# Gettin Maytagged



## Fly By Night (Oct 31, 2018)

"That was a full Maytag circle jerk!" 

I'm new to rowing but you'd better believe I'd come into a rapid named Maytag with some steam. 

This hurt to watch why were they not able to grab a throw bag and get yanked out?


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

Fly By Night said:


> "That was a full Maytag circle jerk!"
> 
> I'm new to rowing but you'd better believe I'd come into a rapid named Maytag with some steam.
> 
> This hurt to watch why were they not able to grab a throw bag and get yanked out?


Its actually Tappan Falls on the Middle Fork... but Tappan certainly gave them a maytagging.

I'm sure they would have appreciated a throw bag or something...but people decided to watch from shore and make comments while shooting video rather then help the guys out.

I heard one guy had a couple of broken ribs.

The rapid has a REALLY easy setup with flatwater above, a big eddy to boat scout from on river right, and a fairly clear tongue to run down. The guys who got Maytagged even had a few boats to follow that did the correct line. Not sure why they went over there. 

That said, on my last trip down we had a few guys go over that same spot, but they didn't get Maytagged. They definitely scared themselves though and it got kinda flippy but no carnage.

Edit: Watched the whole thing again after seeing it a year or two ago... looks like they followed the pink cataraft into the hole. I agree that attempts at getting a rope to them certainly was not as enthusiastic nor accurate as it could have been.


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## gazzy902 (Dec 21, 2018)

Piss poor throw bag skills......


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

Remember when you see someone taking a beating...thats probably one less applicant for permits. Protect the resource, laugh at the beaters.


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## Fly By Night (Oct 31, 2018)

Electric-Mayhem said:


> Fly By Night said:
> 
> 
> > "That was a full Maytag circle jerk!"
> ...


They definitely got the spin cycle. Would they have been able to punch through it if they came in with some momentum?


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## SixPek (Jul 19, 2016)

gazzy902 said:


> Piss poor throw bag skills......


Read and run gone wrong!

On the poor throw bag skills....yeah, pre-swim to the raft and post-swim to the swimmers. The best chance was the green raft tossing a bag while passing to their right early in that spin cycle - that could have salvaged the situation pretty quick and the toss was piss poor. My teenagers would have done better (I would hope, anyway).

In fairness I'm not convinced the 2 guys in the spin could have caught and secured a bag being tossed at the raft from shore. They looked spent at that point and resigned to a flip.


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## Redside (May 10, 2013)

Ah yes the Maytag MF video, one of the all time greats. If you search for it there is a detailed discussion on this video on Mtn Buzz.

Edit: Found it

https://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/tappan-falls-maytag-video-48435.html


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

I am not familiar with this video

but am familiar with almost the same action way back in the late 90's

this was a experienced rafter along with his 12 or so year old son in the bow. A big Marivia 15 footer. Pretty much loaded.

I was there and at the time was of several ACA Swiftwater instructors on the trip and none of us got a throw rope out from either bank. And as been posted earlier, I doubt the rafters could have caught the rope if we had.

The dad had all he could do keeping the boat up right and was working the oars really well attempting to row out. The son was in the bow getting thrown all over and did good to hold on. This went on for a very long time maybe 15 minutes and every one was tired.

some how the big cooler got loose a bit and floated up plus on one of the spins the bow line bag opening came undone and the long bow line floated down well pass the bottom line of the hole. The oarsman had a burly long bow line and this turned out to be the factor that got the raft free.

I think the combo gave the oarsman a tiny chance to get loose one a spin and he gave it all he had on the oars and it came slowly out.

Bottom line. It is easier than one thinks to get caught in this hole. And getting out is really hard. If possible hug the river right chute no matter what. My opinion any one who can keep their raft upright in this keeper is a good on the oars and hi side routine.


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## lncoop (Sep 10, 2010)

Mr. Dave, I'm glad to hear you say river right. I thought that might have been the line, but I'm not very good on the sticks so I wasn't sure. Still trying to figure it out and this kind of stuff helps.


