OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

[Dale]

I've deleted the whole topic and conversation that was started in 2007. We need to change the tone on where this topic is going. The facts are that James was in a spot were he SHOULD NOT have been and someone threw a rock that SHOULD NOT have.
It's not who is right or wrong, in the eye of the law, it's how are we to deal with the problems in the future.

[TOP DAWG]

Good point Dale, i did comment a litle hastily on the deleted post because I was shocked to read that someone would throw a rock like that at another person, and the act be supported pretty eavily by a number of people. i understand the frustration but to support and act like that is pretty negligent. This isnt just about boating, paddeling or whatever else, these issue arrise all the time between people that enjoy exploring the environment using motorized vehicles and people that don't support the use in the great outdoors. It's unfortunate that this type of incident usualy brings the attention on motorized activities and sometimes the lawmakers change regulations that make it difficult for us to do what we all love. I agree 100% in sharing our resources with everyone else but fear that some other groups aren't feeling the same way about sharing. It's unfortunate for both parties involved and I hope we can all learn to live with each others ideals and preference and not have to bring in the UN to stabilize the differences ?

[Dale]

Below is what i have just posted onthe canpaddle site:

I was forwarded the link to your forum as there was a growing opinion of jet boaters as a whole.

The jet boater in this video was clearly irresponsible, ignorant and dangerous.

From what I have experienced, jet boaters are very much like those who kayak, raft, canoe and fish. I have spent some time paddling; I enjoy river fishing and river boat 4-5000 miles a year. We too value the fresh water, the beauty of outdoors and the ability to meet likeminded people.

On the whole, most jet boaters try to avoid heavily populated areas where people are swimming, fishing, kayaking or rafting. We value the solitude as well. We value the safety in all forms of boating. It is not the purpose of owning a river boat to rip through heavily populated areas. This boater was obviously ignorant and irresponsible to think that it would be ok to boat the Kan let alone “your play ground.” Jet boaters don’t purposely want to disturb other river users, only want to pass through to get to another area. There are rules of the river that most all jet boaters follow. In our jet boating community we are all aware that there may be some bad apples in our group as there are in most groups and we try to educate all new river boaters the proper etiquette for river use, but there is always that 1% that can be a problem. For this I apologize on behalf of Alberta River boat Clubs and the Canadian Boating Federation.

Both should be looked at as individuals and not as a bad generalization to each sport/recreation. Both people made extremely poor decisions and not the boating community in which they represent. I don’t believe that there should be charges laid but I do believe that both individuals made mistakes.

Educating new and some of the old, boaters could be a full time job. But I do ensure everyone that the majority of river boaters do have a great deal of respect for other river users. However there is always room for improvement. In that I would like to invite positive discussion to our forum at:
http://www.outlaweagle.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4

I think that many paddlers, like boaters, don’t know what to expect when we meet each other on the river. There has been many times that I have come around a corner to 15 canoes spread out and no time or water depth to stop, however other times I stop to let paddlers pass, only to get verbal abuse for it.

I hope that the paddling community can understand that we have more similarities and concerns than differences. We are all in this together and we will be seeing each other on the rivers of Alberta and BC more and more in the future.

Getting back to the paddlers park incident, I believe that something as simple as a sign on the side of the river 3-4 miles below the park will stop 99% of the power boaters. We, the Central Alberta River Boat Association, will supply this sign if you would like. I can have them made and sent to you.

Sincerely
Dale Whiteside

I hope we can keep this positive and adult, without too much rock chucking. That will get hard on your monitors.

[Bald Man]

Well said Dale.
Everyone must share the rivers with other users.
To expect one group of people to give their right to a resource is freaking ridiculous. Common sense sometimes gets thrown aside after an incident like this and lots of things get said that should not be said.
Time to get along.
PS - I'm planning to take up fishing again this summer, so if any fishing people can lay a few tips on me, then I'm ready to learn. I'd even take them up the river and get some hands on pointers!!
Dave

[shallow draft]

I must not know the whole story.
Why should James not have been there?
Is that part of the river deeded to the paddlers?

