Squirt boat comeback

Jeebus, what a bunch of whiny nancies that sit on plastic and fish, rather than actally kayak and love the sport.

Wait......... Are you telling me that ww kayaking carries a risk of drowning, that boats can get pinned, broached, feet can get entrapped etc? I'm so glad you dug that article up from 1990, completely changes my perspective.
Maybe you should reconsider kayak fishing, I read a guy got his feet bit off in Hawaii and died! Tragic. And that was more recent than 1990! Be afraid Al! Kayaking is dangerous.

In your last couple posts, you come across sounding like a dick. Although, it probably doesn't matter what we (the other members of your club) think because you are clearly the best & most knowledgeable watermen in the history of water. Thanks for being so helpful! 

SQUIRT BOATER PINS IN UPPER GAULEY
Conestoga Rapid near Summersville, West Va.
Date: September 23, 1990
Volume: 2500 cfs; Classification: IV
SUMMARY: On September 23, 1990 Brian Brodin, an experienced paddler from Northern Virginia, became bow pinned in a steep side chute in the right side of Conestoga Rapid on West Virginia's Upper Gauley River. Despite the vigorous efforts of professional guides and private boaters on the scene rescue came too late; he was evacuated by helicopter to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
DESCRIPTION: The Upper Gauley River is one of the East's classic expert runs. The regular fall releases draw paddlers from all over the country to test their skills in the sublime beauty of the canyon. Conestoga rapid, one drop upstream from "Ship Rock", is not considered a major drop. But like most of the so-called minor drops, it has passages and side chutes which are narrow, obstructed, and dangerous.
The victim, Brian Brodin, had been paddling for many years in conventional craft but had only been squirt boating on the Lower Potomac. The Gauley was a major step up in difficulty. Paddlers who were with him said that he ran the major drops cleanly and under control. They also stated that he was aggressively seeking out tight passages in the intervening minor rapids to test his skills.
In Conestoga Rapid, Brian's squirt boat became pinned in a narrow (6-8' wide), steep (4-5' vertical) slot in the last drop on the extreme right side. Below the slot is an underwater rock which complicates the line. The victim's boat pitoned just upstream of this rock; the low-volume stern was carried underwater and flattened against the ledge. Several feet of fast-moving water pounded against the victim's back with considerable force.
Immediately after the pin commercial guides and private paddlers swarmed on the rocks which formed the sides of the slot. At about 1:25 pm Brodin had his hands on rescue bags thrown from both sides, but was unable to use them to fight his way out. He was sitting upright, with an air pocket forming around his head. After considerable effort, the victim let go of the ropes. His upper body was pushed forward by the current, collapsing the air pocket and washing off his helmet.
A raft was maneuvered to the base of the slot, using ropes thrown from the rocks upstream. Brodin's life jacket and paddle jacket were grabbed by rescuers, but pulled off. In the meantime, another group of guides were working to swamp a raft on the upstream side. During this latter procedure a Class VI Whitewater guide, Jerry Drennen, slipped while setting a belay and broke his ankle. The raft was eventually maneuvered across the slot, and air released from the upstream tube while a number of people sat on it. When the broached raft had blocked a good portion of the flow, the downstream  raft was able to attach a rope to the victim's left hand. The rope was passed to the upstream raft, and Brodin was pulled free.
 CPR was started at 1:45, twenty minutes from the start of the rescue. The victim was rafted downstream to Ship Rock and transferred to a helicopter. His heart continued to beat until 1 am the following morning, when he was pronounced dead.
 Source: Steve Taylor

Wow AHO, thanks for that inspiring contribution. The other boaters heroic efforts and level of skill was crazy impressive. The raft work alone was brilliant and that fact that the "victim" had 2 throw bags in hand at a point, speaks to the high level of competency that those involved had.
The vest and jacket slipping off when the rafters tried to pull him free is a little curious. I have to wonder what his body shape was.
It reads like the primary factors were the solid flow, class IV, and the paddler was looking for tighter steeper side chutes "aggressively"
Yes, its unfortunate that he did not survive, likely due to a hypoxic event, but he chose his path.

(Insert ominous Mark Foo quote here)

Jeebus, what a bunch of whiny nancies that sit on plastic and fish, rather than actally kayak and love the sport.

Wait......... Are you telling me that ww kayaking carries a risk of drowning, that boats can get pinned, broached, feet can get entrapped etc? I'm so glad you dug that article up from 1990, completely changes my perspective.
Maybe you should reconsider kayak fishing, I read a guy got his feet bit off in Hawaii and died! Tragic. And that was more recent than 1990! Be afraid Al! Kayaking is dangerous.

In your last couple posts, you come across sounding like a dick. Although, it probably doesn't matter what we (the other members of your club) think because you are clearly the best & most knowledgeable watermen in the history of water. Thanks for being so helpful! 

Your sarcasm meter not working? Lighten up Francis. Someone posts a cool aspect of our sport and a few folks shit on it (it's stupid/dumb/some dug up story of someone dying on the gauley in 1990 posted for some reason) they should expect a little ball busting in return. And I know it's hard to understand, but being a kayaker that enjoys all aspects of the sport does not equall claiming to be the greatest waterman. 

You planning on getting one of these spider?

Sorry I accidentally used my condescension meter; sometimes it doesn't read sarcasm. My response sounds pretty harsh now that I read it again. But like I said, I appreciate the theory of harnessing subsurface currents...

doesn't look like my type of thing, and I think fishing would be real difficult in a squirt boat.  But does look like an interesting hobby.  Some people like to swim, some like to surf, some like to hike and some like to bike.

 Im not going to get one, but I wouldn't mind trying one just to see if I could make it descend. I traded away my last WW boat a few years back and I think those days are behind me. When it comes to bigger water, I have way more fun with my friends in a raft than I ever did kayaking. I was never great at it anyway. While I had all of the basic skills, I survived by following the lines that the stronger boaters took.
Im still all in for some kayak surfing or some softer class III water in the Coosa, but the next time I hear the roar of the Tunnel Chute, ill be on a giant inflatable with a team.

Wizz,  While your delivery had a edge, I clearly see your intent to support a paddlers thread and thanks.
I started this thread because I like the boats and I was always impressed by the squirt boaters composure in violent hydrology.
Yes, it's pretty obvious that my topics are typically not appreciated by the NCkA general pop. But instead of just saying "be a kayaker first and an angler second", I live it, and I would hope that the members who have witnessed me with paddle in hand are able to see that.
So until management asks me to stop, Ill continue to post from a paddlers perspective, despite the nay sayers and name callers. Thanks again Wizz and those who added to the thread in a positive way.

That was an amazing video Terry. Very cool. That guy is so fluid and calm. I wish I knew anything sometimes.

I started this thread because I like the boats and I was always impressed by the squirt boaters composure in violent hydrology.

Yes, this. Impressive to say the least - mad skills.