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## 90Duck (Nov 19, 2012)

So, bobbing in the Cache Bar eddy at the MF takeout last June, we started chatting with some Colorado boaters as we were waiting for all the sweep boats to clear the ridiculously small ramp. We start chatting about how our respective trips went and they bring up the Tappan Falls Maytag video and ask if I'd seen it. It cracked me up - for the record, that was my green boat that choked the one realistic chance at a throw bag rescue as we floated past. The lead boater in the tan cat and me running sweep were the only boaters that were on both the ill-fated 2013 "maytag" trip and last year's uneventful trip. Yes, we did scout it this time. The run is still on the right for anyone curious.

Funny how that video has taken on a life of its own. It really is the commentary that does it. I came across this video shot by the same crew at Rainey Falls on the Rogue (start at around 7 minutes for "the voice"). It was only one good pooch-screwing by the boaters floating by from becoming another instant whitewater classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrYCbccCq6M&list=PLBB462EB2C605E4AC&index=82&t=0s


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## Osprey (May 26, 2006)

That guy is the Johnny Mosley of whitewater commentary right there lol. He should hire out to do voice overs on boring rafting videos haha


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

I will add that in the tappan falls incident I refereed to the raft in the hole was the last raft to run the drop.

we did eddy out and talk the line, but as often happens on rapids like Tappan Falls, something went wrong.


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## markfortcollins (Aug 20, 2015)

Awesome commentary. Matag Tweezer Brains!


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## jamesthomas (Sep 12, 2010)

Ok, I watched the video. Major surf job. I start putting myself in that raft and thinking about what ifs. How could I get myself the hell outa there. 1st thought throw your body out on the downriver side of the mess and hold on to the chicken line or frame or... and let your body act like a sea anchor in that down stream flow might pull the boat out... might not but then your swimming and your going to do that anyways right. Real gutty young man move and I'm turning 60 this year. Then I think grab a 5 gallon bucket and a flip line (which I carry in my pfd) snap that biner over the handle and throw that SOB in the downstream flow hunker down and hang on or dog it around the oar tower. Should pull you out right??? Dickin around with the oars doesn't do shit from the few videos I've watched, might as well ship em and not lose em. Would it work or am I just pissin in the wind?


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## FlyingDutchman (Mar 25, 2014)

I like the bucket idea. If the bucket doesn’t pull you out and the bucket stays attached to the handle, maybe the drag will slow the spin cycle enough you can figure out a Plan C.


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## Fly By Night (Oct 31, 2018)

If the bucket doesn't get you out maybe someone else can tie your line to their bow and yank you out with some strong backward strokes?


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## natepelton (Feb 24, 2011)

Holy shit, I love this video, the commentary is funny as hell. I recently talked to a friend I hadn't seen in years and his wife said "intanse", I was like, are you referencing that worst maytag ever vid from the MFS and she was. We has a good laugh and exchanged our other favorite lines from the clip. 
"Hey, quiet on the video!"


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Good luck rigging the bucket rescue while you are high siding in that hole, even if it was easily accessed on what should be a very tightly rigged boat to start with. Throw lines are usually 75' long max, and accuracy is somewhat inversely proportionate to distance. It is hard to say if the wildly unpredictably moving target of a raft was within a reasonable toss from either bank anyway, nor that much could be done in the unlikely event of a bullseye throw within the first few minutes. The idea of just tying up your line to their bow as you go by and yanking them out? Um... no, that is a 25 mph difference between the good line and the line they took. 

Those guys were in a pretty tough spot, and it's hard to say what the options really are until you are actually in that kind of predicament. It was quickly apparent there were only two possible results: Release or flip. I'd say the top priority is having a couple boats NOT tethered to shore ready to go get them as soon as the outcome was decided.


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## OregonianRG (Jun 14, 2010)

I totally agree with Dostep. I was the guy in the grey Riken. I stayed in my boat untied to the bank, because I knew I had to be ready when and if they flipped. I rescued the man who was in front of the boat getting banged up pretty bad. He had a couple of broken ribs and was totally exhausted when I saved him.


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## kayakerjim (May 2, 2018)

jamesthomas said:


> Then I think grab a 5 gallon bucket and a flip line (which I carry in my pfd) snap that biner over the handle and throw that SOB in the downstream flow hunker down and hang on or dog it around the oar tower. Should pull you out right???


