yes you are right.
But if all are non professionals and decide to go out on their own, liability would not fall on any one person. Not sure about this but do know that there are a bunch of paddles that I have been on that have not been sanctioned by a “shop” and it was understood that everyone did this at their own risk.
Why can’t a “pro” enjoy a day out on the water with a group. Kinda like a doctor on vacation…the Good samaritan rule would apply.
paul
Congrats Paul
…you are officially now a CAT HERDER!!
If this guy goes out with you again, bring 100lb test and a tarpon-sized fishook to do the tow – and you know where to put the hook!
Sorry 'bout your scratches…but now that its scratched it will be easier to borrow when we meet.
ha.
Scott
Liability issues
– Last Updated: Apr-03-06 5:28 PM EST –
This reply has nothing to do with paddling but this post reminded me of this point ;
To reduce personal liability I have decided not to ever hire a person to do lawn or house work, wood choping etc. If a person you may hire under the table hurts thenselves on the job, you may get the shaft big time and may be responsible for the doctors bill. You may also get into trouble with taxes or workmans compensation insurance or who knows what else. I will not take any novice paddlers on my trips and for house work I will buy the services of a house cleaning company or yard service or temp company.
one scratch
actually a chip in the gelcoat on the deck right by the bow (next to the rigging where his rudder hit it as he was flailing.
Danny is going to send me some gelcoat and I will do a repair.
You can always borrow the boat Scott. Just come to Florida.
Paul
It’s no problem to paddle with people…
… do it all the time…
But someone may look at it differently if it were organized, had to be there at a certain time and have to pay money (boat rental) to join in.
And it’s just more fun not to be herding cats…
"Adventure"
says Grey Owl (AKA Archie Belemy), “is the result of inexperiance or bad judgement.” Otherwise it would just have been another day paddle, simply travel by boat. Again. LOL
I feel for you. Had a trip that went a little like that with some folks last year. I promised them I wouldn’t tell anyone about it. And I won’t.
What I will say is that, like you, I was pretty darned frustrated, working harder than a person should have to to control anger, and dog tired by the end of it (though I didn’t scratch a new boat - ya’ got me there)…
Here are a few facts about that day that might give you a small taste of what went down… We turned back after 1.5 mi of an easy 7 mi downstream flatwater trip in perfect weather. You may wonder how the heck I could have ended up swimming and wading close to 4 mi. on a 1.5 mile trip. I wonder about that myself, but that’s what it came out to. Nuff said.
So, Adventure… I like to look at it like this. There are some trips we really remember. And there are an awful lot that just fade into a pleasant past of waves, wind, sun, and quiet. The memories of those trips, the ones that are mere travel, are vague. They could be any year, any season, almost any place, you may forget who was along, what you saw, what was said, the jokes… all the details forgotten, melted into our happy paddling past.
And then there are a few trips that I will never forget. Like what you describe and that one I had last year. Those are adventures. We get through them and there’s a good chance we’ll get a chuckle from them for the rest of our lives. Not such a bad deal either. Its win/win.
And, BTW, that person was darned lucky to have a fellow like you along. Pat yourself on the back; ya’ done good.
Such adventures may happen to both of us again someday but it won’t be like that often. It hasn’t been like that for you very often in the past, has it? Me either.
Smile. Life is good.
The dangers of unknown persons
Yeah, that’s overly dramatic a heading.
But there’s a warning in it somewhere. I present to you an account (told to me by two people who were there–I was not) of a day that could have gone horribly wrong were it not for the common sense of one experienced paddler nearby:
A fellow I will call Dave was heading up a beginner-paddler class, under the auspices of an official organization. He brought along a 14-year-old boy who had Attention Deficit Disorder. He loaned the kid his own kayak which had no bulkheads or float bags at all, plus a sprayskit. The boy had no kayaking experience.
Attempts at instructing the kid in forward stroke went poorly–sounded exactly like the attitude you dealt with. He was thrashing and flailing even when upright. (Arm-paddling, of course, but that didn’t matter.) An experienced kayaker I will call John insisted that the kid come to shore and remove the sprayskirt, since nobody had ever taught the kid how to do a wet exit. John figured he couldn’t stop the foolishness in progress but maybe he could prevent a drowning.
Shortly after the sprayskirt was removed, the kid went out again, thrashing and flailing, and promptly capsized.
There is more to this story, including the attitude of Dave himself, but that’s a different issue from the immediate danger posed by sending a non-listening, hyperactive kid out in a kayak with no bulkheads or float bags.
to be fair,
While it was bad, and I got really irritated, I learned some very valuable lessons that will undoubtedly shape my decision making in the future.
paul
"Accelerated Learning Days"
Gotta love 'em.
pain and pleasure
I find guiding to be a mix. Usually more pain than pleasure ( but I still get to play on the water). 2 days ago I was fortunate enough to be asked to guide a woman with a phsicall disability. The woman was a great paddler and fine company on the river. We paddled thru a monsoon, did a hard bail out off the river and she never stopped smilling and joking. A day like that helps balance out all of thoose hearding cat days…kim