to dart around with the current so I had to keep giving input to keep it headed in the right direction. The swim was slow once fully floating. Like it was having a hard time keeping up, but the current was barely visible. I ended up having to get out and walk beside it to push the nose around and keep it going where I wanted. There was no load on it, and my mom was the only passenger.
I eventually got it back and out and everything turned out fine. But then, I get on Youtube and search Argos on water and saw people doing things in rivers that I cannot get mine to do! I even saw one video where two guys were going down literally white water rapids and could come out at any point he wanted!! How???!!! What am I doing wrong?? I know I'm still a novice, but why can't I figure out what these guys are doing? I have come to the conclusion that the only way I will be able to handle swimming in ANY current would be to have an outboard or trolling motor!
Also, would the Adair Pro Series tracks have solved all my problems? I was going to get them at first, but now that I have seen what it goes through with just tires I don't think I need them. But will they give me better control in water, or will it be worse or the same?
I may try to go back and take a Go-Pro video of what I'm talking about and try to figure out how to post it. There is no way I would dare take a chance in rapids when I can't get it to perform in the smallest current possible. Btw, it does fine in calm water such as a pond or small lake. It's just the current issues that I am fighting.