White water and 30 degrees, you're all invited...

[bigkavr]

Saturday (12/31/05) about noon I'll be doing some playing (er, well, training) on the Sandusky River (NW Ohio). The river is below flood stage so the standing waves will only be around 3' high or less. Icebergs will only be a minor problem (this year) and lookouts will be posted to give warning...
Anyone wanting to join in the FUN is welcome.

Please note: I will NOT be responsible for soiled clothing, lost lunches, future mental anguish or inflated/deflated egos...... :lol:
Brian.

 

[bigkavr]

Oh come on!! No takers? Where's everyone's sense of adventure?
(notice I DIDN'T say common sense...) :lol:

BTW. I forgot to mention, you'll need to have some type of training in swift water rescue (to rescue yourself if things go wrong), and either a drysuit or cold water rescue suit.. I Guarantee you'll get wet.
Man I love this time of year!!!

And before anyone asks, yes, I'm very abby-normal... :blob:

Brian.

 

[Ron Miller]

Your post just come up and if I wood have known sooner... darn just like last night i was called ? 4:30 pm about a regular Ice rescue practice A chance to go swimming) and we had company coming over.... Now This ---- Boy that sounds like fun -- Wish I could make it...

 

[marshmaster pat]

Man - I was fixed to make a mad dash north, then found out about the requirement of swift water rescue training. Darn it.

Okay - Both of you are Abby-normal. Did about 22 miles two years ago when it was around 31-34 degrees and foggy. Never again. Thumb on the stick hand never has been the same. LOL When driving nails cause it just doesn't hurt as much when I hit it anymore.

And we wonder why people look at airboaters all like we are crazy. Grabbing frogs off the front deck, catchin hogs and giant pond lizards, drag racing, and now guys that go play in near freezing water in airboat while look outs watch for mini ice bregs coming down river. Offer come join us, we promise to get you wet. You have to be nuts. LOL Guess we all are to some extent.

But if I had a rig I thought would do it safely, I would be tempted, if the drive was not so long. Guess I will just stay down here where the weather is in the low 70s. hehehe Be careful

 

[Airboatcapt2]

Thanks but no thanks Brian, I think you are crazy or just a glutton for punishment.

 

[Sniper]

Brian you need some serious help no wonder you Yankees are so darn arnareeeee if I was out in that stuff I think my family would send the guy's in the little white coats to come get me have fum wing man and try not to make your self into a pop sickel

 

[bigkavr]

Hey wingman,

You missed sme great training today (er yesterday). Yes, it was only 36 degrees and sleeting/rain, but man what a fantastic time!!! I was in the rapids for 1.2 hours and only had to kick the bilge pump on twice... Training like this only comes a few times a year, gotta take advantage when ya can...
And just for the record AGAIN, yes, I am abby-normal....

Brian. :blob:

 

[Croc1]

brian did you get any video's you can post? sound very intense! If I ever fall in a freezing river I hope its near you

 

[Anonymous]

Brian,
Shame on you for not giving me the heads-up sooner!
Are you developing prep material for Austin? I hope so.
We should be getting word soon. It is now January 3rd.

WaterLizard 8)

 

[bigkavr]

Hey lizzard and Croc1,
I really tried to get some good pictures and video, but alas..
Between the sleet, snow and rain, non of the pictures came out worth a damn.. Not to worry though, I'm itching to go again this weekend and the water should still be pretty high. Not that I need any excuse to go play in the rapids.. :lol: Come on up!! The waters fine!!! He, he......
Brian.

 

[Anonymous]

Lizard and Croc, I've been told that Hypothermia can cause a blissful state of euphoria. Do you guys see any symptoms here? :lol: !

Ken

 

[Sniper]

I think he has all way's been kinda that way because he was like that in New Orleans and it was plenty warm there I think all that bouncing around on that Ice has shook something loose and I'm not talking about his Airboat,Hay Brian I know a good Photographer that's all most as koo koo as you.









You can run but why die tired

 

[bigkavr]

Hey Sniper,

Get your A** up here if you think you can handle the mild weather we're having!! I'd like to go out again this Saturday since the river should still be up. It's suppose to be 30 degrees and snow/sleet on Saturday, THAT should give you a real challenge just trying to keep the camera lens clear.... :lol:

Hey Ron,

This Saturday!! Hint, hint!! I doubt the river will be up to flood stage so swift water training (playing) will be a little safer. (i.e. what I did last week was near the limit of the airboats capacity) This weekend will be a little milder, but still a great time...
Brian.

 

[COLD]

Above Zero our temp. Nice :wink: If I had a boat and enough experience, I would have had my wife and myself in our dry suits joining you. We are having a warm winter and there is still water open, not normal! Every time I cross the bridge I think! Can't imagine bouncing around upstream like a ping pong ball. At a bigger loss for what happens coming back down! Extreme!

 

[marshmaster pat]

Cold - Going down is probably like a pinball game. Just make sure you don't hit the tilt rocks. :shock:

 

[bigkavr]

Hey Cold,
Come on down, the waters fine... You're right, going downstream is a lot harder than going up. One has to remember the path taken while going up the rapids and TRY to retrace that path back down.. Nothing worse than taking the wrong path and "sticking" or "bouncing" the bow into the bottom/frontside of a standing wave. Guaranteed to get a LITTLE water in the airboat.
I should mention that at the water level I'm "playing" in, there are no exposed rocks. (about 6 feet above normal) All the hard stuff is about 2 to 6 feet below the surface.
This is where the hydraulics come from and that's where the real training comes in.. Swift water/rapids are not difficult in an airboat (to a degree), the trick is to understand the hydraulics and use them to your advantage. Or at least not let them bite you.... :shock:
And not to sound like I'm on a soap box, but please, don't anyone try to go out and play in swift water/rapids without fully knowing the bottom terrain and/or having someone along who does.
Remember; it's not the speed of the water that will usually bite you, it's the hydraulics!! :wink:

Hey Cold, so you need an airboat, eh? Such a deal I can make you..
Come on down and we'll go out and demo mine....
Brian.

 

[bigkavr]

You guys missed some great training (er, playing).. Saturday AND Sunday, got about an hour and a half training each day, had to stop because my steering arm was getting cramped up... I could hardly hold it up, (damn age thing) Water level is down to near normal so playing in the rapids is done for the time being... Ahh I love the cold up here...

Big Feather, I feel the euphoria Abby_normal be me!!

B.

 

[Anonymous]

Brian, you definitely hear a different drummer ... no question about that. Actually, being cold doesn't scare me much. When I was a much younger, less brittle man, I used to love to snow ski.

I remember one morning when I was on the Centennial lift at Beaver Creek. The temperature was -16 degrees .... and I said to the guy who was riding the lift with me "You know, for this kind of money I could have gone to the Florida Keys this week." :lol: !!!

We love ya' man. Be careful .....

BF