# Lower Eagle wrapped boat!!!



## firecrazy73 (Jul 10, 2006)

As of 5/20 the raft is still wrapped. There have been reports that the top tube is no under the water line. Attached is a photo of the raft. Vail Mountain Rescue Group is working on removing the raft. I (Eagle Fire rep.)will advise when the raft is removed.


----------



## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

I bet if you shot the tubes on the left side it would float on out. Then nobody has to get wet.


----------



## firecrazy73 (Jul 10, 2006)

Latest update from VMR is that the recovery is postponed until the water level subsides.


----------



## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

So July then?


----------



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Do marine salvage laws apply in this situation?


----------



## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

Andy H. said:


> Do marine salvage laws apply in this situation?


i'm pertty sure that's the way it works. fair game....


----------



## liquidchaos (Jul 11, 2005)

I look good from a far. The recovery is postponed because the boat is quickly dropping under the water line and it would be really tough to get a line on the left side. There is a frame on the boat with two oars still on it. The bowline is loose but does not have a knot in the end of it. Stay clear and it should not be to much of a hazard. For the kayakers there are still a few beers off the stern that I am sure will be perfectly chilled!


----------



## liquidchaos (Jul 11, 2005)

I heard state parks was out there trying to get it off with no luck. I also heard they had ropes across the river, across the only safe passage, with no upstream warning, and commercial trip barreling down on them. :evil: not cool. Let it be if you are out there. The owner is making plans with several organazations to get it out of there, possibly in july- kidding. Boat safe there is a lot of timber out there and the eagle is officially 6'


----------



## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Who's boat? Dibs?


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*Update and Please Stop wanting to STEAL my boat and Thanks*

My boat is now almost completely underwater, there may be an oar underwater stuck out in the river left channel under the bridge, or it got dis-lodged. We could see it for a while waving around, but disappeared as the water got higher. The water level has increase over 1500cfs since it wrapped, that's about a 300% increase! Be careful, please.

No DIBs, please! Unless you are a thief, then I wish you the wrath of the river gods for stealing my boat! It doesn't matter if anyone here on MountainBuzz knows who's boat it is. The people who need to know, already do. Just because YOU don't know who's boat it is, does not mean it's up for grabs. Hey, I know it's fun to look at MY boat on the pylon and want to steal it. It's only been two days, it's NOT abandoned. Could you at least have a little class! It would be MUCH cooler if people were offering to HELP me get my boat off, instead of discussing how you can steal it. It's SO lovely to see the empathy and compassion people have here. It's easy to be the peanut gallery, sit back and pretend you are in Mystery Science Theater 3000. Updating people here as to who's boat is on the pylon was not exactly my highest priority in the last few days.

Look, the whole situation is incredibly stressful, I've lost A LOT. It's taken two days just to get back into my car, since my keys were in the rocket box that floated down river (please don't tell me I should have a key at the car, I know, I usually do. The one time I don't, this happens!). When I did get keys made, got to the put in I had a flat tire - so I'm a very very lucky person with inflatables lately! lol I really don't need the added stress of worrying that people are wanting to steal my boat.

So these little comments, maybe entertaining to you, but it's a serious situation that I'd rather not be in. I am an experienced boater, obviously I made a mistake. In 15 plus years of boating this is the first boat I have wrapped. BUT the reality is NO ONE was HURT or DIED. Am I proud to be the first wrapped boat of the 2008 season? NO! But I get that honor. So not only the first boat to wrap this season, it's my first WRAP ever! Yeah, my proudest moment!

Think about if you were looking forward to an amazing season, then having a boat one minute, in a second things changed, and now I may have to miss this incredible season (and that's the pettiest of the consequences.)

The river increased almost 300 cfs from the time I put in until I wrapped about 50 yards from the take out. I misjudged the force of the water, it's VERY pushy and strong, and was much stronger than it was in any rapid we went through earlier. So please be careful with the rapid increase of water. Remember how fast things can go from fun and fine to life threatening.

In response to the comment about the State Parks guys, yes they were trying to get my boat out. We *DID* have someone up stream warning people to keep to river left. So please get your facts straight before you slam someone for going out of their way to help. They were *VERY COOL* guys- *THANK-YOU SO MUCH!* We spend about 4 hours trying to get it off with no luck. We need more people like Todd and Rocky who VOLUNTEERED to help someone out in distress. They were VERY competent and took the initiative to do the right thing - try to get it off for YOUR SAFETY! not to get me my boat back. Guys like that deserve your gratitude for the job they do, not your snide ignorant criticism. If something was so "UN-COOL", it was only because they needed a few more bodies (which they got). What is UN-COOL is to criticize them for what they were doing, any one of you could have asked them if they needed help if you were SO concerned they were negligent (which they were far from being negligent.) They were very safety oriented, used harnesses when on the pipe, all safety precautions were used and discussed as the situation progressed.

