This topic is about safety.
Some of you guys just float lazy Class 1, perhaps dabbling in Class 2 rivers. And some of you push the boundaries of what your craft can do at times, perhaps pushing heavy Class 3 to Class 4 water. I took a Pontoon Course recently through a whitewater rafting outfit and we wore rental wetsuits, helmets, & class 5 whitewater grade PFD's to do the course in our 'toons. I've also been involved in several steelhead snorkel counts at one point about 10 years ago and I didn't find being in a cold weather wetsuit that uncomfortable in all honesty for the better part of the day. I also preferred snorkelling winter rivers in a wetsuit over a drysuit as I just found it more comfortable. The drysuit you sweat like a pig, the wetsuit as you snorkel your back is out of the water and if it fits well enough there is minimal water movement through your suit. The only part of your face that got cold was the areas of your face that were exposed to the water. But seeing a steelhead every little bit warmed you right up!
Anyways - I'm constantly doing research on various different drifts and on some of the potentially more gnarly sections of river I intend to hopefully float one day I will always go in PLANNING to flip. That way I am prepared for the worst. I have done some recovery drills in righting my craft and getting back on it while in the water, although nothing "live" if it's fair to say. I have some plans on a custom rod tube for my spey to minimize breaking it down. Something I can break it down into 2 pieces, shove it in the tube, zip it up and I"m on my way. I'll be ordering something like this shortly. It would be laid on top of one of my toons parallel to it. Everything will be tied down so no yard sales anticipated, in dry bags, etc. Spare Oar, spare repair parts should something break. Whitewater grade PFD, 7 MM wetsuit and Helmet. Water Resistant Personal Locator Beacon. ,etc. I also have plans to take swiftwater rescue training as well as another more focused, more hardcore river drifting course that is potentially being organized up here in BC in the near future.
I gotta ask - what kind of preparations do you take? Do you drift more gnarly stuff in your toon? Anything I"m missing?
Some of you guys just float lazy Class 1, perhaps dabbling in Class 2 rivers. And some of you push the boundaries of what your craft can do at times, perhaps pushing heavy Class 3 to Class 4 water. I took a Pontoon Course recently through a whitewater rafting outfit and we wore rental wetsuits, helmets, & class 5 whitewater grade PFD's to do the course in our 'toons. I've also been involved in several steelhead snorkel counts at one point about 10 years ago and I didn't find being in a cold weather wetsuit that uncomfortable in all honesty for the better part of the day. I also preferred snorkelling winter rivers in a wetsuit over a drysuit as I just found it more comfortable. The drysuit you sweat like a pig, the wetsuit as you snorkel your back is out of the water and if it fits well enough there is minimal water movement through your suit. The only part of your face that got cold was the areas of your face that were exposed to the water. But seeing a steelhead every little bit warmed you right up!
Anyways - I'm constantly doing research on various different drifts and on some of the potentially more gnarly sections of river I intend to hopefully float one day I will always go in PLANNING to flip. That way I am prepared for the worst. I have done some recovery drills in righting my craft and getting back on it while in the water, although nothing "live" if it's fair to say. I have some plans on a custom rod tube for my spey to minimize breaking it down. Something I can break it down into 2 pieces, shove it in the tube, zip it up and I"m on my way. I'll be ordering something like this shortly. It would be laid on top of one of my toons parallel to it. Everything will be tied down so no yard sales anticipated, in dry bags, etc. Spare Oar, spare repair parts should something break. Whitewater grade PFD, 7 MM wetsuit and Helmet. Water Resistant Personal Locator Beacon. ,etc. I also have plans to take swiftwater rescue training as well as another more focused, more hardcore river drifting course that is potentially being organized up here in BC in the near future.
I gotta ask - what kind of preparations do you take? Do you drift more gnarly stuff in your toon? Anything I"m missing?