# Music on the river



## Beardance42 (May 12, 2008)

Just want to get some feedback from other day trippers out there. 

We recently came across a boater who had a CD player (or iPod...something) playing music on his boat quite loud. I could hear it well enough to recognize the song at last 80 yards downwind, and probably 40-50 yards upwind. 

One of the things I like about day trips is the quiet in between rapids - getting away from media/noise, etc. Just the sound of the river...birds...whatever. 

This seems like a relatively new phenomenon in my experience. 

I prefer not to 'cop' the river, it's a public resource...on the other hand, I can't say I appreciate hearing someone's music in a place that (IMO) should be left to its own natural sounds. 

What do you think?


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## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

I'm with you on that.


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

I agree. I own a device that can play tunes in the boat. Brought it along once and couldn't stand having it.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

We had a small group of excellent folk musicians camped next to us on a recent Rogue trip, and they were awesome to listen to in the evening. I have also been on trips where people brought guitars, harmonicas, etc. This kind of music on the river is enjoyable to me. But electronically reproduced music in camp or on the river doesn't appeal to me. I used to bring my I-Pod on trips for my own private listening pleasure with headphones, but rarely bring it now. My one electronic vice now is my Nook.
KJ


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## gobigohome (Jul 18, 2007)

I beleive there is a time and place for music, we bring a waterproof set of speakers with us depending on how long the trip is, Most of the time we do not play it but if we do we keep in quiet and make sure no other boat or person on the river can here it unless on our boat. I would be embarresed to be with a group that had there music load enough to impact someone elses river expierence.


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## earthNRG (Oct 24, 2003)

I agree, but wouldn't stop someone else from playing music if that's what they're into. Just catch an eddy, let them pass, then enjoy the peace that the river brings.


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## Fallingup (Feb 27, 2010)

I am sure that you could have caught an eddy and let them pass. Seriously, in all honestly maybe thats what they like to do on the river. Its their time too.

I personally enjoy a little music on the boat and music is a huge part of our overnight river trips. A little guitar, a little vocals. Usually me belting out bobby mcgee at the top of my lungs(badly I might add). But hey, if you dont like it or dont want to hear than eddy out.

Just be glad your on the moving water and not camping next to them all night.


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## Anchorless (Aug 3, 2010)

I'm a big fan of blasting Slayer on the river, then the new Weezy jam. 

Everything zen.


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## DontFollowMe (Jul 2, 2010)

Did you happen to get a peek at their setup? I'm trying to find a good way to do it via Bluetooth


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## FrankC (Jul 8, 2008)

As long as is wasn't "Dueling Banjos" I wouldn't have a problem with it.


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## bigben (Oct 3, 2010)

don't let a bunch of sand blow into your boombox and jam the cd door shut.


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## riverjunky (May 11, 2011)

I always pack the waterproof speakers, and love river music. I dont always have it on, and the volume dial is readily available. I keep the speakers mounted to the camstrap ontop the cooler via a caribineer. This device rocks, its actually a dry box that holds your ipod or mp3 player. I was the first in our circle of floaters to get one and they have spread like wildfire. Make sure you replace the cheap caribineer it comes with, they also come in bright colors so you can find it on the bottom of the river.
Amazon.com: Grace Digital GDI-AQSCE104 Eco Extreme Waterproof Floating Case with Built-In Speaker for iPod, iPhone, Droid, and MP3 Players (Yellow): Electronics


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## joecoolives (Jun 17, 2009)

riverjunky said:


> I always pack the waterproof speakers, and love river music. I dont always have it on, and the volume dial is readily available. I keep the speakers mounted to the camstrap ontop the cooler via a caribineer. This device rocks, its actually a dry box that holds your ipod or mp3 player. I was the first in our circle of floaters to get one and they have spread like wildfire. Make sure you replace the cheap caribineer it comes with, they also come in bright colors so you can find it on the bottom of the river.
> Amazon.com: Grace Digital GDI-AQSCE104 Eco Extreme Waterproof Floating Case with Built-In Speaker for iPod, iPhone, Droid, and MP3 Players (Yellow): Electronics


 I just used this on a Salmon trip. it wasn't loud enough to bother anyone in my own group so I wouldn't be worried about bothering other groups. 

I enjoyed it on the flat water and slow sections. I could also hear the other people so it wasn't a safety risk. It also would depend on your taste in music I supose.


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

I have the grace digital eco thing too and I am fairly happy with it. It isn't very loud - your definitely not going to hear it 50 yards away - maybe 20 feet. It was a great companion on a recent moonlit night float. I wish it had a i-pod jack that would charge the ipod as well - i have to max the output volume on the ipod to get a reasonable level of volume from the speaker.