Hey sorry my boat is in your way, trust me I wish it wasn't. I was lucky that it happened in a place that was easily accessible for emergency services, people on the shore called 911 before I got out of the water. All the emergency service people were amazing. The were there so fast and helpful. *THANK YOU TO EVERYONE* who helped that evening and continue to do so.

Any of you out there thinks they are immune to making this kind of mistake is an idiot and has NO business on the river, period. This situation reminded me how powerful water is and it needs to always be respected. Not one person on the river has NEVER made a mistake, some aren't as serious but they still happen.


----------



## UserName (Sep 7, 2007)

Hey, I actually helped unwrap a raft on that same post years ago... The trick was to cut the floor out, cut the webbing and free the floor from the raft. If you can access it, that should do it.. Best of luck..


----------



## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

"*Please Stop wanting to STEAL my boat "*

You can't make us stop wanting to steal it. I want it bad. Real bad.

That said, I don't think anyone is likely to go try to steal your boat. I'm curious as to what happened once it wrapped. Were you still on it for a bit? What is the frame doing? Did you try to deflate any tubes while it was still high on the pylon? Sometimes letting the air out of one side will turn her loose.


----------



## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Easy, easy now. If you knew us, you know we don't endorse stealing boats, but we do like to give each other a hard time around here. If we get your boat, we will give it back provided there is some cold beer for the taking...

Dougie S., if you see an opportunity and need a hand, I'm around Eagle until sometime tomorrow.


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

Ok, you are correct that I can't stop anyone from lusting after my boat (hey I'm lusting for my boat and want it bad! lol). The point is I *don't* know you, nor you me, so the joking (I did get that it was giving sh-t) wasn't and isn't funny. It's more like rubbing salt in the wound. It will be funny once things have gotten worked out, or if I did know you and we had a give each other sh-t rapport. To have marine salvage be the only thing people found worthy of commenting about (aside from the informational postings) is pretty rude and disheartening. I'd understand those comments if the boat had been there for weeks or months, not less than a day. Maybe take this as a reminder to consider who (like do you know the person) or your comments may not be so amusing. Ok I'm over that.

Well at least now that I have wrapped, I did it well. To add to the humor of it, the bridge isn't a water pipe, I've been told it's the raw sewage pipe. So not only did I wrap it, I wrapped it around a pylon of a shitty bridge! So it's officially a shit wrap, and literally a shitty situation! lol

When we hit the pylon we were high-sided so fast I couldn't even say high s..... before we were fully on the pylon, out of the boat, and wrapped. The valves were not reachable to deflate the tubes that evening, but the water has taken care of that. From what I can tell both bow tubes have popped. I think they did start to cut the floor out (not sure if that happened or was just discussed) just before it started to get too dark to continue. There is no air in the floor now, but is still attached . The stern tubes have some air still, but are soft and underwater. (well at least that's how it was last night)

It's no longer safe to get on the boat. So they were unable to remove one of the lines attached to the stern (down river side) last night, but it is now tied off to the pole. So if it does for some reason release, and the ropes don't break it'll be attached to the bridge.

It's an OLD OLD steel slant board frame with a gear rack that dips into the boat along the floor and back up to the frame. Now that I've seen the pix and the attempt I've realized that the rack is what's hooked on the pylon. The pylon is perfectly placed between the 2 steel tubes and the top of the frame. So if anyone does try to get it off, it'll need to be pulled from river left. We had up to 6:1 Z line (maybe 7 at one point) from several angles on river right and we only managed to pop a d-ring or two and barely moved it.

And as someone reported, the beer bag is still hanging on the stern. See I did rig to flip lol! And anyone who gets my boat off is welcome to the beer (it's only PBR), and I'd be more than happy to get you a couple cases of good beer of your choice, you name it!


----------



## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

_"It will be funny once things have gotten worked out, or if I did know you and we had a give each other sh-t rapport. To have marine salvage be the only thing people found worthy of commenting about (aside from the informational postings) is pretty rude and disheartening."_

We do have a "give eachother sh-t rapport." It's called the internet. Deal with it. I'm sorry that you are so disheartened that everyone finds this so interesting, but it's a funny picture of a boat wrapped around a little pylon and nobody is hurt. Good luck getting people to stop joking about it.

