I guess sooner or later somebody had to do it. Now there are paddle boat white water “semi pros” .
https://paddlingmag.com/stories/columns/profile/the-world-of-whitewaters-first-semi-pro-pedal-boater/?utm_source=Paddling+Magazine&utm_campaign=b9648d08f1-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_18_06_14_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_66b554bdc5-b9648d08f1-84521509
“Pelican offered them a free boat to do what they do, so long as they include in their videos a disclaimer stating these boats are not designed for whitewater.”
This is like Subaru providing a one year membership to the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) with a new WRX and then denying warranty claims if the car has been autocrossed.
It’s going to tempt a lot of people to do things they shouldn’t do. (Actually, autocrossing a WRX is a really good idea…)
Not designed for whitewater? They’re not designed for waves or boat wakes either. Paddleboats don’t turn well or fast. They’re square boxes. I wonder if they modified the rudder.
I have a paddleboat stored on what used to be my beach but now part of it is in the water. It’s a nice boat, with seat cushions, a bimini and adjustable seats. Would love to get rid of it but the lake level has to go down.
I seriously doubt that a skilled whitewater paddler is going to give up a good whitewater canoe, or kayak, and buy one.
Too much loss of manueverablity…
I also seriously doubt that anyone doing any heavy duty touring is going to give up their touring boat.
Not enough space for gear; poor tracking ability.
Deal with sets of ocean waves; no way.
Where the appeal might be; lollygagging on flat water rivers, or small, calm lakes, close to shore.
Probably safe enough & fun? No appeal to me personally.
Unfortunately, the untrained, underskilled, and inexperienced people who are most likely to buy them, will likely be the ones that will make poor decision about their choice of paddling venue, Think 2 drunks putting it on flood swollen river, a normally low class II whitewater river in flood stage, or let’s say Lake Michigan, or Superior in nasty weather conditions. All of have been attempted in varied boats, on numerous occasions, with expected results. Typically every Spring & Summer.
BOB
Wanna try class 3 or 4 in ANY Pelican? Good luck!
Wear your helmet, and pfd, and paddle with some paddlers with whitewater rescue training/experience.
P.S Amish/Mennonite paddlers attempting to extricate canoe from under stainer. No pfds, and no idea how they’re doing. Gurantee you that several of them couldn’t swim 25 feet? How far in long skirts? Lucky none got swept into the canoe, under the strainer.
Theif solution was to let 3 paddling.com members who showed up show them how to get it loose…Good choice!
Could very well be the next new trial olympic sport.
I’ld get up in the wee hours to watch it.
Explain to me how those “pedalboats” are any different from shooting rapids in a dumper lid?
Sort of reminds me of the ungainly tandem and quad pontoon rafts that the masochistic Russians use. I suspect there is a lot of vodka involved in these outings:
@willowleaf said:
Explain to me how those “pedalboats” are any different from shooting rapids in a dumper lid?
The paddle wheel boat does have propulsion, flotation and steering. Dumper lid not at all.
Of course you have to remember it was great sport once to go over Niagra Falls in a barrel. Unwise both but it is/was.
@willowleaf said:
Sort of reminds me of the ungainly tandem and quad pontoon rafts that the masochistic Russians use. I suspect there is a lot of vodka involved in these outings:
Lots of money and work go into these things, but I can’t figure out why …
@greyheron said:
Lots of money and work go into these things, but I can’t figure out why …
Adrenaline is a very powerful drug. Some crave it more than others.
I suspect there are a lot of stashes of Russian army surplus parts kicking around the country. A lot of what I see in the Russian sports videos looks like military stuff.
@willowleaf said:
I suspect there are a lot of stashes of Russian army surplus parts kicking around the country. A lot of what I see in the Russian sports videos looks like military stuff.
That may be some of it, like those huge trucks they like to drive across rivers. But it doesn’t explain the Russian-flag-colored bouncy-house-looking thing they put in the river. I think someone over there has more money than sense–and maybe wakes up every day thinking, “Today’s a good day to die.”
Hold my vodka , watch this…