Driftboat Sinks on American

[BigWilly]

I went fishing today and drifted from Sunrise to Rossmore. At the island by the old Sunrise footbridge was a driftboat that had gotten pinned up against the cliff and sank. I do not know the outcome, but the dart team and fire department were there. I hope the fisherman made it out okay, if anyone knows the outcome please post it. It really made me think, we need to be really careful and always fish with a friend.
By the way, I did not catch a thing, nor did the fishermen in the other 6 boats I passed but it was a beautiful day nonetheless.

[steeliejim]

anyone have any more info on the driftboat sinking this a.m. ? I was on the north side of the river above the island and saw the emergency responders but have not been able to find out more.

Jim

[rrivera]

Just got done with news, once I saw this post... Going back and forth between the two major local news channels, saw no mention...

Went to the D.A.R.T site; didn't see any report postings either....

Hope no news is good news in this case...

I had brought up the idea once - talking to a buddy of mine. Maybe all Drift Boat owners in the area should get together once a year or somthing just to talk about Drift Boat info, safety practices, rowing, etc...

Would be nice just to see how many DB owners are there in this area and share some general info...

[John D]

When I floated by only the bow was out of the water. The two passengers were up on the bank and the owner was still on the boat assisting in the recovery.

Down the river I talked to Mike (sorry I don't remember his last nane) who is a local gear guide. Mike is the one who saw they were in trouble and made the 911 call. According to Mike the boat was purchased Saturday and this was the first trip out. The three of them were fishing as they were swept into the spot where you saw the boat. Mike instructed the guys to put on life jackets, which were still in original packaging.

Mike also assisted in the recovery of some of their gear down stream. Later I heard the boat was floated and they were able to continue fishing (seems unlikely). Fortunately the nightly news was not reporting another fatality on the American. These guys were extremely lucky!

Accidents/mistakes happen but there are steps boat owners can take to be safe.
Enroll in a boating safety class: Coast Guard Auxiliary offers several, Red Cross offers intro and white water classes.
Hire a guide to learn local waters and drift boat safety and technique.
Be prepared and be alert.

Bill, how about a driftboat clinic at the shop/parking lot? Invite local guides and promote through area clubs and the board. Focus on safety, comfort, and practical tips. After the shows there are a lot of new boat owners.

Looking back I wish I'd taken a couple pictures of the accident. Perhaps somebody did.

One fish to the boat on a beautiful day.
John D

[Adam Grace]

Was the guide's name Mike Bias?

Mike guides many of Kiene's clcustomers. He is a friend of mine and it doesn't surprise my that he was very helpful to those poor fishermen.

I'm glad to hear that nobody was hurt of killed.

That's crazy that they continued to fish after all of that!

[John D]

No it was not Mike Bias. This fellow was gear fishing and had an aluminum boat.

[JohnD]

Hmmm...looks like I need to change my log-on name!


I was fishing from shore. Everyone got off safely and after nearly an hour they got the boat floated. I don't know that they continued to fish, but they were all alive and well.
Many pictures were taken, but not by me. I'm sure they'll start surfacing.

[C. Mattison]

Unfortunately, I have been on the scene of three different capsizings. One on the Chetco River, which is a very easy river to float. The two fellows were trapped against a sweeper that ultimately tore the oar and oarlock out of the boat before capsizing it. It looked like a shark took a bite out of the side of it. They hung on to the sweeper until the rescue boat got there. Another on the Chetco when a man and his son attempted to take a "Fold A Boat" down the river. You guessed it, it folded. They were rescued as well. The last was on the Elk River, which is a fairly mild little river that is packed with sweepers. In a few spots you brush against the sweeper while avoiding it at the same time. The two men in question were taking their drift boat out on it's maiden voyage. They ended up being helicoptered to the hospital where both survived.

I guess the reason in recounting these events for everyone is my desire to impress upon any one thinking about getting a drift boat, to learn the basics before heading out with a new boat. Go with a guide or a friend in their boat, and don't concentrate so much on the fishing. Watch the river current, what it does to the boat, and how to use it to your advantage. Watch how the guide positions his boat, and avoids obstacles. Don't just jump in the boat and figure that you will beat the river. You won't. The power of the current is something to be respected and used to your advantage. BE SMART!

C. Mattison

[steeliejim]

Amen to the calls for caution to all those newly minted drift boaters.

Alas, many, if not most, new owners of drift boaters have never rowed a boat on flat water much less taken it down a river, so a trip with a guide isn't nearly enough for a new owner to learn techniques like ferrying left/right or to read water (eg those little humps and swirls at the lip of a rapid often hide rocks lurking just under the surface just waiting to turn a boat sideways at just the wrong time.

A McKenzie boat is amazingly efficient and stable, and much more nimble than a whitewater raft (one can sit in the hollow of a series of rollers indefinitely with only the slightest occasional tug of the oars), but they are much less forgiving than a whitewater raft if not handled correctly.

Red Cross classes are geared more toward paddlers rather than rowers but are a good start toward at least learning to read a river.

I've been down some pretty gnarly water in both my drift boat and whitewater rafts, yet there are many waters I wouldn't even begin to contemplate rowing on my own in a drift boat (the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue for instance).

I wonder if there are any drift boat guides who offer a series of hands-on classes for all those new boat owners ala the whitewater guide course that Friends of the River puts on every spring. I would think that might be an extra money maker for Hyde, for example, when they sell a boat . Maybe that;s another potential revenue stream, admittedly modest, for Bill. Drift boat ethics (lack thereof often being a problem) should be an integral part of such a course.

Jim

[smokeater]

If anyone is really interested in taking the lead on Ray's idea of a drift boat education day, the best advice I can give would be to contact Sac Metro Fire and have some of the swift water rescue people from the USAR team come in addition to the guides. They are some of the best in the business and can offer a unique perspective on things. But that was pretty interesting to hear that it was the first time on the water for that boat. In my expereince the first day on anything be it a motorcycle, boat, whatever usually yields the highest probability for an accident of some kind. Great to hear no one was hurt.