Just asking

[Arthur]

Well said Dale....I contacted a guy from calpaddle I know from a motocross forum last night to let him know basiclly the same thing you said.He was really trying to reason with both parties in thier forum and sounded like a really great guy in his response. The internet tough guys will step back and realize one day that we all have to get along on the water. In the case of a emergancy it doesn't matter who you are or what you love to do, it's how you can pull together. I'm sure if that rock had hid the 'boater in question' 50% would have pointed and laughed as he floated down.

[Dale]

Shallow
James went for a sunday afternoon drive up the Kananaskis River into the Calgray Kayak clubs corse. this of corse upset everyone there, having never seen a jet boat there. he turned around, i assume at the top, and headed back down where someone though a large stone at him and hit the boat. not sure how many paddlers were there but there are sure lots of pissed off Kayakers.
there is no law saying that the Kananaskis river cann't be boated, it is not closed to power boats, but not never a good choice to go into someones gated corse in there water park. avoiding these large groups, fishing guides ect, have always been what river boaters do.
now the RCMP are looking to charge the rock thrower.

never a good idea to throw stones at red necks, also not a good idea to put your little buddy in a bees nest. your not going to pull out with honey on it. just a whole lot of pissed of bees.

[shallow draft]

thank you for the clarification, but it is not "their water"
I am a little concerned that they think they have" sqwaters rights" on any piece of river. I have always tried to be courtious and share the river and I expect the same. If some one hit my boat with a large rock no matter what the perceved incident there would be significant leagal ramifications.

[into rivers]

My background of river use is more than 30 years of canoe paddling and a little kayaking. Locations which I enjoy are class two to four rapids but with my canoe I don't run many class fours. As I age I'm finding that my body is not able to paddle quite the distance that it used to without injury.Last year when I became too injured to paddle more than about an hour without pain I came up with a solution: jet boat to the rapids then paddle.
So I am now both. I'm a two year old jet boater and a veteran paddler. With both activities Dale is right. Get out there and enjoy the rivers. Be courteous to other users and be safe.
Something that jet boaters may not know about the Kan is that it is entirely dam controlled and that they regularly turn off the taps. (there is a schedule online)If you were up there when they did, you would have to stay until they released water again.
PS Shallow: Rocky really needs a launch.

[boosted]

Fisherman must have a thing for throwing things. Last night at about 95 mph in the race boat a fisherman that should not even be fishing yet in the river threw a pile of mud at us and hit me in the helmet. I still have a headache. Now this guy should have been charged with assault and by the time I got over there he was gone. It makes it pretty hard to play nice when only one side has to do it.

[Hines]

boosted that fisherman has good timing or luck @ 95mph,you must have been close hey? Still bad to do that kind of stuff.Later.

[finally conviced her]

We have a long road ahead of us to understanding how our action affect others or even how they are interpeted by others.

Its damn hard to put the shoe on the other foot and say "what if that was my kid or friend paddleing and I didn't know the guy in the jet boat"

And its not their river. But the empty parking lot were the kids are doing tricks on their bikes or skate boards isnt theirs either but you wouldn't burn donuts in your car in the middle of them.

It sure would be cool if we could develop a little tolerance for others.

I have just as short or shorter fuse than the next guy. And peoples actions p*ss me off. But I'm trying.

[shallow draft]

into rivers

Yes we really need a new boat launch. There is a new one constructed but between AE and TransAlta it is not available. The Town of Rocky is hopefully in the process of aquiring the land from TA to compliment the North Saskatchewan River park. A call to the Town Rec dept. from others will help. [403-845-3720 Lee Chambers] It is seperate from the paddle folks to minimize some of the conflicts. I am very aware of the nonmotorized users and try to be as considerate as I can. I have rescued more of them on the NS than I can count. I have found that as soon as as they understand how a jet boat works it is not nearly so scary to see one.
Support and understanding from someone like your self from both worlds will also go along way in explaning why a seperate boat launch is needed.

Greg

[ntjetboater]

After operating prop boats for 30 years without anyone throwing rocks or fish hooks at me or giving me the bird I have to ask...why do we as a jetboating group have a bad rap with other river users? Now I own two jetboats and every time people see my little boat on the river I get dirty looks..complete BS. I can drive by a guy fishing with my outboard at 50mph and he will wave...if I do the same in a jetboat I get the finger...I think the tree huggers and paddlers need to realize that North of 60; I DO own the rivers. lol

[TOP DAWG]

Vince you make a good point, i think its cause we are the 1% ers !