I hoped to turn this thread into something productive and discuss removing wrapped boats, so thanks for the specifics. I hope everyone out there learns something and practices their Z-drags before their next trip.


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

Fine give me sh-t. It is a funny pic - hey it's a boat around a shit pole! and I know it'll be funny (It already is). Just don't go shooting or stealing my boat!  lol


----------



## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Glad you are able to find your sense of humor. I would be disapointed if people DIDN'T give me shit about stuff. So long as no one is seriously hurt or killed, it is fair game, right? Welcome to the Buzz, you are now suceptable to getting shit from everyone for just about anything. (Have a look around and you will understand) This can a good thing, we all f-up sometimes, and it is our duty to make sure everyone knows when we do. Just don't take it too seriously...

See http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/the-colorado-season-is-officially-underway-18732.html


----------



## liquidchaos (Jul 11, 2005)

Qoute:
In response to the comment about the State Parks guys, yes they were trying to get my boat out. We *DID* have someone up stream warning people to keep to river left. So please get your facts straight before you slam someone for going out of their way to help. They were *VERY COOL* guys- *THANK-YOU SO MUCH!* We spend about 4 hours trying to get it off with no luck. We need more people like Todd and Rocky who VOLUNTEERED to help someone out in distress. They were VERY competent and took the initiative to do the right thing - try to get it off for YOUR SAFETY! not to get me my boat back. Guys like that deserve your gratitude for the job they do, not your snide ignorant criticism. If something was so "UN-COOL", it was only because they needed a few more bodies (which they got). What is UN-COOL is to criticize them for what they were doing, any one of you could have asked them if they needed help if you were SO concerned they were negligent (which they were far from being negligent.) They were very safety oriented, used harnesses when on the pipe, all safety precautions were used and discussed as the situation progressed.

I was the one in the pics for the record dahlia. I know that those guys ment well and most of them are great guys, but from a second hand report there were boats floating into a pile of ropes, I wasnt there. We did cut two laces of your floor that night and it looks to have completely unlaced. Since you had a leafield valve on the upstream tubes the cap was not on and it may have filled with water making it even harder to get off. Bes tof luck and I wish that I could provide more help, but we have already had three calls this week and do not have enough people to go around, and I would never put ropes across the river during the day, not my style. Best of luck and lets let the sh#t talking continue, that is what the internet is for!


----------



## UserName (Sep 7, 2007)

Be aware, if a tube has filled with water, if and when that thing does come off it is going to be wicked heavy, which puts a whole new dynamic to the situation. Don't be too close to those ropes and watch out should they snap...


----------



## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

So a boat full of water is tied to the pylon supporting a pipe full of sewage at high water? I would cut that rope before the boat pops free. A static line with the right tug can exert thousands of pounds of force. If the boat is tied just right it will form a big, heavy water parachute and the Eagle could get dirty...


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

I just got a report that they did take the line off last night. So it's not tied anymore. The stern line is still loose, but only attached to the boat. I'm told the floor is partially out. If what I think is happening with the frame is correct, that boat is not going anywhere unless the frame gets rotated down stream. Well, at least the frame isn't going anywhere, the boat will be in shreds if it get loose.

Liquidchaos, Thanks for getting out there that night. I thought you did cut the floor, but I was pretty overwhelmed (obviously), and couldn't remember. Could you tell if the frame had hooked the pylon? It's an unusual frame.

Am I the only one who is glad it's snowing (at least it is in Summit Co.)?  Hopefully that'll be enough to slow the thaw for a bit so the water will drop and I can get my frame and what's left of my boat out of there!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! (I've been praying for snow all week, so maybe my luck will change?)


----------



## tboe101 (May 10, 2005)

*boated by and scouted an UGLY wrap*

Years ago we wrapped a boat on the same pipe in exactly the same manner on a training run. Using a static line and exerting thousands of pounds of force is not a great idea--people die from loaded rope systems. We cut the floor out and deflated the upstream chambers it it peeled right off. I'm sure Eagle County Search and Rescue are all over it--they are the true experts in the valley. More than anything the water needs to come down to a safe level (July?).


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*It Might be Removed! Whoo hoo!!*

I've been told that the frame has now come off and is hanging out below the boat. The word is that they are going to attempt to retrieve the boat beginning around 1pm since the water level has dropped. Also the fact that it's on a shit pole has upped the priority, for concern about the pressure compromising the structure. So it can't wait until July (thankfully). I can only hope that it's still repairable, if so that's what I'll be doing for my Memorial day weekend. fun fun.

So I don't know if they need extra help or not, but if you are in the area and have time, it can't hurt to ask if they need help.

