"Oregon's Boat" premieres

SPRINGFIELD: A documentary exploring the evolution and enduring influence of the McKenzie River Drift Boat has proved a crowd pleaser, judging by its enthusiastic acceptance at a screening last week. The film’s debut at the Wildish Theater is the creation of Randy Dersham, who has shifted his focus to filmmaking after a long career in the video game industry.

Combining a mix of historical film, archival photographs, and insightful interviews, Dersham’s film charts the wooden boat’s evolution and its role in transforming how people fish and navigate whitewater in shallow rocky rivers. “Oregon’s Boat” also showcases the ingenuity and craftsmanship behind the development of the iconic vessel - from features like its flared sides for stability and a rocker bottom for maneuverability to a generous girth that ensures a shallow draft.

The five-act documentary cites several men who helped the craft evolve. Among them are Veltie Pruitt and Prince Helfrich—the first to float many of the great rivers of Oregon from top to bottom—as they scouted and recorded the rapids of these rivers. Other notables were boatbuilders Tom Kaarhus and Woodie Hindman, who introduced innovative ideas to the design of the drift boat that greatly benefitted from the introduction of plywood to their raw materials.

Dersham also included archival footage of how the McKenzie design was adapted as the basis for dories that conquered the Grand Canyon and helped quash plans to dam it.

While many people may have heard stories about the White Water Parade, footage of some crazy rafts illustrated how the increasing danger ended the event. The movie will emphasize the danger of the river by having a time of recognition for the influential people who have died on the river.

Plans call for the film to be shown at various gatherings, including by special request at fly-fishing clubs, over the coming year. “Oregon’s Boat” has been entered into several film festivals and is now one of four finalists for Best Documentary Feature of the Winter 2025 Oregon Documentary Film Festival.