queetsqueef, i will bet you 90 percent of accidents on the river stem from some form of intoxicants. let me ask you this,would you drink and drive by yourself or with passengers? i believe there is plenty of time once off the river to have a cold one or 6.

I'd drink 6 beers and drive my kids to church if I had 8 hours to process the alcohol. I'm an accomplished rower and have no problem or moral question with taking passengers in my boat. Liquor and boating isn't a great combination on the surface, but that's for the individual to decide. I find great enjoyment having a cold beer on the river and in no way would worry about it contributing to an accident. Now if a guy is inexperienced and throws down a 6 pack before he gets in the water, then yes I'd be concerned.

I would re-emphasize much of what has been stated...

1. wear your pfd... don't be satisfied that it is "within easy reach"
2. practice, practice, practice... the more experience you have the better you will be, as with most everything else.
3. unless you are beached and sitting still, never stop rowing
4. when in doubt, get out... and walk down around the corner to see what is there.

I shiney drift boat beats a canoe on the Sauk. Seen it done and picked the guys up down river after they dumped it...in January.

Wow! I could write a Drift Boating safety book just from this thread!
You guys are awesome db pros!
And I respect each and every one of you!

First thing I did when I bought my first drift boat was hire a guide to show me how to row. I think the biggest danger is not knowing the water. I have only had one close call and it was on new water after being told it was an easy float. Sometimes people forget to tell you about the one hazard to look out for. As mentioned earlier, never stop rowing. Most of the time if yuou stay calm and keep rowing you will pull away from the danger in time. This only scares your passengers.

I forgot to mention don't be afraid to get out and look at a risky situation or walk the boat around. Last year I floated the upper Sauk with a couple of experienced fisherman(4salt & Lead Thrower) and we had to get out 4-5 times and walk the boat because of sweepers. One spot we had to drag the boat 50-75 feet accros the shore.

Cupo- I wouldn't take a canoe out in a lake, in the summertime. I hate the unstability of a canoe. Same thing happened on the sky a few months ago. Some cocky little *******s were floating the high drift in canoes, no pfd's. I mentioned to them that they'd better put life jackets on for the next stretch of water. The little punks just laughed. Anyway, somehow I got below them (they probably stopped to litter butt-wipe all over the bank) and I dropped my hook to watch. I knew the difficult stretch I'd just come through would flip them. Sure as can be all three went over and I sat there and watched them flounder around in what was pretty cold water on a pretty cold day. The section was VERY dangerous for somebody without a life jacket, and fortunatley we got everybody to shore.

These are the kinds of guys we're seeing in drift boats on the rivers, and it doesn't surprise me that there's an increase in accidents. And most of these have nothing to do with beer, just stupidity.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned in this thread, that I think is important, is learning how to read the water. Being good on the sticks is important but knowing where to row is more important. For beginning boaters, take the time to stop and look back upstream after running a challenging stretch. It is much easier to see the route from below than above and it helps to correlate what you saw from above with what the rapid is actually like. This is why the guides can gracefully manuever through the rock gardens. You can't possibly memorize the route through every rock garden, you must read it and row around the obstacles as you go. This is not that hard to do, but you must learn by experience....one trip with a guide won't teach you how to row the Sol Duc.

Complacency because you think know the river is another common cause of accidents (ie the Hump is easy.... except for that new log!). Unless you've floated it since the last storm you don't know it and must read the water and determine what's safe and what needs to be checked. Upper Sauk is the best example of this per the previous post. I've run that stretch many times and sometimes didn't have to get out at all, but don't hesitate to, if I can't see a safe way through. Fast water going into log jams is particularly dangerous on this stretch, but it changes with every high water.
Never assume there is a safe route!

Summer Run this means you! The lower Hoh will change dramatically with every flood and then you don't know it again. With the cautious nature and willingness to learn that you have exhibited on this thread I am sure that you will be able to float it safely again.....but not because you learned it.
Hope this helps.

Great food for thought here. Let's just hope everyone puts it into practice.

I've done a small amount of rowing in others DB's here in the Skagit, and I've fished it from sleds and DB's numerous times from Marblemount down to Birdsview. STILL, I'm going to be dang careful when I float it in my own DB. Every time I get out in someone elses boat I ask a zillion questions about how to row though this, or drift through that, when rowing. (Beezer can vouch for this....thank God he is a patient dude!).

Living on a stretch of the Skagit also means we get to see the changes that it goes through...and those changes happen on a constant basis. Where a log is one day, it might be jammed 50 yds. downriver the next. Fortunately, the Skagit is big enough that you can easily get around most obstacles...SO LONG AS YOU KNOW THEY ARE THERE.

I seriously doubt I would float any other river without having someone to follow that I KNOW has mucho experience on it. That seems to be the biggest danger...even for accomplished rowers.

Back in the days when I trained commercial truck drivers (Class A), we taught a basic concept:

G...............(Get)
O...............(Out)
A...............(And)
L...............(LOOK!)

If you don't know, don't go!