Thanks.


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*RIP the Dahlia 1991-2008*

The Dahlia (my boats name) is dead. R.I.P Named after one of my favorite memories with my Uncle. He's the person who introduced me to rafting.

It's still wrapped, but now all tubes have been popped. Be aware that the frame is still attached.

I'd greatly appreciate it, if the frame does come loose and someone finds it, that it's returned (I'll post it in lost and found, too). There is great sentimental value attached to it, I inherited it from my uncle who passed away. There is also an olive green and black mesh bag of straps, rope, webbing, etc. that was still in the boat on Tuesday, but couldn't get it out. It would be cool if to get that back too. Thanks.

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to try to get my boat off the shit pole. I know it was a long cold day without a happy ending. I hope that you have a great raft season (hopefully less eventful than this week).

I've attached a series of pix of today and the carnage that is my boat. I have more of the rescue crew, if any of you want a higher res pic, let me know.

Maybe I'll see ya next year on the river. Hopefully floating and no where near a shit pole! lol

Please don't give me shit today, give me a few days to except not having a boat. I've had enough shit this week just dealing with my boat wrapping around a shit pole. Thanks.

I think it would be helpful to to discuss the shoulda's, coulda's, and woulda's. I figure that if I'm gonna lose my boat, I might as well learn from it. I'd hope others would find this discussion helpful. Since it's gonna be a BIG water year, it might be good to talk about mistakes. I know a few that I did that contributed to the BIG mistake, if talking about them helps someone else It'd be worth it. Enough for now.


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*Pix*

It seems that the pix did not attach, I'll try again.


----------



## liquidchaos (Jul 11, 2005)

RIP dahlia...
FYI- the frame is still attached to the boat that is now mostly underwater, if it starts to collect debris it may become a hazard, but not for now. The ropes that were hangin off the boat have been removed. There was a rescue rope that was lost believed to be downstream, but could possibly still be around the shit pipe. If this rope surfaces it will be removed immediatly. Eagle pd put signs up warning about it, but as long as you dont wrap your boat over the top of this one, it should not be a hazard. now I am goin' boatin'!


----------



## avonraft (Sep 10, 2006)

Dalhia said:


> The Dahlia (my boats name) is dead. R.I.P Named after one of my favorite memories with my Uncle. He's the person who introduced me to rafting.
> 
> It's still wrapped, but now all tubes have been popped. Be aware that the frame is still attached.


Are you sure the boat is dead? Those Hysides are tough, I wouldn't write it off until you get it back onshore. Could be the tubes deflated from water pressing on the Leafield valve pin with a loose valve cap, or got punctured from the frame. Or did the guys trying to unwrap the boat intentionally puncture it? In any event, it may be repairable. It looked like from the photo of the semi-inflated boat around the pole that the baffles were still good. Keep your spirits up! It may all work out in the end.


----------



## firecrazy73 (Jul 10, 2006)

Overnight, the boat released from the pole and hung up downstream on river right. Eagle Fire removed the boat and all associated gear this morning. The Eagle County Sherrifs Office has the boat and all gear. Thanks for all the help. Have a great Memorial Day weekend and summer.


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

Sweet! :grin: Off to see the carnage. Does not sound so good, but thankfully it's no longer on a SHIT POLE!


----------



## thogan (Jan 25, 2005)

the river has come down a bunch so i'm not surpised. I hope i dont get wrapped like that ever. This is the year for river yardsales though.


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*Bout' lost my Boat this week! -oh wait, I kinda did!*

Yes, I hope no one wraps like that. When I fuck up, I fuck up right!

It's not in good shape, well really one tube is thrashed, the other three would be repairable, and the floor is mostly fine, one foot cone torn (more humorous than anything) and the seal around the release valve popped. The frame is pretty beat up, the shit pole even wore through the steel pipe in one spot. The bonus is the river took care of polishing the steel, so now it's nice and shiny! Oh, just so you all know, the dry (wet) bag with our lunch garbage was still there and is now in the proper reciprocal - a dumpster, so I didn't litter! Just donations to the river gods and rats! lol surprisingly I only lost two things due to rigging issues, everything else got torn off and shredded by the river gods.

So maybe the trick to getting rescued is to NOT blow your whistle or scream. I didn't scream or whistle when we wrapped around a shit pole and a ton of people showed up to help, but then again I wasn't with Griff...

Ok Buzzards, bring it on (don't make me regret this! lol), let the shit talk begin. Fling Poo like Monkeys! (I could use a laugh)

Or else I might just go see if I can get you all arrested for not entertaining me! Or is that only Griff's job?