I'm pretty sure the handle on the bucket will break long before you get pulled out. They are not designed for a lot of force.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

Being in a nice comfy chair.......this is what I would do.

I would hook my throw bag to the front of the boat and hand the bag to my rider. I'd then talk him into jumping in with throw bag in hand and swim into the eddy below and pull me out. I'd assure him I'd done it several times before and it works like a champ. I'd then explain how I need to stay with the boat and row it to shore as soon as he freed me of that hole. :mrgreen:


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

caverdan,

at one time, I did some sail boating.
Sailboats usually have a device called a sea anchor on board.

Never tried this. However as you posted, from the comfort of my easy chair
seems to me if the trapped rower opened their throw bag to it's max opening
and tossed it down stream of the keeper hole
the throw bag would act as a sea anchor and pull the raft free
no need to have your rider jump out!!

this assumes the rower or passenger has the balance and co ordination to do all this and remain in the raft.


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

Between hisides, they should have got the oars in the locks. There were a number of times they were almost out and a couples of solid strokes might have done the trick. Step two, throw a rope from the boat to shore or another boat close by. Step three, boat with guys that can get a rope to you from shore or their boat. I’ve made that toss from shore to that hole. Step four, what caverdan said. Step zero, stay out of the middle of Tappan Falls. Scout from the slack water if you’re not sure. Pretty easy type all that from my recliner.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Is there not a common rafter strategy for dealing with this situation?Some thoughts that occurred to me,do something along the lines of what Dan and Okie said,but throw the bag as far down stream as possible( towards the giant eddy on left) then one or both guys jump aggressively out downstream NOT holding the rope,but swimming towards it after clearing the backwash of the hole,trying to get the rope into the eddy where the other cat could tow it out by peeling out into the current.I don't know if just a bag used like a sea anchor would be enough to pull it out.It might and is in line with exhausting the simplest option first.Holding the rope might work but being pulled back into the hole tangled up in a rope under the raft might also happen...no bueno...Once it becomes obvious you will be worked indefinitely ,you should probably bail before you get too tired and can't do whatever as well...That swim was pretty mild with huge eddy close..I get you are worried about abandoning gear.Usually if you off load the weight of the boaters the boat has a better chance of washing out or flipping and then washing out.
Oars are a huge disadvantage in a tight spot.In a ducky or kayak ,if you are stuck but upright ,you could try to straighten the boat and ender out of it or work to the corner of the hole and catch some downstream flow.What about having a couple raft paddles on board an oar rig to extricate you in this situation or in case an oar breaks?(Yeah I know more gear).The best spot to throw a bag from would have been easy to get to in a kayak/ducky but the purple cat could not get up to the smaller eddy above the gigantic eddy.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Is there not a common rafter strategy for dealing with this situation?Some thoughts that occurred to me,do something along the lines of what Dan and Okie said,but throw the bag as far down stream as possible( towards the giant eddy on left) then one or both guys jump aggressively out downstream NOT holding the rope,but swimming towards it after clearing the backwash of the hole,trying to get the rope into the eddy where the other cat could tow it out by peeling out into the current.I don't know if just a bag used like a sea anchor would be enough to pull it out.It might and is in line with exhausting the simplest option first.Holding the rope might work but being pulled back into the hole tangled up in a rope under the raft might also happen...no bueno...Once it becomes obvious you will be worked indefinitely ,you should probably bail before you get too tired and can't do whatever as well...That swim was pretty mild with huge eddy close..I get you are worried about abandoning gear.Usually if you off load the weight of the boaters the boat has a better chance of washing out or flipping and then washing out.
Oars are a huge disadvantage in a tight spot.In a ducky or kayak ,if you are stuck but upright ,you could try to straighten the boat and ender out of it or work to the corner of the hole and catch some downstream flow.What about having a couple raft paddles on board an oar rig to extricate you in this situation or in case an oar breaks.(Yeah I know more gear).The best spot to throw a bag from would have been easy to get to in a kayak/ducky but the purple cat could not get up to the smaller eddy above the gigantic eddy.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Is there not a common rafter strategy for dealing with this situation?Some thoughts that occurred to me,do something along the lines of what Dan and Okie said,but throw the bag as far down stream as possible( towards the giant eddy on left) then one or both guys jump aggressively out downstream NOT holding the rope,but swimming towards it after clearing the backwash of the hole,trying to get the rope into the eddy where the other cat could tow it out by peeling out into the current.I don't know if just a bag used like a sea anchor would be enough to pull it out.It might and is in line with exhausting the simplest option first.Holding the rope might work but being pulled back into the hole tangled up in a rope under the raft might also happen...no bueno...Once it becomes obvious you will be worked indefinitely ,you should probably bail before you get too tired and can't do whatever as well...That swim was pretty mild with huge eddy close..I get you are worried about abandoning gear.Usually if you off load the weight of the boaters the boat has a better chance of washing out or flipping and then washing out.
Oars are a huge disadvantage in a tight spot.In a ducky or kayak ,if you are stuck but upright ,you could try to straighten the boat and ender out of it or work to the corner of the hole and catch some downstream flow.What about having a couple raft paddles on board an oar rig to extricate you in this situation or in case an oar breaks.(Yeah I know more gear).The best spot to throw a bag from would have been easy to get to in a kayak/ducky but the purple cat could not get up to the smaller eddy above the gigantic eddy.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Not sure how that triple posted and did not show edits i made....sorry