Mike (I refuse to be a statistic) B

Another point that should be discussed is what to do when you encounter a fast flowing side channel or another stream that enters the river your drifting on at a 90 degree angle. If the side channel or other stream's current hits you broadside, not only will the current pull that side of the boat down it often times will grab that side's oar and pull it down too. I heard that this happened a few years ago where the Suiattle hits the Sauk and it swamped the boat and killed a guy.

When you see a heavy side current approaching, you need to spin your boat so the new current hits the back or front of your boat, not the side, in other words you need to get your boat parallel to the new current BEFORE you hit it.

This is what freaks people out at the "three fingers" above Sultan on the Sky. You get so busy making sure you miss the first finger that you don't notice how much side flow is coming at you in that first boil and boom it hits you and grabs your oar right out of your hand and all of a sudden your half a$$ highsided.

Beezer

For a guy like me that has only been in a drift boat a few times, and is in the process of building a Don Hill 16 foot high side, I find all of this information fascinating. All great advice and it is great to know that there are people like you out there that will take the time to send all of this invaluable information. Thank You, Fishy.

Thanks! jam session.
I agree with you 100%!
Your statement about looking back at rapids from below after you floated it.
It definitely provides whole new perspective of looking at a rapid from below.
I always do this after I go thru rapids to compare against the upstream view during setup. I almost always can spot better/safer route when looking back from downstream.

I never forget to respect all rivers especially the ones I know the most.
Like the Sky, knowing the fact of all hazards in the Sky and visual check on changes in the river each time I float it.

The Hoh would be the same way for me as well and that I would approach with even more caution knowing the fact that little amount of rain can change the path of the Hoh over night. I've floated the lower Hoh three times this fall and learned it and loved every bit of this water!
To continue to enjoy my passion I have for the lower Hoh. I'll visit it often as I can and always ask before I go and get out and walk on new braids (changes), log jams to confirm safe navigation.

I also agree with Beezer's statement!
Beezer and Sam Ingram and other Sky Valley Chapter T.U. members taught me how to position my boat for side channels especially the three fingers, and at Sultan launch during high flows. I have to admit I've made mistakes in the past and had my boat broad side into a heavy side current and it's scary feeling. I've learned from it and I try my best to position my boat in parallel to the new current.

Added Note: I was thinking. It would be a good idea to carry a pair of good binoculars on board to have a closer look at hazards aways down stream ahead of time.

Don't run a stretch blind get out and look 5 min could save your $5000 boat and your life. Learn to read the river, rowing is 20% rowing and 80% reading the currents and knowing how they will affect your boat.

Right on bigs.

I think it's mostly true that (for those who are vigilant and sober) things don't happen as quickly as you are expecting, but for those that aren't ...... woe unto you.... I guarantee things will happen much, much faster than you expect or can even imagine. Been there done that.

Boating is similar to driving in many respects. There is always the unseen danger lurking out there even for the most experienced and careful. And we can't forget there are always lives at risk whenever we get behind the wheel or the oars. But even though we can make the roads a bit safer, rivers will be ever changing. The thing we need to keep in mind as "captains" of vessels heading into harms way is that we are not only responsible for the safety of our own passengers but also for those who are prepared to lay their lives on the line to bring us home should we ever find ourselves in trouble.

I like a beer as much as the next guy, but to me there isn't a brew made or even a fish caught that is worth the lives of those I'm responsible for while on the oars.

Bigs, just like you and many others, I too have witnessed a lot of asinine and unfortunate things on the river, but what continues to amaze me is not that boaters continue to do stupid and unwise things, but that there are so many courageous and dedicated individuals that stand ready, even now, to come to the aid of the most reckless, inconsiderate and foolish of us on the river. In many cases these fine folks show they care more for our lives than we do for our own. God bless each one of them and grant wisdom and safe travels to the rest of us. Hey, the good Lord gave us a each a brain. Why not use it?

Great news: safety and fishing success are not mutually exclusive.

Be careful out there.

Mooch,
Man, you can write!
Thanks!

try keeping your anchor line in a container that way it won't get tangled up in your feet as you let in and out line

You want to be safe in a drift boat?

DON'T FLOAT THE UPPER SAUK....YOU WILL SINK AND DIE!

The river is constantly changing up there and unless you are very very very good on the sticks, you will dump ship. Just my .02

Pick your float/rower carefully!!
I took a guy up on an offer to fish the Cow, and ended up floating the damn thing in pitch darkness. It was one of those, "I hope I make it back alive" moments. After asking around about what I had done all agreed I was lucky....very lucky.

So do yourself a favor, if you accept a ride ask this simple question....how much experience does the pilot have.

It's a long thread but I don't think I read it in here. If you are going to hit something like a rock or log, try to hit it with your bow & row to the side. If you hit it side ways you'll go over. I haven't done it yet but it almost happend. In a shallow fast spot the current pushed me sideways into a log. I couldn't get a bite with the oars. If I hit it head on it would have been no problem. When we hit, the old man leaned up stream & it almost went over.
I read the part about leaning down stream to keep her upright. Rather be safe than sorry.