# What makes a good guide and river homie?



## srichte3 (Feb 20, 2017)

Heyo,

What are some of the qualities of a good boater/guide? Who are some people that left an impression (either good or bad) on you and what were they like? Have you had any experiences on the river that influenced who you are today?

Enjoy they warm March weather!


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## UriahJones (Aug 10, 2015)

Can't say much for the guide part, since I've only ever been on one commercial trip. Personally, while I've no doubt I had an excellent guide and good trip, it seems to me that the private trips are the way to go. 

For a good boating companion, I want first of all a healthy respect for the river and an attention to safety; someone who makes a plan, but is flexible when that plan changes (all river plans change); someone who pulls more than their weight, and never sits while others work. If I have all of that in an individual, the other stuff will be just fine. Its a pretty rare and caustic individual who meets that criteria and I still can't stand boating with 

As far as influences on the river goes... never boat anything you aren't prepared to swim. I learned that the first time I swam the middle chute at Rainie Falls. Doesn't mean that you want to swim it, or that you plan to swim it. But if you can't handle the swim, don't boat it. This fact alone will separate out all the tourists from the actual river runners.


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

Knowing what they're doing, can adapt to changing circumstances, and has patience with people.

Good qualities for anyone.


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## Brookey (Sep 22, 2013)

*Good River Partners*

Calmness is generally a quality that I look for in boating partners. Also, I prefer partners that wait until after we run everything above II to drink alcohol. Just sayin'


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## Treswright3 (May 20, 2013)

My favorite river buddy keeps getting invited because he comes over ahead of a trip and helps pack up food, pack up the boat, pull out the trailer, ext then he comes back over the day after a trip and helps clean and pack away everything. Its not just about the work on the river its about the work before and after too.


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## UriahJones (Aug 10, 2015)

Treswright3 said:


> Its not just about the work on the river its about the work before and after too.


Amen to that. I often have people ask me to take them boating, and I think that they imagine that everything loads itself onto my trailer and cleans, drys, and puts itself away afterward. 

Little do they realize that an afternoon rafting trip takes a good 1.5-2hrs work to make happen. Let alone a multi-day trip (far more with food prep + lots of other planning).


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## Brookey (Sep 22, 2013)

Treswright3 said:


> My favorite river buddy keeps getting invited because he comes over ahead of a trip and helps pack up food, pack up the boat, pull out the trailer, ext then he comes back over the day after a trip and helps clean and pack away everything. Its not just about the work on the river its about the work before and after too.


Yep, I agree completely Treswright3. Also, if it is a long trip with a lot of gear and different boats, showing up to a trip meeting is a very good sign.


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## twmartin (Apr 3, 2007)

I tend ot boat with a lot of people who don't have a boat so I frequntly have passengers or am carrying a kayaker's gear.

My best river homie comes over and helps me pack up all of the shit (I'm usually the cook and have all the kitchen gear) and knows how to drive a stick so he can share the driving from Fort Collins to Westwater, The San Juan, Dolores, wherever.

An then he shows up after the trip to help wash the boat and unload all of the shit and put it away.

His name is Ben BTW!

Thanks Ben!


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

Brookey said:


> Yep, I agree completely Treswright3. Also, if it is a long trip with a lot of gear and different boats, showing up to a trip meeting is a very good sign.


What if they get drunk at the trip meeting?

Nah, just poking

To be a good guide you must have a good attitude. You may make it a while fakeing, but it'll eventually catch up to you. I know folks in all types of guiding, from hiking, to skiing, hunting, fishing and of course rafting. The one thing that is there for everyone of them is a pleasant attitude and unflappable. It's infectous and it sets the tone for everything else. Of course you have to work hard and communicate well (next two most important attributes) but a good attitude can overshadow deficiencies elsewhere.

The same concept sets the tone for private trips, attitude drives it all. Of course a good attitude and no clue doesn't necessarily equal a great homie, but as long as they try, learn and get better it's all good. When it comes to private trips a very close second is commitment. A great attitude is no help when you bail last minute! If you say your going to go, GO. My wife does this all the time - were at a party, someone invites us un XYZ trip and she says "Hell yah, were in". Next monring I check the calendar and, nope - we're not kids have scout camp that week! Ohhhh does it piss me off. Now I just catch up with the kind soul after the wife walks away and say that we'll have to check but we'd love to go. I'll let you know ASAP. I have several other friends that do the same thing all the time...arghhhh.


Anyways: ATTITUDE, commitment, hardwork and communication are the cornerstones for me.


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## Brookey (Sep 22, 2013)

Haha elkhaven, drunk at the meeting is fine. I just get tired of rescuing drunk people's boats at high flows and then they don't offer me one.  love your post, I call it the "say/do ratio". Say it, do it.

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## climbdenali (Apr 2, 2006)

As far as a good guide- I was just talking about this today with a close friend who I worked with commercially for a lot of years. We were saying that what makes the best guide aren't necessarily good boating skills. The fact is, ANYONE can be taught how to drive the boat. However, you can't teach work ethic and personality. A good guide is one who does their share of the work, and then some, and is (or appears to be) thankful for having had the opportunity to do your work for you. You could be the best "whitewater technician" west of the Mississippi, and be a real shitty guide. I think this is more or less said by the above posters.

I think most of that also applies to private trips. I second the Do/Say ratio comment, and I like that way of looking at it. I certainly strive for a ratio of 1, but I'm not perfect. I definitely try to correct the record ASAP if something changes and I cannot "do". Sometimes things out of control come up, but most of us know when it's for real (annoying) and when it's an excuse for lack of commitment (really chaps my ass).


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

srichte3 said:


> Heyo,
> 
> Have you had any experiences on the river that influenced who you are?


All of them?
I think I would be a significantly different person if it were not for being introduced to river running, and the people I have known because of it.


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## NoCo (Jul 21, 2009)

Brings their own beer. Doesn't drink my last one. Everything that a kayaker isn't. Hehehe just kidding


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## Forward2 (Mar 29, 2016)

twmartin said:


> I tend ot boat with a lot of people who don't have a boat so I frequntly have passengers or am carrying a kayaker's gear.
> 
> My best river homie comes over and helps me pack up all of the shit (I'm usually the cook and have all the kitchen gear) and knows how to drive a stick so he can share the driving from Fort Collins to Westwater, The San Juan, Dolores, wherever.
> 
> ...



Thanks Buddy! Just made me smile! Now time for Canoe trips! Btw your the best as well, and one hell of a Cook!! Hands down the BEST..

Cheers,
Ben


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