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September 14, 2026 at 4:16 pm
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Updated September 15, 2026 at 8:51 am
JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – Rafters in Josephine County set what they say is a new record on Friday after navigating the Rogue River on a stack of 10 inflatable rafts.
The achievement was a collaboration between self-described waterman Covey Baack and rafting company SOTAR. Baack previously worked with SOTAR to float down the Rogue River on a six-raft stack. He says their goal was to showcase the beauty of the natural area.
A small group, including Baack’s two children, gathered to make the approximately three-and-a-half-hour journey down the Rogue River.
“All in all, the research that we’ve done is that no one’s come close to taking a boat stacked this big on the water,” said Jeremiah Lewman, COO of SOTAR.
Figuring out how to navigate the river safely on a stack of 10 rafts took a significant amount of legwork. SOTAR crafted around one hundred straps to hold the 20-foot stack together.
“I did it for me, I didn’t really do it for video. I just kind of like to get out in the water and showcase what could be done,” said Baack.
He says he would like to continue making bigger projects in the future and is currently looking for ideas from the public on what to build. “I just want to see what people can dream up next,” he said.
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