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## SummitSurfer (Jun 23, 2010)

I use mine to drown out the constant whining of boaters I pass on the river that seems to be crying and complaining about every little thing in life. 
I too have the EGO Clear plastic water proof iPod player and I'm amazed by the complements people have and ask were the can get one!


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## BoilermakerU (Mar 13, 2009)

I think it's fine to bring music along. I do think people should be a little more courteous as to how loud it's played though. Not everyone may like their taste in music or music at all in that situation. Then again, I'd say that for my commute to work every day... LOL

If it was really that loud, then I'd say they were a bunch of inconsiderate pricks and they should have turned it down. They may have been wantting to be noticed, like so many others in our society any more "look at me, I'm a dick". But you'll run across those now and then. Like other inconsiderate pricks, you just have to pass or let them pass, and go about your business otherwise. Don't let them ruin your day...


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Beardance42 said:


> We recently came across a boater who had a CD player (or iPod...something) playing music on his boat quite loud. I could hear it well enough to recognize the song at last 80 yards downwind, and probably 40-50 yards upwind.
> ..
> ..
> ..
> ...


I think you are teasing us here, I would really like to know the type as well as I would love to have something like that. 

My wife's water resisitant boom box is tapes and radio only. Maybe it wasn't water proof, but I am sure looking for something to crank up once in a while. 

If someone is around I wouldn't do it, but I love the music for rigging and at certain spots on the rio. But I also do a river only mix that is mostly mellower - Widespread, Grateful Dead, Phish, Jerry Joseph, Eddie Vedder etc. 

But it does have a little AC/DC and a handful of Nirvana, Metallica, Hendrix, 50cent, Red Fang too - just to get the blood pumping.


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## stuntsheriff (Jun 3, 2009)

do you remember the quiet of camp before people started bringing music players on the river? maybe the guitar or harmonica guy....long ago,it seems.


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## g.soutiere (Jul 7, 2009)

the ego has worked well for me. it even was still working after my flip(they say not to submerge them, its position made it submerge) still works great


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

stuntsheriff said:


> do you remember the quiet of camp before people started bringing music players on the river? maybe the guitar or harmonica guy....long ago,it seems.



do you remember the darkness of camp at night, before people started bringing flint or matches and headlamps and torches.........


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## Pcdc2 (Jan 24, 2011)

I just got one of these for cost at the OR show in SLC: 

Product Card

So far seems pretty bad ass, water resistant, gets good and loud, charges my ipod, and charges itself from the sun. Ready to try this shite on a 7 day trip now and see how it works out.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Pcdc2 said:


> I just got one of these for cost at the OR show in SLC:
> 
> Product Card
> 
> So far seems pretty bad ass, water resistant, gets good and loud, charges my ipod, and charges itself from the sun. Ready to try this shite on a 7 day trip now and see how it works out.


Leaving in two weeks and would be happy to borrow and give you a detailed analysis of how it performed.


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

I like music. But there have been days where i wanted to kill the guy playing "country road" for the 100 th time. The best thing about floating rivers is when your fellow boaters can't seem to leave the city at home, all you need to do is get off the sticks and drift 1/4 mile back and let the canyon heal your soal.


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## BoilermakerU (Mar 13, 2009)

carvedog said:


> do you remember the darkness of camp at night, before people started bringing flint or matches and headlamps and torches.........





stuntsheriff said:


> do you remember the quiet of camp before people started bringing music players on the river? maybe the guitar or harmonica guy....long ago,it seems.


Yep, and yep. I think the original point is not so much what an individual brings to his own camp or on his own boat, but what he imposes on others by having it too loud (in the case of music) or too bright (in the case of light). While I may or may not want music and lights in my camp, I would certainly respect the wishes of others and try not to introduce a lot of either into theirs. I would't put up giant light tower that beams giant beacons of light across the valley any more than I'd crank up my music so it could be heard throughout the valley. Can't people enjoy their music at lower levels and leave others to the quiet? Does one have to be more right than the other for God's sake?


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## Brotorboat (Apr 14, 2009)

I bring my Ipod and small speakers and play music on flatwater because I don't have anything waterproof. I don't always play it...but I always bring it. I would have to agree that, if you don't like it, pull over and let 'em pass. 

Different strokes for different folks...


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## brasscap (Jul 12, 2009)

carvedog said:


> do you remember .........


.....the 21st of September, love was changing the mind of pretenders......


