[Blade&Shaft]

Ran Westy yesterday around 12.5k and there was a blue cat tied up in the ROD along with a bunch of gear swirlin around in the eddy. Definitely a full on level with a massive impenetrable eddy fence and the waves/holes/hydraulics were game on. I’d love to hear the story on who/what/when/why/how… the ranger at the put in said a boat had previously been in there for a minute and he had gone up with a snout and 90hp Merc to get it out. Sounds like ROD is doing a one-in-one-out policy.

Fess up, let’s hear the story!

 

[tBatt]

Sounds like a different incident, but this just came up on the Westwater facebook page.

 

[richp]

Westwater rangers have a high power snout now?

If so, boy have times changed. When I was there, a 5hp Honda was all they trusted us with, clamped on the back of a 16' patrol raft.

 

[Blade&Shaft]

I was surprised a snout was the craft of choice for uprunning, and still think getting into, or moreso out of ROD would be sketch at current level, regardless of type of boat

 

[richp]

We had a rescue a decade or so ago where the NPS jet boat from Canyonlands NP was trailered up to Cisco, for an uprun to the Room.

 

[Granite]

Westwater rangers have a high power snout now?

If so, boy have times changed. When I was there, a 5hp Honda was all they trusted us with, clamped on the back of a 16' patrol raft.

I believe they were doing that in one of DNR's boats.

 

[Roseldo]

I think I'm speaking for all the non-facebookers that anyone who has info should please share!

 

[Blade&Shaft]

Yea true that I’m not much on the social medias outside of here

 

[Dave Frank]

The snout from Cataract gets the call, and can go upriver from Cisco, at least Kykler used to do that 20 years ago.

One of my first raft trips was a private through Westy at 14K, in ‘94. We were cocky and ran right down the gut with predictable results. After righting and regrouping, the exit move involved roping the boat as far upstream via the low cliff, then jumping in to the stern to offer a rear paddle assist for the rower As they pull hard. I was hooked on whitewater and Westwater ever since.

I’ve had to ferry my kayak into the ROD to provide similar rope assist to an oar boat on a subsequent trip. It is not an easy move as level approach or exceed 10K. Pretty easy ferry at 5 to maybe 7 K

The splat wall/ pillow on the Rock of Shock is quite intimidating. I’ve also heard of boats der-rigging and carrying down steam and lowering back. I have no proof of that, but what a PIA that would be! Abandoned boats definitely happen there.

 

[richp]

Story is that after Kyler left BLM and went to the NPS as a Cat ranger, he once took their big jetboat up in there for a rescue. With the boat only a few feet shorter than the Room is wide, he somehow managed to turn it around, and return to Cisco.

 

[luke c]

The blue cat is still tied up in the room of doom! Some other stuff floating around also. 😂

 

[Blade&Shaft]

Awesome update - What’s the whole status/rules/regulations per Coast Guard about claiming abandoned water craft?

 

[westwatercuban]

Awesome update - What’s the whole status/rules/regulations per Coast Guard about claiming abandoned water craft?

Looks like it varies by state. Most states leaning towards no. But you could in theory put a salvage lean for removing it. At least in you can in most states I saw. I couldn’t find anything for Utah or Colorado specifically. I doubt blm would approve. But I guess it depends on what the legitimate owner says.

 

[funrivers]

Awesome update - What’s the whole status/rules/regulations per Coast Guard about claiming abandoned water craft?

It’s not abandoned. Was part of a rescue. BLM is aware of it and watching it. Waiting for water level to drop so they can recover. Please respect and don’t mess with it.

 

[Blade&Shaft]

It was more a theoretical question my daw, a conversation starter… I personally have no intentions of trying to get a cancellation permit and “messing” with that shit

 

[Will Amette]

It was more a theoretical question my daw, a conversation starter… I personally have no intentions of trying to get a cancellation permit and “messing” with that shit

If someone comes to help you extract a boat and asks if it's a "salvage operation," say no. Maritime salvage law says that if someone helps recover a boat or cargo, the rescuer is entitled to a reward equal to the property rescued. This assumes the river you're on is subject to maritime law.

 

[richp]

Aw come on... What ever happened to good will and helping your fellow boater?

It's one thing if you find a nice oar embedded since last season in a mudbank with no identifying information. Fair booty.

But if there ever was a time when that quaint old Golden Rule applied, this surely would be one of them. If it was your gear of considerable value, wouldn't you want some capable and considerate person/s able to extricate it, to make every effort to return it to the rightful owner?

 

[Will Amette]

Aw come on... What ever happened to good will and helping your fellow boater?

It's one thing if you find a nice oar embedded since last season in a mudbank with no identifying information. Fair booty.

But if there ever was a time when that quaint old Golden Rule applied, this surely would be one of them. If it was your gear of considerable value, wouldn't you want some capable and considerate person/s able to extricate it, to make every effort to return it to the rightful owner?

My guess is that's the most likely outcome from most people I meet on the river. I have met a few though...

My post was just a warning to anyone who had an offer of assistance; there's certain words that mean more than you might think.

 

[MNichols]

Story is that after Kyler left BLM and went to the NPS as a Cat ranger, he once took their big jetboat up in there for a rescue. With the boat only a few feet shorter than the Room is wide, he somehow managed to turn it around, and return to Cisco.

Snout won't make it up westwater, Sock it to me would be the stopper. The NPS jetboat on the other hand has done it 3 times that I can think of, one of those times was with Kyler Carpenter at the helm, and almost a 4th, but a tag along guide got the boat out before the jetboat launched. Pissed me off as I was going to get to go along for the ride, that didn't happen LOL.

Jeff Arbon with Utah State Parks takes his snout down all the time, and is on call for any rescue if he's available. He's a hell of a boatman. Westwater doesn't own a snout, Jeff uses USP's all the time down there for work trips and such. He has a small aluminum jet boat he runs too, but never heard of him uprunning the rapids in WW.. Western used to launch a snout regularly, but hadn't seen them there with one in a while.

 

[craven_morhead]

I flipped my 16' round boat in Skull shortly after the Cat arrived in the Room. Started my move too early, paused, and then restarted too late. Took a deep, spooky swim in the seam/eddy fence and resurfaced right in front of the rock of shock and was typewrightered into the Room. I caught myself on the blue cat, and I think I passed its owner while trying to get up to the cliff wall to signal to my friends I was okay. Two other rescue operations were in the works by the time I got to the top of the cliff wall. Exciting day.