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## Villainista (Jul 28, 2011)

*Ropes Malo*

Adding a rope to a surfing raft can be problematic. Surfing is scary but no one is in danger yet.No surf last forever and generally can be ridden out. Lots of work in boat to get out before rope. Part of problem is when raft is heavy it sinks back into deepestpoint in hole. Need to get weight out. You can abandon ship, grab bow line, jump out andsee if your body in current will drag out. If boat is empty get throw bad putrocks in it and try to snag thwart. Pull out.


Ropes in surfing boats with people in boat can be bad news.You need super human strength to hold rope and its all u can do. Even if I benerit off we now have rope under tension and the boat spins and catches all theclients heads.


I have had a surf in Maytag on N Yuba. It was long, triedeverything I new at time. Got rope boat spinned and wrapped around clientsneck. It was scary we got off her neck and boat popped out of Maytag.


Rope last resort in my experience.


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## Anton8100 (Nov 14, 2018)

Piss poor rescue !


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## WaZach (Dec 7, 2018)

Last year we had the exact same situation in Tappan. Guy in our party went way left, even though we told him the line was right AND scouted. We scouted from left bank and were watching as our 6 boat party went through. He was maybe 2nd or 3rd boat through, and I was running sweep/last boat through. After he was recirced for about 5 minutes, I rowed to the right bank eddy above Tappan (where this video seems to have been filmed from) with two others in my boat. I threw a bag with a biner attached to the rope loop on botoom to the girl (mid 20s with very little river experience) in the bow. Before throwing, I held up the biner/bag and did some rudimentary sign language to communicate that there was a metal object headed at high speed toward them. The bag sailed beyond and arched over the boat by a good 10 feet. She grabbed the rope, found the bag/biner and attached it to the safety line and the three of us on shore pulled them out of the maytag very easily. It took a couple tries for the girl to get the rope secured with all the thrashing around they were doing. They came out unscathed and were in there a total of no more than 10 minutes (seems like a long time but could have been a lot longer and at least they didn't have to swim or get hurt beyond a few bruises). 



I was shocked at how easily the fully loaded boat was pulled out. Easily could have been done by one person pulling from shore. Also, all 15 or so witnesses were shocked at just how far 75' of rope goes. Pre-throw, most in our group thought we couldn't get a bag out to them. Maybe the weight of the biner helped. Also, it was just a standard NRS throw bag w/75'. 



I'm also aware that throwing a bag with a biner could end a lot worse than a swim through the bottom of tappen, but we were careful that the receiving party knew about the biner and they were careful to watch for it.


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## 90Duck (Nov 19, 2012)

Anton8100 said:


> Piss poor rescue !


Get to rescuing on those guys, keyboard hero!


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## Anton8100 (Nov 14, 2018)

90Duck said:


> Get to rescuing on those guys, keyboard hero!