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## atchee (Dec 27, 2009)

I can't sing and I belive 90% of you can't sing also so I'm going to have the CD or satellite radio on at times. (not to say that some might suck a singing)


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## BackCountry (Nov 22, 2009)

I do bring my Ipod and small speakers along on river trips. Seldom comes out. We usually have one semi-professional musician and one or two other guitar, percussion, flute or mouth harp musicians on our trips. The nights are long with live music, singing, general drunkenness that turns into boot scoot night most nights. We tend not to sleep much on river trips, just nap on occasion - doesn't matter if it is day or night - to reset for more beer and bourbon.

Sometimes I will admit I feel bad for the unlucky group that camps next to us (rarely) on the river as we are never quiet. Actually they usually feel lucky and come over to enjoy the great live music and libations. We have never had anyone complain in all the years I have rafted. All the rangers in Colorado/Utah have gotten to know my name on the permit and have learned to sleep with hearing protection the nights that we are scheduled to launch the next day...Although this spring Deso/Grey trip we had two groups out do us at Sand Wash the night before the put in and we were kicking it down good. I thought that was great.


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## Beardance42 (May 12, 2008)

Interesting replies, all. 

I've brought a guitar w/me on a trip or two, and my current wife, still fairly new to overnight trips, likes to bring an iPod w/ little speakers, which she plays one or two nights around dinnertime, out of four or five. I've gotten used to it - I want her to be comfortable and enjoy - but I did trips for many years with no electronic media at all and I admit to still preferring that. There's something to be said for self-removal from media for a week, but I understand not everyone feels like that. 

I do think that being able to hear someone's boombox from 60 or 80 yards away in an otherwise quiet stretch of river is an imposition disproportionate to someone politely letting it go, or pulling over, or pulling away, or just ignoring it. There's keeping yourself entertained, and there's shoving it in other people's faces. Some people see a distinction there...some don't. 

As for loud camps (music, hootin'/hollerin', shouting, etc) within earshot of other campers...I think that's a subject I'll refrain from commenting on.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

What? You mean i cant bring my Deep cycle battery bank, 2000W Inverter, QSC amp, yamaha club series V speakers and rock out to Poison from the shore when you pass by???


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

BoilermakerU said:


> Yep, and yep. I think the original point is not so much what an individual brings to his own camp or on his own boat, but what he imposes on others by having it too loud .........can't people enjoy their music at lower levels and leave others to the quiet? Does one have to be more right than the other for God's sake?


Untwist knickers. I was being sarcastic, facetious, devil's advocate for the music lovers on the board. 



Beardance42 said:


> Interesting replies, all.
> 
> I've brought a guitar w/me on a trip or two, and my current wife, still fairly new to overnight trips, likes to bring an iPod w/ little speakers, which she plays one or two nights around dinnertime, out of four or five. I've gotten used to it - I want her to be comfortable and enjoy - but I did trips for many years with no electronic media at all and I admit to still preferring that. There's something to be said for self-removal from media for a week, but I understand not everyone feels like that.
> 
> ...


Whew. I thought you just didn't like music. 

I suck at guitar but still try. And most of the time I don't do music on the rio. Too much else going on. It some flat sections particularly when I am solo, I really enjoy it and wife does too. 

Remove from media?? One of my favorite things to do in camp is go read down by the river or by the fire in the morning with a cuppa. 

I suppose you don't have copies of National Enquirer at the groover either?



Just funnin. Others love of their music shouldn't impact your experience. Any more than those who smoke the weed shouldn't blow it in others faces.


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## Pcdc2 (Jan 24, 2011)

Avatard said:


> What? You mean i cant bring my Deep cycle battery bank, 2000W Inverter, QSC amp, yamaha club series V speakers and rock out to Poison from the shore when you pass by???


Now we're cookin with gas!


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## stuntsheriff (Jun 3, 2009)

get the cook high and maybe he will like your lights and music


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

This from the other music thread but this seems to have some validity as well. 



rafterman said:


> Just recevied my Grace Digital Audio waterproof speaker today. I had heard good things and that combined with my love for music made me go for it. They sell for 50 bucks at REI(where I first saw it) but I had no trouble finding it on Amazon for half that w/free shipping. I got yellow due to high vis. in case I have to rescue it someday and also for reflecting sunlight so I don't burn up my mp3 player inside. It sounds excellent, nice and loud, water/sand/shock proof, and it will fill that want for the tunes I felt last season, especially while on the flat water. Will also be great for hot springs, hiking, mtn. biking, etc. Check it out on the web - Grace digital audio eco extreme
> 
> Amazon.com - around 30 bucks and free shipping
> 
> I tested it out and it works great!


