hi,
posting this in the power boat forum because i would like to get some input from you internal combustion types regarding "rules" of the river.
i canoe. don't have anything against powerboats per se, but i do admit a real dislike of airboats. well, some airboats. those without any kind of muffler system, so that one can hear them coming miles and miles and miles and miles away, and, then, leaving for miles and miles and miles and miles...
mostly, i canoe on rivers that don't see power boats. but, there are exceptions. the gulkana, for one.
my experience of when the worlds of internal combustion and muscle combustion meet have been, almost without exception, polite.
but, one day while heading down the gulkana we got passed by a boat heading up the gulkana. it wasn't a particularly narrow part of the river and since we were on the outside of the bend when the powerboat appeared we scooted over even closer to the shore, leaving, what i believe was way more than enough room for the boat to pass us "inside" and not even be close to shallow water.
instead this fellow blasted past us, literally, within arm's reach. and, considering i'm in the center of my canoe, that put's the two vessels much less than an arm's reach between them. i'm an experienced paddler and riding the wake was of no consequence for me. however, another canoe in our party had a more difficult time. from what my buddy told me it sounded like the two boats passed even closer.
now, in 30 years of canoeing in alaska this is the first and only time i've experienced such a thing. if i was in the lower 48 i'd expect it more often. but, it got me to thinking...
my question then is, what if anything do responsible power boaters expect or hope that canoeist will do in a passing situation?
thanks.
-g
ps—a second question, is it really so tough or detrimental to stick a muffler on airboat? (i realize that much of the noise must be coming from the prop. nonetheless, i've heard "quiet" airboats, so something must be able to be done.)
posting this in the power boat forum because i would like to get some input from you internal combustion types regarding "rules" of the river.
i canoe. don't have anything against powerboats per se, but i do admit a real dislike of airboats. well, some airboats. those without any kind of muffler system, so that one can hear them coming miles and miles and miles and miles away, and, then, leaving for miles and miles and miles and miles...
mostly, i canoe on rivers that don't see power boats. but, there are exceptions. the gulkana, for one.
my experience of when the worlds of internal combustion and muscle combustion meet have been, almost without exception, polite.
but, one day while heading down the gulkana we got passed by a boat heading up the gulkana. it wasn't a particularly narrow part of the river and since we were on the outside of the bend when the powerboat appeared we scooted over even closer to the shore, leaving, what i believe was way more than enough room for the boat to pass us "inside" and not even be close to shallow water.
instead this fellow blasted past us, literally, within arm's reach. and, considering i'm in the center of my canoe, that put's the two vessels much less than an arm's reach between them. i'm an experienced paddler and riding the wake was of no consequence for me. however, another canoe in our party had a more difficult time. from what my buddy told me it sounded like the two boats passed even closer.
now, in 30 years of canoeing in alaska this is the first and only time i've experienced such a thing. if i was in the lower 48 i'd expect it more often. but, it got me to thinking...
my question then is, what if anything do responsible power boaters expect or hope that canoeist will do in a passing situation?
thanks.
-g
ps—a second question, is it really so tough or detrimental to stick a muffler on airboat? (i realize that much of the noise must be coming from the prop. nonetheless, i've heard "quiet" airboats, so something must be able to be done.)
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