No need to get touchy.. seemed like more could have done. At least more ropes could have been thrown. Every one just watched. Even when the boaters went for a swim. Everyone just watched.


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## 90Duck (Nov 19, 2012)

Anton8100 said:


> No need to get touchy.. seemed like more could have done. At least more ropes could have been thrown. Every one just watched. Even when the boaters went for a swim. Everyone just watched.


Sorry, but 6 years later it does get a little irritating getting comments like yours. If you have an observation to add, then we can all learn from it. Hearing that the rescue attempts sucked doesn’t really do it for me anymore. It just feels like piling on. It was a less than ideal situation and neither the lead up nor the response were perfect by any means. I sincerely hope your rafting team comes out unscathed when the unexpected happens to you.

Watch very closely at the end of the video after the flip, about the time of the “tweezer brain” line, and you will see the oarsman Dave getting a perfect rope throw to him from the guys on the left bank and getting pulled in within seconds. Two untethered boats go after the other swimmer and have him out of the water in less than a minute, but the video ends before you see all of that. After the boaters were safely out of the water, two boats chased down the flipped raft and had it tied off before Cove Creek rapid below. While there unfortunately were significant injuries, it could have been a lot worse. Whitewater rafting is a high risk sport, and sometimes it takes getting a beat down to be reminded of that.

See you on the river.


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## Anton8100 (Nov 14, 2018)

90Duck said:


> Sorry, but 6 years later it does get a little irritating getting comments like yours. If you have an observation to add, then we can all learn from it. Hearing that the rescue attempts sucked doesn’t really do it for me anymore. It just feels like piling on. It was a less than ideal situation and neither the lead up nor the response were perfect by any means. I sincerely hope your rafting team comes out unscathed when the unexpected happens to you.
> 
> Watch very closely at the end of the video after the flip, about the time of the “tweezer brain” line, and you will see the oarsman Dave getting a perfect rope throw to him from the guys on the left bank and getting pulled in within seconds. Two untethered boats go after the other swimmer and have him out of the water in less than a minute, but the video ends before you see all of that. After the boaters were safely out of the water, two boats chased down the flipped raft and had it tied off before Cove Creek rapid below. While there unfortunately were significant injuries, it could have been a lot worse. Whitewater rafting is a high risk sport, and sometimes it takes getting a beat down to be reminded of that.
> 
> See you on the river.




Duly noted, great post and reminder  I’m happy they turned out ok and rescued.


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## 90Duck (Nov 19, 2012)

No worries. This thing has been thoroughly analyzed by the Buzzards on that earlier thread linked above. Five of the group on that trip, inlcluding the oarsman in the hole, all offered some perspective on it. Six years and a couple more runs through Tappan later I can generally just appreciate the video itself as wildly entertaining and funny as hell due in large part to the narrator. I’ve never seen a post from anyone in the film crew party. Perhaps they all have better judgement than wasting their time on here like the rest of us do. Maybe I’ll see them on a river again someday and get to talk it through over a beer or two.


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## Anton8100 (Nov 14, 2018)

90Duck said:


> No worries. This thing has been thoroughly analyzed by the Buzzards on that earlier thread linked above. Five of the group on that trip, inlcluding the oarsman in the hole, all offered some perspective on it. Six years and a couple more runs through Tappan later I can generally just appreciate the video itself as wildly entertaining and funny as hell due in large part to the narrator. I’ve never seen a post from anyone in the film crew party. Perhaps they all have better judgement than wasting their time on here like the rest of us do. Maybe I’ll see them on a river again someday and get to talk it through over a beer or two.




Beer ..river ... does it get better !?..


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## waterbob83 (Sep 11, 2009)

I’ve watched the video and read through the thread, and out of deference to 90Duck and others who were there I don’t want to comment on the scenario as it happened. I’ve pulled boats out of surfs and been pulled out myself. However, as I read through the alternate ideas I found myself reacting to the idea of a rope and swimmer or bucket or other alternative to drag the boat out via the current. 

While those ideas should work in theory, if the boat flips in the process you are now chasing and wrangling a boat with a bucket or sea anchor fighting you, as well as that extra hazard of strap or rope being present for swimmers. Just my $.02.


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