Hows this working for you? Can you use the screen or do you just hit play and let it run? I am working up some good river playlists so not a deal breaker. 
My old speakers that I used finally blew out, broke the wire something. 

Looking again for speakers/enclosure/something for my iPhone to crank some tunes. 

Any other options out there?


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## CWorthy (Jun 22, 2005)

eton soulra

I have one of these, and used it on the Yampa in May (mainly during "Italian Night" dinner) - works great!


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## rrb3 (Sep 30, 2009)

carvedog said:


> This from the other music thread but this seems to have some validity as well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I really like this set of speakers from Goal Zero: Goal Zero Rock Out Portable Speaker - Free Shipping at REI.com
They have a decent sounds, low profile, and hold a charge forever. Now I need the solar panel for the backcountry to keep the tunes going.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

CWorthy said:


> eton soulra
> 
> I have one of these, and used it on the Yampa in May (mainly during "Italian Night" dinner) - works great!


Looks awesome. Doesn't say anything about waterproofing.

That it charges the phone is pretty rad too. 

Looked at the vids and it says splashproof when the panel is closed. 

8 hour play time.

Is it loud? Not when other people are around, of course. 

Thanks.


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## g.soutiere (Jul 7, 2009)

My eco box is still going strong it has been completely submerged while playing no issues. Two years old looks used not works awesome got it for $30 of of Amazon.


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## CWorthy (Jun 22, 2005)

The Soulra is definitely a cool little unit. I have not tested the submersion factor (and hope I never do!), but it is a pretty bomber little unit, but, when the Solar Panel is open/extended, it's not very stable. In my opinion, it plays loud enough for your needs and has a Bass button for better amplification. 

The only issue I had on the Yampa was not having pulled it out soon enough to get it fully charged in daylight - it pretty much died when the sun went down. And, that was okay because that was about time for the band to start playing (guitars, bass, stump fiddle, harmonicas, shaker eggs, frying pans, cow bell - everybody plays when we're on the river)


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

CWorthy said:


> The Soulra is definitely a cool little unit. I have not tested the submersion factor (and hope I never do!), but it is a pretty bomber little unit, but, when the Solar Panel is open/extended, it's not very stable.


And you have the regular not the XL which has the full length panel on top right? 

Some of the feedback indicated that when open to charge the area under the clear plastic would be in the sun as well. Any feasible way that you see of turning that around, which I guess would expose the solar panel side of that to whatever. It seems like it would be ideal if the open panel could actually shade the compartment that houses the player. Hmmmm....


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## CWorthy (Jun 22, 2005)

Yes, I have the basic one with the solar panel that flips up - I would imagine it would be easy to fashion some sort of cover for the iPhone (towel/bandana/cardboard) because it would be directly facing the sun while it charges. I actually use an mp3 player with it, so I use the connection on the back to input music (and put a towel over the mp3 player). I like it because it's compact, completely rechargable as long as there's sunlight and it sounds great.

I don't know about retro-fitting it, because that would definitely interfere with the design, but it is probably possible.


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## SummitSurfer (Jun 23, 2010)

These are rare but if u can find one, mine is bomb proof!

http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-So...55&sr=8-6&keywords=waterproof+ipod+sound+case


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

CWorthy said:


> Yes, I have the basic one with the solar panel that flips up - I would imagine it would be easy to fashion some sort of cover for the iPhone (towel/bandana/cardboard) because it would be directly facing the sun while it charges. I actually use an mp3 player with it, so I use the connection on the back to input music (and put a towel over the mp3 player). I like it because it's compact, completely rechargable as long as there's sunlight and it sounds great.
> 
> I don't know about retro-fitting it, because that would definitely interfere with the design, but it is probably possible.


I ended up with the Eton Soulra and I think it is wonderful so far. The battery half full light is a bit stupid to show that the power is on but other than that I really like it and it is plenty loud. $80 shipped off Amazon. 

Thanks for all the input.


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## codycleve (Mar 26, 2012)

We used a dewalt outdoor radio... Its loud can take some splashes and takes dewalt batteries that last a long time... Great at camp and on slower stretches of water...


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## adMan (Jun 4, 2008)

*goal zero*

goal zero makes a good set of speakers for an iPod or whatever. the sweet thing about them is that goal zero makes solar panels, and you can recharge the speakers off of one of their solar panels, as well as your ipod or camera or whatever. the speakers have pretty good sound quality and can go for 6 or 8 hours straight on a full charge.


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