----------



## liquidchaos (Jul 11, 2005)

so. do you think it was pinned the way you had described with the tube of your frame aroung the pipe? or was it just the rubber wrapped tight. I am thinking that once we dropped the tubes it allowed it to slide around the side releasing it, but who really knows? if you are going to tryt ofix it send it down to inflatable technologies in denver, if they cant fix it, it cant be fixed. or just pick up another used boat somewhere. Best of luck and I am not going to start the sh%t talking because I have been there, and I am sure I will do it again! might want to drink out a bootie for karma


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

Yes, I am certain that is was wrapped pretty close to what I thought. Just because of the wear pattern on the frame. The only thing is I think it was a bit diagonally instead of straight on like I had guessed. The damage to the d-rings on the cargo wrack and the pole literally rubbed through the steel pipe. I think a welder I know can fix the frame and straighten it. I think you are right about letting the air out, makes me wish we did that on Sunday night, but that did seem too drastic that night. 6 days on a shit pole.

Yes, actually I do know John. Thanks. He's who I got that boat from and was already planing to visit him. He pronounced my other 2 old Campways boats (Frederick of Hollywood, and Little Camper) dead as he put it they had cancer stage 4 (they had rubber rot when I inherited them- just to be clear their death was not my doing!). Hi John, know guess who? lol  So, I'm not going to give up on her until John says so. So John, if you are reading this thread, you are going to see me on Tuesday... Beer or Red Bull and burgers? Don't laugh too hard, you know my luck. So if the Hy-side (I named her The Dahlia) is dead, is Red Fred still hanging out in your shop? My back porch is becoming a dead boat refuge! Ack!

LiquidChaos, you of all people have EARNED the right to give me shit, but I feel ya about the karma. Also I have quite a few pretty good pix of you out there, so if you would like them let me PM your email and I'll get them to ya. Hope you had a great day boating today, you also earned that -even though I was jealous! :grin: Well I hope you got to enjoy some of that beer.


----------



## liquidchaos (Jul 11, 2005)

Beer; check PM; sent done and done...


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*Pix of the whole rescue*

I posted most of the series (too many) I took of the rescue operation for those who are interested.

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=2745&catid=member&imageuser=12264

Or go to Photos - Member's Photo albums - Dalha's images.

I can't seem to get then to display in the correct order, they are starting from the end. If they are coming out backwards (you'll see a blur pic of 2 people walking), switch view to "ascending" or start at the end and view backwards.

Does anyone know how to fix this? Every time I try to switch it, it just goes back to the reverse order.


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*Follow Up*

Just to let you all know, the damage to the boat will cost WAY too much to repair. :sad: Of course the guys at Inflatable Tech COULD repair it! But if I had the $ to repair it, I might as well buy a new-used boat that hasn't had a 6 day love affair with a shit pole!

This is the damage a shit pole can cause to an old Hyside. Not a single tear or slice smaller than a PBR! only thing smaller is where part of the frame wore through near the valve. I'm guessing that this kind of wrap is also why the style of my frame is no longer used.

Still don't know if the frame is repairable.

On the bright side, at least I still have 2 thwart tubes in perfect condition! lol


----------



## farp (Nov 4, 2003)

Those pictures are hard to look at. Sorry about the loss. 

At least your boat is in raft heaven.


----------



## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

There is a shot in the D Post this morning that looks a lot like the shots of Dalhia's raft. Is that a new wrapped boat, or just old photos?


----------



## Jay H (May 20, 2005)

saw the pic of the wrap on the 10:00 news last nite!


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

Thanks for the heads up. I guess I finally made the news!

19 Rescued After Rafts Capsize - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver


----------



## Dahlia (May 21, 2008)

*2008 Poster Child!*

Evidently my boat has become the Poster Child for rafting accidents of this season! One pic fit's all. So my boat will live forever now in the archives of the media!

I've learned a lot about my boat today!

According to the Denver Post it's still wrapped around a shit pole! You'd think that after 9 days getting off the shit pole their research department could at least get that right. On the other hand, maybe the boat I picked up is the imaginary boat and I might still have a boat wrapped around a shit pole!

According to Channel 4 tonight, it was one of the Nova boats that flipped yesterday and then got hung up on the shit pole! Actually I kinda like that one, if my boat wrapped yesterday, maybe it only has 1 day of shit pole damage!

cbs4denver.com - Sheriff Debates Closing Eagle River To Rafting

This clip is from the 6 o'clock news.

Did the Sheriff close the Eagle to boating tonight? A friend just called and said that's what the news said.


----------

