Dangerous Paddlers
Question:
It’s my opinion that the most dangerous boaters are those friggin’ weekend warriors that are allowed to rent crafts. People who have the skills and desire for whitewater activity generally have there own equipment. Though I could see where someone going to a remote location or far off location might find it more practical to rent then pack their own equipment. Last year I was on the Deshutes River with a party of three other crafts. Two of the parties had never rafted this river before. We had put in on thursday far upstream from the normal high traffic stretch of water. But by Sunday the day of our takeout we had entered the highly congested stretch where the rental boats and outfitters congregate, or infest… depending on your perspective. I was holding back at the top of Buckskin Mary waiting for some other parties to go through and then we were going to send our newbies through first in case we needed to pick up an ejected passenger or equipment. "Mary" was running at about a mild IV that day but with the summer water running low there was a big hole at the top. We were holding back at the top of the hole with one of our newbies when all the sudden with enough impact to snap my neck I was rammed from behind by a paddleboat with 5 guys and some drunk chick with green teeth. Half of their boat had ridden up on my cargonet and dry bags. I pushed them back off and told them just that "back off" and refocused on the river ahead and again they bumped me. It wasn’t as hard but it was enough to push our newbie in front of us up over the niggerhead and into the hole sideways. I told them to back off and this mouthy guy holding a Beam bottle stood up and said "hey chill out mister". My 9 foot ash smokers have a nice reach and I turned the blade sideways and said "chill this" and cracked him across the shins just as I got sucked into and committed to running "Mary". I stopped at the bottom and picked up a stranger that had been ejected and saw the "hooligans" go by. A couple of river miles later I saw them hanging onto some brush along the bank tending to some really bloody shins. To bad the river doesn’t have Pirahna. We exchanged glares and went on by. Later on we were at the last take out at Maupin and we saw them going by. They were on the opposite side of the river and blew right on past the huge billboards on bothsides of the river warning "Danger Class VI water, impassible, zero rescue". The only people I know of having ever gone through Sherer Falls were dead before their bodies went through. I don’t know what happened to them. There was one other place they may have taken out. But it was on the wrong side of the river and gated shut for the entire season. Best case scenario they had a hell of a hike ahead of them. I’m not one for Government regulation but there’s got to be away to keep these people who got the money to rent but lack the skills to operate a boat safely on my rivers gall dammit. I’d suggest that these are probably the same type people who are the ones breaking their bottles on the boat ramp, creating fire rings at will, using parts of the outhouses for firewood, leaving their garbage and feces scattered around, and making it hard for those of us who do respect the rivers and land to get permits for the scenic waterways in this state. These are the very epitomy of dangerous paddlers and a thorn in my raft.
Response:
Nice response riverman. If I didn’t know different, I would think you were a true sailor, also. ****** Craig ****** Replies to Author must remove REMOVE from auto-reply Visit http://www.arq.net/~sailing/
Response:
Nice response riverman. If I didn’t know different, I would think you were a true sailor, also. ****** Craig ******
I don’t know how you ‘know’ different, there, matey. I sold my Catalina-12 daysailer when I moved out here, and a buddy and I are thinking seriously of buying a Midship-25 (sloop rig, roller furled) next summer. He has a Hunter-22 already that we take out whenever I can get to the US. Although I’m still closer to the novice end of the scale, I know a jib from a jibe, and know just when to duck on a tack. And my favorite vowel is ‘I’ and my favorite consonant is ‘R’. Arrrrr. Aye! — riverman I think, therefore I thwim. Carpe ropum. Yo ho!
Response:
It’s my opinion that the most dangerous boaters are those friggin’ weekend warriors that are allowed to rent crafts.
Woah, Brian…you got some problems here. I appreciate the sentiment about dangerous weekend warriors, but some of your own post has me concerned.. Last year I was on the Deshutes River with a party of three other crafts. Two of the parties had never rafted this river before.
OK, so you are setting yourself up as the ‘experienced’ one here. This is good, but it comes with a load of responsibilities… (we got bashed by a bunch of losers, and) it was enough to push our newbie in front of us up over the niggerhead and into the hole sideways.
Um, terms like ‘niggerhead’ aren’t really used…Pourover, maybe.. My 9 foot ash smokers have a nice reach and I turned the blade sideways and said "chill this" and cracked him across the shins just as I got sucked into and committed to running "Mary".
Bad call. I stopped at the bottom and picked up a stranger that had been ejected and saw the "hooligans" go by. A couple of river miles later I saw them hanging onto some brush along the bank tending to some really bloody shins. To bad the river doesn’t have Pirahna. We exchanged glares and went on by.
Rule #1) Cause no harm. Later on we were at the last take out at Maupin and we saw them going by. They were on the opposite side of the river and blew right on past the huge billboards on bothsides of the river warning "Danger Class VI water, impassible, zero rescue".
Rule #2) Protect Morons from themselves. The only people I know of having ever gone through Sherer Falls were dead before their bodies went through. I don’t know what happened to them. There was one other place they may have taken out. But it was on the wrong side of the river and gated shut for the entire season. Best case scenario they had a hell of a hike ahead of them.
Rule #3) Help Morons who need help. I’m not one for Government regulation but there’s got to be away to keep these people who got the money to rent but lack the skills to operate a boat safely on my rivers gall dammit.
Rule #4) There is no situation so F***ed up that more government regulations can’t make it worse. I’d suggest that these are probably the same type people who are the ones breaking their bottles on the boat ramp, creating fire rings at will, using parts of the outhouses for firewood, leaving their garbage and feces scattered around, and making it hard for those of us who do respect the rivers and land to get permits for the scenic waterways in this state.
Or not educating strangers, cracking people across the shins with their oars (commonly referred to as ‘assault with intent to harm’ in many states), not rendering assistance when it is indicated, withholding important information, using derogatory and racially insulting language.. These are the very epitomy of dangerous paddlers and a thorn in my raft.
Yeah, mine too! But the answer is definately not to play the game their way, or to get more regulations involved. I think if some underskilled clown was crowding your line and did not have the skills or intelligence to get off your ass, you need to say "Hey Bozo: thanks for ruining my run! You’re supposed to leave 4 or 5 boatlengths between us! If you can’t manage your own boat, maybe you should go ahead. Or else try following my line. And pass that bottle of Jim over here, dude!" If we try to help them out, and let Darwinism do the rest, we all benefit. — riverman I think, therefore I thwim. Carpe ropum. .
